Leighton Moss Visit - 18th June 2016

At the public hide, a Great Crested Grebe was fishing just in front of the hide. A large fish was caught and now it had to be swallowed.

Leighton Moss Visit - 18th June 2016

Views from the Skytower Hide.

Birds seen around the feeder station, included Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, Robin and Bullfinch.

Leighton Moss Visit - 18th June 2016

We spent a few hours walking around RSPB Leighton Moss and it have been several years since our last visit. There has been a tremendous amount of work done on the reserve, especially the hides and there was a good selection of birds visible.

Lilian Hide had 100+ Black-tailed Godwit in breeding colours and the Marsh Harriers were flying over the reedbeds. Grey Heron, Gadwall and Mallard were also in front of the hide.

Garden Moth Update - 16th June 2016

Week 16 of the Garden Moth Scheme, recorded on the Thursday rather than the usual Friday night.

Brimstone 1
Buff Ermine 1
Scalloped Hazel 2
Double Square-Spot 1
Diamond-back Moth 2
Mottled Pug 1
Garden Carpet 1

Garden Moth Update - 9th June 2016

Week 15 of the Garden Moth Scheme, with an overnight minimum temperature of 13.9°C.

Common Marbled Carpet 1
Diamond-back Moth 14*
Flame Carpet 1
Light Brown Apple Moth 2
Heart & Dart 1
Mottled Pug 2
Common Pug 1

Flame Carpet

Diamond-back Moth

*14 is the highest number I have recorded for Diamond-back moths. Whilst I was on holiday in Bulgaria, moth recorders were reporting hundreds of Diamond-back moths arriving in the UK.

Migrant Lepidoptera suggested this as a likely route of the moth - Western Russia to Finland..onwards. A 2 mile long cloud of moths was reported near Leominster in the UK.

Weekend in Lancashire 28th to 29th May 2016

I spent this weekend in Lancashire surrounded by birdsong, butterflies and damselflies in warm sunny weather. The area around my holiday home has a wealth of wildlife waiting to be discovered.

Orange Tip & Large White butterflies were flying past all day long, but surprisingly it was the damselflies that stopped for a moments rest allowing a quick photograph. On the East Coast I tend not to see very many Large Red Damselfly, but there were plenty today.

 

Not to be out done, here's the blues in the form of Common Blue.

Garden Moth Update - Friday 27th May 2016

A dry GMS moth night with an overnight minimum temperature of 11.5C.

White Shouldered House Moth 1
Light Brown Apple Moth 4
Flame Carpet 2
Mottled Pug 1
Shuttle-shaped Dart 1
Iron Prominent 1 (northern form?)

Shuttle-shaped Dart

Iron Prominent

 Flame Carpet

Iron Prominent

Shuttle-shaped Dart

Mottled Pug