Weekend in Lancashire 18th to 20th June

At our holiday home at Hawthorns in Lancashire we had a pleasant surprise with a family of Tree Sparrows visiting our bird feeders.

Despite the wet weather the birds were visiting constantly.

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.