Flame-coloured Starling

Well at least one local felt that I would struggle to see the Flame-coloured Starling in Caister this evening. But at least the Rose-coloured Starling was showing well in what I guess was a pre-roost gathering on the wires.

 

 

Wilson's Phalarope, Red-backed Shrike and a Corncrake

Ha Ha the title got your attention, the gripping head shot probably helps also. Only problem with my Corncrake was that I also got to see, White-headed Duck, Marbled Duck and Bald Ibis...that's right it was at Pensthorpe.

 

But before my family day out, I had time to nip to Cley early morning and go see the Wilson's Phalarope I had heard it was showing well so felt it would be worth it.

From the moment we arrived the Wilson's Phalarope was showing well, but it did appear to be doing a lot of 'practice' flights taking off on its own accord for lengthy periods, at some points it seemed it never was going to come back.

We then popped to Walsey Hills and saw the Red-backed Shrike which was showing well but seemed to like sitting the wrong side of bushes.

On Saturday (14/9) I got to spend some of the day at the Patch. After a very wet and unproductive morning at Ebridge* I headed for Trimingham for a Sunny yet incredibly windy afternoon. I started with a Sea Watch producing only Singles of Arctic Skua and Great Skua and only a handful of Gannets.

After this a walk along the cliffs and woods. Both quiet so any bird would be a bonus. I spooked an odd looking bird from some Stubble which after 20mins of trying to relocate I realised it was actually a tail-less Skylark.

I then found a sheltered patch of Brambles where around fifty Common Nettle-tap were. I then watched as a Emperor Dragonfly proceeding to pick off well over half of the Nettle-tap moths.

I walked on and spent the rest of the afternoon chasing the bird below. The first time I saw it the bird flew past and the Rufous wings struck me as odd. I then noticed how clean the front of the bird is. Everything kept saying its just a dodgy Skylark in a really bad moult, but it still keeps playing in the back of my mind. I will be honest view the bird was extremely difficult as it was so windy. The bird didn't seem to behave the same as the other Skylarks around it always stuck to the cliff edge and path where as all the Skylark would fly off into the field when disturbed

I have asked a few friends since and they feel the same Skylark but not 100%. I have trawled the Net but couldn't find any pictures of any Skylarks looking like this. Below are some pics.

 

 

Note the speckle-less front

 

 the Rufous wing

The Patterned back but more important the tail feathers which would surly mean Skylark?

 



 

 

* The Morning at Ebridge not entirely unproductive as I got to see this Water Vole.

 

 

 



Pomarine Skua

I have also added a Macro Moths page see the tab up the top for every Macro I have ever seen.

Yesterday I added Pomarine Skua and Great Skua to the Patch List saw some Cormorants also.

I also ran the trap last night. a much cooler night and it was obvious with the lack of moths by dawn, details below.

Brimstone 3
Flame Shoulder 2
Flounced Rustic 1
Garden Carpet 1
Large Yellow Underwing 9
Rustic 1
Setaceous Hebrew Character 8
Small Blood-vein 1
Small Square-spot 1
Square-spot Rustic 4
Uncertain 2
Yellow Shell 1
Beech Midget 1 (NEW)

Common Plume 1
Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer 1
Garden Grass-Veneer 1
Light Brown Apple Moth 5

Fantastic to get a rarity in the trap

It was fantastic to see and after a little bit of research I realised that I had come across a Nationally Rare moth. Found in the Brecks having a Marbled Clover in the garden would surely indicate a migrant, very confusing as usually found on the wing from June-July but good all the same.

I caught a total of 296 moths of which Large Yellow Underwing were dominant once again with 156 being the count inside the trap. 40 Species were caught 28 Macro and 12 Micro, One brand new moth and Two others new to the garden.

As always full details below.

Brimstone 4
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1
Cabbage Moth 1
Centre-barred Sallow 2
Common Rustic 5

Copper Underwing 7

Flame 1

Flame Shoulder 10

Flounced Rustic 7

Garden Carpet 4

Heart and Club 1

Ingrailed Clay 1 (new to garden)

 

Large Yellow Underwing 156 (One-hundred and Fifty Six)

 

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1

Lesser Yellow Underwing 3

Marbled Clover 1 (NEW)

 

Oak Hook-tip 1

 

Pale Mottled Willow 2

Rosy Rustic 1

Rustic 6

Setaceous Hebrew Character 16
Shuttle-shaped Dart 3
Small Square-spot 4
Square-spot Rustic 18
Svensson's Copper Underwing 1

Really annoying still cant get a picture that shows all the copper to prove Svensson's although I can see it, just cant photograph it.

Uncertain 11
White-point 2 (new to garden)

Willow Beauty 3
Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix 1
Brown China-mark 1

Chequered Grass-veneer 1
Common Plume 3
Dotted Oak Knot-horn 1
Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer 1
Garden Grass Veneer 1
Garden Pebble 1
Garden Rose Tortrix 2
Light Brown Apple Moth 8
Pearl Veneer 1
Spindle Ermine 2

 

Over 100 for a single species in the moth trap

Another good night in the trap, with a total of 221 moths trapped a whopping half of these (109) were Large Yellow Underwing.

Here is a picture of one egg trays just so you have an idea.

With all the moths caught a total of 33 species were in the trap with 25 Macro and 8 Micro I had only 1 new species.

Brimstone 3
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 3
Centre-barred Sallow 1
Common Marbled Carpet 1 (here's a pic of yet another variation)

Common Rustic 2

Copper Underwing 6

Double-striped Pug 2

Flame Shoulder 7

Flounced Rustic 1

Garden Carpet 4

Large Yellow Underwing 109 (One-hundred and Nine)

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 5

Lesser Yellow Underwing 4

Mouse Moth 1

Nutmeg 1

Pale Mottled Willow 1

Rosy Rustic 1 (NEW)

Rustic 6
Setaceous Hebrew Character 5
Small Square-spot 5
Square-spot Rustic 5
Straw Dot 1
Uncertain 4
Vine's Rustic 4
Willow Beauty 1
Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix 2
Barred Marble 2
Bud Moth 1
Chequered Grass-veneer 1
Common Plume 1
Garden Grass Veneer 1
Light Brown Apple Moth 8
Mother of Pearl 1

 

 

Whimbrel over Norwich and Friday Night Mothing

I was playing pitch and put at Mousehold yesterday when a Whimbrel flew over headed towards the City.

Friday night I ran the moth trap a brilliant night with 265 moths trapped. This was with 49 species of which 34 were Macro and 15 were Micro. 2 Brand new species and one new for the garden. The most impressive moth had to be the Large Yellow Underwing with 96 of them in the trap, they were crammed in everywhere.

As always below is the full list, with a few pictures for good mearsure.

Brimstone Moth 3
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 2
Centre-barred Sallow 1 (NEW)

Common Carpet 3
Common Marbled Carpet 1

Common Rustic 3
Copper Underwing 3
Dark Arches 1
Dot Moth 1
Double-striped Pug 2
Flame Shoulder 23 (Twenty-three)
Flounced Rustic 2
Garden Carpet 2
Heart and Dart 1
Large Yellow Underwing 96 (Ninety-six)
Least Yellow Underwing 1
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 5
Lesser Yellow Underwing 3
Lime-speck Pug 1
Mouse Moth 1
Oak Hook-tip 1
Old Lady 1
Pale Mottled Willow 1
Rustic 5
Setaceous Hebrew Character 9
Shuttle-shaped Dart 2
Silver Y 5
Small Square-spot 4
Square-spot Rustic 29 (Twenty-nine)
Svensson's Copper Underwing 1
Uncertain 3
Willow Beauty 2
Yellow Shell 2
Yellow-barred Brindle 3
Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix 4
Barred Marble 1
Barred Smudge 1 (NEW)

Common Flat-body 1
Common Grass-veneer 2
Common Plume 3
Dingy Dowd 2
Dotted Oak Knot-horn 1
Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer 3
Light Brown Apple Moth 16 (Sixteen)
Mother of Pearl 2
Smoky-barred Marble 1
Spindle Ermine 1
Wainscot Smudge (NEW to Garden)