It's Been a Week....

..So I thought I'd better put something on here just so my blog doesn't fall off the radar. I could blame it on not seeing much, which is true, but to be honest I just haven't felt like blogging. I'm probably still suffering after effects form Saturday morning's hideous dipping incident. Just one week shy of three years to the day that I (and many others) dipped the patch's first Ortolan Bunting, I managed to be one of a minority of local birders NOT on Beer Head and hence missed the patch's second Ortolan Bunting too. I managed to put on a brave face (I think) but I don't mind admitting I was quite miffed, especially as I heard over and over again how fantastically well it had been showing. I don't blame the lucky five for enthusing so, I'd have done the same. I'm genuinely very pleased for them, really. If you haven't read about it yet (I'm sure you have though) check it out here, complete with gripping photos. I did look at them, just the once mind. Not to worry though I'm NOT going to miss the August 2012 bird! To compound matters Phil and I left Black Hole Marsh last night just minutes before Steve had an Alpine Swift fly over. Pants!


I have seen a few nice common migrants on Beer Head over the last few days though and I wish I could say I've took some superb photos to prove it, but I can't. I have taken some photos though.

It's... A Yellow Wagblob

Whinchat in kale field.

And they were two of my better efforts this week!

We've had the moth trap up and running on several occasions and although the catches have been large 2-300 moths a night we've only managed four new species for the garden. Too boring to photograph were the Yellow-barred Brindle and the Marbled Beauty. We also had Shaded Broad Bar and Oak Hooktip. A couple of repeat highlights were our sixth and seventh Four-spotted Footmen and our second Peach Blossom.

Shaded Broad Bar

Oak Hooktip (well what's left of one)

Another moth based highlight was my first Humming Bird Hawkmoth of the year. It was in my garden first thing yesterday morning, trying to feed on the Honeysuckle in quite a gusty wind. It soon gave up. I tried to get a photo, which proved difficult. It's rubbish, but still, I'll foist it on you anyway.

Humming-blurred Hawkmoth!

And still on the moth theme. This evening I got my first( and probably only) Co-op deli moth tick with a Brimstone Moth. It popped out from underneath the counter while I was sweeping up. Perhaps it hitched a lift on some moth- trapper or other's clothing!?

I took a walk on Axe Cliff this morning and it was disappointingly birdless again. I had to amuse myself taking a few snaps of insects instead.

My first Migrant Hawker of the year.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly.
Warning: Don't look too closely or you'll see a Sand Wasp being eaten alive. Yuk!

My favourite Beetle...
The Bloody-nosed Beetle.

Finally, I did manage to take one nice bird photo this week, only because the subject was very big, very slow and 'after a piece of me!'

Be very afraid!
It'll break your arm don't you know! ;-)