November still buzzing

Still plenty of life and interest on the patch, despite reaching the penultimate month of the year ( already !)
First off, I found a Northern Wheatear on the 9th November on the paddocks, a nice late record from a brief foray.
The sun came out the following day, complete contrast, warmth and inverts aplenty. The Ivy blossom was teaming with various Diptera and Wasps, hundreds of individuals, a marvellous November sight !.

Noon Fly  ( Mesembrina meridiana)

Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis Pertinax)

Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria )

Vespula vulgaris ( probably ! )

A Peacock and a Comma Butterfly were noted.

The nettles and posts were teaming with Ladybirds, and 4 species were seen, 2 were patch lifers, Pine Ladybird and 16 Spot Ladybird. There were very big numbers of 7 Spot and Harlequins on the wing.

16 Spot Ladybird

Finally, a subject I had started to read about recently, and it was nice to get acquainted with my first galls, these two occur on the underside of Oak leaves, and house a wasp that hatches in late winter and early Spring.

Silk-Button Spangle Gall

Common Spangle Galls

Many thanks to Brett Westwood, who supplied  fine company and great information on some hitherto unfamiliar flora and fauna during our walk.

Mervtober

October, a month with the hope of passage birds, and still a few Inverts around if the weather is kind.The first and last weekends have been the most productive. Lets start with the first.
From the moth trap, some more lifers. September and  October are the months the much sought after. Merveille du Jour can be trapped. It's a lovely looking moth with a fancy name to match. It's quite a trophy species for moth botherers like me. Every morning visit to the trap brings a tingle of anticipation in case a 'Merv' is lurking. Anyway, these two fella's were a decent start..

Green-brindled Cresent ( f.capucina ) )

Angle Shades

 

Whilst a trip up to Titterstone produced no Stonechats, and only 1 Wheatear it did  produce a decent immigrant moth.

Rush Veneer



 And a caterpillar I had never come across.

Broom Moth Caterpillar

Ironically , my first ever patch Stonechat was waiting for me back home, found by local birder Terry H.

Stonechat ( Patch Lifer )

Another patch rarity this year has been Red Admiral. This one was enjoying the ivy blossom that afternoon on the patch

Only the 2nd patch Red Admiral of 2013

Also that afternoon was the first time I managed to get a record shot of a Hawker on my patch

♀ Southern Hawker

The rest of the month , locally,was pretty pants, until this weekend, except for a Rock Pipit at Grimley. I made a sojourn to Norfolk for a couple of nights, and suffice to say, I had plenty of good birds. Eider's, Velvet Scoter, all the waders and Geese you would expect, Marsh Harriers by the score...Thankfully, the moths have kept me going on the home front....Back to them...

Grey Shoulder Knot 12/10/2013

 



Juniper Carpet 12/10/2013

I've had quite a few Junipers this month, and November Moth's have been the next most common. Indeed final trapping of the month on Friday 25th, I had 3 and 2 respectively. Also, another nice lifer, Figure of Eight moth.

Figure of Eight



But the jewel in crown was settled just next to the trap as I checked it that evening, the much sought after MDJ !!!  Get In !!

Merveille du Jour    :-)

One Good Tern...and more

The highlight of the Bank Holliday weekend was finding a Black Tern when I visited Grimley on the Sunday morning. This was a really pleasing bird to pick up. It performed wonderfully giving great views over 90 minutes as it hawked insects and took 1 fish. It was nice to really be able to study a species like this on the Doorstep , a rare treat.

This weekend I popped up to Titterstone Clee. Seems bizarre that I have not been back since early November 2012, but the weather during early Spring passage was so poor, and the place was covered in snow until about June ( well maybe not quite)..I had also intended to get up there for some invert investigation this Spring and Summer, but with the dates being all to cock I never made it.

Anyway, up on "TheTit" yesterday were high numbers of Swallows feeding up ready for the off.  2 Kestrels were noted and regularly landing on the slopes around the many Meadow Pipits.Buzzards and Ravens screeched and Kronked respectively.

Near the car park I noted 6 Wheatears, and just below a vocal extended family of Stonechats. Possibly a couple of broods worth ..?

Wheatear

Stonechat's

 

The 'highlight' bird was a Yellow Wagtail that split from a group of Pied, gave a nice flight call and put down for a minute or so before heading off for warmer parts.

It was quite nippy up there, but I did see a ♀ Common Hawker ovipositing, and a couple of ♂'s kicking around. A nice session in all.

♀ Common Hawker ovipositing at Titterstone

One the way home I dropped into the patch. It was nice to see a Couple of Common Blues about, as well as a couple of Small Copper.

Small Copper

The highlight was seeing Purple Hairstreak for the 1st time on the Oak where they had initially been recorded on the patch 12 months ago. It was a bit worn, but it came down nice and low, which does not happen too often. This is the 4th site on my patch I have seen them this year.

Purple Hairstreak

There was a definite nip in the air Sunday morning as I checked the moth trap. Treble Bar was my weekend highlight, a lifer. I later swung by Grimley, hoping some of the waders that I had missed there over the bank Holliday may be about. I was not disappointed. Little Egret, Little and  Ringed Plover, Black Tailed Godwit, Dunlin,and Greenshank were all encountered. The Snipe count was well into double figures and it was nice to see a few Kingfishers darting around again. Common Tern numbers were dropping off rapidly from the week before.
Autumn has arrived on the Doorstep.

Treble -bar

Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady...Doorstep Butterfly Invaders !

As you may or may not know, there has been a recent influx of butterflies from the continent lately. I know some people will be up in arms "they come over here, drinking our nectar "..but the influx of Clouded Yellows really has been quite exciting. It's been a good few years since the last invasion of any significance, and getting to see one locally became a priority by last weekend.
 Around 6 pm last Sunday I twitched a find made by my blogging patch neighbour JK. Despite a bit of panic on arrival when the Yella Fella slipped away, we relocated it and I had good views and a record shot.

Clouded Yellow

The weather Saturday was not butterfly friendly, so I concentrated on the birding. I was done and dusted for the day when a message from fellow local birder TH informed me there was a couple of Wheatear down on the paddocks,( probably put down by the gloomy drizzle). I was there in 5 minutes and grateful for the heads up.

Wheatear

 The venerable informant had also mentioned a good spot down the road for Clouded Yellows, so with the weather looking brighter Sunday I scooted a few miles Southwest to the site he had alluded too. Finding a field full of Fat Hen as described, it was chuffing with Whites, and soon I had counted 4 Clouded Yellows. Those I photographed were a little worn, but I managed to observe at length a very smart male. They really shift, and I settled for observation rather than chasing my tail trying to photograph them.
Also on the wing were Common Blues, including some nice blue females, as well as Small coppers and Speckled Wood.

♀ Common Blue

 However, the highlight  of the morning was finding a Painted Lady, my first of the year, and only my second ever.

Painted Lady

 I was in for a couple of Surprises when I stopped off on my patch on the way home. Not only did I find the second colony of Purple Hairstreak in successive weeks, but also spotted my second Painted Lady of the day. Just like buses ey ? !

Spotted Flycatcher and Purple Hairstreak, great weekend on the patch

Saturday I started what was intended to be a circular walk of the patch. It started well when I spotted a nice Hoverfly, but rapidly went pear-shaped when I realised there was no memory card in the camera. Fortunately the Hoverfly, A Great Pied, was still hovering about when I returned after my false start.



Great Pied Hoverfly

A section of woodland that rarely yields much, was alive with birds for a change. Initially I had spotted a Great Spotted Woodpecker, but the clearing containing a collection of dead trees also hosted Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Nuthatch and Treecreeper. However the reason I lingered and made no further progress that morning on the walk was discovering a family group of Spotted Flycatchers.

Spotted Flycatcher

Last year, I had a similar find, about 300 yards from that spot, and  almost on the same date.
It was only my second sighting of the species this year anywhere. It was a show stopper and I had no time to complete the circuit. On heading home a Heron gave a rare opportunity for a patch record shot, which I gladly accepted.

I recorded Purple Hairstreak on the far south side of my patch last year, but this year so far had not had a sniff ( anywhere). However as I neared the end of Sundays tour, I stopped at an Oak I had not thought to check out before. Within a few minutes I saw a small butterfly move. They are little butterflies and never easy to find as they spend so much time lurking within the leaves of oaks. When I finally located it, I was absolutely thrilled to see it was a Purple Hairstreak, a new and  second site for them on the patch. Getting a record shot was a challenge,  but it was all about the find. A great weekend on the patch.

Purple Hairstreak

Interestingly this sighting was within 3 days also of when I saw it on the patch in 2012


Black Wave moth, and other homegrown delights

My bespoke, hand crafted Bee hotel ( a spare lump of wood with some holes drilled in it ) has so far been an unmitigated success. In all now 7 of the holes have been sealed by the leaf cutter bees, whom I had great pleasure observing throughout July. There were often half a dozen vying for entry to one of the residences larger suites.

My other hobby horse has been the moth trap. What  a contrast that has been to my inaugural 1st year of 2012 ! Things started ticking along nicely once winter finally left after Easter, but July was a veritable mothfest ! I was regularly getting 50 plus ( bear in mind its only fitted with 20w eco bulb )

The species list scooted along and I am currently over a hundred up on last years total. bear in mind I rarely count Micro's at the moment, unless they are very obvious, that's something for later. Of late, the bobby dazzlers have been the likes of these.

Burnished Brass

Buff tip

 However, the last week or so things have settled down, so while numbers trapped have still been good, the number of new species appearing has slowed down. A trap full of Willow Beauty, Riband Wave and Common Footman was losing it's gloss. On Saturday I prayed the Moth Santa would deliver something good, and set the trap out as dusk fell.

Next morning, it seemed to be standard fare ( oh how blasé we become, last year at the same date I had just 1 Riband Wave!! ) save for a couple of Silver Y's, which were garden lifers, but not unexpected given the southerly winds and general sightings elsewhere. However I potted a dark 'carpet like' moth, took his mug shot and let him go. Eventually I pinned an ID on it  a Black Wave . I was seriously pleased with this, not exactly a common moth in North Worcs,  and nationally scarce category B. A great moth for the garden trap !

Waved Black

Small Copper Butterfly, a rare treat

A trip to Grimley produced an instant pleasing result when it became apparent there was a fresh emergence of Common Blue Butterflies. They have been so thin on the ground the last couple of years.

No Red-vein Darters seen this time, I suspect they have gone over now, but an Emperor showed really well. I sat down a while hoping he would settle, but he just glided past every few minutes, nice and close though. While sat there. a Common Darter gave a nice photo opportunity instead.

I had only seen one Small Copper all year, happily on my patch at least, but I was chuffed to find a pair copulating nearby. Lying on the floor I was able to film them, and get some close up's you probably don't usually see