Sunday, 10 October 2021

A Return to Wembury

A look for the reported Grey Phalarope at Siblyback Reservoir on Friday 8th October drew a blank, not surprising in the calm conditions and after it being present for a few days now, but we had an enjoyable walk anyway and I saw Teal, Wigeon, Coot, Greylag Goose, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Saturday 9th October and I headed out to Wembury again on a warm and calm morning. In the sunny spells it was really warm indeed and there were 2 Long-tailed Coneheads, 8 Common Lizards, 2 Small Coppers, Speckled Woods, Red Admirals, a Large White and 3 Common Darters making the most of the unseasonally warm conditions. 

Small Copper

Red Admiral

The tide was heading out and at The Point 62 Oystercatcher were roosting with 7 Little Egret, 5 Curlew, a pair of Mallard and 5 Mediterranean Gulls (1 adult, 2 2nd winter and 2 1st winter). Offshore a few Gannets were milling around and 3 distant Auks were seen flying west (probably Guillemots).  A surprise sighting was a flock of 14 male Common Scoter flying west, presumably the same birds I saw last Tuesday.

Cirl Buntings and Stonechats were as showy as ever and also seen were a Song Thrush, a Greenfinch, a Linnet, a pair of Kestrel, 8 Long-tailed Tits and a Collared Dove. It was also nice to see 2 Wheatears and at least 4 Chiffchaffs along with 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (1 at The Pines, 1 over the Valley to the Beach).

Cirl Bunting

Stonechat

Stonechat

Wheatear

I had the moth box out in the back yard again overnight on Friday 8th October and for my troubles I had just one moth in the trap in the morning, a late Double-striped Pug. More sadly I found the remains of a Barred Sallow in a nearby spiders web.

Barred Sallow

I decided to try something new overnight on Saturday 9th October and placed the moth box lights in the dining room window to see what if anything would happen and bizarrely had 6 moths around the window and surrounding walls the next morning - Common Marbled Carpet, Tachystola acroxantha, Light Emerald, Garden Carpet, Rusty Dot Pearl and Feathered Ranunculus! Hopefully with this setup I might get to see a December Moth in the back yard later this year! 

Common Marbled Carpet

Light Emerald

Rusty Dot Pearl

Feathered Ranunculus


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