November Moths

With there being some mild nights lately I have had the actinic lights on overnight in the dining room window and have been pleasently surprised at what has turned up on the window outside in the morning. I hadn't really expected anything but I was pleased to find Silver Y, 2 Double-striped Pugs, Rusty Dot Pearl, 5 Light Brown Apple Moths, Crocidosema plebejana and Monopsis obviella (although no December Moth yet!).

Silver Y

Double-striped Pug

Rusty Dot Pearl

Crocidosema plebejana (with thanks to @MothIDUK) 

Monopsis obviella

Saturday 13th November was overcast, mild and still and the plan had been to visit Thurlestone to have a look for the female Desert Wheatear that had been found on Leasfoot Beach, the exact same place where a male overwintered 5 years ago, but with the bird disappearing on the Friday the lure of a Pectoral Sandpiper and Water Pipit at nearby South Huish Marsh wasn't enough to tempt me there and so I headed to Wembury instead. 

It was a beautiful morning despite the total lack of sunshine with gentle waves lapping against the shore as the tide came in. There was little breeze but instantly noticeable were Woodpigeons moving west in small flocks with birds dropping into the fields to feed or into the trees above the stubble field to rest. Amongst the flocks were also Stock Doves and over 2 hours (10:00 to 12:00) around 600 Woodpigeon and 100 Stock Dove were logged before the movement stopped and the grounded birds disappeared west. 

The beach was quiet but there were 28 Mallard present (18 males) including a farmyard type male along with 28 Oystercatcher, 6 Curlew and 3 Little Egret while offshore 3 Mediterranean Gulls and 4 Gannet were noted. 

Feral-type Mallard

Cirl Buntings and Stonechats were showy as usual along the walk with a few of the Cirl Buntings singing and the Great Spotted Woodpecker was still present feeding in the pines at The Point. A female Kestrel hovering overhead and a Grey Heron briefly perched in a pine tree near the sewage farm were also seen.