Tawny Pipit

 

Hastily scribbled field notes taken seconds after the Tawny Pipit flew over.

 

A fabulous morning birding Orcombe with Derek this morning. Clear highlight was an all too brief Tawny Pipit that flew quite low over our heads, heading north-west, roughly in the direction of Dawlish Warren. Essentially an large sandy-coloured pipit calling a forceful 'chwelp' - not quite House Sparrow, not quite Yellow Wag but pretty distinctive and my second for Orcombe, following an individual on 10/10/16 (which, by the way, was giving a much more under-stated 'chup' call). The Pipit was tailing a massive flock of House Martins heading on the same bearing. I counted 175 but I'd missed counting birds at the front of the flock. We'd had quite large numbers earlier on but they'd been too high to see - their calls continuing for a good few minutes a they headed west, along the coast.

Also this morning - 4+ Tree Pipit, 2+ Yellow Wagtail, 3+ Blackcap, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 alba wagtail, 4 Wheatear, 2 Swift and a few Swallows.

I returned this afternoon, on the off chance that the pipit was still around, but could add little to this morning's totals apart from a female-type Redstart, a Whitethroat, Blackcap and another fly-over Yellow Wagtail.

Earlier, whilst emptying the moth trap at home - 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Tree Pipit and a Greenshank over.

 

Chinese Character - beside a light - Bristol Schools Camp. I ran the trap last night. Highlight was Olive-tree Pearl Palpitta vitrealis but 4 or 5 Silver Y, a few Rusty Dot Pearl, Rush Veneer and a White-point were also caught. Also of note - my first Black Rustic of the year, Marbled Green and at least 20 Jersey Tigers.

Satin Wave - Bristol Schools.

One of at least four Wheatear on Orcombe today.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly. Derek and I saw Emperor on Orcombe this morning too.

Male Common Blue - The Maer.

This Hummingbird Hawkmoth was flying low to the ground over Lady's Bedstraw - presumably looking to lay eggs.

Restharrow - thank you for the identification Kev.
 

Female Common Blue on Sea Holly.

Looking towards Orcombe Point from the Maer - Exmouth is jam-packed in fine weather at this time of year. Not nice.

 

Record shot of female Redstart on Orcombe this afternoon. Statistically this is likely to be the only one of the autumn but let's hope not!

White-point

Marbled Green

Rush Veneer