It was good to find a Wryneck this morning. I've put a fair few hours in, looking for one mind. It was in bushes along the coastal footpath, about 80 yards up from the Geoneedle. Generally flighty and elusive, it occasionally fed on the footpath but never looked settled. This is only my third on Orcombe Point and my fourth in Exmouth. The last one on Orcombe was on 31/8/15, and then of course there was the popular long-stayer, back in September 2014.
Orcombe Point from 0715 - 1 Wryneck, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Tree Pipit, c60 Meadow Pipits, 14+ Siskins, 1+ Sedge Warbler, 1 Ringed Plover (over), 1 Willow Warbler, 5+ Grey Wagtails, c30+ Swallows, 4 House Martins, 2 Blackcaps, 2+ Goldcrests and 30+ Chiffchaffs. Also 2 Clouded Yellows and stacks of Small Coppers, Speckled Woods and Red Admirals.
Mudbank - c470 Wigeon (a marked increase), 6 Pintail, 46 Pale-bellied Brent Geese (50% of which were juveniles), 25 Mute Swans, 2 Kingfishers, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 4 Common Gulls and 15 Black-tailed Godwits.
Delicate. Also trapped last night, along with the usual common stuff - 1 Rush Veneer, 7 Box-tree Moth, 1 Centre-barred Sallow, 7 Rusty Dot Pearl, 3 L-album Wainscot and 1 Pale Mottled Willow.
Clouded Yellow
Good views of Pale-bellied Brent Geese off Mudbank today.
Willow Warblers become a lot less frequent once August has passed, so I was really pleased to see this juvenile this morning.
A real juxtaposition of seasons there, Matt, with the Brents & Clouded Yellow!
ReplyDeleteSadly for the first time in years I haven't seen a UK Clouded Yellow. Just returned from an excellent week on Lesvos & surprised to only have one brief sighting there & only one Painted Lady.
Willow Warblers were everywhere there unlike around London, along with many Bee-eaters, Red-backed Shrikes & Spotted Flycatchers, everywhere we went.
Good to se your getting some migrant moths. Did see Handmaid & Geometrician by our hotel in Kalloni Bay. Enjoyed looking at your other reports too.
Thanks Neil - Lesvos sounds great. Would love to go one day. Handmaid and Geometrician are two moths I'd love to see! Migrant butterfly numbers not great but did have three Clouded Yellows on Orcombe a couple days ago. Pretty sure I had a Red-veined Darter too but it was whisked away in the wind before I could get a proper look. Good luck with the birding this autumn. All the best. Matt.
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