Insects

Powdered Quaker

 

The continuing fine weather hasn't been great for migrants but there have been plenty of insects to look at in the garden. Moths trapped last night - 6 Early Grey, 6 Hebrew Character, c10 Common Quaker, 2 Mullein, 2 Nut-tree Tussock, 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart, 1 Double-striped Pug, 1 V-Pug, 2 Early Thorn, 1 Light Brown Apple Moth, 1 Powdered Quaker and 1 Streamer.

Butterflies have been zooming around the garden all afternoon with several Holly Blue and Speckled Wood noted, along with single Orange-tip, Peacock and Comma.

It has again been poor on the bird front but the Yellow-browed Warbler continues its protracted stay in the front garden of number 35.

Nut-tree Tussock

Mullein - a first for me although it's pretty common. I just tend not to get the trap out til later in the season when it's off the wing. It really is a striking species. It was always on the cards following the discovery of the caterpillar in our back garden last year.

 

 

Bee sp - would appreciate help to ID this little fella.
Edit - male Hairy-footed Flower Bee - many thanks Nick!

Holly Blue - plenty of these around today although I first noted them on the wing on Monday 3rd April. All were incredibly restless and difficult to photograph. I stood next to our Holly bush hoping to get them egg laying but they just wanted to bomb around. Perhaps it's still a little early?

Ladybird sp - any ideas?

Edit - Harlequin - thanks again Nick.

Spring Moths, Osprey and Red Kite

Common Quaker

 

The moth trap got its first airing last night. Nothing spectacular but good to see some of the common early spring species. The night's catch consisted of 1 V-Pug, 5 Hebrew Character, 7 Early Grey, 1 Early Thorn, 1 Double-striped Pug, 6 Common Quaker and 1 Twenty-plume Moth.

Orcombe Point was dire this morning. I recorded just 1 Willow Warbler, 3 Turnstone, 1 Sandwich Tern, 3 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Common Scoter. The best record was 2 drake Teal that flew in towards the river mouth.

Bird-wise the best place to be in Exmouth today was probably at home. The Yellow-browed Warbler was calling on and off all day, until at least 640pm. I went out to watch it a couple times. Shortly after 5pm Terry texted with news of a Red Kite drifting towards the estuary. I soon picked it up but had it only briefly. I stayed watching and at around 530pm picked up an Osprey drifting eastwards. I had good scope views until I lost it from sight. This is my third this spring but I've yet to see a House Martin. Also from the garden - 1+ Swallow, 3 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 or 2 Sparrowhawk, several Buzzard and a Peregrine. A probable Greylag Goose flew downriver at 645ish (harsh light so difficult to be sure).

 

Hebrew Character

Early Thorn

Early Grey - the most common species in last night's trap.

V-Pug

Terrapins - Bystock Pool. Joel and I popped in to look for these before walking the dog around Withycombe Raleigh Common. Still a pair of Tufted Duck on Bystock Pool too.

Welsh-ringed Whimbrel, LTD and YBW

This Whimbrel (darvic ringed - left leg green, right leg yellow D63), one of two off Mudbank today, was ringed by Tony Cross at Llansantffraed, west Wales on May 8th 2015. Apparently hundreds were ringed but there have been very few recoveries. Lee Collins recorded it at Dawlish Warren from April 8th - April 30th 2016 and it is, of course, thanks to Lee that I have this information so quickly. I knew as soon as I'd clocked this bird that Lee would be able to help and, as usual, he didn't disappoint. Many thanks Lee!

 

Orcombe was again quiet this morning. I was up there for 0640 but recorded just 6 Willow Warbler (all singing), 1 Meadow Pipit and 1 Wheatear. Pretty rubbish for this time of year but apparently no worse than anywhere else locally. The Yellow-browed Warbler has been in its two favourite trees pretty much all day and Mudbank was pretty good on the incoming tide - 12 Red-breasted Mergansers, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 160+ Curlew, 2 Whimbrel, 1 Redshank, 2 Grey Plover, 3 Sandwich Tern and 3 Peregrine.

A Willow Warbler has been singing out the back and 2 Swallow flew through midday.

Wheatear - Orcombe Point - so scarce so far this spring. Hopefully they've all gone straight through on to breeding grounds.

When this photo was taken the Yellow-browed Warbler was static on a perch and singing. Up until today it's been delivering its song whilst on the move. You can see its bill open. Unfortunately the video recorder on my camera has been broken for quite some time, which is a real shame because it would have been good to record this rare ( on British soil) event.

V Brief Update

The Yellow-browed Warbler was present all morning - again occasionally singing - perhaps a little more forcefully.

Cirl

Cirl Bunting - crap record shot of a singing male.

 

Cirl Buntings are by no means annual in Exmouth (though there is a site not far from the parish boundary) so I was chuffed to get a male this morning. It was singing near the top of the track that leads down to the Bristol Schools camp, shortly after dawn. It headed off east after a few minutes but I'm not sure how far it went. Otherwise I recorded just 2 Willow Warblers, c10 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Turnstone and 4 Sandwich Terns.

A quick look off Mudbank produced 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Sand Martins, 2 Brent Geese and my first Whimbrel of the year with 140 Curlew.

The Yellow-browed Warbler was still feeding quietly in the trees outside number 35 when I checked at 11am.

One of a pair of Mistle Thrushes that look like they're attempting to breed on Orcombe. It'll be a first for me if they do. Fingers crossed!

Today

Brimstone - several of these on the wing today.

 

The Yellow-browed Warbler has been in its favoured two trees pretty much all day. Present shortly after 8am, when I first checked this morning, and still present until 3pm at least - that's seven hours in the same place! It has been showing well at times and calling fairly frequently. Its song hasn't really progressed beyond some finch-like 'chut' notes and some weak warbled 'sweeps'.
A beautiful day today but little else to report. A lone Swallow the only migrant on Orcombe and 4 Sandwich Terns and 10 Dark-bellied Brent Geese off Mudbank (viewed from the back garden).

YBW into April

Nick and I did Orcombe from dawn with just 4 Blackcaps, 2 Stonechats and 3 Willow Warblers to show for our efforts. Nice morning though. This afternoon I checked the dung heap and there was one Wheatear on it. At least 3 Sandwich Terns were off the seafront, with a Swallow 'in-off', and there was a single Goldeneye off Mudbank with 13 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 7 Red-breasted Mergansers.
The Yellow-browed Warbler was in the two red trees in front of number 35 for a good couple of hours this morning - still occasionally singing.