Birdingprof

Who would have thought March 8th could have been so propitious a date?

Amazingly I saw all three of those too.

Where’s mine? A quick postprandial look in the trap revealed a Common Quaker, and another landing on me, but that was it. I suspect it’s not going to be a big task emptying the trap tomorrow.

Apparently patch birding does all come good in the end. 1w Ring-billed Gull this evening and glad some people managed to connect after my rather garbled attempt at putting news out. Blog post to follow #ukbirding

Perhaps Agonopterix curvipunctosa. There was one in Hants recently too.

I’m going to hang it outside the Kitchen window, with a direct line of sight to the nearest Oak. Thanks.

Red-green Carpet.

Stuck the FUN lure out with the #teammoth trap this evening, but still no joy. However plenty of Moths buzzing around, including a new for year #24 Red-Green Carpet, which has been flagged up as early.

FUN pheromone lure. Nothing found it very alluring today.

Had FUN in the garden this p.m.

Sadly my intended target (Pammene giganteana) didn’t play ball. Sadly no Oak in the garden - nearest one 75m.

Secondary target was Orange Underwing. We do have a few Birches, but they didn’t want to play ball either.

Singing Chiffchaff, Cetti’s & 2 Red Kite tho.

Species Chilocorus renipustulatus : Kidney-spot Ladybird

Species Chilocorus renipustulatus : Kidney-spot Ladybird

Species Chilocorus renipustulatus : Kidney-spot Ladybird

Not sure I’ve ever knowingly seen these before, although apparently common.

Kidney-spot Ladybird (Chilocorus renipustulatus)

Small Quaker, a poorly marked Twin-spotted Quaker and a Clouded Drab were the also rans this morning.

Just 4/4 in the #teammoth trap today, and no other Moths around the garden. It was a bit cool and damp so no real surprise.

A heartily singing Blackcap serenaded me as I processed the meagre catch.

Early Thorn.

First Moth out of the #teammoth trap this morning was this rather delicate, and pretty NFM/NFG #23 Early Thorn.

It was a bit floppy when I tried to photograph it on the bench, but looked a lot more natural hung in a tree.

True.

It’s difficult to combine looking up with looking down. 😂

I often pop it on as I go out to the garden in the morning, but it’s tricky catching a flyover if you have to start it from scratch. I was lucky this called quite a few times.

I should spend more time listening at night, but it’s always been disappointing. Maybe stuff goes over much later. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Historical Coot reporting from Birdtrack.

Just checked Birdtrack and guess which month is best for Coot?

March. Though this year is a bit behind the average seemingly.

Recording of a flyover Coot. A very rare garden record.

I was concerned that garden Moth trapping might lead to less garden Birding. I needn’t have worried, so far, as after the flyover Coot on Monday, I had another (the same?) flyover tonight as I put my #teammoth trap out.

This time I managed to get Merlin™️ running in time to catch it. #SuffolkBirding

Small Quaker.

Tried a different spot for the #teammoth trap last night, but difficult to know whether it made any difference, given a full moon and cool temperatures.

5/3 was not a huge count, but it did include a NFM/NFG #22 Small Quaker. It’s also new for the tetrad. 🔲

Giving it a go, though it’s a bit cool. Trying a different spot in the garden, near to some Sycamores & Sallows. Hopefully I will something.

Brindled Beauty.

Last night’s trap, take 2 🎬

My ‘second’ Oak Beauty was in actual fact NFM/NFG #21 Brindled Beauty, which is also new for the tetrad. 🔲

Thank goodness I bothered to photograph it, though a shame I was too blasé to check its ID. 😚

So actually 8/5 - quality over quantity.

#teammoth

Thanks, I can’t see any in the county yet, though probably some unreported.

Yes! Thanks. It was sat outside the trap and cursorily I assumed it was another Oak Beauty, and didn’t check the ID. 😟

I did exactly what I feared and ‘threw away’ a good Moth.

Thank goodness for the #teammoth community.

Oak Beauty, sat outside the trap this morning.

A super saturated Chestnut.

Only 8/4 from the trap this morning, but included my 2nd ever Oak Beauty and Chestnut - a really chestnutty one.

🌳 & 🌰

#teammoth

Makes me feel better. 😉

I wish I had thought of that at the time, instead of a black one.

Do you get much on the outside?

Oak Beauty.

19:45 Thought I would sit by the trap for 10 minutes, after setting it up.

💥 A calling #70 Coot flies over! Only my 2nd record in 8 years - also in March.

💥 A cursory look in the trap and this bad boy #20 NFM/NFG Oak Beauty was just sitting there, looking gorgeous. Also new for tetrad 🔲

#teammoth

Hebrew Character.

Tucked away in the lamp housing.

There’s embarrassing for you. Just putting the #teammoth trap out, and noticed a previously unnoticed Hebrew Character in the lamp housing, from last night.
So 6/4 for last night.

Stone Curlew.

Finally caught up with Stone Curlew locally today. Five birds seen, including this (sitting) erythristic individual. #SuffolkBirds

Avocet numbers building at Isleham Wash.

My first Redshanks of the year.

Redshank & Avocet at Isleham Wash.

I suspected I might get a year tick Redshank today. I was not dissapointed.

3 Redshank, 22 Avocet and no Snipe, until a Dog ran amok and flushed ~50 into air, from where they had been roosting.

A singing Chiffchaff the only other thing of note.

@cambsbirdclub.bsky.social

Clouded Drab

Lead-coloured Drab

Common Quaker

Trap looked empty as I had a first look, but ended up as 5/3.

#teammoth

Common Quaker, Clouded Drab (of a variety I’ve not seen before) & Lead-coloured Drab. Also a Double-striped Pug on the wall.

Still waiting on feedback of a leaf-mine from yesterday.

Eager to get to the #teammoth trap this morning, but not too eager that I didn’t poke my head over the wall across the road.

Time and #Otters wait for no man, and this one was in a hurry to move on.

Mica Cap (Coprinellus micaceus) probably.

Mottled Shieldbug.

Last year’s pair of House Sparrows returned to their breeding spot today.

Garden highlights: A Mottled Shieldbug, some, new for the garden, Mica Cap (Coprinellus micaceus) probably, and best of all, a pair of House Sparrows back at the patch of Brambles they bred in last year.

#fungi

Edited highlights of a day out in Cornwall 40 years ago today.

Least Sandpiper.

I’m not sure this Gull was ever resolved. It was mooted as a ‘Kumlien’s’ Gull at the time, but no one (or very few) knew much about that sort of thing back then.

On this day 40 years ago: A Cornish day out, primarily to ✅ Bonaparte’s Gull, but also taking in a goodly selection of padders, including @markgolley.bsky.social Least Sandpiper and later a mystery Gull.

#UKBirding