 | For the past few years, I have debated in my mind whether it is a typical winter and whether there is such a thing. This winter has seen no Waxwings around town. No great surprises there - overall it has been poor for them again. However, there have also been very poor number of winter thrushes, Fieldfares and Redwings. Initially large number were seen entering the country but locally most berries fell from the trees without attendant berry eaters. A success story has been the Brambling. These Northern finches are in large numbers; either in large flocks, or more typically, with Chaffinches. You just have to spot the odd orangey Chaffinch. On this occasion I had to wait a while before I could get a snowy backdrop for this male. In a couple of months he will return to Scandinavia. |
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 Summer is always a difficult time for bird enthusiasts but if you have a wide range of interests there's always something to see and do.
For the past week we have been based at Malham Tarn a Field Studies Centre in Yorkshire for the purposes of studying Moths and Butterflies. Like our previous courses around the UK it has been a satisfying week with new things to see and plenty of exercise in pleasant surrounds. The moth highlight was the pretty one in the picture. It is a Vestal which does not breed in Britain. It has come from the Mediterranean or further afield in North Africa. Flying high, it fortunately avoided Swifts to fall to earth close to Malham FSC before finding John's light trap. Lucky us.  Just back from a week of studying Moths and Butterflies in the Highlands at Kindrogan Field Studies Centre. About 20 new species for me. Mostly the ones flying at this time of the year are fairly cryptic but close examination reveals the fantastic designs.
The one on the left is Golden-rod Brindle a local species that can be found by cold searching posts during the day. You can easily see the problem a bird would have in trying to decide if it was wood or food.  Just back from a great trip to Somerset concentrating on Light trapping Moths and Butterfly walks. Many highlights to choose from but I have chosen the Privet Hawkmoth as the star, even over the Large Blue Butterfly and rare Heath Fritillary. It has the largest wingspan of any of the native moths.
More pictures from out Somerset visit can be found here:http://www.pbase.com/wildscot/somersetleps |
AuthorEric & Lesley McCabe Archives
March 2022
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