Not Worth it For the Moths But.....

Thursday April 14

Another pretty good moth catch again last night. Lunar Marbled Brown, Pine Beauty and Angle Shades were new for the year. Diurnea Phagella was a new Micro, large for a micro.

Angle Shades

Lunar Marbled Brown - crescent moon mid wing

Pine Beauty

Pine Beauty, top view

Diurnea fagella

We took these plus a Shoulder Stripe to mothing at Cley, just as well, a very small catch with Shoulder-stripe the best. The latter escaped before W had seen it, a lifer for him. Good thing we had ours potted. Apart from Pam and I only three people there too, most are on holiday. What came afterwards made the visit worthwhile.

We always drive Cley Beach Road. Alerted by PC on top of the bank and another birder below, near the steps to West Bank, we stopped. A Short-eared Owl was patrolling an area between North Hide and East Bank. Stopping further on, we saw the same owl again and another hunting the marsh beyond West Bank. A catch-up for me and always a delight. Earlier, at the first stop a Sedge Warbler had momentarily distracted us from the owl.

Many Wheatears about, the nearest one a distant female.

The 'Whimbrel field' viewed from Iron Road had 14 Curlew with a few Sand Martins flying about.

 G had told us that he'd seen Little Ringed Plovers from Salthouse Beach Road earlier this morning. Not for us - again ! Plenty of handsome Wheatears dot dashing about, several females to-day too. Our assiduous scanning brought its reward. Pam was the first to find a lone, luminous, male Yellow Wagtail along the fence edge of the pasture.

I'm still waiting for further news of the male Montagu's seen at West Somerton this afternoon. Last report was of it flying west over the wind turbines, too iffy to drive there immediately with a boot full of Sainsbury's shopping. 

Still quietly euphoric after Man U's replay FA cup win 2-1 away against West Ham last night. Mostly the young ones again apart, from Carrick and Fellaini. I expect that Fellaini was played instead of Mata to look after the equally tall Carroll. Through to the semis.