Another Beauty

 Saturday, August 29

The moth traps were species poor this morning, after yet more overnight heavy rain and a strong northerly wind. Over a hundred moths, most of them Large Yellow Underwings (Blunders) and Setaceous Hebrew Character (SHC). The weather must have kept the bats away - we have a bat nursery in the roof space - I'm sure that they feed very well on the big bodied Blunders, which are the plankton for both birds and bats. We have a front garden Robin which arrives when Pam is emptying the eggboxes. She has to be both vigilant and enterprising in her choice of freedom zone.

Whilst checking the areas around the traps, Pam found a small and rather worn moth, which she potted and brought in for me to see and to identify. I recognised immediately that it was a macro, as small as many micros, the first of which we saw at Dungeness Observatory in 2018. Andy W. brought one in to Natural Surroundings a couple of weeks ago. It was a Norfolk tick for us and now, a garden tick, a Beautiful Marbled Eublemma purpurina

Norfolk status Very rare immigrant. First recorded in Dorset 2001, only identified from a set specimen during an influx of this previously unrecorded species in 2004. Occurring in mainland Europe, the larvae feed on Creeping Thistle, no evidence of breeding in the UK. New for Norfolk in August 2016, trapped at Filby (D. Hipperson, 25/08/16) Five recorded in 2018 - Eccles-on-Sea (N. Bowman, 27/07/18) New for VC28 at Holme Dunes (G. Hibberd, 13/10/18) and two at Heampstead-by-Holt (A. Wallis, 13/10/18, 15/10/18) Lyng (R.Holt, 20/10/18)
Norfolk Moths website
That's the fourth really good moth this year, how lucky are we?

A strong north westerly wind at the end of August? No-brainer. Sea-watching time.But where to go? So many people about, and it's a bank holiday weekend.  We tried Walcott first. A flooded field between the Seal Sanctuary and Walcott held a large number of seabirds, loafing and preening. No traffic at the time on this single track lane, so we were able to stop and view. A Lesser Black-backed Gull stood in front of a Great Black-backed Gull caught the eye first. It was a good opportunity to compare the two birds.

Beyond the irrigation pipe - not needed to-day - a group of about twenty Sandwich Terns, amongst the Black-headed Gulls, huddled down on the mud, displaying various stages of moult before their long journey south to Africa. A Norfolk ringed Sandwich Tern has previously made its way to Australia. Amazing.

This year's young on the far right in the first photo..

We found room to park along the sea front at Walcott, the weather must have kept the tourists away. The rain eased, I opened the window to scope the distant horizon, seeing a smattering of terns battling north west against the wind. A dark silhouette shot up from the sea, pestering the terns, jinking and diving aggressively on its target bird. A Bonxie, (Great Skua), my first of the year. The sighting coincided with Pam noticing that we were being sand blasted. We could see it being blown along the road - and all over us and the front of the car - inside! I hastily closed the window, checked my optics  - and regretted the decision to open the window.

A further scope scan through a wet and sandy closed window was not a triumph of hope over actuality. Time to move on to Winterton. 

We needn't have bothered, we saw two terns making a painfully slow progress west, and nothing else.

Nutty Surprise

Friday August 28 

 

The final instalment of my imaginative birthday present arrived on Wednesday. Kent Cobs. The hazelnuts on the trees I knew well as a youngster, were smaller and rounder. The trees' position were a well guarded secret for my friends and I, there was always a competition as to who could find the biggest cluster. My present contained one with six cobs attached to one small stem. I remember that our record was seven. Large clusters often held one undeveloped or black shelled nut, this clump was perfect.

 

The moth-ing at Natural Surroundings on Tuesday was, unsurprisingly, disappointing. Overnight heavy rain, which continued all morning, presaged the arrival of the latest storm, Francis. We were lucky compared with the west of the country, which bore the brunt of the extreme weather. Masked and waterproof clad, we huddled in the dark chalet, social distancing all that was possible, whilst three traps were opened, all containing moths. A fun time was had trying to catch the escaping moths, as the chalet is crowded with furniture, shelves of various pieces of bric a brac, and cages of active Harvest Mice. 

One of the moths was another tiny macro, Pinion-streaked Snout. I remarked that I still wasn't sure that I would recognise one in our own traps. It's as small as many micros.Then I did, the following morning. A first - identified - for our garden.

 Earlier in the week, another moth trap surprise at home, was this male Brown Hawker. Pam had caught one, frantically buzzing around the utility room, the previous evening, releasing it outside. It's a lovely male, a big dragonfly, over 7 cms in size.

Yesterday, we drove to Buckenham Marshes. After a busy week, it was lovely to get out and look for birds. We chose Buckenham as the best chance of avoiding the Bank Holiday crowds frequenting the coast and all areas of interest. It's been like a bank holiday in North Norfolk for weeks. The only birds we saw as we drove down to the Fishermen's car park were Lapwings, Greylag and Mute Swan. I scanned the marsh from several spots as we negotiated the track.

Still eager to see my first proper Garganey of the year - Pensthorpe doesn't count - all dykes were also scanned, without a sighting of any bird at all. Only four vehicles in the car park and we saw a mere five people the whole of the time we were there.

Hardly any water in the usual large area in front of the hide. Scoping through the hundred or so Greylag Geese on the sedge-tussocked boggy area, I found a few eclipse Mallard but nothing else. 

Moving on to the first dyke on the left on the way back, a group of ducks swam out from an out of view dyke feeding in from the far left, splashing and chasing, rapidly swimming back from whence they came. Patiently scanning this active, ever-changing crew of mainly Mallard, I saw one Shoveller, three juvenile Garganey and a single adult. The adult was well marked but only stayed for a few seconds. Hopefully, snapping a dozen or so photos when I thought that there might be a garganey in view, I ended up with one discerniible shot. I could only identify the birds through my scope, so had to quickly change from that to my camera to view where a bird had been. It's the central bird at the back.

Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Buzzard and Grey Heron were the only other birds seen buit it was an enjoyable visit.

Two young Muntjac were grazing at the Strumpshaw side of the reserve, then their mother appeared - socially distanced until they ran towards her.

Not much colour in my alpine troughs at the moment. This very tall  Anomatheka laxa, borne on tall slender stems, has a delicate nodding beauty and is also a lovely colour.

It's classed as a flowering grass, originating in South Africa.

 

 

Twice in a Blue Moon

 Friday, August 21

 

We were late getting to the moth traps this morning, as is usual on a Friday. Adrian is here to help with the garden and, as he is inexperienced, Pam works with him. Recent traps have been full of non moth items. Ants, Wasps, Hornets, Beetles and so many Red-legged Shieldbugs. Most of the latter are adults with a few green instars.

 

The bugs have very sticky legs, they hold on firmly to the egg boxes, my fingers, my trousers and the floor. They also walk all over the moths, causing immense disturbance. 20 immigrant Silver Ys also bomb about, blundering into everything. So, a general scene of disruption and frustration at the moths lost unidentified. One of them could have been really good.

At the bottom of the Robinson Actinic, something large made a brief appearance from under an ant and beetle filled eggbox. The large pot I used to successfully catch it  wasn't big enough, nor did I have a lid to hand. I covered the pot with my hand whilst Pam departed to find a large container. Blue Underwings showed through my fingers. Waw, a Clifden Nonpareil, we had a garden one last year too, and another in Kent. How lucky is that.

 

 Norfolk status
Rare immigrant.
This is the Victorian collector's classic all-time favourite, often named the 'Blue Underwing'.

Modern-day Norfolk records are of assumed migrants, recorded mainly along the coast usually in late August - September. In 1976 an astonishing seven specimens were recorded in Norfolk.

In 2019, ten confirmed and one unconfirmed were recorded, the most ever on record in a single year.

Everything else paled into insignificance. Even the Lesser Stag Beetle.

 

We still need to identify these two cricket species found indoors last night. Not the best of photographs, taken in a pot again.

 

We did do some birding yesterday. Breaking the journey at Selbrigg, we sat in isolation and shade, enjoying the comings and goings of Marsh, Coal, Blue, and Great Tits, Dunnock and Grey Squirrel. 

On to Wells North Point. We parked in our usual spot so that I could scope the east pool, the sun burning down. Remarkably little heat haze considering the temperature - 27C. Two sleeping Spoonbills, two Little Egrets, half a dozen Ruff, 100+ Black-tailed Godwits, the inevitable motley Greylag crew and, probably 300+ Barnacle Geese. The Holkham House flock most probably, increasing every year.

Holkham reserve had 28 pairs of breeding Spoonbills this year - same as 2018 and 2019 - but - they produced a record 56 fledged young. Cattle Egrets also bred again. fior the second year that I know of.

Driving down to the car park, I scoped the west pool, seeing not a lot. As we started on lunch, a red car drew up parallel to us. I looked across, it was Sue and Ian. They'd been picking Victoria plums at Drove Orchards and were about to try again to see the Garganey here. Everything is moulting, the ducks into eclipse plumage, preening geese and waders producing enough feathers and down on the ground for it to look like a smattering of snow.

Whilst finishing our lunch we had a long overdue catch-up chat, enjoying a gift plum each, before driving home. It was good to be out.

 

 

His Crimson Majesty

Tuesday, August 18 

We have learnt that Robinson traps are good even if it rains. So, they go out regularly, both the MV and the Actinic. The only part which gets wet is the central area at the bottom where there is a wire grid. Unless the rain is blown hard sideways that us, when a few egg boxes get damp at the edges.  Both traps have a rain guard over the light source. So, thunderstorms predicted, they went out on Sunday night.

Both traps were full of moths, 94 of them Setaceous Hebrew Character. An attractive moth, but one gets tired of them after a while. Now known as a made up word version of SHC to us, the C changed to a T.

As soon as I took the lid off the actinic, I beamed. A very large and beautiful moth was sat in open view in a central egg box. Whilst catching it in a large, square pot, it flashed its bright, dark red underwings. A Dark Crimson Underwing.

Norfolk status
Rare migrant.
Resident only in the New Forest, Hampshire.

Unconfirmed old Norfolk records from Foxley Wood 1967 and two questionable BRC record card entries!

First modern-day confirmed Norfolk record at Toftwood in 2018 (D. Norgate, 26/07/18) Found on shed by the 20W Actnic trap left in garden overnight.

Red Data Book category RDB3. It occurs as a breeding species only in the New Forest, Hampshire.

BAP Priority Species

We were due at Natural Surroundings at  9.30 this morning, armed with the moth for everyone to see,. Not new, as most of us saw the moth brought in by the Claydons two weeks ago. This one was in better condition, despite the worn head and slight wing damage.It was new for Janice and for Simon and Anne Harrap, and for Peter and Pauline who arrived at the car park to see it. The Ps are members of our Silvery Gem WhatsApp group, but do not come to NS meets.

So..... despite the ice blocks, the denizens  of both moth trap were rather lively when we opened them at mid-day  The best moth this morning was a a Scarce Bordered Straw NFY and NFG. We have seen two before, the most recent in Kent last year.

Not a good photo, I took a quick shot in the egg box and it flew whilst Pam was trying to do so. . 

 

Home and Cool

 Moth Quiz 40

It stands out on a Little Red Rooster's head 

Coxcomb Prominent 

 

Saturday, August 15

The second instalment of my fruity birthday present arrived yesterday, two kilos of Greengages.

 

 Apparently, I have 'green' hazelnuts to come.

To-day is very much cooler, although we have only had a minimal amount of the promised rain.  Many of the vegetables and flower borders are suffering after the week long hot temperatures, without watering, whilst we were in Yorkshire. Pam's busy cutting down and removing dead plants, and I started pruning the plum trees - long overdue - but only managed a little. Wielding a pruning saw and the heavy loppers does not come easily these days. We have the best crop of fruit for some years. A warm spring meant that the blossom flourished. I also did some much needed Alpine trough sorting, more needed.

I long for  a Bedstraw or Striped Hawkmoth in the trap - Suffolk seems to be having a good migrant trap at the moment. We've had many Whitepoints and Silver Y, but nothing really exciting in the migrant line.

Our first 2020 Tawny-barred Angle this morning. A species of coniferous woodland and gardens - there are no conifers anywhere near.

With help from moth-ing friends, meeting at Natural Surroundings, we also identified a Maple Pug. This photo is Richard E's - much better than mine, which was taken in a dirty pot.

 

We had Wormwood and 

 Brindled Pug this morning, both identified using the app. 'Seek' downloaded from the app store.

 

A Rove Beetle did exactly that, disturbing everything.

 

We made a short recce to Potter Heigham Marshes this morning. We knew that a driveable track existed, saving the long walk from Latham's car park in Potter Heigham. We only viewed a small part of the reserve, seeing a single Spoonbill and a load of Canada Geese. Further investigation next time.

Home and Hot

 Moth Quiz 39

Does it tie Romeo and Juliet together

True Lover's Knot

Moth Quiz 40/40

It stands out on a Little Red Rooster's head 

Wednesday, August 12

I was longing to see some waders,.maybe I should stop believing the forecasters. No sign of the forecast thunderstorms all day. 22C when we set off at 8.15. 28C at Snettisham, which is usually on the cold side, whatever the season. We still enjoyed it though.The highest recorded temperature on the car thermometer was 29C as we entered North Walsham.

The sky, hedgerows and fields were largely devoid of anything flying. A few white butterflies, Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons, Collared Dove and Jackdaws in the first hour. Quality. Two Red Kites at Flitcham, always a delight. 

We decided that watching the tide come in at Snettisham was our preferred option, it was due soon after mid-day, but only 5 metres. Machinery and a large caged area took up a lot of the space where we usually stop to view - soon after the top of the entrance track. Pam did some reversing and manoevering until I had a good scope position. Two enormous congregations of gulls and terns, in the middle distance, took some working through. All three usually found terns were present. The vast majority were Common,  a few, moulting forehead Sandwich and three Little. One delightful Little Tern spent a lot of time hovering and diving for food at the edge of the slow, incoming tide. It didn't catch a thing whilst I was watching. A few returning Common Gulls, a dozen Great Ringed Plovers, fifty Golden Plovers in small, scattered groups, a smattering of Dunlin busily probing at the water's edge, and an even smaller one  of scurrying Sanderling .The Redshank and Oystercatchers were too numerous to count.
One Bar-tailed Godwit stood in isolation, on one leg. All the birds seemed to be preening. Moulting season, the Shelducks notable by their, almost total, absence, in order to moult in safety in the Weddell Sea area. After winkling out a group of Turnstone and a cloud of Knot, we drove on to view the last pit. I'd had good intentions of walking as far as the Shore Hide, the better to see the roosting birds on the islands. Rolly was ready in the boot - there's only one bench en route. The temperature encouraged us to change our minds about exposing ourselves to the mid-day sun. We sat and lunched in the car, all the windows open in order to catch whatever slight breeze there was.

I could write my usual rant about all the swimsuit wearers, dog walkers, beach samphire gleaners, kayakers etc.,  but I'm not going to. The RSPB need to sort it out.

We even avoided Hunstanton, Brancaster Staithe and Wells to-day. The reason? A combination of the traffic congestion, full car parks, high tide and sailing, people everywhere.

The only other stop was at North Point, where we added Wood Sandpiper, 8 Spoonbills, 1 Great White Egret, Egyptian Geese and even more Greylag. Snettisham held hundreds and there must have been 200 more here.

I had cameras with me, memory cards in place and a full battery. For the first time ever, I didn't take any photos at all.

Home to open the moth traps.

Best moths were our third Coronet

 

and our third Dotted Footman. 

New for the year were: Scorched Carpet,

 

and Marbled Beauty

The last two were taken in pots so not the best.

Just for a change....a shy Alpine Gladioli

 

Barden Moor

Friday, August 7 

 This is where we ended up late lunchtime.

We had another late morning as the trap was full of moths, midges and beetles again. Our plan to put the trap out again to-night for the final night, has been shelved, too much mess to clear up before packing the car and driving home.

Again, over a hundred moths, our third Muslin Footman, another beautiful Lempkes, with the usual preponderance of Blunders (LYU), and Antlers. New for the cottage were Yellowtail, Riband Wave, September Thorn, and Dingy Footman. One macro and one micro still to be identified. Amazing really, for rough pasture in the middle of nowhere.

Very undecided as to what to do, we settled on the Bolton Abbey area, and a raptor watchpoint on the way to Barden Moor. 

Making our leisurely way down our lane, three Red-legged Partridges scuttled across the track. We stopped at the far gate to put our rubbish in the bins. As we set off again, a Little Owl sitting on the nearby wall flew into one of the sparse trees lining the lane. I had to photograph it through the windscreen, a pet hate.

A passerine flitted into another tree, black head we thought. I binned it to find the shivering tail of a handsome male Common Redstart. Great. Another windscreen shot.

What next? Hard to believe, but, our first Willow Warbler of the year.

What a lovely start. It kept us going through the Gargrave traffic jam - 12 minutes to-day.

Having thought we'd pay a short visit to Bolton Abbey for nostalgic reasons, that plan was stymied by a pre-booked only entry policy. I should have known better. No problem, we drove on past the other two car parks, all heaving with cars and people. The river bank was really crowded with groups of young people and families. Social distancing? West Yorkshire in lockdown?

We drove on to Barden Moor, where there were a few parking spots overlooking reservoirs and hills. Cyclists kept appearing amongst the heather and hills. Lone men and small family groups. Good for them.

Pam had seen a distant Red Grouse. I had to scope through the narrow gaps in a wide-barred wooden gate but eventually found two birds.  Moving position to where we could overlook the reservoir, a flock of 200 Lapwings rose into the air before landing out of sight in a sheep field. Three spiralling Buzzards and a Kestrel raised the spirits, nothing else materialised.

Having enjoyed the views and its wildlife, it was time to return via the Gargrave queue - a quick one this time, the opposite tailback was very long indeed. 

The week has been frustrating at times, the weather pretty ordinary and the wildlife sparse. The cottage, moth-ing and view, very enjoyable. My disability becomes increasingly frustrating.

 

 

 

 

An Almost Dry Day

Thursday, August 6

The moth trap was heaving this morning, after a warm night. Not necessarily with moths. The centre egg box was full of black midges

The bottom of the trap was a scurry of small black beetles. This potful (17) was a quarter of the ones I caught, so that they could be released in the garden.

Many of those giant Caddis flies too.

The moths included three of  our first of the year Lempke's Gold Spot,

Gold Spot, 40 Large Yellow Underwings, 20 Antler Moths, 14 Common Footmen, 17 Dark Arches, 1 Muslin Footman, 1 Rosy Footman. 2 Dun-bars, Straw Dot, 2 Ruby Tigers, 2 Burnished Brass, 1 Poplar Hawkmoth, 1 Scalloped Oak, 1 Silver Y, Smoky and Common Wainscot.

3 Ear moths, 2 of the white variety, 1 brown.

Over a hundred moths of  22 macro species.

We explored the Dales to-day. North on the A65 as far as Ingleton

 Ingleton nestles in the foothills of Ingleborough, one of Yorkshire's famous Three Peaks. The village is surrounded by magnificent limestone countryside with deep caves, spectacular waterfalls and important geological and archaeological sites. Above ground, glaciation has produced scars, erratics, limestone pavement, high cliffs and deep dry gorges. Below ground, the limestone is riddled with dramatic underground rivers and stunning potholes.

We enjoyed the scenery on the drive through Ribblesdale to Hawes in Wensleydale, before taking the Askrigg road to Muker.in Swaledale.

Barren moors, tumbling brown-water rivers, drystone walls and splendid barns.

The occasional corvid and Kestrel, otherwise birdless. We did take a narrow lane down towards the Ribble, with a small patch of deciduous woodland where we heard a family of Nuthatches.

All possible stopping places - there were few - held empty parked cars. Walkers we assume. The two large villages through which we passed, were heaving with people and parked cars. Full cafes and pubs, meandering tourists and lycra clad cyclists. Only to be expected in high season, and good for local trade.

We turned off the main path towards Muker and found somewhere to stop and have a late lunch. Earlier a camo clad man, rifle strapped to the handlebars of his  quad bike, had roared past in the opposite direction. He returned, drove up behind us - and skidded off. Gamekeeper? Couldn't find any harriers to shoot in this area known for prosecution of raptors?

On the way home, we were able to stop and view the Ribble Viaduct.

NENTA (North East Norfolk Train Association) used to organise steam train trips beginning in North Walsham. We did seveal with Pam's aged mother, for whom it was ideal. On one trip to Edinburgh, we crossed the Ribble viaduct on a specially arranged steam train.

Further along the road, we realised that there was a better view from the other side - and a largish potholed pull off where we could park. Pam turned round and we parked. As luck would have it, a goods train appeared.

We pass a horse field on the way up to our cottage. A pony with a tremendously long tail, and a Shetland, are never far from each other.

There is also a bank of Whinberries along a drystone wall. Unfortunately, the berries are still red. Mam always had to make Dad one Whinberry tart every year. Not nice raw, not as tart as Blackcurrants, but more astringent.

I'm longing to photograph the swathes of Meadowsweet, banks of Rosebay Willowherb, patches of sungold Golden Rod species and the deep yellow, and rich looking, patches of Ragwort, which adorn the roadside. There's never anywhere to stop.

I did manage a head of Yarrow to-day. Pam had noticed the insect on it. It was only when I edited the photo to-night that we noticed the little hopper type insect also present.

Another Wet Day

Wednesday, August 5

Still raining when we got up, as it did on and off all day, we were not in a hurry to go out, Nor did we really know where to go. Pam then spent some time net-wafting at escapee moths in the living room. Because of the rain, we empty the trap in the porch, living area door firmly closed. Despite this, ghostly shadows flit about every evening, mostly grass veneers. Some of the micros like the underfloor heating sections.

Not many moths this morning. The usual 20 Antlers, a battered Drinker, Straw Dot, Lesser Common Rustic (probably), an Ear species, Barred Straw, Flame Carpet, Silver Y amongst them.

Decision made, west coast. Only 27 miles to Carnforth.The latter is nostalgic for me as a stopping place at the 'best fish and chip shop in England', on the way for a climbing weekend in the Lakes. My fishcake was a novel slice of cod sandwiched between two fat slices of potato, dipped in batter.

Soon after turning west off the A65 we found a road closed sign without previous warning. The flooded dip below held a marooned car, a police car guarding the road beyond. It was only a short way back to a road which rejoined our route beyond the flood.

Waw, it did rain last night. Gawping at the floodplain below the road, we came to a bridge over the river Lune with a parking aarea beyond. I got out to take a few photos.

Frustratingly, Carnforth is at the moth of an estuary but we couldn't get down to it, nor park overlooking the water. We drove on to Silverdale, surprisingly passing Leighton Moss RSPB reserve. Pam had investigated the website a day or so ago as we'd enjoyed our previous visit with Carl in February 2016. Shop and centre closed, the trails not accessible to us. We investigated to make sure, before driving on to Silverdale, near the mouth of the river Kent. We eventually found a parking place, sitting riverside to enjoy a late lunch.

The tide was fully in. As it started to race out, I scoped the far mud finding at least 30 Curlew. A Cormorant flew by, Oystercatchers kleeped overhead and a damp Jackdaw looked for crumbs beside the car.

The river is crossed by an extensive railway bridge, this goods train was irresistible.

The SatNav took us a much shorter way back to the A65, beside the Kent, with much better parking and viewing possibilities - if we'd only known.

Our cottage is three and a half miles off the A65 west of Settle.Making the final approach along a rough, grass-centred track through a cattle field, we spotted a Brown Hare feeding beside the track. It lolloped to the driver's side of the car where I was able to photograph its front half. Remarkably confiding for a, usually, very wary and shy animal.

The cattle can be a pain. Young bullocks and heifers, it's not unusual to find them on the track, They don't move when we approach. Yesterday, one of them stood gazing into the car , almost touching the bonnet. They don't belong to our farm but the sheep surrounding us do. This is our cottage from the approach road. You'll have to imagine the vista beyond, now veiled by mist, rain and cloud.