Insects, Trains, and Birds

 Sunday, October 11

We had moths, in and around the trap.. Ninety of them. Only 13 species, sixty five of them Lunar Underwings. We were happy as one of them was our first self caught L Album Wainscot. We saw our first at Sandwich Bay two years ago. Although they are spreading north, only a few have made it to Norfolk.

 

We aslo had a Delicate, Turnip, Chestnut, Barred Sallow, and  ten Beaded Chestnuts. The trap is placed on the small patio, its lead through the French Windows. A venetian blind keeps the draught out.

 

News of a White Stork at some coastal pits near Lydd sent us on a small detour. The two large areas of water were inland of the sea and the shingle bank. Greylag, Canada and Barnacle Geese, floating islands of Coot,  a Grey Heron fly past,  Marsh harrier, Little Egret and Mute Swans. No sign of the Stork. The message was later amended to 'flew over'. Nuff said.

The affable, and ever helpful, Dungeness warden, David Walker, did not put the moth trap out last night, after watching the weather forecast.  He did find a first for the garden which he took Pam to see. A Mottled Shieldbug. Pam then showed me its perching spot.

 

 Although they're quite common in mainland Europe, Mottled Shield Bugs are a fairly new species to the UK.  They were first recorded in London in 2010.

We lunched at the far reaches of the shingle desert which is Dungeness, beyond the power station and away from the numbers of people still present. A Stonechat was the highlight, plus a swooping Kestrel and a chattering Magpie. 

We heard the Romney, Hythe, and  Dymchurch miniature railway's muted whistle from far away. It wasn't running yesterday. We timed it perfectly for a chuff past as we left the coast.

 

Dungeness RSPB Centre was open to-day, so that it was possible for Pam to buy a birthday card for a friend, and a hot chocolate each for us. We parked in the area overlooking the cattle pasture in the hope of seeing the two Ibis said to be present. No sign of any Cattle Egrets to-day either. Just battalions of skeletal pylons marching away into the distance, regulation Covid distance apart, marked by swathes of wire.

Watching a Marsh Harrier patrolling a reed bed, Pam called, 'there they are'. Two Glossy Ibis had been startled  out of obscurity and  into flight. I saw them through the sunroof as they flew towards the Centre.

Ten minutes later, they flew back. I managed a quick flight shot before they dsappeared once more.

In the hope of seeing them on the ground, we crawled towards the gate, scanning all areas as they came into view. A Cetti's Warbler shouted nearby, Barnacle Geese grazed on the saltmarsh and three Cormorants decorated a small fence.

 

Patience did not pay off, we drove back to The Den after a very pleasant day.