Wales = Blog Address

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Thought It Was Time

 Tuesday, June 15

I haven't posted anything for several days. A teacher of mine once said 'If you have nothing to say, don't say it'. Not sure about its grammatical correctness but I get the gist. Here goes anyway.

After a very enjoyable mothing session at Natural Surroundings, ( and in the cafe afterwards). , we returned to open our own ice block cooled traps. Despite Pam getting up soon after 4 a.m., the birds were still there first, clearing up moths on the outside of the traps, and in their vicinity.

The newly published, 3rd edition, of ''Manley's 'British and Irish Moths, a Photographic guide'', is a truly impressive tome. Producing photographs of 2,500 micro and macro moths found in the UK, including residents,adventists and immigrants is truly awesome. Although it is thicker and heavier than previous editions, it's nothing like as big as one expects. An impressive achievement.

 

 

Our overnight catch was, at last, nearer to that expected in June, 88 macro moths of 40 species.

New for the year were:

Lobster Moth - named for the caterpillar rather than the adult 

  

Sandy Carpet 

 

Treble Bar 

Lychnis

 Lime Hawkmoth - the 6th

 

Shoulder-striped Wainscot

 

Eyed Hawkmoth - the 3rd found whole and alive. Several other bits found in traps, a bird's breakfast.

 

Too Many Constricts

 Thursday, June 10

None of them important, all of them essential. The daily grind of medical appointments, and domestic happenings, that play havoc with leisure time. Dentist, Chiropodist, and Eye Clinic achieved, this morning's visit to Boots Eye Care in Norwich should have completed the set. No, an ear needs syringing - never had that problem before - so more appontments to be made. Ear first, then Boots again - after returning from a week in Wales. In between, a phone call from the doctor, medical review, blood test etc time. Good to know that I am being cared for!.

Domestics. The good bits. A Four-spotted Chaser spent most of yesterday whipping around the garden, or resting on top of a pond Iris. 

 

This alpine beauty made an appearance to-day. Very long, thin, stems. The label has faded.

 

Not so good. The dishwasher gave up, the wrong model, a built-in, was delivered. My fault for naively thinking that asking Which for the best free standing model would only give me those results. Wrong. One lives and learns.  The correct one was delivered and installed on Tuesday. 

This morning, the microwave died. It owes us nothing. It must be at least fifty years old and still looks like new. Only used for basics such as defrosting, jacket potatoes, and heating frozen food, but used virtually daily. We are not a Ping, dinner's ready, household, nothing wrong with that though.

Notes

A young Tawny Owl perched on the apex of our roof, making its high pitched, 'come and feed me' squeaks.

Pam saw a Green Woodpecker fly away from the hedge, near to where there is an occupied nestbox. Do they predate, Great Spotted do.

The Echium, a biennial first bought on Tresco, Isles of Scilly, are in flower. Giant spikes rising well above the Hawthorn hedge, usually covered in insects. None this year.

 

 More than a dozen water lily flowers adorn our small pond, beautiful, but all encompassing.

 

A Broad-bodied Chaser made a short appearance to-day, until chased off by the Four-spotted.

A Great Tit had entered  one of our moth traps overnight, Pam released it at breakfast time.. The trap was littered with moth remains - and bird poo.

Roger Brownsword, a Cley moth-er, trapped a Glaucous Shears on Monday night. Mike brought it to Natural Surroundings for the group's thoughts. It has been accepted as a first for Norfolk. We trapped a couple on Mull in 2019.

 

Everyone Loves

 Monday, June 7

Hawk-moths caught this year.

Eyed Hawk-moth

Privet Hawk-moth

Lime Hawk-moth

Poplar Hawk-moth

 We have also trapped Pine Hawk-moth but it was very flighty so we let it fly.

Day Out

 Friday, June 4

It was not even 7 a.m., chores done, (by Pam) when we set out in warm sunshine. Very shortly, it clouded over, and we had leaden skies all day. Only a few drops of rain though, heralding last night's deluge. .A distinct lack of hirundine all day. We saw three Swallows, 1 House Martin and 1 Sand Martin. Regular small groups of Swift though, in their habitual villages.

Sculthorpe Mill was not the quiet haven we expected. The car park held several vehicles, the front of the building latticed by scaffolding. Window frames were being painted, and it looked as though the inside had been gutted. It was a very quick look for Spotted Flycatcher and Grey Wagtail, the disturbance was obviously long-standing.

Driving along the back lane to Abbey Farm, we disturbed a Red Kite from its tree perch. As it flew, three more rose from the field to join it in a langurous aerial ballet. One, particularly tatty individual, with several missing primaries, flew within camera reach of my side of the car.

 

 

Lovely birds, what a treat to see them so regularly, and in numbers. We were to see a total of nine during the morning. 

Seeing Barry waiting for us outside his house in Valley Farm lane is a dichotomy. It takes up birding time, yet he is such a nice man, our conversations are always informative and enjoyable. A passing Brown Hare prompted Pam to ask if they were shot. Not by Barry, but on the farm, yes. 'His' swifts had arrived, all six of them - he knocked holes in his new roof to let them in.

To-day's encounter was also entertaining. Soon after the 'we have all survived the pandemic' talk, his wife drove up, coming over to meet us for the first time. She works at an organic vegetable farm. 

Imagine the speech marks.

Barry : Come and meet my little old ladies 

Wife:    I've heard a lot about you

At this point an elderly, shorts and vest clad, runner went by, hailed by Barry and then inroduced to us as the man who had bought the much renovated house at the road end of the lane. The man whose Golden Eagle weathervane I have coveted.

B    I helped him inside the house. he's got this huge range in the kitchen and they don't cook nothing.

W    And it's got this big old mirror behind it and a chandelier

B    They've got three microwaves, all their food goes ping. No vegetables.

W    Yes, a big old chandelier in the kitchen

A car came down behind us, we made our hasty goodbyes and left, seeing one Tree Sparrow.

We did dither as to whether to visit Snettisham reserve or not. We went, it wasn't worth the negotiation of the appalling track through the chalets. The tide was the lowest we've ever seen, the acres of mud clear of birds. Shelduck and Avocets were discernible, the shoreline a distant blur. Small areas of the shingle had been fenced off to protect nesting birds - there were none inside. It's been publicised that dogs off the lead and wayward pedestrians walking off the track have had a disastrous effect on Great Ringed Plover nests. Plenty of dogs there yesterday, all of them on the lead though.

Hoping to see Turtle Doves on the wires, we lunched in the P and D car park for the eastern end of the wash leading to Ken Hill. Springwatch is being broadcast from that farm this year.

 The BBC springwatch website says:

The Wild Ken Hill Estate sprawls from south of Heacham to the north end of Snettisham and goes as far as Sedgeford.

It has been in the family's ownership since 1864 and has undergone a rewilding project since 2019 that has seen the reintroduction of native species, including beavers.

The estate also started a traditional conservation programme two years ago and uses regenerative farming.

 Barry told us that there was local opposition to the farm and its methids. Well, there would be.

Having spent too much time on the coast road queueing - staycationers have swarmed on the North Norfolk coast - we went inland at Stiffkey, arriving home in good time for the Sainsbury delivery.

Hot in the Brecks

 Wednesday, June 3

We'd hoped to set off earlier. We made it to Weeting Reserve at 9.00 a.m. The reserve was set up, and  is being managed for, Stone Curlews. One pair  is nesting, and viewable from the West Hide.  Again, the Spotted Flycatcher present was hiding, calling intermittently.

Alone in the West Hide, it took ten minutes scanning with my telescope before one Stone Curlew appeared. Distantly, very near to the boundary fence, it made its way along the back of the field. One heavily cropped photo.

 

No Rabbits seen, one Hare lollopped off, not enough grass mower to keep the pasture cropped. There was also a Eurasian Curlew nest well away from the hide.

Back at the Centre. it was time to check if any moths had been retained from this morning's trap. A Great Prominent was the pick of the crop. (We found a wing of one in our own trap this morning).  An old icecream container - beloved of moth-ers - held Scarce Vapourer caterpillars. 

 

The warden is hoping to start a re-introduction programme in the area.

This visit meant that it was late morning before our arrival at Lakenheath RSPB reserve.Not the best of times on a hot day, we were proved right.

On the longish drive to New Fen, not allowed to drive further to the much more productive Joist Fen, we heard Reed Warbler, Cuckoo, Sedge Warbler - and several noisy trains from the parallel rail track. I was very sore from pushing my Rollator along the track to the hide at Lakenheath. The wheels stop and jar at the slightest barrier. e.g tiny pine cones, roots, small stones etc. I bought a heavy duty Rolly, but it's not suitable for cross country. The latter have bigger and wider wheels and tyres, making them very heavy to lift in and out of the car. I'd thought of putting larger wheels on mine, but that would involve changing the brake system, which is not feasible. I shall investigate. Buying a buggy would also involve changing the car, an expensive option which would take up too much space to carry moth traps etc when travelling.

I stayed in the car, whilst Pam explored. Coot on the New Fen pool, a few odonata flying about. No Hobby to be seen and very little wildlife in the verges.We usually get Longhorn Moths and several beetles and hoverflies, they haven't appeared yet. Pam met an insect photographer who had found a Cardinal Beetle. Pam found a Thick-thighed Beetle.

We left. Stopping at the gate in order to take the short cut to return the parking voucher, a volunteer appeared from a nearby car, offering to take it back - unless we wanted to visit the refreshments area. Pam did. The woman then said that she'd do that too. What excellent service. Two ice-creams and a Hot Chocolate were duly delivered. In the meantime, Pam (the Grey Retriever), found a freshly dead Mole, which was then collected by a warden. There were no signs of any damage from a predator. I wonder what they did with it.

Time for an abortive diversion to look for a Nightingale site recommended by a friend. The road we were meant to take was closed. We tried to find a way around it, which took us to the right site. We failed. Thanks anyway.

 

Friends, Moths, and Birds

Tuesday, June 1

Jem met us in the rough car parking area of Natural Surroundings, pleased that he'd seen a Spotted Flycatcher flying about in the tall canopy of Oak trees soaring above us. We failed to do so - but I later heard it call. 

The moth catch was poor again, an improvement on previous weeks, but a mere 27 of 9 species in three traps. I was kept occupied answering the questions from two new visitors, both Butterfly enthusiasts, keen to know more about their fellow lepidoptera. They may well come again.

During the moth trap opening, two Hobby circled overhead, a Red Kite, which was out of our view, drifted by, and a family of newly fledged Robins fluttered their wings, trying to attract the attention of food bearing parents..

After an hour or so's chat over a drink, we left to meet Pauline at Cley Centre. We were able to tick off the splendid male Red-backed Shrike, which was conveniently using a nearby fence from which to hunt. Avocets and Shelduck on the reserve, plus a Skylark, added to the month list.

We then made the arranged visit to see the Dunmores in West Runton. Giles has recently had a knee replacement, forcing him to be housebound. I think that he's walking well, only three weeks after the operation. It's a long processs for the recipient though.

Our moth traps had been left in the comparitive cool of the utility room, no longer left with the doors open, as the birds, including a Pheasant, had been in to feed on the tubs of bird food at the far end. Opportune little monsters.

Best of the morning's moths was a beautiful Pine Hawkmotjh

 

Chinese Character is one of the so called Bird Dropping  macro Moths Even in a pot, one can see why.

 

Waved Umber, seen in the wild, is very well  camouflaged. One of my favourite moths.