First things first, I was up at 05.00 am to check the moth trap. This didn't take long as it contained just two moths, a very worn Chestnut and a pristine newly emerged Common Pug which was new for the year.
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| Common Pug |
So what should I do next? The invitation to take part made it clear that birders should abide by the Government's guidelines. Birders seem to have interpreted these in a variety of ways: walking for one hour from home, staying at home, walking for a few hours from home, cycling to their patch and birding there, and possibly driving to their patch and birding for longer than the drive.
In other words its all a bit ambiguous. I decided to challenge myself to a garden only list. Thus taking the strictest possible interpretation of lockdown, but realising it would probably be pretty dull.
Fifteen hours later my list has reached 30 species, and dusk is falling. At least I managed one full fat garden tick (as they say), and one other lockdown list addition.
The latter was a Bullfinch which I heard as it apparently flew over the house behind me during my morning vigil. Three House Martins heading north was the only sign of passage.
The former came late in the afternoon after I had pretty much given up. Two hirundines were flying north and as I got on them I realised they were Martins, but I couldn't see any white on their rumps. I may be over 60, but I can still cover 10 yards in no time at all. Thus, having run the length of our side passage I was in time to confirm what I thought and even see a brown breast band which confirmed they were Sand Martins before they disappeared.
A single Swallow and a Swift concluded my day.
So that's birds garden lockdown and lockdown lists as follows:
May 2
58. Bullfinch 66. Bullfinch
59. Sand Martin 67. Sand Martin
and for moths:
May 1
32. Common Pug
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