Since Red-backed Shrike day I've been housebound. Lyn's back is stubbornly refusing to heal and I'm needed at home. But I'm counting my blessings. For a start I actually saw the Shrike, which is more than the birders who sacrificed their afternoons to try to do likewise could say. I'm very sorry it could not be found again.
Also, I have moths to fall back on. I put the trap out on Friday night for the GMS, and caught 43 moths of 17 species in the end. There was nothing new for the garden this time, but new for the year were Buff-tip, Marbled Minor ag, Clothes-moth ag (even they are welcome), Alder Moth, Water Veneer, and Spotted Shoot Moth.
There's also the football, and while I was watching Belgium v Russia yesterday evening I recorded a new bird for the garden. It helped that the species in question is very loud. Half way through the second half I could hear a parrot. My neighbour keeps Cockatiels, but it wasn't their shrill whistles. It was a lot more arresting and caused me to abandon the game and go into the back garden, where as I suspected a Ring-necked Parakeet was squawking. It wasn't particularly close, and after running around gathering binoculars and camera I found it sitting in the top of a tree about four gardens away.
I did try to photograph it, but it wasn't going to co-operate. After my initial sighter in which I photographed the tree and hoped the bird was in view, the zooming in moment found me staring at a Parakeet-less branch. Taunting quips coming from the direction of Matchborough, told me which way the bird had gone.
Oh well, here it is anyway.
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| Roughly mid-shot, head hidden by a branch. |
Hopefully it will return and I'll get a second chance.
Meanwhile, Dave was birding at Morton Bagot today. He scored with a Barn Owl; ever present, but seldom seen, and counted five Lesser Whitethroats and a singing Reed Warbler. The first Large Skipper butterflies are on the wing.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I may be able to get out by next weekend.
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