Sunday September 19 - Enjoying the commonplace

I had no great expectations of this morning's visit to the patch. I arrived as a band of rain slipped away to the east, leaving an increasingly warm and sunny morning.

At Netherstead I quickly became captivated by the sheer numbers of passerines feeding after the rain had passed. Was this a fall? Many of the birds were just the local Tits, Robins etc, but a lot were warblers. I estimated/counted 23 Chiffchaffs, and 12 Blackcaps in the first hour of loitering.

Chiffchaff

Blackcap

Other warblers seen included three Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, and a Reed Warbler, but there was so much activity it was hard to keep up. This little video clip (poorly focused as it is) gives some idea of what it was like.

Eventually I moved on, thinking if only the ringers were here. 

It turned out that they were, but had chosen to concentrate on the weedy field and pool area where they were targeting the 70 or so Meadow Pipits occupying the field. When I strolled up they were in the middle of processing a first winter male Stonechat.

Stonechat

They mentioned having caught a Sedge Warbler to add to my warbler list for the day. Their full results were: 23 Meadow Pipits, the Stonechat, a Chiffchaff, and a Sedge Warbler.

Sedge Warbler - per Tony and Leigh Kelly

Eventually I headed for the flash field which contained just the usual Lapwings (38), Teal (26+), Green Sandpiper, and Snipe (four or five). However, the hedgerow separating me from the field contained a flowering ivy which was absolutely bursting with insects. Most were wasps and flies, but among the bees I locating several Ivy Bees.

Ivy Bee

This species had a largely south coast distribution just ten years ago, having colonised mainland Britain in 2001. Since then they have been spreading north and I have been checking the Ivy each year in the hope of finding some.

Also present was a black and yellow banded wasp (I think), which I will probably not be able to identify. My research has led to a group of digger wasps which may not be safely distinguished from photos. However, I have come up with a name which could be correct. Submitted to irecord.com, and I await feedback. 

Either Ectemnius cavifrons or E cephalotes

Thanks to Des Jennings for suggesting another name for the wasp. It sounds as though I needed to see its face for a better shot at an identification. At least I got the right genus.

Going briefly back to birds, there was a single flock of at least 31 hirundines heading south-east which I considered to be House Martins, and I also noticed an influx of alba wagtails, with at least seven aound Netherstead. These were probably all Pied Wagtails, but at least one may have been the nominate race. With them were two Grey Wagtails.

I'll end with insects again, specifically my moth trapping attempt on Friday night. The temperature dropped to 11 degrees, and the catch was modest.

Here is the full list:

Ruddy Streak 2,    White-shouldered House Moth 1,    Red-green Carpet 1 (nfy),    Common Marbled Carpet 4,    Brimstone Moth 1,    Dusky Thorn 1,    Light Emerald 2,    Snout 1 (nfy),    Angle Shades 1,    Vine's Rustic 3,    Common Wainscot 1,    Copper Underwing ag 2,    Lunar Underwing 4 (nfy),    Lesser Yellow Underwing 1, Large Yellow Underwing 10,    Square-spot Rustic 1,    Setaceous Hebrew Character 3.