Friday January 26 - Weekly update

 The fact that I've waited until Friday should tell you all you need to know about the week just gone. 

Non birding issues kept me sidelined until Wednesday, by which time two major storms had swept through. It was windy enough on Tuesday night to convince me that I should give Arrow Valley Lake a look. I knew this would give me a guaranteed year-tick, and a single Little Egret duly joined the list. However, the best find wasn't new for the year. Five Wigeon were circling the far end of the lake as I made my first scan. I've only seen one here before (although to be fair I don't go that often). They seemed to be landing out of sight, so I hurried over but could find no sign of them. Presumably they'd come to their senses and headed for somewhere less disturbed.

One species that really likes the place in winter is Goosander, and I logged 16 of them as I walked around. The shape of the lake makes it difficult to count accurately, but I'm pretty sure I didn't over-count.

Goosanders

The middle of the week was dominated by some IT issues which jeopardised my Birdtrack records and was a bit of a downer. But I'm pleased to say the BTO have sorted it out, and I'm now correctly "sync-ed" and recording again. A female Blackcap in the garden yesterday was new for the year, while today I was just pleased to be out birding, even though my walk from Walkwood to Callow Hill and back through Morton Stanley Park in western Redditch could best be described as quiet.

The day was saved by a visit to Morrisons. It's not often you can say that. As I picked up a metal basket at the entrance I noticed a moth resting on the window. It turned out to be a lifer. The Early Moth is not a species I've ever caught, chiefly because I hardly ever trap in January. The "Early" part of its name refers to the time of year it flies not how early it gets up.

Early Moth

 I admit its not much of a looker, but a tick's a tick.

PS: I was encouraged by this, so put my garden moth trap out for the first time this year. The result was two Pale Brindled Beauties, and a Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana. The latter was the second for the garden (the previous one being in 2021).