Tuesday July 29 - Morton Bagot

 This was a morning of low cloud and threatened drizzle which delivered, both the rain and another opportunity to see the Wood Sandpiper. To be quite honest I was expecting that it had gone, so was delighted to relocate it. 

Less thrilling was the fact it was in the same place at the back of the furthest flash. However, I did what we should have done on Sunday, and got as close to the fence as I could before a lack of elevation left the bird out of view.

After about ten minutes it disappeared behind a dense stand of rushes and failed to re-emerge. One or two Green Sandpipers occasionally appeared, briefly raising hopes. 

I really wanted to photograph it, but distance and intervening vegetation made this challenging. These are the best of a sorry bunch.

Spot the bird competition: hint, above the left hand Greylag Goose

This at least shows it stretching its neck

I know I shouldn't put the camera on maximum zoom, but I just can't help it

Shortly after this marvellous set of photos was taken the weather took a turn for the worse, and with the bird missing entirely anyway, I decided to throw in the towel.

So these are very bad record shots, but at least you can tell its not a Green Sandpiper.

Sunday July 27 - Morton Bagot

 This morning Dave and I were joined by Andy Gooding, and we proceeded on the usual circuit on what would prove to be an eventful visit. For the first thirty minutes the only highlight was a distant adult Red Kite, followed by three more circling over Bannams. These last three were considered to be juveniles from the neatness of their flight feathers.

Andy had seen three Little Egrets flying over before he joined us, and we later saw one of these (presumably) flying back the other way. He also spotted a Froglet and a young Toad in the nick of time before my size nines descended on them. For some reason, Toads are much commoner at Morton Bagot than Frogs are.

Frog above, Toad below

The walk came to an abrupt standstill when we reached the ridge from which it is possible to scope the furthest flash. I started scanning, noting that 60 Greylags had landed there, and that there were a few Lapwings. I then spotted a "proper" wader in the form of a Green Sandpiper. Near that was a slightly smaller, lighter backed wader. At first I thought it might be the Common Sandpiper I'd seen last time, but as it kept disappearing and reappearing amongst the rushes at the back of the scrape, I began to feel sure it was actually a Wood Sandpiper. At one point the two waders flew, and both had square white rumps. 

Unfortunately we were three birders sharing one scope. Although a second Green Sandpiper then appeared, it was always obvious which was the Wood Sandpiper. It was slightly smaller, paler, its neck slightly more extended upright, and its back end shorter than the Green Sands. Eventually I relinquished the scope for Dave to have a look and he concurred with the identification, commenting that he could see a hint of spangling on its back. 

I should say that even with a scope the bird was very distant. Andy eventually got his turn, while Dave and I discussed what we'd got on it. The only inconsistent feature was that neither of us could see a whiteish supercilium which is usually so obvious on Wood Sands. This could be explained if the bird was an adult, which would have a more uniform head.

As you may have guessed from all this screed, the bird was not photographed. After the bird seemed to disappear we decided to check the nearest flash. If nothing else I was keen to see the record 20 Green Sandpipers counted by John Chidwick yesterday. 

Disappointingly, with the flash pool once again full of water, we could only see six or seven of them, and still no sign of the Wood Sand. We went back to the traditional viewing spot at fence level, but closer to the furthest flash than we had been. Rather gallingly we hadn't previously noticed that the grass in the flash field had been mowed, so we would have had a half decent view and maybe I'd even have got a record shot if we proceeded forward to the fence instead of scoping from the top of the hill. Now it was too late and all the Sandpipers had disappeared.

It was time for me to return. Dave and Andy decided to go for a wander in the hope of finding another wet area where the Wood Sand may have gone.

I later heard they'd been unsuccessful. I returned in the afternoon, but saw only three Green Sandpipers, although five young Mistle Thrushes in the flash field was noteworthy.

Saturday July 26 - Mostly about moths

 Before I get onto another bumper moth night, I will just mention birds. As expected, the Black-crowned Night-heron reappeared the day after I dipped on it, and it has been there ever since. I have not been tempted to return. Instead I went to Earlswood Lakes on Thursday and saw all the expected species there, the one highlight being two Red Kites over the west side of Engine Pool. I alerted John Oates as they were practically over his garden, and he dashed out to discover there were actually five of them, presumably a family party.

The next day Joe Owens found two juvenile Greenshank on Engine, but they were flushed by joggers before I even considered leaving the house. Today John Chidwick supplied news from Morton Bagot, seeing an impressive 20 Green Sandpipers there.

Its a good job that Saturday night brought me another shed-load of moths, I could start getting a complex. The final score (subject to me finding more in the utility room tonight) was 177 of 60 species. Of these six were new for the year and a further five, at least, were lifers.

The first of these was the largest and most impressive. A Gypsy Moth was captured on the window frame. Once extinct in Warwickshire, they have made a bit of a comeback thanks to our warming world, but it's still a good find.

It was a male (the females are whiteish) and is about the size of a 50 pence piece. 

The next goody was a lot smaller. Measuring about six centimetres, a small moth on the perspex lid of the trap looked unfamiliar. However as it was from the tortrix family, that didn't necessarily mean anything. My identification app narrowed the field down to a Gypsonoma species, and further research ended up at Small Brindled Tortrix Gypsonoma minutana. Not only new, but described as "very local" in my Field Guide.

No sooner than I had seen that, I spotted an equally tiny one as I started going through the egg boxes in the trap. Oddly, I pretty much knew what it was before I started research. The Triple-spotted Nest Moth is closely related to the clothes moths we all love so much, but it's rather distinctive.

I think they are fairly common. Maybe the Blackbird nesting in the garden this year helped to introduce it.

Elsewhere in the box I spotted a big Pug. These moths are all basically small, and horribly similar looking. But this one looked different and turned out to be the rather scarce Plain Pug. I know it sounds dull, but it's more distinctive than many of them.

With a wingspan of up to 26 mm, this is one of the larger Pugs and is technically a macro-moth.

The last addition to the garden list was found clinging to the bathroom window. We are back in the baffling world of the Tortrix moths and I jumped to the incorrect conclusion that it was a Common Marble. Fortunately I don't trust myself to identify this group without checking on the ID app. That preferred Enarmonia formosana, whatever that was. The app was right. It was indeed that species aka Cherry Bark Moth.

We're back onto moths measuring 8mm long here, but seen through my camera it was very attractive.

They are also apparently common. It is likely that it's caterpillar stage is associated with our apple tree, which appears to be having a bumper crop this year.

Other notables included another tortrix, Cochylichroa atricapitana, and the pyralid Nephropterix angustella (both garden seconds). But I think I've shown almost enough moths so I'll leave it there.

OK one more: this tiny moth is a bit of a mystery. My app hadn't got a clue, and I'm afraid it's now awaiting "determination" because I think it might be very rare indeed. Possibly.

It's probably just a Bryotropha terrella, but I'm not sure. It just might be Athrips rancidella which would be a county first. Time, and the skill of the county recorder, will tell.

Tuesday July 22 - Grimley and Morton Bagot

 I was very tempted to call this post confessions of a lapsed twitcher. About twelve days ago a Black-crowned Night-heron was discovered at Camp Lane Pits, Grimley near Worcester. For some reason there was a delay of five days before the news was widely broadcast. But when it was, the bird became very popular with lots of county listers. That was when I should have gone.

Instead, my initial reaction was to wonder whether I'd seen one in the county before. I concluded I probably hadn't, and indeed it turned out that it had been a bogey bird for most in Worcestershire. My problem was that it was more than 20 kms away, and therefore could prove awkward in my current domestic circumstances. I kind of wrote it off. But as the days passed and the bird stayed, it bothered me more and more.

This morning I could stand it no longer. I got up early and went. It was a long time since I'd been to this part of Grimley, and I was in for a shock. The pit I remembered was quite small with a few gravel islands. Twenty years on, its huge, reed-lined, and impressive. Fortunately another birder had arrived just before me, Dan, a patch birder from just the other side of the river. He knew where to go, but like me he hadn't dragged himself away from his patch until today.

An hour later, though joined by several other hopeful twitchers, the omens looked bad. There was no sign of it. My time ran out and I reluctantly headed back to the car empty-handed. Fate gave me a bit of a break before I left the site as an orange-tailed bird "ticked" loudly before disappearing into a hedge along the north footpath. It had to be a Redstart, and with a little patience, I got a second chance to see it reasonably well.

Later in the morning I got back to what I know, and went to Morton Bagot. It wasn't too bad. The highlight was a Common Sandpiper among the Green Sandpipers, my first there this year.

There was even some back up in the form of a calling Yellowhammer, and a Garden Warbler within a loose mixed flock of warblers.

It may yet be that the Night Heron is still at Grimley, but I think the main problem is I just don't care about my Worcestershire list anymore. I probably won't go again.

Sunday July 20 - Earlswood and Morton Bagot (and moths)

 Trying to predict the best place to go birding, taking account of the weather, is a rather inexact science. I suspect most committed birders (or those who should be committed) do this. 

This morning it seemed like a no brainer. It was pouring with rain at 05:30, so within forty minutes I was at the largest water body within my Circle, Earlswood Lakes, hoping for the best. I'm reluctant to say expecting to see something because disappointment is also part of the game.

Sadly it didn't do the business. I got thoroughly wet for the sake of a Little Egret, three Common Sandpipers, three Common Terns, and a tatty second-summer Common Gull. The latter was only my second or third this year (they're not common around here), so I guess that got the accolade of best bird.

The Little Egret

In fact Earlswood is in a rather sorry state at the moment. The low water levels may bring the promise of wader passage, but they're also bringing death to the bigger fish in the lakes. Numerous dead Pike and Carp floated in the shallows. The Canals and River Trust have at least contracted someone to try to do something about it, and this morning water was being pumped into Windmill Pool with the intention, I assume, of increasing the oxygen levels.

After a late breakfast I headed for Morton Bagot in order to meet up with Dave who'd started at our normal time. The rain was now more showery, but after failing at Earlswood I was no longer feeling optimistic. Dave's best find was a Hobby which I missed after failing to follow his directions, but between us we managed to muster 10 Green Sandpipers, two Grasshopper Warblers, a Willow Warbler, and four Lesser Whitethroats. So pretty much the usual stuff.

Predicting moths is slightly different. The main prerequisite seems to be a warm night, preferably with not much breeze and maybe a little rain. Moonless is best. I picked Thursday night, mainly because Lyn and I were going to the theatre on Saturday and I didn't want to be too knackered. I still expected a big haul of moths, so 174 of 54 species was good, but not that good.

There were no major surprises either. About half the catch were the tiny Yponomeuta micros, and most of those were Bird-cherry Ermines. The rest were mostly familiar ones, and only 11 species were new for the year. There was also one which was new for the garden, but it was a tiny micro (6mm) and also apparently common (just not in our garden). That was Buff Mompha Mompha epilobiella. I should say that it never ceases to amaze me that common moths should wait this long to make their debut on my list. 

Mompha epilobiella

There were still a few noteworthy species. The first Least Yellow Underwing for four years, the first Maple Pug for a similar length of time (I proved myself lamentably inept at identifying it, having thought it was the very similar Slender Pug). An on-line expert came to my aid.

Least Yellow Underwing on the right (the other one is a worn Mint Moth)

Maple Pug on the window

White Satin Moth (first for two years)

Beautiful Plume. I see roughly one per year although they no doubt live in the garden.

Finally, the following evening I was pleased to see another Hummingbird Hawk-moth feeding on the Valerian, this one avoiding the local sparrows.

Thursday July 17 - Earlswood and Morton Bagot

 I may previously have said that rain is great for birding. I should have added sometimes. This morning I awoke to rain, and wasted no time getting to Earlswood before breakfast. My first scan revealed a couple of Common Terns, my first since the spring. I have to admit to a frisson of excitement as I swept my view back and forth along the muddy and shingly edges of the lakes. There was nothing. Well, no waders, save for a single Common Sandpiper on one of the rafts.

Such is life. There was still a few differences from my last visit; far fewer Sand Martins (just two), and Swifts (a dozen), but still plenty of Swallows. I decided to walk around Windmill Pool for a change, hoping to find the juvenile Little Grebe which Matt and Tony had seen recently. I was successful. Possibly only my second sighting of the species locally this year.

Part two of the morning came after breakfast when I decided to give Morton Bagot its chance to shine. The rain had largely stopped, and it was a bit muggy. At least one Grasshopper Warbler was singing from the chat field, and a couple of Lesser Whitethroats popped briefly into view. But my main goal was to check out the nearest flash.

The flash field at Morton Bagot can both impress and depress. It looks great at the moment, a perfect balance of wet mud and water. But scan as I might, all I could find was Green Sandpiper after Green Sandpiper. I counted eight of them, and no other wader species. A typical visit it has to be said.

There was one new arrival though; a pair of Teal, another staple of the flash, has returned for the autumn.

Changing the subject, my moth trap goes out tonight, and my new supply of moth pots arrived yesterday. There are going to be loads.

Tuesday July 15 -Earlswood Lakes

 With rain in the forecast, I decided to give Earlswood Lakes a try this morning. Unfortunately the rain was not overnight, and arrived while I was there. However it was overcast so there were plenty of Swifts (at least 52) and hirundines to look at. I estimated 70 Swallows and 30 Sand Martins, but Yvonne, who was organising a work party, later counted 60 Sand Martins perched on the raft wire, with several others visible in flight. Those rafts also supported the only waders I saw, namely two Common Sandpipers.

I had a pleasant walk round, photographing some of the Swallows perching in hawthorn when the heaviest rain swept in for example, and guess what, I can post photos again. Happy days.

The main talking point was the rediscovery of that annoying Herring Gull I featured back in March. At the time the water level was high, and I almost convinced myself it was a Yellow-legged Gull before wiser heads pointed out it wasn't.

Today there is a nice shoreline and the Gull was back in the same place with the same companion, a sub-adult Herring Gull. And I have to tell you I'm still not happy its just a Herring Gull. Don't worry, I'm absolutely sure its not a Yellow-legged Gull. The legs remain at best a dull straw colour and the feet pink. The primary tips have worn since March and are no longer as obviously Herring Gull-like, but that's just wear. The orbital ring is yellow on the lower and upper margin, but pink the front and back end. 

What bothers me is the contrast between the mantle colour of the oddity and the much paler Herring Gull. It's almost Lesser Black-backed-like, but clearly not dark enough when it was with obvious Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the island.

Another suggestion was that it might be an argentatus Herring Gull. If it is, why has it spent the summer paired with a Herring Gull at Earlswood? I should probably say that I've seen what I suspected was the same pair of Gulls since the original sightings, so I think they've never left. Here are some photos I took today.

So where does that leave us? It can't be a Yellow-legged Gull because of the primary pattern (no black on P5), the largely yellow orbital ring, and the legs being straw-coloured (although some Yellow-legs can be like that).

It can't be a Lesser Black-backed Gull because the mantle isn't dark enough, the orbital ring isn't red, and the legs aren't bright yellow.

But if it's a Herring Gull why is the mantle colour so dark, so Yellow-legged Gull-like? Why is the orbital ring not wholly yellow. Why are its legs straw coloured?

It's also noticeably smaller than its companion, which brings me to my latest suggestion. Why isn't it a hybrid Lesser Black-backed X Herring Gull? That's my latest theory.

So there we are, brightening up a dull day. And the photos are back. Whoo-hoo.