Highlights for me #Bockhill today: Oct Hobby & 1st site record of Willow Emerald (3 in the Farm Wood).
Nige Jarman
@nigej.bsky.social
#Bockhill (birding) & Kingsdown (mothing) East Kent VC15 Birds Moths Butterflies Music
The fabulous Crimson Speckled kicked up by @philbockhill.bsky.social during a very wet morning #Bockhill. Bird highlights: Merlin and 19 Brambling.
Typical end of September species #Bockhill today: 16 Stonechat, increase in Meadow Pipits, Reed Bunting & late(ish) Whitethroat.
Caspian & Yellow-legged Gull at Kingsdown Rifle Butts this morning.
Convolvulus Hawk-moth the best from last night's trap. Always great to see.
An obvious increase in Chiffchaff numbers today #Bockhill - over 100 between us, with fewer Blackcaps in the area, a single Wheatear, & numerous Ivy Bees.
This Mediterranean Gull (Red HL9E) on the beach this week was ringed in the nest at Székesfehérvár, Fejér, Hungary on 8 Jun this year, travelling 1300 Km in 3 months.
Some footage of just a fraction of the 20000+ House Martins moving down channel #Bockhill this morning.
A short video of a few of the 10000+ House Martins #Bockhill this morning, gathering on the Monument.
More Red-veined Darters (3) on the clifftop #Bockhill today, plus the impressive Hornet Robberfly in action.
Standard September species #Bockhill today: Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, Sparrowhawk & Whinchat. Slight increase in Chiffchaffs.
As there have been so many Clouded Yellow this year, here are comparisons with normal (top) vs helice (bottom).
Dusky Hook-tip & Golden Twin-spot the pick of the trap last night, plus several Cameraria ohridella. The latter was first discovered in Macedonia in 1985, spread across Europe & found in the UK in 2002, where it continues to spread.
My 1st UK Mediterranean Gull ring return from the beach yesterday: this bird (Yellow 2446) was ringed at Scolt Head, Norfolk on 25 June this year.
Pick of the trap last night: Passenger(my 2nd record - 18 July 2024) Scrobipalpa ocellatella & Lesser Thorn-tipped Longhorn
Highlights #Bockhill today were along the clifftop with Caspian Gull downchannel, Coal Tit, helice Clouded Yellow & Red-veined Darter.
Highlights #Bockhill today: 6 Cattle Egrets W at dawn, Tree Pipit & 3 Wheatears. Little else of note. Still Hornet Robberflies & several Clouded Yellows in the area.
Golden Twin-spot from last night's trap. Showing well why its name is so appropriate.
Yet to catch a Convolvulus Hawk-moth this autumn, but just been given this larva!
The 1st Pied Fly of the autumn #Bockhill this morning, plus 2 Spotted Flys & the usual suspects. Still more Willow Warblers than Chiffchaffs, but will slowly change over the coming weeks.
Today's highlights #Bockhill Short-eared Owl flushed from the clifftop, Yellow Wag on the beach, 3 Whinchats, 2 Spotted Flys + increase in warblers around the area.
Pearly Underwing & Coleophora lineolea from last night's trap.
Birds much the same #Bockhill today: Whinchats, Wheatears, few warblers. A small group of Sandwich Terns on the beach, Autumn Lady's-tresses and 2 Hornet Robberflies pick of the day.
Just found this Smooth Newt whilst gardening. A new species for the garden list.
Highlight of this morning #Bockhill was Spotted Flycatcher, with 3 Whinchat, 2 Willow Warblers & 4 Clouded Yellows.
It is unusual to see a Tree Pipit on the deck (well in a tree) #Bockhill, so 2 together was even better. A short seawatch at St. Margaret's Bay produced 4 Arctic Skuas, 3 Black Terns & 13 Whimbrel amongst lots of terns moving S before the weather closed in.
