Phil Andrews
@pmandrews1973.bsky.social
Self-confessed twitcher & West Midlands birder, thwarted by work, 2 kids + a wife. With a few moths, butterflies + dragonflies thrown in for good measure.
Trapping since returning from Spain has produced a new moth for me in Tufted Tortrix + 6 NFY (Tawny-barred Angle, Straw Dot, Chequered FT Tortrix, Straw Underwing, A geniculea, Flounced Rustic). Also 3 Small Mottled Willow + Miller B74 VC38 SK10 @ruthnewby.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social
Caught up with my second Long-tailed Shrike of the year (not a phrase I thought I would ever write!), showing well eventually on Eastleach Downs in hedgerow late afternoon (last seen at 4:45pm). Supporting cast of Red Kite, Whinchat, Wheatear, RL Partridge and Yellowhammer. @birdguides.bsky.social
The problem of writing posts retrospectively - missed out the headline bird! 🤦♂️ Marsh Sandpiper showing from the hide closest to the visitors centre at La Mata on Thursday at c5pm
No sign of the Western Reef Heron at La Mata on Thursday afternoon but wader passage kicking in - 60+ Curlew Sand, 2 Little Stint, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Turnstone, 6 Whimbrel, 6 Dunlin, Greenshank. Also 100s of Black-necked Grebe in centre of lake, Iberian Shrike, Hoopoe + unidentified white butterfly.
Friday was the last full day of the trip so a return visit to the salinas at San Pedro del Pinatar to show Matthew the flamingoes. Plenty on show plus 2 Ruff, 2 Little Stint, 3 Black-necked Grebe, Glossy Ibis.
No sign of the Western Reef Heron at La Mata on Thursday afternoon but wader passage kicking in - 60+ Curlew Sand, 2 Little Stint, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Turnstone, 6 Whimbrel, 6 Dunlin, Greenshank. Also 100s of Black-necked Grebe in centre of lake, Iberian Shrike, Hoopoe + unidentified white butterfly.
A change of scene on Thursday morning with a visit the pine clad hills south of Murcia at El Valle. Few birds around (Crossbill, Crag Martin and Chaffinch added for the trip) and disappointingly no butterflies. Highlights were a Red Squirrel and Black-tailed Skimmer.
Dont know if the opportunity at Ryders Mere is beyond the resources of @bbcwildlifetrust.bsky.social? www.bagshaws.com/property/ryd...
Return trip to Cazebo Gordo to show my youngest the Neanderthal caves - pair of Black Wheatear + juv Woodchat. An impressive list during beach days at Los Narejos - 4 sp each of gull+tern, 3 egrets + Monk Parakeet. Hard to believe Audouins G were down to 1000 pairs in late 60s given their adundance
The wind got up at El Hondo, taking the edge off insect watching. Butterflies comprised regular Plain Tiger, Mediterranean Skipper + a Blue species I'm putting down as a Small. Odonata included Lesser Emperor, Scarlet Darter, Long Skimmer and Black Percher.
The main visitor centre for El Hondo at San Felipe Neri was teaming with herons, gulls and terns with Glossy Ibis particularly numerous with 100s dropping in + out. Trip ticks included Purple Swamphen, Red-knobbed Coot, Whiskered Tern, Great Crested Grebe, Reed Bunting but no sign of Marbled Duck.
The hides along Vistabella Road at east end of El Hondo didnt disappoint with swarms of herons + stilts. Trip ticks incl Little Bittern, Curlew+Green Sands, Garganey, Purple Heron, GW Egret, Cettis Warbler, Blackwit + a dubious lifer in Common Waxbill. Effects of hot weather were all too obvious.
An early start saw me at El Pinet salt pans for sunrise. A multitude of terns + gulls with Flamingoes in tow; Gull-billed numbers were particularly impressive. The summering Elegant Tern dropped in twice, mixing it with the Sarnies. Redshank + Black Tern were further trip ticks.
With sightings of Southern Migrant Hawker at NT Croome Court Lake in recent days, I visited all my local patch sand/gravel pits in south Worcestershire & came up trumps with this egg-laying pair. 1st proven breeding for the county #WorcsDragonflies @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
Early morning at Plains of Guadalentin. Highlights were Little Bustard flushed from side of track + good nos of Lesser Kestrel (max of 7 in single field of view). Thekla+Short-toed Larks & Little Owl were trip ticks. Also Roller, Woodchat+Iberian Shrike, 1 Montys + 4 Marsh Harrier + many Turtle Dove
Up to Torrevieja again to work the area between Laguna Rosa and Laguna de la Mata. Both target species secured - Iberian Magpie at Los Balcones and male Montagu's Harrier from the viewing platform at the north end of La Mata. Linnet, Med Gull, Stonechat, Ringed Plover and Water Rail were trip ticks
An evening visit to Laguna de la Mata and adjacent heathland produced a fistful of trip ticks - Avocet, Dunlin, Slender-billed Gull, RL Partridge, Iberian Green Woodpecker and the main target, Red-necked Nightjar. Also Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank, Hoopoe, BN Grebe, GB Tern and possible Little Stint.
Visited a few sites south of Los Alcazares this morning - trip ticks included Magpie, Curlew, Whimbrel, Hoopoe (at last), Marsh Harrier, Collared Pratincole and best of all, Roller. Also Quail, Night Heron and Gull-billed Tern. Mediterranean Skipper was a new butterfly for me.
An overgrown EDAR de lo Monte held 7 trip ticks - Shoveler, Gadwall, RC Pochard, LT Tit, Yellow Wag, Grey Heron + Cormorant. Also 2 Squacco, Night Heron, Iberian Grey Shrike + 2 White-headed Duck broods. Better luck on odonata with Lesser Emperor + 2 ticks in Long Skimmer and Black Pennant.
A climb up Cazebo Gordo produced the target species with 2 Black Wheatear, including a singing male. Also 2 juvenile Woodchat Shrike, Quail, Spotless Starling, 8 Bee-eater and Jackdaw all new for the trip plus my first odonata with Southern Hawker.
This unassuming pool at Roldan held a pair of White-headed Duck with 3 young, an impressive 7 Squacco Heron, Night Heron and Gull-billed Tern. Further trip ticks in Coot, Moorhen, Pochard, Common Sandpiper, Pallid Swift, Little Ringed Plover and Little Grebe.
First full day of the holiday at Roda, Murcia + an morning visit to Salinas de San Pedro. Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Glossy Ibis, Flamingoes, Ruff, Greenshank, Audouin's Gull, Serin, Iberian Grey Shrike, RR Swallow, lots of terns + a dubious lifer, Monk Parakeet 😒
Another 5 NFY over the last couple of nights with Knot Grass, Common Lutestring, Ruby Tiger, The Clay and Udea prunalis. Also Dark-barred Twin-spotted Carpet and my third Small Mottled Willow of the week. B74 VC38 SK10 @ruthnewby.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social @ecorecord.bsky.social
Wow! - What an AMAZING morning @Bempton_Cliffs I was delivering a 'Birds in Flight Photography Workshop' this morning when I spotted this very rare Brown Booby flying past the view point. Here is a fairly cropped record shot - what a bird... Steve YCN
If someone told me I'd reach 300 moths for my garden year list by 14th July7 I'd have laughed. Copper Underwing, Lesser Swallow Pominent, Mouse Moth, Clavigesta purdeyi + Ypsolopha dentella all NFY. Also Large Emerald, another Small Mottled Willow, Pale Prominent + 9 Lime-speck Pug!! B74 VC38 SK10
Away from moths, nature around Hill Hook NR in recent days incl 1+ Little Grebling on Mill Pool, Little Egret, Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron. Copious butterflies - many Peacock, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Comma, Common Blue, Large+Small Skipper, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown. Brown + Southern Hawkers.
Finally!!! Small Mottled Willow in trap this morning, new for me and the SK10 square. 3 NFY with Orange Footman, Shaded Broad-bar and Lime-speck Pug B74 VC38 SK10 @ruthnewby.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social @ecorecord.bsky.social
Coleophora lutipennella / flavipennella was a late discovery lurking in the moth trap yesterday VC38 SK10 B74 #TeamMoth @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social @ruthnewby.bsky.social @ecorecord.bsky.social
Stopped counting this morning's trap at 300/55 - overwhelming. Agonopterix alstromeriana was new for me (and SK10 square). 5 NFY - Dusky Sallow, Maple Pug, Rush Veneer, Water Veneer + Dusky Thorn. Also Blackneck, Catoptria pinella, Least Carpet + this Caloptilia sp VC38 SK10 B74 #TeamMoth
Another monster trap with 4 new moths for me: Yellow-tail, Caloptilia cuculipennella (new for SK10 square), Bucculatrix thoracella + headlining, Cydia interscindana (2nd record for VC38). Large Emerald + Old Lady NFY plus some troublesome micros @ruthnewby.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social
Long-tailed Shrike, Fife, & bonus ‘American’ Black tern. Great day out! #birding #twitching #GripBack
