Saturday 8th October - Bryher
The second week started well when I pulled a Dewick's Plusia out of the moth trap this morning - a rare migrant that I have not seen before.
Then we all had a very sunny day on Bryher.
The second week started well when I pulled a Dewick's Plusia out of the moth trap this morning - a rare migrant that I have not seen before.
Then we all had a very sunny day on Bryher.
Sunday 9th October - St Agnes & Gugh
Another rare moth new to me in the trap this morning - Radford's Flame Shoulder - only 29 British records prior to 2015 but there have been many more in the last 2 years. Today Ben and I went to St Agnes to visit Dave Grundy, a lepidopterist who I have previously met and who we have both been in correspondence with. The St Agnes mothers (moth-ers) had caught a Porter's Rustic (drab but very rare) and 3 Death's-head Hawmoths (very impressive but not quite so rare) - and we both wanted to see these. After our meeting we had a very pleasant walk around Gugh.
Another rare moth new to me in the trap this morning - Radford's Flame Shoulder - only 29 British records prior to 2015 but there have been many more in the last 2 years. Today Ben and I went to St Agnes to visit Dave Grundy, a lepidopterist who I have previously met and who we have both been in correspondence with. The St Agnes mothers (moth-ers) had caught a Porter's Rustic (drab but very rare) and 3 Death's-head Hawmoths (very impressive but not quite so rare) - and we both wanted to see these. After our meeting we had a very pleasant walk around Gugh.
Monday 10th October
Today we stayed on St Marys and saw some rare birds - Subalpine Warber and Red-eyed Vireo. The latter is the commonest transatlantic (American) vagrant passerine; it has been Ben's bogey bird for many years - so it was good that he finally caught up with it - and we had very good views.
Today we stayed on St Marys and saw some rare birds - Subalpine Warber and Red-eyed Vireo. The latter is the commonest transatlantic (American) vagrant passerine; it has been Ben's bogey bird for many years - so it was good that he finally caught up with it - and we had very good views.
Tuesday 11th October
Today we had a nice windy walk around St Marys
Today we had a nice windy walk around St Marys
Wednesday 12th October
Ben & Emma's last day with us - another windy walk around St Marys - a beautiful morning but we had our first rain in the afternoon.
Ben & Emma's last day with us - another windy walk around St Marys - a beautiful morning but we had our first rain in the afternoon.
Thursday 13th October
Alison and I had a nice walk around St Marys and had another look at the Subalpine Warbler and we also saw some very confiding Lapland Buntings.
Alison and I had a nice walk around St Marys and had another look at the Subalpine Warbler and we also saw some very confiding Lapland Buntings.
Friday 14th October
Another Radford's Flame Shoulder in the trap this morning!
Alison and I had a nice walk around St Marys but didn't find much of interest in the way of wildlife.
Heavy rain in the afternoon drove me to a jigsaw and Alison to sew a cushion.
Another Radford's Flame Shoulder in the trap this morning!
Alison and I had a nice walk around St Marys but didn't find much of interest in the way of wildlife.
Heavy rain in the afternoon drove me to a jigsaw and Alison to sew a cushion.