Saturday, May 14, 2011

The last few days have seen things practically grind to a halt in terms of migrants. Whilst other locations are drooling over the likes of Collared Flycatcher and Trumpeter Finch, we have come down off our Coot-induced high and are left with the smallest of handfuls of common migrants, a single Grasshopper Warbler singing below the Obs probably being the best of the bunch. It's inevitable that, as we trudge away mile after birdless mile, that the eyes occasionally fall to the ground. So we've bumped into a few caterpillars.

Drinker (above) and Six-spot Burnet (below) caterpillars found whilst not finding any birds. The former feeds on a variety of grasses and reeds whilst the latter prefers Bird's-foot Trefoil and clovers. (c) Richard Brown

Eleven Turnstone, some of them rather dapper, arrived in Solfach this morning. Two Dunlin, 19 Whimbrel, a Curlew and the breeding Oiks and Ringed Plovers were the only other waders around. (c) Richard Brown

Spotted Flycatcher numbers have scraped double figures on a couple of days but only three remained during the morning census. (c) Richard Brown

Up to 355 Swallow have been recorded on each of the last few days. (c) Richard Brown

More caterpillars found whilst not finding birds. Northern Eggar (above) are usually found on Heather here, but also on Bramble and other woody shrubs, and a Yellow-tail (below) which will eat Blackthorn and other deciduous trees and shrubs. (c) Richard Brown

The reason we have had no birds attracted to the lighthouse. Despite some heavy rain during the day the nights have remained crystal clear. (c) Richard brown

There appear to be no records of Esperia sulphurella prior to this century, and possibly only one Bardsey record of this species common across the country. It has to be admitted that this is a little stunner, but things are getting desperate when this is the highlight of a morning survey. (c) Richard Brown

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