Birds, Leps, Observations & Generalities - the images and ramblings of Mark Skevington. Sometimes.

Tuesday 23 May 2017

So near .....

My garden bird list is relatively pathetic, given that I've lived here for 23 years! Most of the reason is that I am generally not at home peering up into the sky for flyovers in the day, and otherwise we have no habitat nearby that would be likely to hold anything that I haven't already seen in the garden. I'm also not adept at listening out for migrating waders at night. New garden birds ticks are therefore few and far between. And today I nearly had one - but not near enough.

I was driving down the lane to get somewhere else (something for another day) and there, quartering a field that was being 'mown' by a tractor was a superb Red Kite. I backed up and parked, jumped out the car and walked down a bit, and then watched it for a good five minutes or so as it drifted around and occasionally dropped down to grab something. It then steadily departed to the west as I ambled back to the car. I then realised that it wasn't going due west, and appeared to be veering towards my house! A quick U-turn and I was back on my driveway within two minutes, but sadly no sign of the Kite as I looked out in vain.

This is the second raptor I've watched down the lane and wished I was in my garden - a good few years ago I watched a Hobby flying around that was quite probably viewable from my garden had I been there!

So my garden bird list 'most hoped for additions' are now: Peregrine, Red Kite, Raven, and maybe one of the local Yellowhammers will eventually hit the estate in a cold winter! Could also do with a Tawny Owl finding somewhere nearby to hoot.

The garden moth-trap has been picking up this week, and I think I might have just about cracked indoor photography with a couple of bright 'daylight' bulbs. Here's a couple from last night.

Orange Footman, only the third garden record

Bee Moth, male

And here's one photographed on a tripod outside in near darkness last night with a bit of flash. I added this to the VC55 list back in 2002 and it's now numerous here and throughout the vice-county.

Argyresthia trifasciata

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