February 22/23 - mothing

After a series of warm days and cool nights I decided to try the trap again.

There was a heavy dew and some fog by the time I got up, so I was half expecting to see an empty trap. But no, it contained four Common Rustics and nothing else.

I checked the fence - nothing. I checked the brickwork of the house - noth...oh hang on a minute. Brilliantly camouflaged against the mortar was a moth, and it looked like a new one.

After a quick check in the book I confirmed it was a Spring Usher.

Spring Usher

Another moth which is reasonably common, but new for me.

Saturday February 16

For the third time this year I put the trap out, but this time success shined upon me. My first two moths in the garden this year.

The first was also a lifer. Clinging to the fence was a Pale Brindled Beauty. Not an uncommon moth, but as I didn't start mothing in earnest until last April its not surprising that I hadn't seen one before.

Pale Brindled Beauty

The second was in the trap itself, a pristine Common Quaker. Last April this was one of the commonest captures, but its great to get one early.

Common Quaker

Finally, some bird news. A Blackcap which I had seen a couple of times in the garden this winter, was singing from the hedge along Costers Lane both yesterday and this morning.

Spring is on the way.

Selfridges comes up trumps

The moth famine was broken this morning on my way to work. The discs on the side of Selfridges in Birmingham city centre seem to act as a giant moth trap. The favoured areas are the heating ducts, and I was very pleased to discover a Satellite there, the first I have ever seen.

Satellite

I had devised a plan for this year, although I wasted the opportunity on 2 Jan, when I found an Angle Shades. The plan was to take a moth pot into work in the hope I would find another one.

My colleagues' reaction to my placing it in the fridge for the day varied between alarm, revulsion, concern, and fascination. I was obliged to bodge a hole in the lid of the pot to give it some air (I'm sure it would have been fine anyway).

This evening I photographed it and let it go in the garden.

The Satellite is a winter flying species which is pretty common if you can be bothered to put the trap out in the winter. My January and February efforts (one in each month) produced absolutely nothing, so its Selfridges 2 Winyates East 0 at the moment.

Thursday January 17

The lack of posts since the new year is entirely deliberate. I like to set myself a challenge at the beginning of each year and I intend to spend 2019 hammering my other patch, Morton Bagot.

It was good to go out on a high though. 2018 produced quite a smattering of good birds, mostly at Arrow Valley Lake. Highlights included Slavonian Grebe, Kittiwake, and Dunlin in March, Goldeneye from November, and a Black-throated Diver in December.

I will still be putting my moth trap out. The plan is for once a month targeting warmer nights. My January night about 10 days ago produced nothing at all.

Lyn has been stuck in hospital from just before New Year, but I'm pleased to say she was allowed home yesterday. I am now fussing over her while she regains her strength. So its garden birds only for a day or two.

My next post is likely to be in late February (unless a Waxwing intervenes).

Thursday December 27

A cloudy mild morning.

 I visited Ipsley Alders where I didn't see a soul, but didn't see any unusual birds either. The best was a Pheasant and a handful of Siskins.

So I went to Arrow Valley Lake where I saw hundreds of people and a good many birders twitching the Black-throated Diver, Among them were Paul Hyde and Des Jennings, so it was very nice to have a catch-up chat with them.

The Black-throated Diver was still showing well.

Goldeneye

Tufted Duck

The Goldeneye has been joined by three Tufted Ducks. I learned, from chatting to various birders, that I had missed some Pochard on a frosty day last winter, and a Pink-footed Goose this week.

The site has never been so popular.

Monday December 24

Sunny with hardly a breeze.

A rare event: Lyn came birding with me. We were of course twitching the Black-throated Diver, and it was late afternoon. The bird couldn't have been more co-operative. It was swimming around off the visitor centre and we were able to view from the opposite bank.

Black-throated Diver

It was diving frequently but on one occasion popped up right in front of us.

A nice by-product of twitches is that you often get to see birders you know. This afternoon, Nick Barlow from Marsh Lane Gravel Pit had been unable to resist making his second ever visit to Arrow Valley Lake. It was good to catch up.

Saturday December 22 - Black-throated Diver

Earlier today I got a text to say there was a Black-throated Diver at Lower Bittell, a very rare bird in a Worcs context. By midday I was wondering whether I might persuade Lyn that we could go to Hillers via Bittell (ten miles in the wrong direction), so I checked t'internet and found the message that it had flown south early afternoon. Well it was only 12.25 when I saw the message, so I thought I had missed it.

Then I thought I could just check Arrow Valley Lake before we went to Hillers. So I arrived to see a familiar shape striding ahead of me, Gavin Peplow. He had obviously had the same idea. I caught up with him as he was scanning. He turned to me and said "its here!"

Neither of us could believe our luck.

Black-throated Diver

Looking into the sun (with Cormorant)

Wing-flapping

Needless to say, the first for the locality.

Much phoning and texting followed, and others soon arrived to enjoy the spectacle.

Just wow.

I didn't take much notice of the other birds on the lake, but did see that the Goldeneye was still present.

One last thing. Back from the shops in the afternoon I found a small Ichneumon wasp sp on its last legs on the draining board in the kitchen. It soon expired and I photographed it in the hope I can find an expert who can identify it.

Tromatoria lineata

I know there are a very great number of possible species and it may require a microscope (which I don't possess). I have retained the specimen. If I do find out what it was, I will update the blog.

This is the update. An expert has identified it as the 44th British record of Tromatoria lineata an obscure ichneumon wasp.