Today at the watch point I observed 3 skeins of Pink-footed geese coming in from the S/W and moving E through to S/E. You could clearly hear the geese calling as they flew over….Oh no a sign winter is just…
Feeling chuffed…
Yesterday I ventured out in the rain at Caldene fields to do my visible migration watch. It had rained all night and the fields were very muddy. My attention was quickly drawn to a hollow of mud on the path.…
Bowled over at the workday…
Yesterday was our workday at Toad Holes Beck. We had two jobs to do one was forming a small gully so rain water could run down and into the drain as a public path flooded when heavy rain occurred. The…
Migrant Hawkers influx…
Yesterday due to the lovely autumn sunshine I thought I would survey the dragonflies at Toad holes Beck. As I was walking opposite the middle pond I noticed a blueish dragonfly. I first thought Oh! an Emperor but it looked…
Dark Chestnut…
This morning I had my first ever Dark Chestnut moth in the light box at Caldene fields bringing the total of moth species recorded in our 3 areas to 338. On the vis-mig front the first Song Thrush of the…
Tawny Owl experience…
It was about 20.30 last night and I was driving down Cliff Hollins lane Oakenshaw. I stated to my wife as I was driving slow ‘ Keep a look out for owls ‘ No sooner had I finished the sentence….What’s…
Swallows on the move…
A good Swallow movement at the vis-mig point today despite the strong westerly wind. A final count of 399 was recorded including 53 observed coming in from the E and moving N/W. Over the last couple of days I have…
Breeding confirmed…
At Raw Nook NR today I found a small caterpillar in the heather. Further researched revealed the caterpillar to be of a True Lover’s Knot moth. The moth is a moorland and heathland species. So it’s nice to have it…
House Martins on the move…
At the watch-point today House Martins were again moving through our area with 187 to the west noted. Swallow were also passing but in lower numbers with 29 N/W and 6 S. Other than that it was a fairly quiet…
First Pink-footed geese…
This morning at the watch-point it was very quiet as few birds were observed moving. However, around 08.30 it started to rain and this seemed to have the desired effect of bringing the birds to a lower altitude. The first…
