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 round the corner…
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.
It was a hedgehog struggling on it’s back with it’s legs in the air…It must have slipped into the mud overnight and was unable to right it’s self. As soon as I went near it it curled into a ball so I picked it up and put it in the undergrowth…And I went of to do my vis-mig. However, there were no birds about due to the heavy rain. After an hour I left and went to have a look for my friend the hedgehog….By now I was soaked to the skin BUT the hedgehog had crawled away to safety…Brilliant
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 second was to address grass cuttings which have been put down on land adjacent to the path in Toad Hole Beck which leads to Dyehouse Road.
A complaint had been received by Woodlands cricket club from a member of the public who mistakenly thought the land where the grass cutting were belonged to the council when in fact it is owed by the Woodlands cricket club. So working in partnership with the cricket club we decided to firstly form a ‘Dead hedge ‘which would stop any possible cutting encroaching onto the path.
We then did a first phrase clearing of vegetation with a view to planting wildlife friendly shrubs in front of the ‘Dead hedge ‘to form a screen. Then in the future the area will be under planted with bulbs and wildflowers.
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 a bit small for that species. Anyway it got away from me and I went to the fisherman’s pond. And found another 2 of these dragonflies along with 2 Brown Hawker dragonflies feeding over the pond.
I took a record shot of the dragonfly and realised they were in fact Migrant Hawker dragonflies. I returned to the middle pond and got a better view of the dragonflies I had missed and found a further 2 Migrant dragonflies. Normally I get around one record a year of this species so to have 4 is very good
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 autumn came in from the N today and flew S/W. There was a small number of Goldfinches and Meadow Pipits on the move but not in great numbers. Three Chiffchaffs were at the watch point.
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 that in the road?
My first thought was a rabbit. But no it was a juvenile Tawny owl just stood in the road and startled by the headlights. It gave brilliant views for about 3 seconds before flying off into a nearby tree.
Whilst Cliff Hollins lane is just out of our recording area it proves that the species has successfully bred in the local area. And now when I hear a Tawny owl in Raw Nook NR I will wonder is it our young friend from Cliff Hollins lane….
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 noticed a build up of Mistle thrushes with 42 yesterday at the point in local trees with another 17 today.
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 breeding in our urban lowland heath habitat.
At the vis-mig point today it was nice to have the first Skylark of the autumn moving north. Meadow Pipits were also moving to the S and S/W but many were very high so a fairly low count was achieved. A Painted lady was also at Caldene fields where a dragonfly Sp flew passed me but sadly I couldn’t ID 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 watch.
In the moth trap 10 species were recorded with a nice fresh Lunar Underwing ( suggesting local breeding ) my 4th record of this autumn moth.
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 birds to be seen were a single skein of Pink-footed geese which were moving to the S/W. Sorry but a sign winter is not far away…
https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/779/20190909
Also there was an increase in Swallow and House Martins moving S and N/W.
