Backlit Mute Swans

A lunchtime walk along the Embankment in Peterborough.

Mute Swan Cygnus olor


Canon EOS500 70-300mm IS USM

Sepia Dawn White-front

A misty dawn provided this atmospheric shot of the lingering white-front at the west end of Gunwade Lake, Ferry Meadows.

European White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons albifrons with Greylags Anser anser

Canon EOS500 70-300mm IS USM

Goosander, Ferry Meadows

Found this swimming on Lynch Lake at Ferry Meadows this morning.

Goosander, female/immature with Black-headed and Common Gulls

Canon EOS500D 70-300mm IS USM

European White-fronted Goose

This was found at Ferry Meadows yesterday by newcomer on the block Malte Busch, who also found a Great Grey Shrike here but that could not be relocated this morning. I relocated the goose with a flock of Greylags just west of the river along the Nene Valley Railway.

Note the pinkish bill and clear white band at the tail tip, features that help place it in the North-east European tunra population rather than that from Greenland.

Lone adults consorting with feral geese are often written off as escapes but there have been no records of such birds in the summer and there can be little doubt this is wild bird. There has been an unusual influx of these geese into Britain over the past week or so and no doubt we will see more.

It would be nice to get a decent bird that isn't only photographable at a distance in half light.

European White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons albifrons

Canon EOS500D 70-300mm IS USM

Grey Squirrel

The only photographable wildlife on another sunny lunchtime jaunt to the Broadway Cemetery.

Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis

Canon EOS500D 70-300mm IS USM

Mid-November mothing

A run of mild nights has resulted in just a couple of Feathered Thorns. These were there again last night but had a bit of company giving the following list:
1395 Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis), 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata), 1
1923 Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria), 2
2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula), 1

Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria


Red-green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata


Canon Powershot A640

Woo, Smew

Smew is now seriously scarce in the Peterborough area; this was my first in the area for 4 years! I found this redhead in the south bay of Gunwade Lake but while I was cycling around to the west side for a better look it had taken off and I watched it fly high to the east never to be seen again. A real shame.

Grey Phalarope

So, another Grey Phal! And another find, my third (although the first was a joint effort).

I was cycling into work around Overton Lake when I picked it up. Initially heard calling rather like Kingfisher and while scanning for it saw this. At first in flight it resembled a tiny marsh tern! As it got closer it looked more wader-like and I entertained thoughts of Sanderling, but it didn't look right and that call was wrong. Then it landed on the water, still rather distant, but the penny had dropped and I was fairly sure of the id at this point and started to ring the other birders I knew were on site.

It remained flighty, only settling and attempting to feed for short periods. Before anyone else got to it it flew off and it took a while to refind it on Overton again where it was successfully seen by Don Gardener, Chris Avanti, Matt Webb and Mike Weedon. I stayed with it for about half an hour until it flew off again. I headed off to work but it was relocated on Gunwade Lake where it showed well until 10:00 when it flew off high to the north.

Of course the photos leave a lot to be desired. It was very dull (which is why the bird was here in the first place) and the bird stayed at a good distance. I've included the blurred flight shots as it's nice to have some images of the open wing.

Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius





Canon EOS 500D 70-300mm IS USM

Sparrowhawk

Terror of the garden feeders. The coarse barring and streaked upper breast mark this out as a juvenile. I think it may have overdone the eye-liner though. It was quite small, so probably a male. Unfortunately not terribly close and taken through double glazing so not a brilliant shot.

Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus

Canon EOS 500D 70-300mm IS USM

A few late moths

Ran the MV trap last night and came up with a few moths:
2227 The Sprawler (Brachionycha sphinx) 2
2245 Green-brindled Crecent (Allophyes oxyacanthae) ab. capucina 1
2375 Large Wainscot (Rhizedra lutosa) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1

The Sprawler Brachionycha sphinx


Large Wainscot Rhizedra lutosa


Canon Powershot A640

Dark Chestnut

The weather has been quite favourable for mothing for the past few days with mild southerly winds promising the chance of migrants but I've just not got around to setting the trap up. However a good moth came to me last night in the shape of the third ever Dark Chestnut for the garden attracted to house lights.

This is a classic dark, oily-looking individual with a nice straight termen and sharp apex.

Dark Chestnut Conistra ligula


Canon Powershot A640

Broadway Cemetery

For some time now I've been very unhappy with shots from my EOS500 and 70-300mm combination to the point where I've been considering a replacement. But as ever the first thing to check is operator error. Now there is no getting away from the fact that the 70-300mm is not sharp at 300mm wide open. But what I'd failed to realise was just how much better it is stopped down and how good the IS is even at relatively slow shutter speeds. The following shots were taken at Broadway Cemetery this lunchtime. All are stopped down to f16 or more leading to shutter speeds of as low as 1/30s even at ISO400. But here's the thing, they are really sharp and not at all noisy.

So basically I've been ballsing it up all this time by not working with the limitations and strengths of the equipment. I hope to get get out and get some more shots before too long.

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus



Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta


Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum


Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis f. spectabilis


Canon EOS 500 70-300mm IS USM

Bonaparte's Gull and a week around Sennen Cove

Had a really good week in Cornwall. Started off dipping the Scarlet Tanager but bumped into Mike Edgecombe who joined up with us on the Azure Tit twitch in Finland. Found 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, 3 Firecrests and a few other things like Water Rail and Short-eared Owl. There was also a good passage of skuas (Great, Arctic and Pomarine) in the early part of the week and a Great Northern Diver in the bay at the end.

The icing on the cake though came just as we were packing to go. I noticed a chap at the bus stop opposite the house taking a photo and went over to him. He said he'd just found an adult Bonaparte's Gull and sure enough there it was. I went back to get scope and camera and got these shots although the scope is badly damaged at the moment (off for repair next week). I'd been checking the gulls in front of the house all week so I guess if it had turned up on any other morning I might have found it. As it is it was only present for about an hour so I'm glad to have got it at all.

Note the small black bill, darker back and grey nape compared with Black-headed Gull. It also had pale pink legs and relatively plain white underside to the primaries.

Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia, adult with first winter Mediterranean Gull Ichthyaetus melanocephalus


Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia, adult with Black-headed Gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus


Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and (broken) Leica APO77 x20

Visual Migration

Can't quite bring myself to use the term 'vizmig' but the last three days of easterly winds have brought birds flooding through in their thousands. The Ferry Meadows regulars, Don Gardener, Matt Webb, Mike Weedon and Chris Avanti, have been excellent company as we've logged masses of Redwings, Fieldfares, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Chaffinches, Linnets and even the odd Bullfinch flying south or west.

The highlights were a party of four Brambling over on Thursday morning and an amazing female Hen Harrier on Friday. The latter is a very scarce bird away from the fens.

Today was much clearer and colder, with an extensive ground frost, and far fewer birds but I still managed a Brambling over at Greenhill, Elton.

Last for a while

Last night was the last warm 'mothy' night forecast for a while so the trap went out again. Probably my best ever catch for an October night with 2 each of the migrants Rusty Dot Pearl and Silver Y, another 2 Dusky-lemon Sallows and the second Brown-spot Pinion for the garden. With 6 micros awaiting identification that's 53 moths of 27 species last night.

0648 White-shouldered House-moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1395 Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 2
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 2
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 2
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 4
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri) 3
2245 Green-brindled Crecent (Allophyes oxyacanthae) 1
2262 The Brick (Agrochola circellaris) 1
2266 Brown-spot Pinion (Agrochola litura) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 7
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 11
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 2
2274 The Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1
2275 Dusky-lemon Sallow (Xanthia gilvago) 2
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 2
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Moths moths moths

Another Dusky-lemon Sallow and a late Common Wainscot last night.

0985 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2087 Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum) 2
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 3
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 2
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri) 3
2248 Brindled Green (Dryobotodes eremita) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 16
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 13
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 3
2274 The Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 3
2275 Dusky-lemon Sallow (Xanthia gilvago) 1
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1
7-spot Ladybird (Adalia 7-punctata) 2
Birch Shieldbug (Elasmostethus interstinctus) 1

Raven at last

Thanks to Karen I now have Raven on many lists including PBC and garden. She heard a call and then spotted two birds flying by. I got bins on them and watched as one rolled over twice and they both headed off west into Northamptonshire.

List totals now:
Garden: 106
PBC: 238
PBC Self found: 214
BIGBY 2011: 148

More moths and Hornets

Another good catch last night with another migrant Rusty Dot Pearl and this form of Garden Rose Tortrix which I don't remember getting in the garden before.

Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana


Large Wainscot Rhizedra lutosa


Hornet Vespa crabro


Canon Powershot A640
0994 Clepsis consimilana 1
1041 Acleris sparsana 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 2
1342 Eudonia angustea 1
1395 Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 3
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri) 1
2252 Large Ranunculus (Polymixis flavicincta) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 19
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 18
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 3
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 2
2375 Large Wainscot (Rhizedra lutosa) 3
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Caradrina clavipalpis) 3
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1
Hornet (Vespa crabro) 2

Brown-spot Pinion

Last nights catch included the third Dusky-lemon and Pink-barred Sallows and first Brown-spot Pinion for the garden. Birch Shieldbug is regular at light. Not had that many Brindled Greens either. Unfortunately no photos.

0648 White-shouldered House-moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 3
1361 Pyrausta aurata 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 2
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2248 Brindled Green (Dryobotodes eremita) 1
2266 Brown-spot Pinion (Agrochola litura) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 15
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 10
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 2
2274 The Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1
2275 Dusky-lemon Sallow (Xanthia gilvago) 1
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1
Birch Shieldbug (Elasmostethus interstinctus) 1

Lunar Underwings continue to steal the show

Last night's catch:

1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1745 The Mallow (Larentia clavaria) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 12
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 15
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 2
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 1

Migrant Moths

A couple of migrants in the trap last night; Silver Y and Rusty Dot Pearl. The Mallow is only the 6th for the garden and it's the first time I've attracted Dark Bush-cricket to light.

Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis


The Mallow Larentia clavaria


Canon Powershot A640

1309 Agriphila geniculea 1
1342 Eudonia angustea 1
1395 Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 1
1745 The Mallow (Larentia clavaria) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 5
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 5
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri) 1
2252 Large Ranunculus (Polymixis flavicincta) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 5
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 1
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 15
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 1
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Caradrina clavipalpis) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1
Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera) 1

Autumn moths

A rare mothing session last night. Nothing remarkable but a couple of photos.

Large Ranunculus Polymixis flavicincta


Beaded Chestnut Agrochola lychnidis


Pale Mottled Willow Paradrina clavipalpis


Canon Powershot A640

1342 Eudonia angustea 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 3
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 2
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 3
2252 Large Ranunculus (Polymixis flavicincta) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 2
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 9
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Caradrina clavipalpis) 1

Western Conifer Seed Bug

This large (18mm body and head) bug appeared in my office near the centre of Peterborough today. Checking on British Bugs it turns out to be an adventive species in the Coreidae (Squashbug) family. It is native to the western USA and first arrived in Europe in 1999. The last couple of years have seen increasing records in the UK but this could well be the first anywhere near here.

Not knowing what it was, I let it go, which sort of makes me a criminal apparently as it is against the law to release non-native animals. Fortunately you have to know what it is and it's taken me a while to get around to sorting out the ID.

Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis

Canon Powershot A640

Wildlife of Barnsdale Gardens

A weekend 'en famille' saw me at the excellent gardens of the late, great Geoff Hamilton. He was a real pioneer of environmentally friendly gardening and this comes through in the abundance of insects and other wildlife we saw today. Here is a small selection I managed to snap.

Common Frog Rana temporaria


Comma Polygonia c-album


Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta


Green Shield Bug Palomena prasina


Stictopleurus abutilon



Bombus terrestris


Honey Bee Apis mellifera


Canon EOS500D 18-55mm

West Penwith Wildlife

Another excellent stay in West Penwith. The highlights weren't photographed unfortunately. Excellent views of Slow Worm and Adder on the cliff walks, a couple of Basking Sharks early on in the week, a Sunfish, several Harbour Porpoises.

There was a huge movement of Manx Shearwaters south past Sennen and on one morning 9 Sooty Shearwaters in an hour (when c.670 Manx flew by). Only one Balearic Shearwater and one Arctic Skua. Peregrines were thin on the ground but Ravens and Choughs showed regularly and a few migrants like Whimbrel.

Walking back along Bosistow Lane one afternoon we passed a couple of birders. I asked them what they were looking for but didn't get an answer (why are birders so uncommunicative?) so had a look as went by and saw this (sorry about the very poor shot):

Western Bonelli's Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli


I had no idea this was present (this was its last of three days) and it is my first in the UK (but seen quite a few abroad, including in Morocco earlier this year). The question is was it self found? I would probably have walked straight past it had there not been birders hanging around and it wasn't calling at the time. It didn't feel like a find anyway.

Here's a selection of other beasties from the week. The shieldbug is new to me; the sharp pronotal spines are distinctive. It is a predator of caterpillars. The Sand Wasp was quite abundant.

Picromerus bidens


Sand Wasp Ammophila sp.


Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria selene



Common Blue Polyommatus icarus


Six-spot Burnet Zygaena filipendulae


Common Lizard Lacerta vivipara


Canon EOS 500D 18-55mm