Test Valley Scenes

The Bunnies and the distinctive thatched fishery buildings



Sedges like tree ferns left exposed after reed burning


Longstock Church


Stockbridge Down with Woolbury Ring on top


Chilbolton Radio Telescope

Hampshire mothing

A selection of common moths trapped in my parents' garden in Hampshire.

Pale Pinion Lithophane hepatica


The Chestnut Conistra vaccinii


Oak Beauty Biston strataria


Twin-spotted Quaker Orthosia munda


Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta


Early Grey Xylocampa areola


Canon Powershot A640

Leckford Garden Birds

Great Spotted Woodpecker drums at the bottom of the garden but this is the female (which also drum sometimes). The male Kestrel often uses this perch and drops onto prey in the garden. Other good birds include Blackcap, Nuthatch and a fly over Red Kite (not so common in Hampshire as Northants).

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major


Kestrel Falco tinnunculus



Robin Erithacus rubecula


Digiscoped with Canon A640 and Leica APO77 x20

Twin-spotted Quaker

Twin-spotted Quaker makes a return to the garden after a two year absence.

Twin-spotted Quaker Orthosia munda


March Moth Alsophila aescularia


Last two nights:
Common Quaker, 4, 2
Hebrew Character, 1, 2
Clouded Drab, 2, 2
Small Quaker, 3, 0
March Moth, 2, 2
Twin-spotted Quaker, 0, 1

North Norfolk

What can you see in North Norfolk without going to Titchwell. Well plenty of Barn Owls for a start. We saw at least 4 out hunting at all times of the day in the Burnham Norton/Overy area. Little Egrets were also scattered all over the place and could be found in any old ditch or stream. Other bits and pieces included Red-throated Diver past Salthouse and a few other birds pictured below.

Barn Owl Tyto alba




Little Egret Egretta garzetta


Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta


Dark-bellied Brent Geese Branta bernicla bernicla


Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor, Roydon Common



All digiscoped with Canon A640 and Leica APO77 x20

Eye of Toad

Common Toad Bufo bufo


Canon Powershot A640

Lead-coloured Drab

Just one moth in the trap this morning, despite the very mild conditions overnight. It is the rather scarce Lead-coloured Drab, which is not annual in the garden. This is a very dark specimen but shows the rounded wing shape and feathered antennae characteristic of the species.

Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti

Canon Powershot A640

Little Egret, Ferry Meadows

Roosting on the island on Overton Lake near the Cormorant colony.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

Digiscoped with Canon A640 and Leica APO77 x20

Signs of Spring

Loads of signs of spring around today including a corking Comma and an Ichneumon stramentarius, neither of which would co-operate with the camera.

This Wood Ant nest was huge last year; the rebuilding work starts here.

Red Wood Ants Formica rufa





Honey Bee on Crocus


Crocus


Hawthorn Bud


Primrose


Nuthatch

Dawn on the Washes

I love cold mornings on the Nene Washes. It was beautiful this morning and there were plenty of birds, although only half the central drove was accessible due to flooding.

Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus



Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa icelandica


Bewick's Swans Cygnus columbianus


Digiscoped with Canon A640 and Leica APO77 x20

Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

Mothing continues during this mild spell. This is a regular, if a little scarce, annual over-winterer.

Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

First trappings

Only the second Satellite for the garden and the first multiple catch of Pale Brindled Beauties (which appears to be having a good year everywhere).

The Satellite Eupsilia transversa


Pale Brindled Beauty Phigalia pilosaria



Dotted Border Agriopis marginaria


Canon Powershot A640

Snow birds

With a lot going on so far this year I have hardly found time for wildlife. A terrible state of affairs, but the heavy snow provided some opportunities in the garden today. Blackbirds found the apples thrown out for them very quickly and it wasn't long before a bold Fieldfare joined them. His visits were far too brief for any photos but here are some others.

Song Thrush Turdus philomelos


Blackbird Turdus merula


Starling Sternus vulgaris

Mediterranean Flour Moth

This has been confirmed as a first for Hunts. It was in the kitchen this morning and presumably emerged from some imported produce.

Two significant moths in as many days and it's only early January!

Mediterranean Flour Moth Ephestia kuehniella

Mottled Umber

The first moth of the year and it's a lifer! It was attracted to our kitchen window last night and is a male as the females are wingless. A great start to the mothing year. Let's hope it's a sign of a good year ahead.

Mottled Umber Erannis defoliaria, male

Canon A640

Nordic Jackdaw

I know this is a terrible shot but this bird has been around for some time and has totally evaded photos until now. You can at least see the pale silvery collar and the contrast between the black crown and grey face and nape. There are other subtle differences between this bird and our regular spermologus birds. I hope to get better shots but visits to the garden are brief and I only catch it every other week or so.

Nordic Jackdaw Corvus monedula monedula

Canon Powershot A640