August Shag

An unusual time of year for one to occur here. We get about one a year but they are usually in the winter months. Another great find for Matt Webb who has found five outstanding rarities for Ferry Meadows in the past month alone.

European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis


Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77 x20

Slug love

Bath time

We came across this fabulous mixed flock of birds bathing in a puddle along the eastern edge of Bedford Purlieus today. As well as the family of Spotted Flycatchers feeding their young there were Great Tit, Blue Tit, Marsh Tit, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.

Blue Tit Parus caeruleus and Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata


Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus and Great Tit Parus major


Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata




Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77 x20

Brown Argus

In an insect rich patch by Cow Pasture Plantation, Great Gidding.


Canon Powershot A640

Caloptilia tringipennella

Unexpected garden first just resting on the kitchen door in the daytime.

Caloptilia tringipennella

Canon Powershot A640

Knot, Maxey GP

Checking out Woodgate Lane is a good move while the water levels are high at Etton road. Thanks to John for letting me shoot through his scope for this distant shot.

Knot Calidris canuta

Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Kowa TSN883 x30

Juvenile Green Woodpecker

This juvenile was feeding along the path at Ferry Meadows this morning. Despite the very dull conditions managed to get a shot.

Green Woodpecker Picus viridis

Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77 x20

Dark Coxcomb Prominent

226 moths of 68 species to the 125W MV in the garden last night. Notable numbers of the very small leaf miners. The Coxcomb Prominent is only the second for the garden.

Coxcomb Prominent Ptilodon capucina, dark form


0263 Apple Leaf Miner (Lyonetia clerkella) 9
0287 Caloptilia alchimiella/robustella 1
0366a Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner (Cameraria ohridella) 11
0411 Argyresthia goedartella 3
0424 Bird-cherry Ermine (Yponomeuta evonymella) 2
0424x Yponomeuta sp. 5
0642 Batia unitella 2
0644 Borkhausenia fuscescens 1
0647 Brown House-moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
0873 Blastobasis adustella 2
0937 Agapeta hamana 1
0947 Aethes smeathmanniana 1
0974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana 1
1016x Cnephasia sp. 4
1202 Eucosma obumbratana 1
1205 Bud Moth (Spilonota ocellana) 2
1211 Rhyacionia pinicolana 1
1216 Cherry-bark Moth (Enarmonia formosana) 1
1261 Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella) 1
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 1
1304 Agriphila straminella 7
1305 Agriphila tristella 7
1309 Agriphila geniculea 1
1316 Catoptria falsella 7
1331 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) 9
1356 Garden Pebble (Evergestis forficalis) 1
1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 1
1388 Udea lutealis 1
1405 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 4
1413 Gold Triangle (Hypsopygia costalis) 2
1424 Endotricha flammealis 12
1439 Trachycera advenella 6
1470 Euzophera pinguis 3
1513 White Plume Moth (Pterophorus pentadactyla) 1
1646 Oak Hook-tip (Drepana binaria) 1
1682 Blood-vein (Timandra comae) 1
1690 Small Blood-vein (Scopula imitaria) 2
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) typical 1
1724 Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia) 1
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 2
1884 The Magpie (Abraxas grossulariata) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 3
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 3
1997 Sallow Kitten (Furcula furcula) 1
2003 Pebble Prominent (Eligmodonta ziczac) 1
2008 Coxcomb Prominent (Ptilodon capucina) 1
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina) 1
2029 Brown-tail (Euproctis chrysorrhoea) 1
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 6
2064 Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) 1
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 17
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 6
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 19
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 1
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) 5
2297x Copper Underwing agg. (Amphipyra pyramidea spp.) 1
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2318 The Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina) 2
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 12
2341 Cloaked Minor (Mesoligia furuncula) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 13
2381x The Uncertain/The Rustic (Hoplodrina alsines/blanda) 1
2450 The Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 1
2474 Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) 3

Bullfinch, Ferry Meadows

Ferry Meadows is having a real purple patch (thanks to the ever vigilant Matt Webb). Recent weeks have seen Turnstone, Black-necked Grebe, Spoonbill (yesterday) and Wood Warbler (this morning). Today Mike Weedon & I were in the area of The Mound where the Wood Warbler had been seen for reasons which may or not become apparent. There was little time for checking the warblers that were flitting about the trees so the bird may well have still been there. In any case this slightly tatty male Bullfinch did pose for a photo in a heavily laden Rowan.

Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77 x20

Crossbills at last

A countrywide invasion this year has so far passed me by despite vast amounts of time spent in suitable habitat and a permanent crick in the neck from staring up at empty conifers. This morning Southey Wood came up trumps with at least five birds calling and feeding; two males, one female and two juveniles.

Lighting was appalling for photography but here are a couple of poor shots anyway.

Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra



Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77 x20