Back from Stupidity Land - with a bang

I’m supposed to be in Kazakhstan but alas due to health problems I decided to cancel my trip which was good foresight as I have been hospitalized for the last 11 days.

Cut a long story short I've been bloody stupid and after treatment for water retention which reduced my weight by over 2 stone I have been diagnosed as having a severe impairment of the left ventricular causing heart failure so now on cardiac rehabilitation.

Arctic Tern

I was desperate for some fresh air so Dave took me to the new visitors center at the pond which has only been opened a week and with out to much physical effort we managed 3 Common and one Arctic Tern on the fishing platform and a Yellow Wagtail on farborough bank and I’m pleased to say I haven’t lost my touch finding a Red Kite coming towards the visitor center from the direction of Dunchurch which I got Dave and Bob on to.

Swallow Draycote Water

Sanderling Draycote Water

Shuttle-shaped Dart from a period of very few moths in my trap

Woodchat Shrike was the only crippler I missed while ill - this one turned up at Brandon Marsh.

Many thanks to Bob Hazel for his photos

More arrivals

Keith was on a roll when he found a Whinchat male at the pond this morning just as Bob and I were about to leave home. Although lost to sight when we arrived, it re-appeared on the wooden fence near the scrape after a 10 minute wait. Bob managed a heavily crop distant record shot not wanting to get to close and disturb the migratory birds feeding up and nesting birds in the area.

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A few more additions to the pond year list were seen today with at least 26 Swift, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and of course the Whinchat while other sightings included Shelduck, 5 Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail and Wheatear.

Four Tree Sparrow down the Flecknoe Road and 4 Little Ringed Plover and a single Common Sandpiper along side the A45.

Another good moth catch last night with 52 moths of 16 species from our two traps.

Additions included Early Thorn, Brindled Pug, Double-striped Pug and Agonopterix heracliana

Catch up

Birding wise I managed 2 visits to the Avon Dasset Hills over the weekend. The first a short visit on Saturday produced Grasshopper Warbler while a longer stay on Sunday brought me Whinchat and if my ears did not fool me a flyover Tree Pipit. Kept away from the crowds in the country park and staked out Gredenton and Fenny Compton Hills finding a suitable site to just sit, listen and wait for the birds to come to me.

Down the pond with Bob this morning (Monday) and while he walked to toft bay I checked on the car parks and sailing graveyard hoping for some butterflies but the cool breeze kept them down apart from a single Peacock. Not a lot on the reservoir with the highlight of the visit being 7 Yellow Wagtail and Meadow Pipit on farnborough bank while Whitethroat have only just arrived but one pair was already nest building and two other males singing there heads off.

Butterflies appeared over the weekend with Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Comma in my garden with Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell seen on Rugby Railway Station.

Small Tortoiseshell Rugby Railway Station

Moths continue to do well with Early Grey and Herald, added to my garden year list and Dave added Brindle Beauty to his.

Early Grey

Twin-spotted Quaker

Brindle Beauty

60163 Tornado at Rugby

The ‘blue wonder’ Tornado hauling the Cathedral Express London Euston to Holyhead arrived in sunny Rugby this morning on time to another large crowd gathered on platforms one and two and at Myson House. For most it would have been there first chance to see her in blue.

arriving

admired

passed

waiting

departing

The following two images by John Judge as she passed Myson House

Redstart, White Wagtails and Hobby

Our walk at the pond this morning was hampered by a strong southerly wind gusting at over 35mph and very difficult to remain standing but at least it brought a few migrants in with at least 4 White Wagtail, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatears and a pair of Redstarts which were feeding off the fence of the field behind farborough spit, distant but a welcome sight and record. Increase in hirundines especially House Martins and the only birds of note were Raven, Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, 10+ Meadow Pipit, 3 Reed Bunting and a Gadwall. Plenty of Blackcaps now in.

The garden had Hobby going over west and House Martin south today while yesterday both Cormorant and Swallow noted.
Still not seen a butterfly at pond but Peacock on 15th Small Tortieshel yesterday and Peacock and Comma this afternoon  - all in my garden.
Moth numbers are doing well with over 30 recorded last night though species number is poor for this time of year.

Emperor Moth emergence - awesome

Brimstone and Tangmere come out in the mid-day sun

SR Light Pacific 4-6-2 no 34067 Tangmere hauling The Peak Forester, Kings Cross to Rowsley passing Ketton Signal Box, Rutland, I am not sure why she is displaying an irrelevant headboard.

Called in on Eyebrook Reservoir, Leicestershire and Manton Bay, Rutland Water on our way to see Tangmere at Ketton. Yellow-legged Gull adult was the best at Eyebrook with 2 Little Owl and 2 Red Kite near Stockertson while Manton Bay and adjacent Manton Bridge had 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, Egyptian Goose, Little Egret and a Brimstone Moth.

The temperature had risen to double figures when we arrived at Ketton and after parking at Aldgate and checking the stream out for Trout we walked up to the footbridge and waited for the train. At least 15 Brimstone and a single Comma were out while Swallow, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Raven and a Buzzard were in the area along with 300+ Fieldfare.