Misty Skua

Having dropped off our mothing gear at the rangers yard, Draycote Water for tonight’s bio effort we strained our eye balls through the mist and on our first sweep of the reservoir saw absolutely zilch. The second attempt produced a large blob near ‘b’ buoy but because of poor viewing both Dave and I thought it might be a Great Skua we needed to be certain. Luckily a phone call to Bob and Tim found them on site and were good enough to get on to it and confirmed it was one. Yippee, In it to win it! Though I wish we had arrived minutes earlier as we missed the Avocet – bummer. The skua moved to ‘x’ then drifted towards ‘f’ buoy by the time we left at 1pm. Common Tern and Snipe was all we could add. No sign of the Shag but then again there was no sign of the valve tower. Nothing of note on Napton on the Hill while Flecknoe had 100+ Linnet and Goldfinches plus 2 Tree Sparrow. A late lunch at the Skylark Farm Café then back out to set up the traps for STW Draycote Bio with many duck going over and Tawny Owl calling but ran out of time to see what the skua was doing to the roost.

Snipe and Sallow by Bob Hazell

Mist and Moths

Dire visibility made for a poor visit at the pond this morning and we only managed  a single Little Egret, immature Shag briefly on farborough bank before turning up on the valve tower later in the day, Common Tern, a very young Grey Wagtail, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 10 Meadow Pipit and 4 Wigeon.
Napton on the Hill had more Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers than of late plus a mobile flock of Chaffinches and 6 Raven. Migrant Hawker and Vapourer Moth plus a few Speckled Wood also noted. 
The garden moth trap is ticking over with those below the most photographable 

Angle Shades by Bob Hazell

Small Blood-vein by Bob Hazell

Light Emerald

 

 

60009 Union of South Africa

LNER A4 Class 4-6-2 no 60009 Union of South Africa will be hauling the CHESHIREMAN from London Euston to Chester on Saturday 20^th September. Key times and stations it’s calling at in the midlands area are as follows

Northampton arrive 09:21 depart 09:39

Rugby arrive 10:06 depart 10:29

Nuneaton arrive 10:50 depart 10:58

Lichfield TV arrive 11:22 depart 11:38

All times correct as of the 17^th September but subject to change.

 

The Space Shed is coming

International Space Station has a number of passes visible from the UK in the next few days. Bit early for some.

Date, time	Az	Time	Az	El	Time	Az	Mag
9/19 04:25	SW225°	04:30	SSE154°	29°	04:35	E80°	-1.0
9/19 06:01	W257°	06:06	S177°	66°	06:12	E87°	-2.2
9/20 03:36	SW215°	03:41	SE147°	21°	03:46	E81°	0.0
9/20 05:12	WSW250°	05:18	S168°	57°	05:23	E84°	-2.0
9/20 06:49	W272°	06:54	S193°	68°	07:00	E102°	-2.2
9/21 02:48	SSW203°	02:53	SE143°	15°	02:57	E83°	1.0
9/21 04:24	WSW242°	04:29	SSE161°	46°	04:34	E82°	-1.7
9/21 06:00	W267°	06:06	S175°	72°	06:11	E96°	-2.3
9/22 03:35	SW233°	03:40	SSE158°	36°	03:45	E81°	-0.2
9/22 05:11	W262°	05:17	S180°	71°	05:22	E91°	-2.3
9/22 06:48	W277°	06:53	SSW198°	52°	06:58	ESE115°	-1.9
9/23 02:46	SW223°	02:51	SSE151°	27°	02:56	E80°	0.9
9/23 04:22	W255°	04:28	S167°	65°	04:33	E87°	-2.0
9/23 05:59	W275°	06:04	S190°	62°	06:10	ESE107°	-2.1

 

Marginal

Good

Excellent