Moths on 4th July

Ruby Tiger.

Burnished Brass.

Setacious Hebrew Character, new for my back garden.

Green Carpet.

32 species caught on 4th - 5th July.

Total of Macros in back garden now 176 species.

5th July

Just 1 Whitethroat at Roils Head today.

4th July Fly Flats

Visited Fly Flats with DJS this PM. 1 Peregrine, 4 LRPs, 3 Dunlin, 3 Redshank, 6 Common Sands, 4 Twite, 2 Wheatear and 1 Great Crested Grebe which may be a first for me at this site.

3rd July puzzling pipit

Odd looking pipit at Roils Head - Norton Tower end (still can not make my mind up).

2nd July Fly Flats

Singing male Twite.

Juvenile Twite.

Juvenile Wheatear.

2 early Greenshanks.

An evening at Fly Flats proved fruitfull with 2 Greenshank and a Common Tern being the best. Other birds included 6 Twite, 4 of which were juvs, 2 juv Wheatears, 1 juv Ringed Plover, 1 LRP, 1 Dunlin, 5 juv Redshanks, 12 Common Sands, 1 Kestrel and a Peregrine sat on the fence out on the moor.

29th June Roils Head Redstart

Juvenile Redstart at Roils Head.

Bullfinch, always hard to get a photo of this species at this site.

28th - 29th June

28th June Roils Head 1 Blackcap.
29th June Roils Head 1 juvenile Redstart was a surprise.
29th June Fly Flats 2 Yellow-legged Gulls in with 300 LBBGs also 100+ Swifts, 1 Goosander, 2 LRPs, 5 Common Sands and 5 Redshanks.

27th June Moths

Pug species any ideas Andy.

Spectacle.

Plain Golden Y.

Beautiful Golden Y.

Heart and Dart.

Purple Clay.

27th June

A walk over High Road Well Moor produced this male Sparrowhawk which was flying low over the long grass trying to flush small birds in the manner of an Hen Harrier.

Old Friends

Female Peregrine digi scoped.

Male Peregrine digi scoped.

Male in flight.

26th June. Visited a Peregrine site today with Steve, both adults were sat out on the cliff showing very well.
Some prat put his head over the top of the cliff putting both birds up, Steve intercepted him and let him no in no terms of his stupidity.

Catching Up

22nd June, visited the Redstarts again, had the male and 1 juv, also a Short-eared Owl was a nice surprise.

24th June
Ill advised visit to Thorne Moors with Roy, no sooner had we got there the heavens opened and we got soaked. Had brief views of 2 Hobbies and heard Grasshopper Warbler thats all.

20th June

Juvenile Redstart.

Adult Male Redstart.

Next doors bloody dog woke me up at some god forsaken time this morning so not being able to sleep I got up early and rang Steve C. He was just setting off to try and film the Redstarts that had been found yesterday so I tagged along. We spent over 6 hours at the site and Steve only got 3 seconds worth of film. I managed a few poor digi scoped shots and got a few with the Lumix also. Just as we were about to leave at 4.20PM a superb Hobby flew over surrounded by mobbing Swallows SCORE!

19th June

A walk this PM over Roils Head produced a Whitethroat and a Cinabar Moth on the pavement. A phone call about a male Redstart found me and Steve C on site at 7.15PM but nothing except a poorly looking tiny baby rabbit. Then after nearly an hour and 20 mins I found the male and at least 2 fledged young.

16th June

Evening out with SC. A brief fruitless look for Leos again, did however have an immature Peregrine which made a pass at a Short-eared Owl, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Redpoll, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 6 LBBG, 6 BHG, 1 Oystercatcher, several Curlew and 7 Lapwings which repetedly stooped at a Mistle Thrush which was sat in a tree?

14th June

Out late with DJS and SC checking out a local Barn Owl site, we stuck it out until 10.50PM but no Barn Owl. We did however have 2 Little Owls and a Tawny.

Dastardly and Muttley

Female Peregrine.

Male Peregrine digi scoped.

Female Peregrine, digi scoped.

Checked on Dastardly and Muttley yesterday evening with SC, everything seems ok, female came in with prey after a short while. Then went looking for LEOs again with no luck, did have a Shortie though, also 2 Oystercatchers, 3LBBGs, 3 BHGs and a few Curlews.

11th June

Had a walk over Roils Head, not much doing, got a few shots of a male Kes at Heath Hill Road going into a stoop. Yesterday had 10 Stock Doves at High Road Well Moor.

White Throated Dip

Got the chance to go for the White Throated Robin at Hartlepool today with Roy. We were full of hope as the bird had been showing well all morning, but by the time we arrived it had gone missing not to be seen again all day. We stuck it out until 7pm but then had to leave. Never mind saw a male on Lesvos in 2001 (above photo) who am I kidding Im sick as a dog.

Barn Owl Boxes

DJS dropped me off 2 new Barn Owl boxes today, in all we have 9 to put up in the autumn, better start looking for sites. 5 or 6 newly fledged Willow Warblers at Roils Head this PM.

Local Patch Tick 7th June

Walking across High Road Well Moor this PM I got a big surprise as a Kingfisher flew srtait past me heading south west. Unfortunatly I had just pust my camera away and failed to get a picture. The bird landed briefly in a small bush but was chased off by a Carrion Crow.

6th June

Out with DJS last night looking for LEOs. Didnt see any adults but heard two young hunger calling at 9.30PM. Also had a male Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Curlews, 2 Oystercatchers and at least 3 Hares.

3rd June

Some kind of wave, dont know which one yet.

Freyers Pug ?

Common Marbled Carpet.

Had a go with the moth trap last night, didnt do too well, 1 Flame Shoulder, 4 Brimstone, 1 Garden Carpet, 2 Clouded bordered Brindles, 1 Angle Shades and the above pictures.

2nd June

Roding Woodcock.

Common Sandpiper with yellow ring on right leg.

Out with SC last night looking for LEOs, we had none ! we did have one shortie, a pale Buzzard, Tawnys calling, Cuckoo calling, 2 or 3 Woodcocks roding, Oystercatchers with young, lots of Curlews, a ringed Common Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

2nd June

Skylark numbers have been down at Roils Head this year so I was pleased to see this bird carrying food this PM. (looks like some sought of Horse Fly).