Autumnal day by the coast

Sunday October 2nd. A day trip to our caravan at the coast was the order of the day !
We went on a couple of short walks on our usual routes. It was a clear blue sky and sun day, with hardly any wind.
Some birds were still on the move as we saw and heard - Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, a few Barn Swallows, plus a good 100+ strong flock of Linnet. There was the odd Stonechat fly catching and the delightful sight and sound of 2 Chough flying high overhead !
There were several insects out and about too, that as well as viewing also needed rescuing (from the open footpath/grassy areas)...

Buff Tip moth caterpillar.

A species of bee that needs identifying.

Possibly a Ruby Tiger moth caterpillar.

(above and below) A Common Carder Bumblebee was sitting on the grassy foot path overlooking the sea. We offered it our stick which it crawled on to then we placed it on the nearest bunch fully opened ragwort flowers. 

This grasshopper was very obliging - to get a closer look at it we offered it our stick! We believe it to be a Common Field grasshopper (above and below). Fascinating to see them up close.

There were several Red Admiral butterflies around too, making the most of the warm sunshine. Then we spotted this surprise of a butterfly.....

a Small Copper.

A type of hoverfly stayed on a flower long enough for a photo which then enables us to identify correctly. With a little bit of social media help it was agreed it's Helophilus pendulus. 

Blackberries turning colour.

A young Sycamore tree whose leaves are also changing colour.

I really hope you can get out and about this Autumn/Fall and on a cold, sunny day enjoy the magnificent colours all around you.

1 new moth for the year ...!

Well, with a new routine up and running in the household it's been a struggle to get going for Autumn moths. But once again it's also down to the weather. And when we have put the trap out it's been a very small catch, with nothing new for the year until today !

These are photos of the Sallow. Quite common in the Autumn. Although this is our first one of the year this individual seems to be worn near the head, known as the thorax. They are a lovely lemon yellow colour with spatterings of pinky-orangey markings.

 

There are similar species in the sallow family. Hopefully we'll get some as the Autumn progresses and we can compare for you.

There are plenty of these little monkeys in the gardens at the moment - Garden Cross Spider. This is the underside so unfortunately we can't see the 'cross' pattern on it's back. This is a particularly large one living in our front garden.

   

And just one or two moths from last week on the one occasion we trapped .....2 migrant moths

Rush Veneer - micro moth

 

.....and the rather splendid Vestal - apologies for poor image.

autumn in the garden

Changes are happening in the garden - it's Autumn time here in the UK. I took a few photos around the garden early this morning to show you...

 Rowan tree leaves are also changing colour but have been full of bright red berries since July. The blackbirds have taken a liking to these. Each year is different - sometimes they strip the tree bare of the berries in July/August, other times they pick and peck throughout the summer months and Autumn.

 Birch tree leaves are changing colour and starting to fall

Our Sedum plant is starting to flower - usually if we get a warm September it attracts plenty of butterflies.

I spotted a  shieldbug, or 2 or 3 !?!

 

This is a Hawthorn shieldbug (above)

Below are a younger (nymph) sheildbug and adult Green sheildbug...

Moth trap was out overnight and on opening it I was greeted by this slightly strange green and brown fly. I have yet to identify it.

Moths overnight in the trap were less numerous as it was clear and colder. But we did have 2 Silver Y moths, 2 Angle Shades, some Large Yellow Underwings and 2 Copper Underwing.

I wanted to show you how variable the Large Yellow Underwings are....

I thought it would be nice to remind you what how stunning a brown moth of Angles Shades can be, especially this time of year  with Autumn colours and their camouflage....

And how brilliant Silver Y moths are, flying all the way from Europe. They were quite still this morning due to the cold so I placed them carefully on our flowers and once the sun warmed them up one started 'nectaring' using its proboscis to drink the nectar. Very fascinating to watch closely.

 Here are the 2 Copper Underwing. The name is quite self explanatory really and always difficult to see as these moths are very flighty when you are trying to get a good look at their underwing/hindwing. Quite common in the UK.

A Common Wainscot hasn't been seen for a few a while...

And on the outside of the trap was this beautifully delicate Green Lacewing...

There are still migrant birds and moths on the move around the UK. Keep your eyes peeled!

still on the moth theme....

Moth trapped overnight last night. This morning I had a lovely surprise which was a definite 'WOW' moth...

 The Vestal - a migrant moth from Europe and North Africa. Occurs usually annually in the UK, sometimes in very large numbers depending on conditions but we haven't trapped one since 2006 ! It is a macro moth, but sits differently and with this colouring is pretty much unmistakable. Only managed this record shot of it in tube . Tried to take a photo on release but flew deep into undergrowth.

Garden Rose Tortrix, below. This is a micro moth and a member of the tortrix family, of which there are several species. They generally have the same sort of shape about them and therefore you get to know this shape and makes it easier when looking in a book to identify.

Another migrant, below,  but unfortunately was found dead in the trap, was this Rusty Dot Pearl. Another micro moth. They can be seen in differing shades of colour such as this light to much darker. 

An absolutely tiny micro moth is this Azalea Leaf Miner. Quite distinct in colour and pattern and the way it sits at rest. 

Yellow-barred Brindle moths are also variable in colour. We found a second one later in the garden that was a different colour. Quite common in southern England , being much more scarce in northern England and southern Scotland. Always a nice find.

Whilst our daughter had a bit of a rummage around the garden this afternoon she also found this Green Carpet. 

 

A Silver Y was spotted at dusk in the garden last night as I turned the moth trap on. It was nectaring on some of the remaining flowers we have. So having had some easterly and south easterly winds the last few days/few days ago this has brought in the migrant moths. And is also a good time to look out for migrant birds too. Especially as return/autumn migration is getting underway. 

UK Road Trip. Prepare for a long read and many photos !

Here is the long awaited UK Road Trip blog....

We had quickly planned and booked in May to take the family to a few places we've not been to together before and see some wonderful wildlife sights.
The plan was, and carried out exactly, to travel up to Glasgow area, stay overnight as it's a long way from South Wales, next day travel on to Oban, where we visited a sea life sanctuary and had booked a ferry to the Isle of Mull.

Oban

It was a very fine day for travelling on the ferry- 45 minutes from Oban to Craignure. En route we saw our first truly Scottish birds of the trip - Black Guillemots...

A gorgeous sea bird, even though it is black, with white wings and red legs.

I've been wanting to go to Mull for ages to see the White-tailed Eagles, Golden Eagles and Otters. We stayed in a sweet little B&B place whose facilities were first class. We used this as base for 3 nights and ventured out in the day times. A boat trip was already booked before we travelled to see White-tailed Eagles in and around a specific loch and we were not disappointed ! Just take look at this for an encounter....

White-tailed Eagle

It was glorious weather and the loch's waters were calm. In the distance my husband spotted a Golden Eagle but it was so far away above the horizon of some mountains. A glimpse at this stage was fine by me.

On this boat trip we saw a few seals, Shag, Gannet, Guillemot, gulls and a distant mother and calf porpoise briefly surfacing.

Gannet

Shag

Jellyfish seen below us in the water, after getting off the boat.

The following day's plan was to visit the Isle of Iona as we'd read it was possible to see or hear Corncrake. After a very long drive around what seemed to be most of Mull, with outstanding scenery I might add, and during which we found a closer Golden Eagle soaring, we arrived at the ferry port for a short ferry trip. Foot passengers only allowed. It was a lovely little island. White sands on the beaches, lots of tall grassy areas and some history tied in with it's ruined Nunnery and an existing Abbey. After a lunch stop we walked around near the grassy areas and sure enough we just about managed to hear up to 3 Corncrake. Their call is very distinctive. Listen and watch here....
http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/c/corncrake/

 Isle of Iona

However en route to the ferry port, we stumbled across 2 otters swimming in the loch close to the road. The light conditions were poor and this is the best image I captured of them, possibly a mother and a youngster...

Our return journey back to the B&B was in the misty rain through the mountains. Most of Mull's roads are single track with many passing places thankfully. The mountains are enormous - had it been a better day I'm sure we would have stopped a few times to admire the scenery and look for bird life.

Other birds seen during our stay on Mull were a Short-eared Owl close by,  Herons seemed to be everywhere you look, Red-breasted Merganser, Ringed Plover,  a Spotted flycatcher, Greylag Geese, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, more Black Guillemots and Guillemot.

Short-eared Owl record shot at dusk.

Ringed Plover.

We had an early morning return ferry to Oban. Whilst waiting at the port to board there were a few hooded crows around. A common sight in northern Scotland. 

Hooded Crow

Guillemot with newly flegded young seen from return ferry to Oban.

From Oban we made the 2 hour trip back towards Glasgow, and then in the direction of Edinburgh area for our next overnight base. The next day was a visit to the Scottish Seabird Centre and another boat trip to the famous Bass Rock, home to over 100,000 Gannets. I couldn't wait!

Bass Rock.

A loop around a smaller island first gave us our first views of Puffins for the trip - they are very cute! 

And so on to Bass Rock. Choppy seas resulted in me getting soaked on the return journey, but what an amazing sight to see so many Gannets! Thousands were flying out to sea and back, all around us, perched on the rocks high and low, on nests if you can call it a nest on bare rock, with bundles of white fluffy babies! And there something else noticeable too - the noise from their calls and the smell! 

Spot the baby Gannet !

Magnificent bird and to think what they are capable of - diving into the sea at great depths to catch fish. They always seem to be a pristine bird.

Then it was time to leave the area and travel south to Northumberland. Here we had another hotel base for a few nights and visited the Farne Islands and a few seaside towns nearby. A lovely area to stay in and explore - I think we'll go back and have a week's stay one day !

The collection of Farne Islands as seen from Seahouses, Northumberland.

The Farne Islands are home to Puffins during the breading season, Razorbills, Guillemots, Shags, Cormorants and Kittiwakes and the very special Arctic Terns. Another boat trip gave us amazing views of all of the islands with a landing on Inner Farne for 1 hour. More seals were enjoyed by all on the boat especially as they sang to us! 

On landing at Inner Farne we were greeted by the Arctic Terns, now with fledglings, flying all around us catching food and feeding their young.

A short walk around the footpaths take you close but not too close to the nesting areas, most finished by now (end of July) but there was one area that was the best. It was a sort of a headland - you were practically on the very top with all the rock faces below. However, a fence at the very edge took you face to face with some of these delightful birds.

Puffins

 

Kittiwake - another favourite of mine. Notice the black legs. They make a lovely call that sounds like they say their name. 

Razorbill - I was surprised to one so close. A stunning black and white sea bird, that has a thicker bill than Guillemot.

Shag

Everyone's favourite - the Puffin.

We discovered a few wildlife sites on our travels along the Northumberland coast where other birds of note were, Linnet, Tree Sparrow, Ruff, Little Egret, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Water Rail, Sandwich Tern.
Some were so distant I did not get any photos but still great to observe through binoculars and telescope.

A male Linnet - so close to us singing a beautiful song.

Ruff

Tree Sparrows - best I could get from a small mobile flock.

One of many female Eider ducks. 

Sandwich Tern, centre. Identified by black bill with white tip to it.

We had an amazing trip and I highly recommend any of you birders and nature lovers out there to visit these places and see such sights. 

I hope you have enjoyed reading and viewing the photos. 

Thank you.