March 17th 2010

It was a mild cloudy night resulting in March Moth in the trap this morning while Dave had Acleris ferrugana the previous night along with Twenty Plume Moth and a Chestnut while Colin e-mailed me that Sarah had trapped a Yellow Horned so a few more species are starting to appear in the county.
Out with Colin in the afternoon looking for Bobs trio at the pond – male Red-crested Pochard, male Common Scoter and 4 Barnacle Geese and the only one we couldn’t find was the Common Scoter although the Barnacles as to be expected were a let down as they were found feeding in front of walkers resting on the bench in biggen bay. Disappointingly still no summer migrants and apart from the 2 Great-northern Divers very little else noted. A quick check on a small heronry nearby found 3 nests occupied and one nest recently built but unoccupied compared to 5 occupied nests last year. Plenty of gulls pre roosting in fields around Thurlaston and Lawford Heath with the majority being Common Gull and on his way home Colin reported 80 Golden Plover between Church Lawford and Bretford.
Late evening look at Napton Reservoir produced 30 Redwing, 50 Fieldfare, female Goosander, Cetties Warbler, 3 Wigeon and a stunning summer plumage Med Gull while a Barn Owl was hunting near Calcutt.

Richard