The last couple of days and a couple more holiday snaps

I got out before work yesterday and today for a couple of short walks, we also put the moth traps on last night for the first time this year.

Yesterday it was damp and misty, there were over 100 thrushes still around maybe a few more FIELDFARE than REDWING. The other fields were fairly quiet, a few YELLOWHAMMER were setting up territory and the CHAFFINCHES were well spread, instead of flocking, 2 CHIFFCHAFF were singing and a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL called from within the mist and then appeared out of the murk.

This morning was again not great visibility with fairly steady drizzle, a COMMON BUZZARD up and about early as we made our way to the trap, a couple of small flocks of REDWING headed east and a flock of 30 or so FIELDFARE were over the wood heading sort of south. As I spoke to Pete near the restaurant a LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER flew almost over our heads and over the veg garden. A look at the lake produced 2 GREYLAG GEESE, MOORHEN, a couple of singing CHIFFCHAFF and a pair of LONG TAILED TITS. I headed back to wait for a lift and on the way 3 SWALLOWS (72) flew strongly north, they definitely weren't stopping. 

For a change I'm going to list the moths we recorded this morning with a rough estimate of numbers:-

Engrailed - 1

Shoulder Striped - 1

Twin-Spotted Quaker - 1

Early Tooth Striped - 2

Oak Beauty - 7

Early Grey - 1

Grey Shoulder Knot - 1

Chestnut - 3

Common Quaker - 13

Small Quaker - 10

Hebrew Character - 18

Clouded Drab - 15 

Lead Coloured Drab - 2

Yellow Horned - 1

No pics from around the patch due to the dreary weather so here are a few more from Costa Rica. Sorry I did take loads!!

Black Throated Green Warbler

Common Tody Flycatcher

Green Kingfisher

Prothontary Warbler

"Anyone seen any fish?"

Bare Throated Tiger Heron

Spectacled Caiman

Ringed Kingfisher