Vis-mig trials

Further to David's invitation to try out vis-mig at Oxenhope any member's who want to have a look at Denholme Clough with me will be most welcome. My usual vis-mig partner has got his own site over in Manchester. It's a few degrees warmer than the morrland watchpoint!

Oxenhope Moths and Ants 29-08-2008

Least Yellow Underwing.... (c) 2008
Fairly widespread in smallish numbers in Yorkshire and on the wing at the moment.

MILLIONS and MILLIONS of Flying Ants!! (c) 2008

1700 - 2030hr
Calm, 24degC and falling... a very humid afternoon, 8/8 cloudbase much higher than this morning.

Mega Millions of Flying Ants absolutely everywhere and still around even when getting dark!
A very very uncomfortouble evening here. A interesting day flying moth blogging around and feeding on the Ragworts.... see photo above.

Dave

Anyone Want to Try VisMig this Year ??

Anyone fancy learning about and having a dabble at counting Visible Migration at our "Members Only Reservoir" (see Mark Doveston for keys and access details, you need to be a current member of BOG). If so Howard and myself are about up there early doors Saturdays and Sundays weather permitting for the rest of the vis season. Scope, bins, possibly a deck chair and a very warm hat / coat required!!! Its not always a mega move of birds every day but if you just hit that "good" day you may well be hooked for life..... heres what we had yesterday (Saturday 30th August.... a good start to the season). Usually we pack it in about 1030hr unless it seems to be worth staying!

Dave


Mountain, Queensbury.... HAZE (c) 2008

Linnets on the Move. (c) 2008

0710 - 1230hr
DB / HC
Calm - SSE F1 rising SE F5, 17degC initially, 5.5km, 8/8 2500ft, Dry, QNH 1018 falling.

After yesterdays taste of autumn, a "real do" this morning with not only the birds on the move south and west as the wind picked up but hundreds, yes hundreds of bombus sp, a few migrant moths and even a couple of dragonflies all powering WNW on the wind. Chaffinch were the first movers (must be dispersal at this time of year?) to become apparent with flocks of up to nine powering hard south, just like October! Mipits were few and far between but all were going west with just a few blogging in the sand pits. Linnets were phenominal with a total of 304 counted including a massive flock (thought to be disturbed by a raptor) of 0ver 200 with the majority going south. A loose group of four Tree Pipits passed SW with much "tzee" ing at 1015. a Peregrine powered purposefully south at 1054. A moderate group of Canadas were fresh back and included in the flock were a Barnacle and a Pinkfoot!!! origin doubtfull but nevertheless here!!****. (****Just heard that the first pinkies were back at Martin Mere on 29th August so there is a chance that this bird was part of the first arrival wave!). A total of three Sparrowhawks went west. Later in the morning very large numers of Gulls started appearing very high from the north, many overflew hard south but a few dropped down to the water.... we diddnt start counting the gulls until later so the numbers are an under representation as to the actual magnitude of the move.

Can anyone confirm the id of the Bumblebees from the snaps below.... the two appeared to be mating but there were hundreds on the move. Does anyone know anything about the moves / migrations? of these bees as they were really exciting this morning!

Moving birds:
Swallow 109 > S biggest group 55
Chaffinch 31 > S
Linnet 304 > S
Meadow Pipit 14 > W
alba Wagtail 4 > SW
Grey Wagtail 3 > W
Grey Heron 1 > E
Sparrow Hawk 3 > W
Tree Pipit 4 > SW
Wheatear 4 > SW incl at least one showing characteristics of Greenland race.
Peregrine 1 > S
Starling 3 > SE
Snipe 1 > W
LBBGull c457 > S minimum count
BH Gull c670 > S minimum count
Common Gull 6 > S
Sparrowhawk 3 > W
Lapwing 31 > SE

Others of significance:
Canada Goose 46 fresh back
Barnacle Goose with Canadas
Pink footed Goose with Canadas
Common Sand 2
Stonechat 2 (first birds of autumn yesterday but missed off the list!)
Mallard 18 influx
Kestrel 6
Tufted Duck 2

Dave


L to R, DB and HC, the Team this Morning (c) 2008

Mega Move of BH and LBBG > hard South (c) 2008

Giga Move of Bombus sp.... are these White Tailed Bumblebees? (c) 2008

White Tailed Bumblebee ?? (c) 2008

Headless Sparrowhawk..... dohhhhh !!! (c) 2008

Bilberry Bumblebee - Bombus monticola

Five Photographs all (c) 2008

Any entomologists out there that specialise in bumblebees and can confirm this identification?

Dave

Common Lizard

These 2 Lizards where at Wykeham Saturday, they are plentifull on the moors round our area but not so easy to get to pose.

More Riddlesden Critters

?
Common Rustic ?
Svenson's Copper Underwing ?

Riddlesden Moths et al

Thirsty Willow Beauty
Common Marbled Carpet
Antler Moth
Willow Beauty
N.Humator Beetle

Oxenhope Insect

This insect came to the fluorescent lanterns among the moths and midges
Autumnal Rustic

A Few Oxenhope Insects 25-08-2008

Hi Dave,
Trawling the web today I came across an image (from a reliable source) of one of the insects on your blog "A Few Oxenhope Insects 25-08-2008". The yellow and black fly in pics 2 and 4 is a Sciarid, also known as a'fungus gnat'. It feeds on decaying organic matter and fungi. It's probably Sciara analis but can't say for certain. Tom.

Many thanks for this Tom, I thought it looked interesting
Dave


Yet More Red Admirals.... the only one that I can put a name to
Dave

Common Green Grasshopper 23-08-2008

Common Green Grasshopper at Oxenhope Watchpoint (c) 2008
Many Thanks to Tom for the identification, Dave

Hi Dave,

Grasshoppers and crickets can be easy to identify provided you get good pics of them. The best id shot is directly from the top (for grasshoppers) and one from the top and one from the side (for crickets). From the marks on the pronotum (behind the head) it appears to be a Common Green Grasshopper.

Tom

Ermine Moth

There are obviously a number of moth enthusiasts, (is that mothers) out there . I dont know if this of interest but heres one I photographed on my house wall at Riddlesden . Cheers Stephen

Re: Mothing at Oxenhope 22-08-2008

Here's the list from Friday night's moth trapping session at Oxenhope:

1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternate) 1
1756 Northern Spinach (Eulithis populate) 2
1759 Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) 1
2134 Square Spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 5
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 8
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 8
2117 Autumnal Rustic (Paradiarsia glareosa) 3
2176 Antler Moth (Cerapteryx graminis) 2
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 9

We used a 25w Gladiator actinic trap and a couple of actinic laterns.

These are some of the moths we caught.....


Northern Spinach
Square-spot Rustic

Autumnal Rustic

Antler Moth

Kestrel Members only Res

Called at the above on the way home yesterday, hoping to see Dave and his "copulating slugs", no luck! well I did see Dave and this Kestrel.

Stephen

Oxenhope Watchpoint Butterflies 23-08-2008

Red Admiral... Several through west this morning (c) 2008

Green Veined White (c) 2008

Small Tortoiseshell.... many about on Ragwort and Thistles (c) 2008

Peacock (c) 2008

Small Skipper (c) 2008

In addition to these there were just a few Common Blues, Meadow Browns and Small Heaths still in evidence.

Dave

Wheaters, Nab Water Lane today

Following Brians report of numerous Wheatears on Nab Water Lane I went up there this morning, and sure enough there they were. These shots were taken from within my car, fortunately there was little traffic. On foot I find Wheatears difficult to get close to.

Stephen

Mothing at Oxenhope 22-08-2008

Last Light over the Bowland Fells.... view to them through Watersheddles Col (c) 2008

Trap in Action..... Hoods Up to keep the Midges out (c) 2008

Dave