Another Day...

Well, after a slightly extended working week, I eventually dragged myself over to the Nose this morning - arriving after the Teacher had left - and gave it a go.

Unsurprisingly, the horde of bank holiday weekend grockles meant not a chance of a Wryneck [they even were trampling over the Wryneck Run.. Fortunately I think without any broken bones]. The fresh to brisk NE wind meant the Top Dell was sheltered and there was also a chance of things at sea, so those got the bulk of my attention.

ID Challenge!

What looked a lot like a Reed Warbler popped up while I was writing in my notebook, and by the time I had it away and bins up was flying up into cover from which it never emerged.. Bugger. Otherwise, lots of Chiffchaffs and a few Blackcaps.

At sea, a fortunately-posing Balearic showed a lovely brown belly as it arced [well, as much as they do] up with perfect timing for me to get on it. It was, however, [2 Gannets aside] the only seabird on offer.

Insects... Well, awful pictures due to utter lack of stopping, but I think you can tell what this is?

Hummingbird Hawkmoth!

Wall

At least 5 fighting each other around LookOut.  :)

Small Tortoiseshell

Hoverfly sp.

Impressively wasp-like buzz from this one!

Also of note...

Last night, on getting in from work in the early hours, I went to step onto my balcony. Switched on the exterior light, drew aside the curtain and right at that moment a Tawny Owl landed on the railing!

I froze, one hand still on the curtain, as it looked about, shifted position to opposite me, then hopped up onto the arm of the feeders..! This was less than 1m from me, albeit with glass in the way..... It again looked about with interest for some time before pouncing off to the other side, by the Berberus.. Where it proceeded to grab and swallow a couple of things from the ground; slugs!! All in, the Tawny was present for 4 minutes, mostly spent observing from perches.

My skygarden is home to legions of slugs - I frequently ask the Blackbirds why they don't eat any and they just laugh - and I am overjoyed that something is eating them [until we get flying Toads...!!!]. Also interested that a Tawny is clearly after them; this was an owl with a purpose. Indeed I suspect that my turning the light on prompted it to come; after all, slugs are not the noisiest of prey, so having plenty of light to see them by couldn't hurt, could it? You'd also expect turned-on light to deter wild nocturnal birds.

And yes, not just another excuse to roll this out, it looked like;

Tawny visitor

Woo.

[Nope, not getting tired of that one]

Be Seeing You...

[[ It's a juvenile Whitethroat.. Oh yes, now you get it. :) ]]