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I thought I would have to write something about recent events and a nice surprise that turned up in our kitchen this evening. Last Friday, I met my work colleague and made our way to an appointment in High Wycombe, for a lovely couple that wanted Inheritance Tax and Pension advice. It was on the way back home along the motorway, that I picked out at least two Red Kites flying high over the road. These were my first a Spring bird in May. Though it was the briefest of sightings because of the speed we were doing, they are always a joy to watch. Also, at least half a dozen Common Buzzards were seen flying by or over the road.
Another month tick was my first Great Spotted Woodpecker of the month. Unusually, this bird was seen this Monday flying over the main road near the roundabout in Cosham by the Tax Centre! Birds can literally turn up anywhere!
Back to tonight’s events. I was making my way to the fridge and a quick check on my ‘bug zapper’ (same thing the butchers/bakers use to zap flies) and resting beside it was an unfamiliar moth. I quickly got my camera, took a few shots then, excitedly (I know I’m sad!), I grabbed my new moth book, The Concise Guide to Moths of Britain and Ireland. I thumbed the pages and came across the moth. It turned out to be an L-album Wainscot moth. Apparently, this is an immigrant moth and regularly on the wing in September and it was a first for me! Excellent. Its diagnostic feature is the L shaped mark on its wing (see photo).
The UK is going through a slight change in weather conditions with the ‘Indian Summer’ slowly disappearing and fresher weather seeping in. Sea watching around the coasts is hotting up with big Shearwaters being seen all around the UK and other goodies like Sabine’s Gulls and Long-tailed Skua’s flying past. Locally, the Spotted Crake is still showing well on Farlington Marshes (my mate Geoff Farwell had superb views of the bird showing just feet away from him. It apparently caught a dragonfly in front of him! Lucky sod!). Also, a Wood Sandpiper has spent some time on Thorney in the Pony Fields, so guess where I am going now before I work on the Isle of Wight today?
