What have you seen

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  • N1805
    N1805 Forum Participant Posts: 1,092
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    edited October 2021 #3572

    Not seen one of these before - internet search leads me to think it is a Tussock Moth caterpillar

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited October 2021 #3573

    Thanks for that N18👍🏻, that is beautiful. I’ve heard of them but never seen one personally nor a pic like your, every day is a school day🙂-

     

  • Impy
    Impy Forum Participant Posts: 257
    edited October 2021 #3574

    Well spotted and photographed N1805, I have just had a look in my books and it is indeed a Pale Tussock moth caterpillar, quite a handsome caterpillar compared to some caterpillars. smile

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited October 2021 #3575

    Wow, what a fantastic photo.

    I’ve never seen one, must look more closely!
    What habitat / region was it spotted in?

    🙂

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3576

    https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/pale-tussock

    Supposed to be fairly common but I've not seen one either. Lovely photo N1805

  • N1805
    N1805 Forum Participant Posts: 1,092
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    edited October 2021 #3577

    Saw it a couple of days ago on south facing chalk grassland near a few Hawthorne trees and not too far from mixed un-manged hedge in south Wilts.  Guess it was in its usual habitat according to internet info.  Seeing something new and colourful even though it was small was a nice surprise.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3578

    Great photo N1805, I have seen them a few times just have to be in the right area at the right time my interest is mainly butterflies but do some moths  and caterpillars as well.

    Went to the Brenne area today and managed to see Widgeon ,Gadwall, Teal, Pochard, plenty of Great white Egrets but the best spot was a Purple heron flying around in front of me could not camera quick enough for photo and then 1 Migrant flying over a Osprey making its way south, only a short time looking for birds as out with friends for a lovely lunch at local Auberge.

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited October 2021 #3579

    Thanks, N1805. 
    So easy to miss what’s at ground level when I’m  looking at birds! 
    🙂

  • Wherenext
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    edited October 2021 #3580

    It wasn't the Auberge de la Gabrière near the lake of the same name was it RK?  Eaten there a few times if it was. Always good honest fare.

    Enjoy the rest of your break.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3581

    Can't believe it's over 2 years ago since we were in the Brenne.  Abiding memory for me were the roughly 169 cattle egrets in 3 fields of cows but still no photos of them standing on the cows backs!

    Went to my car yesterday morning and thought there was a bit of straw stuck to the door. A closer look reveal this strange creature. A lot of research brought me to the conclusion it was a Plume Moth. When resting it rolls up it’s wings. Although they say its quite common in the UK I can’t say I’ve ever notice one before

     

     

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3582

    Correct WN and we all said must go there again excellent value and service and the weather helped sitting outside with the view over the lake birds and butterflies flyng around, very enjoyable day.

    Had two Great White Egrets fly over the site this morning and the owner said the cranes are due at any time now we have see them in their hundreds from this site.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3583

    Now back home and yesterday saw the Black Shouldered Kite  flying around here so must be making this it home area.

    Plenty of butterflies  today Red Admirals, Clouded Yellows and some Small Blues flying around our garden still got some flowers out for them to feed on.

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited October 2021 #3585

    Great photo, difficult enough to actually see bearded tits, let alone get a decent photo.

    We were at Frampton Marsh reserve earlier today. Wonderful to watch loose skeins of dark bellied Brent geese flying in off the wash.

    Hoping to get to Titchwell ourselves, later this week 🙂

     

  • Wherenext
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    edited October 2021 #3586

    Nice one SQ.

    I was quite surprised to see so many Brent Geese whilst walking to the beach from Wells town yesterday. Hundreds in the tidal flow part and many, many more on the distant mud flats. 

    Lovely to hear skeins of Pink Feet flying over as well. But our favourite sighting was a single Swallow. Good luck pal.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3587

    I will be in North Norfolk this weekend and will visit all the usual reserves but will be on the lookout for migrants, hopefully we will get easterly winds to help them on their way.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited October 2021 #3588

    Border Force will just pick them up off the Belgian coast instead. wink

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3589

    What coming to a North Norfolk

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited October 2021 #3590

    We spent today at Titchwell, gorgeous weather, ideal for birding. Highlights included  grey phalarope showing very well, and a snow bunting, showing pretty well on the beach.  ( The snow bunting on the beach, not the phalarope!)

    All the usual suspects there in good numbers, too. 
    🙂

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3591

    👍👍👍

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3592

    We were at Titchwell today and watched the grey phalarope, what a busy little bird could hardly keep up with its feeding frenzy.  To far to get ant meaningful photos.

    Also went to Holme next Sea and spotted two Yellow Browed Warblers

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3593

    Good to hear of it OneP. 👍👍👍

    Felt a bit frustrated being in Norfolk but not really able to do any birding. Same here a couple of weeks ago. There was a Wilson Phalarope at Burton but I was unable to get out of various things at the time. By the time I could get out it had gone.

    C'est la vie.

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited October 2021 #3594

    Not seen anything to vie with all you lucky peoples frown, but at least I've got a few neighbours looking out for our local  leucistic  sparrow -- we are all a bit worried since it's light colouring is just like telling the hawks etc of it's presence  { Dinner's ready ! }

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3595

    Fingers crossed for it ABM

    Forgot to mention that I got a goodish photo of a Snow Bunting at Titchwell, looked fairly worn out so guess it had just arrived

    walked from Burnham Overy Staithe to Holkham beach todaiy.  Saw some Guillemots swimming but unfortunately found about a dozen dead scatter around a fairly large area.  I did look at them but couldn’t find any signs of Trauma so maybe exhaustion and starvation was the cause

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited October 2021 #3596

    I managed a couple of shots of a snow bunting in Qaqortoq, Greenland but it was at such a distance the pic was poor.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3597

    Apparently there have been 100.s of guillemots dying all along the East Coast.  Until a number of post Mortems  have been completed, speculation is that death is caused by Algae.  Certainly dog walkers are being warned to be cautious until the cause is confirmed 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3598

    Yes this was reported a while back and a large area of algal bloom in the north sea was the suspected cause. It altered the brain action of the birds and many lost the ability to fish or look for fish in their normal fishing grounds. Some were seen flying in river areas rather than at sea. frown

    On a better note we saw lots of skeins of geese coming in from the north sea today and had a wander down to one of Yorkshire's many lovely waterfalls.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3599

    It was not read birds we saw, but hundreds of small silver fish, whitebait size, washed up on the beach at Branscombe beach the other day. There were lots of gulls and a heron about on the sea, but they didn't appear to be partaking of the free food, although a Springer spaniel was, not Flyte thankfully.

     

     

     

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3600

    This is a frequent sight in the SW Nellie, often in Autumn, one year hundreds of baby squid appeared. I think they get driven ashore for a variety of reasons, predators, tides, etc.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3601

    Thanks, brue. The most puzzling thing was that the birds were not bothering with them, but staying on the water's edge.