After a 50 day wait - at last a new species to add to my list! YES 50 DAYS!
A Cormorant flew over my house yesterday. This is a "proxy" sighting - as it was spotted by my neighbour (Dave B) across the road. Cheers Dave - I said I would mention you in dispatches!
Hi Mike - well spotted (if you pardon the pun!). You are correct - it is a 'White Ermine' moth after consulting the internet. The Moth leaflet I referenced (which is produced by Field Studies Council) does not include all moths including 'White Ermine'.
Also, thanks to the private message received from Steve Christmas who tells me that he has 'White Ermine' moths annually in his moth trap in Swinton.
It is great to have the experts on hand to put me right and improve my knowledge.
Still a moth lifer for me!
-- Edited by Steve Judge on Sunday 31st of May 2020 09:21:46 PM
I saw a lovely white moth with black spots in my garden yesterday evening. Never seen one like this before. According to butterfly/moth book it is a 'Muslin Moth'. Has anybody else seen this moth?
Great Tit x 1. First Great Tit seen in garden since lockdown (at 10:30 hrs). It was only there a matter of seconds before being chased off by the resident Blue Tits. Now I know why I have not seen many Great Tit in the garden.
Swallow x 1 seen on telephone wire from front window at 12:30 hrs. Sat there for a while preening itself before heading off in direction of Barton Moss.
Guess what? One addition again since my last post!...
Jackdaw x 1 (on telephone wire above back garden). It looked like it was an opportunistic check out of the Starling and House Sparrow nests in the Holly Tree.
- Dunnock x 1 - Black-Headed Gull x 1 (overhead) - Woodpigeon x 3 (overhead) - Herring Gull x 1 (overhead)
The highlight was watching the male Blackbird cramming as much mealworm and suet pellets in its beak before flying off (and also burying a cache for a later date).
The list of birds so far seen in my Eccles garden during lockdown is:
- Buzzard x 1 overhead - Blue Tit x 3 - Blackbird x 2 (1M and 1F) - Collared Dove x 2 - Goldfinch x 2 - Robin x 1 - House Sparrow x 3 (who nest in holly tree at end of garden) - Starling x 10 - Crow x 1 - Magpie x 1 - Feral Pigeon x 1 overhead
Sadly, I also found a dead Robin in my front garden - possible victim of local cats.
Total bird count = 11. Keeping my fingers crossed for new additions...