Tuesday, 28 July 2026

Common Terns, Ospreys and Golden-moustached Fly Fox

   
Terns at Glaxo and Ferryden, mostly Common, a few Arctic and the noisy bunch the Sandwich. At the west end of Montrose Basin three fishing Ospreys, and a influx of Canada Geese alongside an increasing number of Greylags.  Videos at the links below>>>

Gannets at Lunan Bay, wait for the plunge        after the baitball was decimated        Riband Wave Moth, spot the movement


Common Tern adult fishing near Ferryden


One of this years juveniles from Glaxo or the SWT raft


This Osprey was fishing over the Slunks at Montrose Basin, just too far away, but by chance it's darvic ring, blue KU5 was lit up by the sunlight. I'll publish it's history once I get it


This Osprey and another, both without any jewelry, were fishing with the ringed bird and interacting with each other


Linnet on the Lurgies path


Guillemot at Ferryden


Victoria Park beach in Arbroath, as the tide ebbed a large shoal of baitfish were partly stranded amongst the weed, and the gulls were making the most of an easy meal


Juvenile Black-headed Gull


Herring Gull with Lesser black-backed Gull, both adults


Riband Wave Moth on my kitchen door


I love one of the names given to this wasp, Golden-moustached Fly Fox Ectemnius cavifrons. Found in Olive's garden along with the Leafwalker below


as above


Orange-belted Leafwalker Xylota segnis

Thursday, 23 July 2026

Pied Plumethorn predated by Candy Stripe Spider

   
Another "garden safari" with a small spider and its large prey. The larvae of the Pied Plumethorn are scavengers and larval predators in the nests of social wasps.

Another post in the making will have a Golden-moustached Fly Fox Ectemnius cavifrons, which looks to be scarce here?


Candy Stripe Spider with prey, a Pied Plumethorn Volucella pellucens in my garden. In this photo the spider has already killed the fly, and it's seen near the tail


I moved them to get this photo where it looks like the spider is feeding through a hole in the abdomen


Green-veined White Butterflies mating, they remained in contact as they flew around the garden


Yet another Painted Lady


Willughby's Leaf-cutter Bee, or similar?


Common Drone Fly Eristalis tenax


Red-sided Parasite Fly Eriothrix rufomaculata

Monday, 20 July 2026

East Haven Webs Survey July 2026

   
Some of the returning birds which have spent the summer in the far north breeding. I hope that the low numbers is an indication that they've had a successful season, and August's Webs Survey will have more juveniles, and a peak in numbers in September.


Whimbrel, the left hand smaller bird with the distinctive crown pattern, with a Goosander and Curlew. All of the 70+ Curlews were on the tideline rocks and too far away


Dunlin, this bird and one other moved from an inshore rock to the beach edge


Bar-tailed Godwit, unexpected


Curlew, most birds are moulting in their new flight feathers


One of 5 Grey Herons, perhaps an indication of the low water levels inland


Adult Sandwich Tern


Juvenile Sandwich Tern

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