10th August 2020

Weather: ENE becoming warm and sunny then thundery rain later. 

Highlight of a very still morning was a Tree Pipit calling from the Pittosporum in the obs garden then feeding around the heather for a while. Quite a few Swallows moved through including around 30 that fed for a while over the flat sea off the east side. A flock of 7 Little Egrets flew straight north out to sea. Other visitors were a juveniles Greenfinch in the obs garden and a Greenshank in the gutter. Over the tide, plenty of terns and a few Gannets fed intensely off the north end. An immature Shag was off the west side and a flock of 1,400 Knot roosted on the whaleback,

Much of the morning was spent by our insect specialist sorting the moth trap catches. Three traps were run on a perfect evening for light falling: on the west side next to the pond; in the trapping garden; and in MacAfee's paddock. The total of 406 moths of 75 species included a rather impressive 11 species new to the Hilbre list, including this aquatic moth, a Water Veneer.

 

 and this Narrow-winged Pug. 

 In the late evening a Common Sandpiper was heard in the dark !

  photos GB