Scarce Umber and a few other moths

The warmer night on Thursday produced a few moths; Scarce Umber, Mottled Umber, Winter Moth, Northern Winter Moth, Acleris sparsana, 6 Red-green Carpet, 4 Juniper Carpet, 2 Spruce Carpet, December Moth & Red-line Quaker.

Scarce Umber

Northern Winter Moth

Northern Winter Moth

Acleris sparsana

Acleris sparsana

Teal - Ogston Reservoir

A nice party of Teal at Ogston Reservoir early this morning.

Teal

Fieldfare

A very grey start to the day but caught up with the Great Grey Shrike late morning just as the sun was starting to appear, but it was a long way off. Several parties of Fieldfare including one group of about 150, also a few Brambling but no signs of a flock yet.

Fieldfare

Great Grey Shrike - Wraggs Quarry

Great Grey Shrike

December Moth - first of the year

Caught my first December Moth of the autumn last night, a male. The warmer nights have produced a few more moths with up to a dozen November Moths, several Feathered Thorn, Juniper Carpet and more Angle Shades than last year but only one Blair's Shoulder Knot.

December Moth - male

Wren

A couple of photos of Wren from last weekend.

Wren

Great Grey Shrike with mist removed

The wonders of modern digital photography. This is the same photo of the Great Grey Shrike taken in the mist yesterday with the mist removed using Adobe Photoshop. It's not as good as photographing the bird in sunshine and  rather grainy, but better than it was.

Great Grey Shrike with mist removed

Return of the Shrike

As I emerged from the mist that enveloped the valley this morning almost the first bird I saw was the Great Grey Shrike sat atop one of the bushes on Bent. I managed to get a few distant photos before the mist enveloped the area. 
Hopefully it will remain in the area as it did last winter.

Great Grey Shrike

Hen Harrier - male tail end

Generally a quiet day, the summer migrants have all gone and the winter visitors are just starting to arrive. the day was brightened considerably however by an adult male Hen Harrier on East Moor. It appeared from behind me and before I could get the camera it was already travelling away so the photos are not the most exciting.
The Hen Harrier has declined dramatically as an English breeding bird with currently less than 20 pairs giving it the unwelcome distinction of being are rarest breeding bird of prey. 

Hen Harrier - male

Jay

Despite the fact that Jays are quite common in the local deciduous woodland they are not at all confiding and are always one of the first birds to fly off as you walk through the woods but I finally caught up with one bird.

Jay

Weekend highlights

The sunshine yesterday morning made a big difference to the photos, another Great-spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch below.

Great-spotted Woodpecker

Nuthatch

Nuthatch

Brambling - male

Ali Hood photographed this fine male Brambling on Bent Lane this morning,. although there have been two or three fly over records this is the first of the autumn on Bent lane, hopefully the first of many.

Brambling - male