Small fall

No wind and bright sunshine do not ideal fall conditions make so I made a late start and headed for Scaling Dam. There had been a bit of a wader influx with Dunlin, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Golden Plover, Redshank x2, Common Sandpiper x4 and over 600 Lapwing and 2 Snipe. Then the gull from the other day was relocated, a bit closer but in poor light. I'm pretty sure this is a Yellow-legged Gull, at least I don't think it's a Herring Gull, but it isn't a typical example and it is just beyond decent photo range. Anyway, it flew with all the other gulls when two Lesser Black-backed Gulls had a serious disagreement, unfortunately I failed to locate it in flight.

Whilst I was out one of the cats caught an Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar. This was rescued none the worse for its experience and I returned it to the willowherb where I noticed two more hiding in the stems.

Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar

There are other caterpillars in the garden which are not so welcome.

Oi! get off my brocolli

In the afternoon I headed for Hawsker where information had been received about a bit of a drop. Pied Flycatchers were in evidence at two locations, JB had four I think and there was Lesser Whitethroat and a very skulking Chiffchaff.