The Portland Naturalist

The Portland Naturalist

Sunday 27 September 2015

Batumi - More Kettles than a Tea Room - Part 4

September 3rd

A day of few highlights on a Batumi scale anyhow, but I shouldn't complain at things like these views of Lesser Spotted Eagle.


The other top sightings were another poorly-seen Steppe Eagle, and a glimpse of a juvenile Red-footed Falcon.

Some Georgia ticks included Blackbird, Goldfinch, and Robin!

At one point, I caught myself saying ''...only a Golden Oriole''.  I'll never forgive myself.


September 4th

Once again, passage was pretty average, so having some ringers working behind the station was a nice distraction.

Ortolan Bunting are a daily occurrence as fly-overs, but to see a bird in the hand was brilliant.

 
Earlier in the week, I glimpsed a Nightingale sp. in the bushes behind the station, which on occurrence, was very likely to have been a Thrush Nightingale, but I couldn't be sure.  It was therefore nice to see the ringers catch a definite one to have a close look at.


In the evening, we retired to the small café round the corner, which happened to have some perfect moth-attracting outside lights! Of far more interest to me than the alcoholic drinks.

Also by the lights was this Large Conehead, which make a very loud, distinctive sound.


And now the moths - IDs are very much tentative for some of them, please feel free to correct.

The familiar 1st...

...Ruby Tiger (dark)...


...Green Silver-lines (pale)...


...Golden Twin-spot (yet another rare migrant in the UK)...


...Boxworm Moth...


...Latin (ooft!)...


...Setaceous Hebrew Character (pale)...


...Clay Triple-lines (2nd gen)...


...Nut-tree Tussock...


...Mocha and Peacock...


...Purple-bordered Gold...

 
...White Ermine...
 

...Orache Moth (beauty!)...

 
...and Common Footman (pale).
 


And then we have the unfamiliar, I can only think these are The Alchymist, although strangely dark examples...


...Dotted Footman...



 ...and the Marbled White-spot-like Callopistria latreillei.


Things are hotting up!

No comments:

Post a Comment