Catch Up

Although I went for a walk this morning as usual and covered about 6 miles, the weather wasn't too good so I took very few photos and none of wildlife. Consequently I have nothing to say about today so I will use this update to catch up on the stuff I haven't posted over the last week or so.

Two weeks ago on the top of a gate by the Mere I found an object that I've never seen before. It looked like an owl pellet but when I broke it open it was primarily vegetable matter with a few small stones so it couldn't have been an owl or raptor pellet. I therefore asked my friends at Lower Derwent Valley if they could help me with an id.

They did and Lucy came back with the answer that it is a Rook pellet. Whoda thought? Not me obviously 😂 I Googled this and found that the British Birds journal listed several birds that have been recorded producing pellets, including Rook, Robin, Wood Pigeon and Redshank. The more I learn the more I realise I don't know.

 CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR A LARGER IMAGE

Rook pellet

Inside a Rook pellet

Also near the Mere, Green Woodpeckers have been seen and heard regularly. I've never seen any more than 2 at any time but that's all it takes to breed and I've wondered whether or not they have successfully bred or not. I was therefore heartened to see a juvenile Green Woodpecker last week, which is my first first recorded sighting of a juv Green Woodpecker, and may be evidence of breeding locally.

juvenile Green Woodpecker

The Lesser Black-backed gulls that usually breed at the Mere have been largely absent this year, with just a handful of sightings from yours truly. Of course they may well have been knocking about every day but not spotted by my four eyes.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Mute Swans have successfully bred this year with at least 3 pairs raising broods of swanlets aka cygnets. Those I have seen had 1, 2 and 4 young ones but each brood has been dwindling over time with the most obvious being the 4 reducing to just 2. Otters, mink, pike and/or raptors could all take their toll on the families.

One of the remaining Mere cygnets

Over KP the Common Terns were flying quite low in the cloudy conditions so I took the opportunity to get a few photos while they were obliging.

Common Tern over KP with weedy bling

A bit late on getting this tern leaving the water after a dive

Back home as I was waiting for the arrival of workmen I was wandering around the garden and I spotted a large moth near the ivy. I looked it up in my insect book but I was unsure of id, so I called on my guru of almost everything Nick. He took all of a nanosecond to think about it and pronounced it to be an Old Lady moth. I had considered Old Lady but had sadly and unwisely rejected it on unsafe grounds. I live, I learn, I forget 🤷‍♂️

Old Lady moth

Old Lady