Listing

Pan-lists are going up on Bubo and this is motivating me to actually sort out my lists of things other than birds, which I've never done. Indeed the bird lists themselves are languishing somewhat with only the UK self-found list now up-to-date (and that requires a +1 to add Pterodroma feae agg which Bubo won't have for some reason).

For an explanation of pan-listing head here - https://psl.brc.ac.uk/about and there is an active Facebook Group, here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1550187855270648

The Bubo Listing pages can be found here - https://bubo.org/view-all-lists.html?showlists=7546,PSL  The totals on the PSL lists on Bubo are currently quite low because only a few species groups have been added, they are currently being added at roughly a group of species every couple of days (I'm already a bit overwhelmed).

I don't have a photo of my "blocker", Coypu is on my list, now extinct in the UK after an effective eradication programme in which I took part as a volunteer at Minsmere, in Bert's day. I argued successfully for the Swona Cattle (Bos taurus) to be added, established since 1974 as a feral species, but failed with Feral Cat (Felix catus). I guess my other blocker is Wild Cat (Felix sylvestris) one glimpse of the thick-tailed one, many years ago,out on the hill; again no pictures. Orkney Vole (Microtus arvalis orcadensis) is also a bit of a blocker.

Orkney Vole, Microtus arvalis orcadensis

Can be observed in our garden with a bit of bird food and apple baiting and some patience. I will be sad to leave them when we move they are a very beautiful little mammal.

Birding has dominated my time. I've identified very few insects in the last week, other than a few pictures online. The rain over the next day or so may change that. Waxwing has been bird of the week with them turning up everywhere, other than our garden. My attempt to string one on call early on has been self-rejected, I think it was probably a Dunnock. In the end we went to see them in Stromness and re-aquainted myself with the call, softer than I remembered. So when I was hunting for things on the Heddle Rd in Finstown yesterday I was certain when I heard the call twice. Eventually they arrived in the garden, but briefly, whilst we were cleaning the house today. I'd just been outside for a good while doing the windows, before, and then Louise saw two sitting in the front garden Budleja, and fortunately, I glimpsed them before they flew off; studiously ignoring the many apples on sticks around the garden.

Stromness Waxwing.

We've had at least one Blackcap for a few days stuffing itself with apples, indeed it's hard to believe one small bird could eat quite so much apple.

Blackcap.

But star of the garden show was a fabulous Great Spotted Woodpecker that spent half an hour around the feeders. A hasty refuel before heading off away again.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, subspecies major, a 1cy female.

 

The trip to see the Waxwings in Stromness was followed by a walk on nearby Warbeth Beach, where there were three Grey Plovers.

One of the three Grey Plover, with an Oystercatcher and Common Gull.

On the moth front I've been collecting Ash keys. Most of the Ash in Orkney doesn't seem to fruit, at least not the trees I visit. However, on the walk from Loch of Wasdale to Binscarth as you approach Binscarth the path is lined with some lovely stunted, wind-formed Ash and at least one of these has fruits. Close observation of the keys show that some of these have a hole in them. There is a moth that does this, a rather small one, called Pseudargynotoza conwagana, long name. It's a micro, quite an attractive one, with just one Orkney record. I dissected a few Ash keys with holes in, but the hole is an exit hole, all I found was frass. However, Micro-Moth Field Tips suggests putting keys (without holes) in a jar, labelled of course, and seeing what happens. I've been checking the jar everyday for a week, and today, there is a tiny caterpillar. I'll photograph that tomorrow, here's an Ash key with an exit hole anyway.

Ash key with exit hole, hopefully made by Pseudargynotoza cowagana.

 

Pseudargynotoza cowagana larva

 

I went to Finstown to try to tick a fish, a Saury, Cololabis adocetus, unsurprisingly I failed; the lack of fishing gear might have had something to do with that. However I did get fab views of a Red-throated Diver, perhaps hunting said fish.

Red-throated Diver.

I then looked at Binscarth, two Waxwings by the shop. And headed up the Heddle Rd - Bullfinch, Coal Tits x2 at least, Waxwing again and two Swallows, my first November Swallows in the county. The pics of all these are rubbish so I won't bother.

Evie Beach.