Greenfinch and a Hawkmoth

After a 4.00 a.m. alarm call this morning I found myself in the reedbed putting some nets up for a ringing session under clear skies with no wind. It was still quite wet in the reedbed (waders required) and this meant that I could only get a couple of nets up.

My four o'clock alarm call turned out to be fairly fruitless as all I ringed was an adult male Greenfinch! A number of warblers were singing from the reedbed and surrounding willow carr including Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Reed Warbler. On the pools I noted that the Great Crested Grebes had two you chicks which was great to see.

 Greenfinch

After a protracted ringing session I was back home early checking my moth trap and I caught a Light Brown Apple Moth, a Poplar Hawkmoth, two Bright-line Brown-eyes, a female Shuttle-shaped Dart, a Cabbage Moth and a Small Square-Spot (new for my garden).

 Poplar Hawkmoth

I'm treating Gail once again to nest box checking tomorrow and it will be interesting to see how many boxes are occupied by Pied Flycatchers.