An update on this week's superb birding.

Friday 25th November 2022.

The Great Grey Shrike at Pig Bush, New Forest. Photo by Andy Tew.

As the weekend draws near, this week has not been a bad one at all with some superb birds putting on a great show for all the ‘Lazee Birders’ and other birders as well and some superb photos have been taken by the guys too. The wet, stormy weather has not helped much for viewing, but it has most certainly brought in some superb birds with it.

Above, one of the juvenile Little Gulls of Sandy Point earlier this week. Photo by Andy Friend. 

The Great Grey Shrike in the Pig Bush area of the New Forest has been putting on quite a show for the ‘Lazee’s’ ,with a back up support of both a ringtail Hen-harrier and Jack Snipe seen in the same vicinity! The stormy weather certainly brought in the seabirds with good numbers of Little Gulls seen along the coast, along with large numbers of Kittiwakes and a Leach's Petrels off Milford Haven again yesterday. 

The obliging Snow Bunting at Milford-on-sea today. Photo by Andy Tew.

Yesterday, a Snow Bunting was discovered in front of a Cafe at Milford-on-Sea and attracted a few of the ‘Lazee Birders’ to make their way to the destination. There has been another long staying individual Snow Bunting and that is residing over at Pagham Harbour, on the spit and showing very well again today. 

The Modest Sphinx Moth caterpillar in my friends garden. Photo by Alta Hancock.

Not only birds have been noted this week, but a friend of mine who resides in South Africa, kindly sent me a photo of a Caterpillar that she had found in her garden in Mbombela, within the district of Mpumalanga, which turned out to be a Modest Sphinx Moth caterpillar; one from the Hawk-moth family. Her neighbour, who is a keen naturalist, also found a superb moth, a Cabbage Tree Emperor Moth. You might think why have foreign moths on my blog; well, if someone is happy to send photos of any form of nature, I don’t see why not. Not only that, but I find some of these foreign moths amazing to look at. 

The Cabbage Tree Emperor Moth that was filmed by Alta's neighbour in his garden.

Birding pal, Geoff Farwell had yesterday off work and took a visit to the Boarhunt area for a spot of Birding and found 2 Firecrest, 3 Stonechat, Red Kite, 2 Common Buzzards and a Woodcock! Lets see what this weekend has to offer?

The Snow Bunting at Milford-on-Sea today. Film footage taken by James Cutting.