Tuesday 24 August 2010

Whinchats, Wheatears & Mystery Bush Cricket finally ID'd


Taking TOIL this afternoon, because I had to work in the evening, I did a bit of a seawatch off Ness Point hoping to see a Cory's or at least some Skuas, there was a good passage of Terns, with 100 or so Common Terns seen and 4 Sandwich Terns flying mostly south, but little else. Usual seawatch fayre for me and I gave up after half an hour. Having better luck on the North Denes autumn migration has finally started, and both Robert Wil & I saw 3 Wheatears by the Net posts several Swallows flying around the sea wall including some of their number resting on the west facing slopes. Several Linnets seen on the Denes and around 10 Pied Wagtails and between the Oval and the Links rd car park.  4 fine Whinchat perched on top of the weedy vegetation, 2 perched on the same plant even.
On Sunday 22nd August in the garden, a calling Chiff Chaff was seen around the garden and even perched on a rose just 2 feet from the open conservatory doors, whilst 2 Migrant Hawkers flew around the garden feeding on insects.

Take a bow, Mr John H who has identified a mystery Bush cricket that I saw at Lake Scotini path in Corfu, last August and has remained a mystery for the past year until today.
Lake Scotini was one of the regular childhood haunts of one of my heroes, the late great Gerald Durrell who has done so much for wildlife conservation and also wrote some really entertaining and educational books too.
John has ID'd it as a Eupholidoptera chabrieri. I'm sure he's right. There is no English name, but I found someone on the Net calling it Chabrier's Bush Cricket which sounds appropriate.
Anyway, well done & thanks very much John for your help.

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