A few moor migrants

A few migrants moving through at the patch this morning, with 3 Yellow Wagtail (2W, 1 around the livestock), 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat, 9 Blackcap (3H), 12 Chiffchaff (5H), 1 Sand Martin S, 27 Barn Swallow (some S, some lingering) and 1 Common Buzzard (E then W). Also, 1+ Hobby Still, 1+ Sparrowhawk, 2+ Kestrel, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Kingfisher (H along Bonehead Ditch), 1 Pied Wagtail over (H), 6 Skylark, 1f Reed Bunting, 1 Grey Heron, lots of Starling feeding around the livestock still, 32 Goldfinch, 1f Mallard with a few chicks on the Colne, and 1f Common Pheasant flushed from the one of the iris channels that was really unhappy with my presence - late breeder?

Juvenile Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris moulting into 1st winter plumage

Lots of good inverts seen. Quite a few Migrant Hawkers Aeshna mixta around, as well several Common Darters Sympetrum striolatum and lots of Banded Demoiselles Calopteryx splendens still. Butterflies noted included 2-3 Brown Argus, 4+ Small Copper, several Common Blue, 2 Speckled Wood, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 3+ Small Heath, lots of Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Green-veined Whites and Small Whites, and 3+ Silver Ys also seen. Orthoptera seen include 1 Short-winged Conehead Conocephalus dorsalis, 2 Long-winged Conehead Conocephalus discolor and lots of Meadow Grasshoppers Chorthippus parallelus and Field Grasshoppers Chorthippus brunneus.

Male Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta

Male Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum - note the diagnostic yellow stripe on the legs

Meadow Grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus

Meadow Grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus. Quite a variation in colour

Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus

Short-winged Conehead Conocephalus dorsalis