A Drab affair?

Another good selection of spring moths this morning, with more Drabs now on the wing. Below is a photo showing the variation that occur in Clouded Drab.

The greyness of the bottom right specimen had me thinking Lead-coloured Drab for a moment, but the pointed wings reassured me. Second, the bottom left specimen seemed a tad small and I still reserve some doubt over whether this is actually a dark-form Common Quaker. Any pointers/confirmation would be appreciated please. Here's the two darker 'Drabs' side-by-side, making it a little more obvious:

There was also a very ginger Common Quaker:

As well as two spring firsts - Twin-spotted Quaker and Early Moth:

Redpolls

Nearly two months since my last post, apologies, but had a hip replacement so not a great deal to report. On the cusp of returning to work now and I am sufficiently recovered to walk more than the paltry 100 metres or so that I was managing last year.

An email last night from fellow Stour Estuary-ite Richard Stace about a Mealy Redpoll at Larchwood Hide on Alton Water had my full attention. The drug that is patch birding needs feeding and recent dips on Med Gull and Black-necked Grebe needed dispelling.

So around 7.30am this morning, joined by Tony Fox, we strolled down in hope and expectation. Before we got to the hide, Richard had picked our prize up in some over-mature scrub, with a nice Lesser nearby for comparison. When we got to the hide, the first redpoll on the feeders was another (or the same) Mealy, again obligingly joined by a Lesser to assuage any doubts. A bonus came with a corking male Brambling - complete with bright orange breast band and darkening head.

With the morning brightening, coming back through Rabbet's Wood, the delicate song of Treecreeper held our attention. We dropped Tony off and when I got home, there was a message for me to get back there quick as he had one of these on his feeders:

Mealy and Lesser Redpoll