25-29 October. Expotential Rise in Covid Cases, Latest Ever Butterfly.
In short succession, daily Covid cases rising fast – 400, 600, 770, 950. Blatantly clear Lithuania isn't dodging the bullet this time round, the cases per hundred thousand already on a par with Germany and further rapid growth expected in coming days. Vilnius has returned to quarantine, though restrictions still pretty mild.
On the wildlife side of things, an extraordinarily mild autumn continues, temperatures up to 14 C, though sun fairly rare. Fortunately the sun did pop out for a few very pleasant hours on the 25th ...just long enough to produce my latest butterflies ever in Lithuania - two Queen of Spain Fritillaries and one Small Tortoiseshell. Also unusually late, one Tree Pipit at Labanoras ...and still several ticks, got six crawling up my jeans on one day!
That said though, the mild weather is not highly conducive to good birding at present – my Labanoras feeding station is far quieter than it should be and bar plenty of Great Tits and good numbers of Jays, not much is visiting at all. Have begun my winter ringing however, and was mighty pleased to catch a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on the 28th, as well as a Middle Spotted Woodpecker that is spending its fifth winter at my feeders. Nearby White-backed Woodpecker and Grey-headed Woodpecker eye the feeders, roll on some colder weather. Pygmy Owl and Nutcracker still present.
In short succession, daily Covid cases rising fast – 400, 600, 770, 950. Blatantly clear Lithuania isn't dodging the bullet this time round, the cases per hundred thousand already on a par with Germany and further rapid growth expected in coming days. Vilnius has returned to quarantine, though restrictions still pretty mild.
On the wildlife side of things, an extraordinarily mild autumn continues, temperatures up to 14 C, though sun fairly rare. Fortunately the sun did pop out for a few very pleasant hours on the 25th ...just long enough to produce my latest butterflies ever in Lithuania - two Queen of Spain Fritillaries and one Small Tortoiseshell. Also unusually late, one Tree Pipit at Labanoras ...and still several ticks, got six crawling up my jeans on one day!
That said though, the mild weather is not highly conducive to good birding at present – my Labanoras feeding station is far quieter than it should be and bar plenty of Great Tits and good numbers of Jays, not much is visiting at all. Have begun my winter ringing however, and was mighty pleased to catch a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on the 28th, as well as a Middle Spotted Woodpecker that is spending its fifth winter at my feeders. Nearby White-backed Woodpecker and Grey-headed Woodpecker eye the feeders, roll on some colder weather. Pygmy Owl and Nutcracker still present.
