Busy & Moanings

I'm very busy at the moment, had no spare time to do any birding of any sorts (except of course hearing the migrant thrushes over head, and watching flocks of starlings about. So yeah, until about mid-December I will have nothing proper to write about, so yeah..

Now for the moanings part..

It's about names.. English names that is, of moths & butterflies.

Firstly, the Admirals and Emperors? Is this because they are impressive? Or emit authority?? I don't know, but wouldn't mind someone telling me. At least Blues and Coppers do what they say on the tin, though the majority of Speckled Woods I have seen have been in gardens or hedgerows, woods, I think not.

Now, moths, some have logical names - Snout, Red Underwing & Red-belted Clearwing, all make perfect sense, but there are some, sneaking in, with mucked up names..

Horse Chestnut - Hmm. Both English and Latin name are mucked up on this one.. Does this moth feed on the plant? Nope. The best I can think of is that it's mildly spikey appearance looks like a Horse Chestnut pod/coney thing.. (It's a long shot, I know)

Common Fan-foot - One of the rarer British moths, this species was probably much more common than it is now, so can except this one..

Another name which no longer works - Kentish Glory.. No longer in Kent I'm afraid..
To be honest, I don't like moths named after places, especially immigrants, like Lydd Beauty, or Dorset Cream Wave, seems like a rapid attempt to make a name, which doesn't work if the moth is never seen there again, I think the name should be describing it's looks/habitat/habits or after the person who discovered it (except Latin, which should be describing)

One I have no idea what the name is based on - the Vestal, what is a (non-moth) Vestal, I do not know..

Things with scarce which are scarce : Scarce Footman, Scarce Prominent ect (though I haven't seen the latter)

And on the latin name bit, the French Red Underwing is named after a prostitute :D

Suffering from the mothless Winter

So yeah, Winter is more or less here, with some places having their first frost last night (not me though, being on the south coast).

Anyhow, signs of Winter are amongst us now; leafless tree (mostly blown of from winds), dark really early, lack of moth traps, first winter thrushes about, blackcaps in the garden, and firework night finished..

So yeah, that leaves us moth-ers 2 choices, either sort our moth stuff out, sending in records ect, or birding. I will try and do both, pleased with the mixed flock in the garden yesterday morning - Long-tailed, Great & Blue Tits, Chiffchaffs, Dunnocks, Blackbirds (including one black-billed form), &, of course, the Blackcap. So yeah, Chiffchaffs still about, but here on the south coast, I'm pretty sure some stay all winter long.

Anyway, the biggest surprise came this morning, from my neighbour. He arrived at my door and there, in his hands, was a new moth for me. The fantastic Death's-head Hawk-moth! I think I went into shock, stood there with shaking hands with my cup of tea. Wow. Just wow.

So I have finally seen the Atropos, cheers to that!

Mine's Really Good!

Well, this was going to be a post all about mines, a thing which I've only started getting into, but this recent bad weather has blown most of the leaves away, so b*gger that!!

Anyhow, started doing mines a week or two ago, and managed to muster up 15 or so species in my local area, most of which were new for me, such as Stigmella salicis and Ectoedemia intimella, but others to turn up include 2 Parornix species and several Phyllonorycters, amongst other Stigmella and some Caloptilia. Unfortunately, the best moth mine I managed wasn't new for me, as I had one adult last year. It is the nationally scarce Cosmopterix pulchrimella. The adults are fantastic, albeit a bit small, being black, silver and orange in colour!

Sadly, C. pulchrimella wasn't locally found, but from my weekend away, enjoying the extreme winds of Cornwall. Yeah.. we went surfing in Cornwall during the peak storm time, which, don't get me wrong, is usually good, but they caused waves.. Big waves.. Very Big Waves.. So we were at the surfing beach of Perranporth, and after a day of surfing and a quick nap, we awoke to find the beach closed. Shame that. Only managed to find 6 moths, all larvae apart from an adult Silver Y. The others were 2 mines, pulchrimella and Stigmella aurella, which anyone whose looked at any Bramble at this time of year, will have seen them, little squiggles on the leaf. The other larvae were the combo of Fox Moth, Drinker & Oak Eggar, all in the same spot.

Now here's a pic of the surf.. It may look like small waves, but may I point out the size of the building above. Now, buildings are quite big (shock horror!!), so yeah, these waves were pretty big (with the help of minor exaggeration, let's agree that they were 30ft tall)

Things the past wouldn't give me..

Had a decent night last night, 19 species was all that occurred, but one new for garden, and an additional rarity.

The new for garden was a Flame Brocade, which, if you haven't seen one, if the most well behaved moth there is, none of the flapping about nonsense, it just sits there, you put it in a pot, it just falls over, upside down! It isn't dead, honest, a quick wiggling of the legs told me that, before it gave up and stayed upside down, as I tilted the pot to right the moth,

The second rarity was another immigrant moth, which there were 2 of, Clancy's Rustic, which, rather dull they may be, has only been seen by me once before, in the garden in 2011, when one turned up in the trap.

The Triplets (would call it 'Threesome' but fear that would attract the wrong kind of people..)

Now, mothing has changed a lot in recent years, or at least I'm told that. As I've only been mothing for 3 years now, anything pre-2011 I know nothing about, and go to far back, and I'm not there at all (damn my youthfulness!).
Anyhow, I hear people talk of the "good ol' days", in which there were a lot of moths about, and not just the small numbers we get now.
But I like to think of the positives, 10 years back, to get a Flame Brocade and a Clancy's Rustic on the same night - same week even - would be like winning the lottery, but it has happened, to a lucky few of us, and now I am one of those lucky few.
Not just migrants becoming more regular, there are various Jersey thingy-me-jibs which 10 years ago we very rare, or not at all. The first mainland Jersey Mocha was recorded in 2003, 10 years later, it is no doubt breeding locally to me, as well as elsewhere in the country. Jersey Tigers have spread amazingly, my most common tiger species, and then you get some people (up North) who've never seen it, but, it won't be long till it comes, it very common down 'ere in cider loving Dorset!

And it's not just the moths, Actinic bulbs are, as far as I'm aware, a fairly recent advancement, but how long till there is a low energy, not very bright bulb which is far more attractive to moths on the market?? Not long I think, then we can go mothing the countryside unknown to passer-bys, netting and spilling moth sugar-beer on ourselves (wrecked a pair of perfectly good new jeans by doing that!), without the outside (or should that be inside) world knowing about it

I must admit, I look forward to the days when I'll be saying, "I remember when Bloxworth Snout was a rare moth", as I stare down to a trap full of them, with their accompanying species of Patton's Tigers, Ringed Borders, and Jersey Black Arches, with the occasional Setina ramosa thrown in for good measure (go on, look that one up, how hard can it be!?)

Footy Anyone??

You will be pleased to know that this post isn't about football or last night's match (unless, of course, you are fed up with moths, and want to talk about sports), but the Arctiids - the Footmen and Tigers.

These are a fantastic group of moths, with 32 or so species, and I've managed to total 25 in the last three years, and here goes.

Round-winged Muslin - a local species, and one of the few I've yet to see. A moth of bogs in Dorset, so maybe a target species for next year?

Dew Moth - the second of the several I've not see. Extinct in Dorset, and quite rare in England as a whole.

Rosy Footman - Right, one I've seen (hurrah!). In my first year mothing, this colourful footman was only seen once on my only out 'n about trip in '11, but in the past 2 years, I've seen a total of 66, in a mix of garden & out 'n about.

 



 

Muslin Footman - This one was a new one for this year, when one turned up in the garden, looking rather unalive by the morning, but still a garden and me tick, so I wasn't going to complain. A rather smart looking moth, being semi-transparent. The second turned up while walking the coast path in S Devon during July, attracted to a good ol' campsite toilet.

Red-necked Footman - On 2 occasions I have seen this fantastic footman, my second favourite of all the ones I've seen. It first turned up in '11, when I didn't realise that is was quite scarce where I was, almost certainty an immigrant, and then a further few attracted to light at Morden Bog in July this year.

Four-dotted Footman - Another which I saw for the first time this year - on the same night as the above species. So yeah, only seen this one on one occasion, at Morden Bog in July, but there are no records for Weymouth at all, so..

Dotted Footman - One of the rarest I've seen, being Red Data Book species in the UK, but an immigrant where I am. From the garden trap in August, where it was the 5th Dorset Record, which I was pleased with. Not the most exciting moth unfortunately, but hey, can't win them all. Where it isn't a migrant, it is restricted to the fens on Norfolk (or something like that)

Small Dotted Footman - Not seen this one, restricted to fens in Norfolk (or something like that (again..))

Orange Footman - Local spring moth, which I had no records in 2011, 2 or so in the garden in 2012, and then none again this year. Fairly smart looking moth.

Dingy Footman - the second most common Footman for me, having seen both forms, with good numbers every year. Despite being common, no decent photos of it!

Hoary Footman - one record of this one for me, one by day this year while walking the coast path in July. Overcast day, and was completely surprised it was there, just out in the open.

Pigmy Footman - The last of the Lithosiinae footmen I haven't seen. A red data book species restricted to a small patch of coast.

Scarce Footman - First seen in '12, then again on several occasions in '13. Might of had it in '11, but probably overlooked it as Common Footman, so yeah. Also seen it elsewhere (e.g. Morden Bog & Alners Gorse)

Buff Footman - Several during each year, mildly fairly common..

Common Footman - My most common footman, but, oddly, never taken a good shot of one.. so have a shot of a Common Footman Caterpillar..

Four-spotted Footman - This one I had once in the garden in '11, as an immigrant, and a male. Then, in '12 had another male in the garden, and 11 or so males at Broadmayne, and this year, had  4 or 5 males in the garden (still probably immigrants), and the 20 or so at Broadmayne, of which, 2 were females (hurrah!)

Feathered Footman - right, we're off the Lithosiinae, and onto Arctiidae, of which there are 3 Footman, and several tiger/ermines. The Feathered Footman is a dodgy one for Britain, with several mid-something records, which may or may not be of good quality - even if they are, they've not been in the UK for a while..

Specked Footman - This one is another to be a target species next year (maybe), as it is resident in some Dorset heaths, but is rare.

Crimson Speckled - my favourite of the footmen, this is a lovely coloured species, which was wafted in my direction this October. A rare immigrant to our shore.

Wood Tiger - Onto the tigers. Seen this one, in early July last year, by day, when several were seen.

Garden Tiger - I always am happy to see one of these in the trap, as they are fantastic moths, and not too common in my garden.

Cream-spot Tiger - Even better than the Garden Tiger, I've seen the adult of this species on 2 occasions, and a cat on one occasion. Very smart moth.

Patton's Tiger - a rare immigrant which I doubt I'll see, unless Portland gets one and I go to see it.

Clouded Buff - a rather nice moth, which several males were attracted to light when I trapped at Morden Bog.

White Ermine - I don't get this one that often, oddly, with none in '11, and small numbers in the last two years, but I do like them, smart moths.

Buff Ermine - Of the entire family, this is the most common for me, and always nice to get, bringing colour to the trap.

Water Ermine - The last British one I've not seen!

Muslin Moth - I get 3 or 4 each year in the trap, though still not seen a female (which don't fly at night..). My favourite of the entire family, these guys have great faces! :-)

Ruby Tiger - Always proves popular with events, this species is fairly irregular in the garden, but quite common elsewhere when I trap.

Jersey Tiger - By far my most common tiger, with over 50 turning up each year, including several yellow hindwing forms, which are always nice. Have found it breeding in the garden. If you need to see one, come to Weymouth in August, and you have a good chance of seeing one!

Scarlet Tiger - I thought this species only flew by day, I have seen them several times at Radipole Lake flying, but this was proved wrong when 2 turned up in the garden trap, much to my happy surprise. A very nice moth, too.

And last but not least..

Cinnabar - I think this chap is taken for granted, you always see their caterpillars munching on the hated Ragwort, but when you're walking the coast, and catch a glimpse of red flit past you, it's a moment to cherish. Seen the cats on several occasions at Chesil Beach amongst other places, and the adults turn up in the garden traps irregularly, as well as dayflyers on Portland, Chesil Beach, and various heaths..

So that's that.. A lot of pics, and not much reading (though it took me ages to write, and I'm a fast typer)

Just be grateful I didn't do the Noctuids, that's over 400 species..

 

 



Overcompensation..?

I skipped a night. A night mothing that is. Being social, for a friends party, so I went out drinking instead of running the garden trap.
It was very unfortunate that that night was one of the best nights for immigrants this year, with several good moths turning up all over the place. So, I had to make up for it. Best way to make up for it, was to visit Portland Bill.
They had had some good moths there, and while they still had the Egyptian Bollworm there from a few days previous, they had some other life-ticks for me.

In their fridge they had various species which were new for me, Cosmopolitan, Flame Brocade, Dusky-lemon Sallow (an immigrant down my way), as well as 3 or so Beautiful Gothics, and micros included Uresiphita gilvata & Antigastra catalaunalis, both rare immigrants.
Other rarities which I have had occasionally in the garden which were present included the White-speck, which I had once last year, as well as several Delicate & a Convolvulus Hawk.

Beautiful Gothic - A Red Data Book species restricted to the southern coasts.

Flame Brocade - a rare immigrant to our shores.

So I had managed one Red Data Book species this week, didn't think I'd manage another one, but I was wrong.
So yeah, got invited out, and went to a known site for a second Red Data Book species, the Blair's Wainscot. The cold, cloudless sky blared down at us, while my misty breath spread into the beam of my head torch, rendering me temporarily blind. I did manage to net one myself in the end, though there was very little on the wing, and we managed to find a total of about 6, including a fantasticly fresh female, which we decided to leave so she could find a mate.

Blair's Wainscot - Red Data Book species No. 2

 

 

The third and final Red Data Book species of the week came as a surprise to me. I don't know why it was a surprise, but hey, won't complain. It was a Bloxworth Snout, in my garden trap, but it shouldn't surprise me, as they are breeding in the garden, and I've had them every year (about 6 this year!), but it was nice.

The final highlight of the week, the icing on the cake, as it were, was given to me by a friend. It was the utterly amazing Arctiid that is the Crimson Speckled. Another rare immigrant to us, I have been walking the coast a fair old amount these last few weeks trying to kick one up, but to no avail, so I was very happy to be given this one.

Crimson Speckled - Just wow..

 

And now, the weather has turned for the worst - with rain, wind and coldness spreading across the coast.. I can start picking my moth highlights of the year now.. With over 600 moths to choose from, it will be a hard choice..

Angles and Demons

My favourite moth? I use to be certain I knew this one! In my first year, it was probably one of the hawks, either a Death's-head or Oleander, (when I say first year, I mean first year mothing, not in my first year of life! I wasn't a little toddler stating how I love to see the famed Atropos!) but I decided I had to have seen it for it to be a fav, so that quickly had to change.
So that's when my favourite moth was decided, it was a Shuttle-shaped Dart. Common and often - almost always- never looked at properly, but these are fantastic little moths, which you can rely on! They are about for most of the year - I've seen them in November!

But it was short-lived (about one and a half year), the honour of being my favourite moth has been moved to another common and regular moth - which this year has been in great numbers the last few weeks! For those who can guess from the name, it is the Angle Shades, not just because it's a fantastic looking moth, but because it is the most chilled out moth there is! I've seen 3 the last few days away from the trap, just sitting in the open! I say one on the edge of a wall, sat right in the open, I've seen them in the middle of a field, and they are often in numbers of the side of walls, just sat there.
They are so confident with their "I'm a leaf" act, they do not bother to find shelter, and it's that confidence which gives them character. (or just a way to survive, if you think like that...)

Angle Shades

Anyhow, now I need to think of a "demon" to write about (I had to go for Angles and Demons, from the Dan Brown book, which I recently read).

The most obvious moth-related demon is either clothes moths, which are a pain, or wasps, which are a more literal pain. So yeah, wasps have become a bigger nuisance with the trap in recent weeks, and while it is starting to die down, there are still killing my moths!
I have always wondered about wasps, whether they learn the moths go into the traps, and learn this fact, and visit the traps to get to the mothy meals within, only to get stuck, or whether they are too attracted to light.
I'd always hoped it was the first, so they could be the Moriarty to my Sherlock, but now, as it's still dark when I get up, I notice that there is a wasp or two blindly slamming into the trap, so they are not criminal masterminds, but rather, enjoy the same fate as the moths.

Some wasps having a group meeting.

But, I totally understand that wasps are very useful in keeping pests down, so I can't really call them demons, it's just that everyone seems  to hate them, and they eat my moths - sooo.. put two and two together..

I would have posted this yesterday, but yeah, didn't in the end, as immigration could have been good last night. Nothing of great note in the garden, some common migrants, Dark Sword-grass, Silver Y, Rush Veneer, Rusty-dot Pearl, Diamond-back and a Feathered Brindle, in addition to 2 Vestals the day before, but over at Portland was a Egyptian Bollworm, along with an Antigastra catalaunalis (both I went to see). I must admit, I am quite upset, in the last patches of immigration this year, I managed a decent moth (Paracorsia repandalis in June, and Dotted Footman in August), but nothing of my own yet of great note this September.

More Autumn Moths

A look at more Autumn moths..
So let's start at a look at the last week mothing. A vast decrease in numbers, but good numbers on Wednesday night, with 1 new for garden in the form of a Large Wainscot, and 1 second garden record species, in the form of the Oak Nycteoline.
Another nice species from Wednesday night were 2 Feathered Brindle, which has only two previous records.

Feathered Brindle

The Feathered Brindle is a nationally scarce moth found on the coast in southern counties, and is one of the best marked moths of the autumn. I feel this is my compromise for the lack of any Sallow species (except Barred Sallow, which is a rare autumn moth for me) in the garden.

Next up is an immigrant which I did see while walking the coast path in July, but is an irregular in the garden, and is the Vestal, which, in my opinion, is an odd moth. Claimed to be a geometrid, it rests with it's wings in a tent-like position, and behaves more like a Noctuid than Geometrid (what I mean by this, is that when you put in on a log to photograph, it stays still, and doesn't fly off!)

Vestal

Fairly variable, they can be a fantastic pink in colour, though most are like this one and yellow.

Third moth is a rarity, but spreading, and will soon not be a rarity. I've been lucky enough to manage to toll up the grand total of 3 individuals, 2 this year, and one last year. That moth is the Jersey Mocha. Only recently being recorded in Britain, there have been several more in recent years, and is probably the most boring of the various Mocha species to be honest, but it's nice to get a rarity.

Jersey Mocha - a 'pot shot' because he wouldn't settle down on the log (neither did the other one this year)

And to finish off this batch of 4 Autumn species, I have gone for a Hawk-moth. Now, there are several hawks which are immigrants to Britain, of the ones I've seen, the stunning Oleander, the rather smart Convolvulus, the fantastic Bedstraw, and the impossible-to-photograph-when-active Hummingbird, I've only had two in the garden, Convo and Hummingbird, and only had the Hummingbird recently. Had one in the trap on the 5th September, and one visiting flowers in the morning when checking the traps a few day later. Quite a nice hawk, though much more impressive flying by day, than sleeping moth-trap version.

Autumn Moths..

In my suburban garden, mothing in Autumn is pretty dire. With few species being about, and fewer still in good numbers.
The most common species are species which I see for most of the year, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, and on the micro front, Light Brown Apple Moth.
But there are still some Autumn specialities which others away from the coast probably won't get, but are frequent here.
Let's start with one we all should get in the Autumn though, the Lunar Underwing. Had my first 3 of the Autumn last night, much later than I'd expected, as I was getting them at the start of the month last year. Anyhow, one of the most common Autumn species in the garden, with about 220 recorded in 2011, but considerably less in 2012. Hopefully a fair few this year, despite the late start. Quite a nice little macro, which is very variable, and one of my favourites of the Autumn moths in the garden.

Lunar Underwing - Autumn 2012.

Living on the South coast, I do get a lot of migrants in the Autumn, with one of the most frequent in September being the Dark Sword-grass, which is mildly variable, but you can get some stunning examples. Other migrants in the Autumn are Vestal, White-speck, & Scarce Bordered Straw, but none of them are nearly as frequent as the Dark Sword-grass.

Dark Sword-grass - Autumn 2012.

 

The next two are coastal specialities, and we will start with the plainer one. Almost certainly one of the best marked Wainscots, the L-album Wainscot is a garden species which occurs in some numbers in the Autumn (if weather is good), in far greater numbers than the first (summer) generation. Other wainscots of the Autumn include White-point (almost certainly breeding here now) and Common Wainscot, which is less frequent here.

L-album Wainscot - Autumn 2012.

The next one will one day not just be a Autumn speciality, in my eyes at least. Being recorded in the Summer the last few Autumns (I had one in mid-July this year - within a month than one of this year's Common Quaker!). This species is the most colourful of today's four species, and without a doubt my favourite, and one of my overall favourite moths - The Feathered Ranunculus. This rather fantastic species is variable, but always a fantastic green.

Feathered Ranunculus - July 2013.

 

So, with Autumn full in swing now, it won't be long till Winter arrives, bringing with it cold weather, snow, and my favourite birding season. Bring on the winter birding I say, boy, have I missed you!

So yeah, we've had a fantastic summer for moths, so let's have a good winter for the birds! Cheers to that!!

Autumn.. It be here..

Bit late this week for my post (by this week, I mean last week).

Yeah, this is last week's post, I have had a lot happening in my busy life, but mostly boring lifey stuff.

So yeah, mothing has been dull this week, with a dramatic drop in numbers, with Jersey Mocha being the only moth of note. Some of you will be thinking, "that's a good moth", but yeah, this is my third, and would much rather have other species.

So yeah, Autumn is here now, well and truly, colder weather, a rather miserable wind, and leaves starting to fall. But there is one Autumn thing missing currently, and that is vagrants - I've not heard of any very rare birds, but just the nice regular rarities (which I wouldn't mind seeing!). Wryneck & Ortolan Buntings have been about, but no Rustic Buntings or King Eiders (now that, I would be surprised at!!).

Anyhow, we had a fantastic Summer (for moth numbers (and for some of us, rare moths), but for rare birds, I didn't notice any).

Yeah, a pretty bland week, last week, and until the Autumn migrants appear, and Winter begins, not a lot will be happening..

A Week of Weirdness..

Right, let's start with the fact that I was tempted to make this post tomorrow, so then I'd have managed to get 4 posts per month, rather than 5 in August (and probably 3 in September), but my OCD isn't that bad (it's not too bad at all to be honest)

Anyhow, this week has been one of the best weeks for mothing this year, with every night (apart from last night, when I didn't run my traps) producing at least one new for garden.

So on the 25th, new for garden was Satin Wave, a nice little geometrid which is apparently classed as common, but like certain species classed as "common", can be pretty scarce in certain parts of the world.
On the 26th were two pyralids, Pyla fusca (synonym Matilella fusca), and Nephopterix angustella, the latter I was pretty pleased about, as it's a smart looking micro.
On the 27th I managed the first species which was new for garden, but not new for me, which was a Flame Carpet, which I've seen once before at Alners Gorse. Also, I managed the garden's best moth of the week, a Dotted Footman, a Red Data Book species in Norfolk, and a rare immigrant elsewhere, and is the 5th Dorset record! (incidentally, I almost lost it before I potted it! That would have been embarrassing!).
On the 28th new for garden were the small leaf-miner Calybites phasianpennella, which is quite a nice looking moth, and the odd looking macro, Oak Nycteoline (very weird looking thing!).
And to finish off the week, on the 29th numbers declined greatly, and the only new for garden was the orange tortrix Lathronympha strigiana.

Other species over the week include Four-spotted Footman, Jersey Tiger, Cypress Pug, Dark Sword-grass, Rush Veneer, Rusty-dot Pearl, Diamond-back, Silver Y, Feathered Ranunculus (summer is ending...), Gold Spot, Chinese Character, Sharp-angled Peacock (2nd garden record), Dog's Tooth (2nd garden record), as well as your usual mish-mash of late Summer species.
Not only were the species good, but the numbers were, with 600 moths in the MV on one of the nights! Admittedly, most of them were Shuttle-shaped Darts, Vine's Rustics, Large Yellow Underwings and Agriphila geniculea, but it's still nice.

Satin Wave

Dotted Footman - 5th Dorset Record

On one day of the week, I visited the local Bird Obs at Portland Bill, mostly for mothing matters, which picked up considerably. The species of great note were two Dorset's firsts, Shining Marbled and Tamarisk Peacock, plus a (new for me) Bedstraw Hawk-moth (which wasn't actually trapped at the Bill, but simply sent to be shown off there!).

Shining Marbled

Tamarisk Peacock - Sorry for bad shot, but I was willing to put this (or the Shining Marbled) out of the pots - as they'd probably fly off (I don't think I was allowed either..)

Bedstraw Hawk-moth - an impressive migrant hawk-moth. Also a Convolvulus Hawk-moth was also present that day (night?)

I decided to walk home (from Portland Bill to Weymouth, via the west cliffs coastal path). Not a great deal of bird life about (the day before, the Bill was full to the brim with nice birds - but not when I went), and so Yellow Wagtails, Wheatears and Swallows were the only migrant birds I saw heading South. (Plus a Sedge Warbler from the Bird Obs). Butterflies were also on the wing in numbers, with several Clouded Yellows about, as well as Chalkhill Blues, Small Tortoiseshells, Painted Ladies, Walls and Red Admirals amongst others.

A certain birdless spot from Portland Bill - came across the odd birder, who seemed surprised I was walking back!

Sedge Warbler - my best photo of one! ;-) Nice little bird I often see at Radipole Lake

 

So yeah, bring on the immigration which is Autumn is all I can say, I'm prepared for Autumn now... (maybe one more week of sunshine..)

Some Reedy Good Moths!

Bit late this week, being Sunday, and not the usual Friday, but I've only just uploaded my photos to laptop.

So yeah, started the week by a trap session at Broadmayne, at a friends place, which managed to produce about 350 moths of 86 species, with 3new species for me: Scorched Carpet (2), Maple Pug (2), Ptocheuusa paupella (I have no idea whatsoever on how to pronounce that!). Also, good numbers of Four-spotted Footman, and my first females of the species, and the usual species which I don't get at home often (Black Arches, Oak Hook-tip ect)

Scorched Carpet - New for me, quite a nice moth too!

Female Four-spotted Footman - Nationally Scarce A (defo breeding here, whereas a migrant back home)

So yeah, continuous trapping in the garden (not every night though) produced some nice species this week, with 9 species being new for garden, which the highlights were Old Lady (which I first saw only a week or two ago), Black Arches, Crescent, and Scrobipalpa suaedella (a Nationally Scarce micro).

The Old Lady - rarely attracted to light, and one I've been after for a while now.

 

The week ended with a moth event at Radipole Lake with the Dorset Moth Group. With 8 traps (5 MVs and 3 Actinics) running till about midnight, we managed to get 109 species, with 10 species new for me. The highlights were the Wainscots for some, with Webb's, Southern, Brown-veined, Twin-spotted, Smoky, Common, Bulrush and Small Wainscots all being present. Being my first proper trapping session on reeds, Brown-veined, Twin-spotted and Bulrush were all new to me, but someone else took the only Bulrush to photograph (I'm fine with this though, I live local to Radipole Lake and can trap there, and will probably get a Bulrush wonder into the garden at some point), and while Brown-veined were more common than Twin-spotted, apparently I only took 2 TS to photograph (and a very, very dark Brown-veined).

Twin-spotted Wainscot  - Named for the two white spots on the wing (surprise surprise!)

There were some nice macros which I have seen before, albeit infrequently, with Gold Spot, Oblique Carpet, Narrow-winged Pug and many Drinkers being nice ones for me. Have a pic of a female Drinker

Female Drinker - a big moth that laid some eggs on ye old moth trap.

Some nice micros too, with Limnaecia phragmitella and Calamotropha paludella being new reedbed micros, and Epermenia falciformis and Prochoreutis myllerana being of note (all new to me). Also a Scrobipalpa suaedella (another of the nationally scarce micros, a different individual to the last (mine was still in pot)).

Limnaecia phragmitella - pretty much the only non-colourful member of the Cosmopterix family. Much bigger than I'd expected.

Calamotropha paludella - A reedbed crambid, one of the micros I've been hoping to see.