Catalonia...#1

Back home after a week in north eastern Catalonia, Spain, in an area between Olot and Girona, with some sorties into the mountains too. We had two bases, one in lush wooded hills, that was more like eastern europe, and one on lowlands that was more typical of a mediterranean climate.

The main goal here was to see butterflies and dragonflies. I have been birding in the Pyrenees before, but didnt really have time to enjoy the masses of butterflies we saw at the time, so promised myself I would go back, with no goals or targets, just to bumble about taking in anything that appears...

Up at 7,000 feet, the temperature was as low as 6 degrees, something you dont expect in Spain in summer, but on the lower levels it reached 28 degrees. A big variation in a day!

Ski slopes on a high mountain pass.

A few birds were noted - Black Redstarts, 3+ Citril Finch, Crested Tit and Crag Martin but it was mainly too cool for the inverts.

The colour of the Gentians matched the sky...

Possibly Black Mountain Moth?

Citril Finch was an easy find here.

A bit lower into the valley and things warmed up a bit, and our first butterflies were noted. This was the start of the La Garrotxa national park, an area of limestone mountains that proved excellent for butterflies and flora.

Pearly Heath

Western Dappled White

Southern Grizzled Skipper

Heath Fritillary

Scarce Swallowtail

Black veined White

Birds noted lower down were Short toed Treecreeper, Firecrest, Fan tailed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Nightingales, Golden Orioles (everywhere) and Cirl Buntings.

These Cirl Buntings had large young in a nest in a garden hedge next to our hotel.

To be continued...

The Howick Moth Disaster...

I bet its eating moths...

Well what a surprise when I got up this morning. I went out to the trap bleary eyed and noticed a movement in the trap...a Tree Sparrow! As I approached there were two stuck inside. I lifted the cone and they flew off, then I heard a scuffle under the egg boxes - a third. Three Tree Sparrows in my trap eating my moths.

Wildlife has been culled for less! Thats the thanks I get for putting up nice nest boxes and seed daily...

3 Poplar Hawks, 1 Spectacle, 1 Beautiful GY and several un id'd were in tatters plus they had crapped all over the survivors...

So I'm away on holiday to the Pyrenees looking for butterflies and dragonflies tomorrow for a week, the trap has been put away and will be positioned somewhere else in the garden to try and break the habit on my return.

The catch was something like -

Taxa
0017 Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus) 1
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 1
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
1126 Ancylis badiana 1
1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 3
1428 Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella) 1
1722 Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata) 1
1727 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) 13
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 1
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 1
1802 Rivulet (Perizoma affinitata) 1
1837 Grey Pug (Eupithecia subfuscata) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) 3
2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 2
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) 2
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 1
2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) 1
2302 Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea) 1
2442 Beautiful Golden Y (Autographa pulchrina) 1
2450 Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 1
6666 Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) 3 NFY

44 Moths and Birds of 24 sp.

My 1300th post!

I've just noticed that this is my 1300th post on this blog since it began in July 2006. I wonder what I would have done with the time I would have saved if I had not set up the blog...hohum...

Juvvies...

Around about the garden today, a male Great spotted Woodpecker brought one of its young in to our feeders. It didnt get much peace thanks to the woodpigeons banging about, so I missed the feeding shot. This is the young one on our garden wall, where it was later joined by a rabbit. Bizzarre.

Campion

This is a Campion from last nights catch. Only my second record with the last being in 2010. I diligently scour the Lychnis moths in case I am missing them but they are quite distinctive being a bit darker and having a tinge of paraffin pink to them.

Coxcomb Prominent

Coxcomb Prominent was the pick of the rest, a nice quiet moth, a doddle to photograph.

Also of interest were two Poplar Hawk-moths, one being only half the size of the bog standard one. The pic above shows this quite well...

Kind hearts and coronets...

Marbled Coronet

Dwarf Pug

A couple of pics from this mornings catch. The Marbled Coronet is my first for 2 years. The biggest surprise in the trap though must go to the Hebrew Character, still hanging in there. My latest orthosia record by a couple of weeks.

Dwarf Pug is quite scarce in my garden, this being only my seventh individual. All have been in June.

Thats better!

The mildest night of the year at 11 degrees resulted in my best catch so far in 2013...

Taxa
Coleophora species (Coleophora sp.) 3
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 10
0518 Coleophora mayrella 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 7
0672 Parsnip Moth (Depressaria heraclei) 1
0724 Metzneria lappella 1 NFY
0892 Mompha subbistrigella 1
1111 Bactra lancealana 3 NFY
1126 Ancylis badiana 2
1301 Crambus lathoniellus 1 NFY
1333 Scoparia pyralella 1 NFY
1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 2
1428 Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella) 3
1722 Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata) 1
1727 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) 4
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 2
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 2
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1807 Grass Rivulet (Perizoma albulata) 1 NFY
1817 Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata) 3 NFY
1819 Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata) 2 NFY
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 6
1837 Grey Pug (Eupithecia subfuscata) 1
1846 Narrow-winged Pug (Eupithecia nanata) 2 NFY
1857 Dwarf Pug (Eupithecia tantillaria) 1 NFY
1902 Brown Silver-line (Petrophora chlorosata) 5
1918 Lunar Thorn (Selenia lunularia) 1 NFY
1920 Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata) 2
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) 2
2003 Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac) 1
2008 Coxcomb Prominent (Ptilodon capucina) 1 NFY
2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 12
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) 2
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 4
2158 Pale-shouldered Brocade (Lacanobia thalassina) 1
2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) 1
2164 Broad-barred White (Hecatera bicolorata) 1
2173 Lychnis (Hadena bicruris) 1
2326 Clouded-bordered Brindle (Apamea crenata) 3
2330 Dusky Brocade (Apamea remissa) 1 NFY
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 9
2387 Mottled Rustic (Caradrina morpheus) 1 NFY
2442 Beautiful Golden Y (Autographa pulchrina) 3

122 Moths of 43 sp

Coleophora mayrella

Grass Rivulet

Narrow winged Pug

Mothing in remotest Northumberland...

Sunrise over the College Valley

A cloudy calm and mild night saw four of us head out to the far north west of North Northumberland, to the very remote College Valley. We ran 2 125w MV Robinson type traps and briefly used a 160w blended bulb over a sheet / skinner until some heavy rain put paid to that. Luckily that didnt stop the moths...

We were entertained by roding Woodcock until the moths came in at about midnight, and the first Skylark began singing at 3.16am....

We managed several good county species, best being Barred Umber with only 5 previous records until last in 1971. We had 8. Plus another 3 new species for me.

See below for the catch...

Taxa
0228  Monopis weaverella  1
1301  Crambus lathoniellus  1
1722  Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata)  7

Striped Twin-spot Carpet

1753  Striped Twin-spot Carpet (Nebula salicata)  6
1759  Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata)  11
1760  Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata)  1

Autumn Green Carpet

1761  Autumn Green Carpet (Chloroclysta miata)  1

BBC

1773  Broken-barred Carpet (Electrophaes corylata)  3 NEW
1778  May Highflyer (Hydriomena impluviata)  55
1817  Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata)  1
1834  Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  6
1846  Narrow-winged Pug (Eupithecia nanata)  2
1851  Golden-rod Pug (Eupithecia virgaureata)  1
1857  Dwarf Pug (Eupithecia tantillaria)  2
1887  Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata)  2
1902  Brown Silver-line (Petrophora chlorosata)  39

Barred Umber

1903  Barred Umber (Plagodis pulveraria)  8
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  9
1917  Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria)  7
1918  Lunar Thorn (Selenia lunularia)  6
1920  Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata)  6
1931  Peppered Moth (Biston betularia)  2

Grey Birch

1951  Grey Birch (Aethalura punctulata)  1 NEW
1955  Common White Wave (Cabera pusaria)  2
1981  Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi)  4
2000  Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius)  1
2003  Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac)  1
2006  Lesser Swallow Prominent (Pheosia gnoma)  2
2008  Coxcomb Prominent (Ptilodon capucina)  3
2011  Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina)  4
2060  White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda)  10
2102  Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta)  7
2158  Pale-shouldered Brocade (Lacanobia thalassina)  3

Glaucous Shears

2162  Glaucous Shears (Papestra biren)  6 NEW
2250  Dark Brocade (Blepharita adusta)  2
2289  Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis)  4
2302  Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea)  1
2305  Small Angle Shades (Euplexia lucipara)  11
2326  Clouded-bordered Brindle (Apamea crenata)  4
2425  Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli)  4
2434  Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis)  1
2450  Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita)  3

251 Moths of 42 species

Not a bad selection last night...

Taxa
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 1
0892 Mompha subbistrigella 2 NFY
1126 Ancylis badiana 1
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 2
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
1759 Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) 1 NFY
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1844 Ochreous Pug (Eupithecia indigata) 1 NFY
1902 Brown Silver-line (Petrophora chlorosata) 1
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 1
1918 Lunar Thorn (Selenia lunularia) 1 NFY
1920 Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata) 1
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) 1
2006 Lesser Swallow Prominent (Pheosia gnoma) 1
2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 4
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) 1
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 1 NFY
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 3
2158 Pale-shouldered Brocade (Lacanobia thalassina) 1
2173 Lychnis (Hadena bicruris) 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 1
2326 Clouded-bordered Brindle [melanic form] (Apamea crenata ab. combusta) 1 NFY
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 2
2450 Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 1

33 moths of 24 sp

Ochreous Pug

New moth...

In a year as dismal for moths as this, its a surprise to get a new macro for the garden...

Another cool night down to 7 degrees.

Taxa
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 1
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) 1
2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 5
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) 1 NFY
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 1
2164 Broad-barred White (Hecatera bicolorata) 1 NFG
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 1
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 1 NFY

13 moths of 9 sp

Broad barred White

You are...GOLD!

Not that I ever was a Spandau Ballet fan, but this morning really did turn up some gold...

A last minute arrangement saw me and JWR up to Newton Pool for an early morning bash. We bumped into Gary who was just leaving saying all was quiet, and the Rosefinch from a couple of days ago had not returned. Not to worry, we decided to have a look around anyway and enjoyed Willow Tit, a Little Tern and a singing Lesser Whitethroat before we went into the hide.

After five minutes it was clear there was little here other than a female Gadwall and a lone shot-up Pink footed Goose that flew N.

That was until John said 'What's this coming over the pond?'

A quick glance saw a medium sized bird with a skylark -like flight pattern heading north . Before I lifted the bins I had my suspicions. As soon as I got the glass onto the bird - Golden Oriole! A green and yellowish streaky bird with darker wings landed in the cottage garden.

I rang Gary to tell him ( mind, he sounded well excited ;) who said he was along the track and on his way. He and Jimmy Steele arrived in minutes and soon located the bird in trees in the garden as it crept about like a huge warbler, eating insects, and even a bee.

Through the scope its bright greeny yellow plumage offset with yellow undertail and red bill made for a very handsome bird, a patch first for Gary and only my third in Northumberland. After half an hour feeding up, it flew out of the tees and Jimmy pronounced that 'its f*cked off!' as it moved high west. A poetic tribute to a Mediterranean tourist in the county I think. [You can take the man out of Newbiggin but you cant get Newbiggin out of the man...]

Nice to get one back for Gary after all the birds he has given me.

GoldyO before it F*cked off...

A Barn Owl hunted in the sunshine near the car too...

Mothing variety...

White spotted Pug

A mild 9 degrees with cloud improved the variety...a nice White spotted Pug the highlight.

Taxa
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 3
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
1722 Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata) 1 NFY
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 1 NFY
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1 NFY
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 1 NFY
1835 White-spotted Pug (Eupithecia tripunctaria) 1 NFY
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 1
2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 1
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 1 NFY
2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 2
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 1
2425 Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli) 1

18 moths of 15 sp.

Patch Tick

On Thursday while on holiday in Suffolk, a neighbour emailed me to say that Robert the head gardener at Howick Hall had seen a 'white heron' on the pond. There is a small heronry here so an albino is a feasible guess, but Julie, my neighbour, had been to check and she thought it was a Great Egret.

Bugger, a big patch tick considering the tiny amount of fresh water available here,but  I was sure it would soon depart as there are a good few visitors to such a small pond. It was bound to be disturbed.

So as soon as we got home on Friday, I, er, had to walk the dog and headed straight down to the pond. Sure enough, there it was, an smashing adult Great White Egret complete with aigrettes down its back, roosting with herons on an overhead branch. It did a couple of flights around the pool but stayed up in the trees as I left.

A cracking bird for the list, but surprisingly, it is Howick Pond's 6th heron species with Little Bittern, Squacco Heron, Night Heron, Grey Heron and Little Egret all recorded on an area the size of a football pitch! ( Well, in the last 150 years anyway...)

Although a GWE has been knocking around the Druridge - Hauxley area recently this bird looks different. Its beak is more yellow ( see here ) rather than the black bill of that bird...

Howick Patch List 193, 2013 List 111, Points 128.

A week in Suffolk...

We spent the last week at Westleton, Suffolk, where, of course, I did some moth trapping on suitable nights. I was hoping to get a Lime Hawkmoth, but didn't have any luck, still, its something to target next time...

Over the week there were 10 new species for me, not particularly rare ones, but moths that occur a good way south of home. Not having any idea of what I could get there, all of them were great surprises...
Pick of the bunch must be Chocolate Tip, Great Prominent and V-pug, all fantastic looking things...

Any way, here they are, more on the trip to follow...

Code	Taxon	Vernacular	Individuals
1356	Evergestis forficalis	Garden Pebble	1
1546	Gonepteryx rhamni	Brimstone	1
1646	Watsonalla binaria	Oak Hook-tip	1
1648	Drepana falcataria	Pebble Hook-tip	2
1660	Polyploca ridens	Frosted Green	2
1680	Cyclophora punctaria	Maiden's Blush	4
1722	Xanthorhoe designata	Flame Carpet	1
1724	Xanthorhoe spadicearia	Red Twin-spot Carpet	2
1725	Xanthorhoe ferrugata	Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet	1
1728	Xanthorhoe fluctuata	Garden Carpet	2
1747	Anticlea derivata	Streamer	1
1769	Thera britannica	Spruce Carpet	2
1776	Colostygia pectinataria	Green Carpet	1
1781	Horisme vitalbata	Small Waved Umber	1
1832	Eupithecia assimilata	Currant Pug	1
1834	Eupithecia vulgata	Common Pug	2
1846	Eupithecia nanata	Narrow-winged Pug	7
1858	Chloroclystis v-ata	V-Pug	1
1883	Acasis viretata	Yellow-barred Brindle	2
1888	Ligdia adustata	Scorched Carpet	3
1906	Opisthograptis luteolata	Brimstone Moth	1
1919	Selenia tetralunaria	Purple Thorn	1
1931	Biston betularia	Peppered Moth	4
1936	Menophra abruptaria	Waved Umber	5
1955	Cabera pusaria	Common White Wave	1
2000	Notodonta dromedarius	Iron Prominent	1
2003	Notodonta ziczac	Pebble Prominent	1
2005	Peridea anceps	Great Prominent	4
2006	Pheosia gnoma	Lesser Swallow Prominent	6
2007	Pheosia tremula	Swallow Prominent	3
2019	Clostera curtula	Chocolate-tip	3
2043	Eilema sororcula	Orange Footman	1
2063	Diaphora mendica	Muslin Moth	2
2078	Nola confusalis	Least Black Arches	1
2092	Agrotis puta	Shuttle-shaped Dart	7
2102	Ochropleura plecta	Flame Shoulder	3
2147	Hada plebeja	Shears	7
2157	Lacanobia w-latinum	Light Brocade	1
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	2
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	11
2214	Cucullia chamomillae	Chamomile Shark	1
2243	Xylocampa areola	Early Grey	3
2284x	Acronicta tridens/psi	Dark Dagger / Grey Dagger	1
2450	Abrostola tripartita	Spectacle	1
		Total	109

Oak Hook-tip

Frosted Green

Maiden's Blush

Small Waved Umber

V-Pug

Scorched Carpet

Waved Umber

Great Prominent

Chocolate-Tip

Orange Footman

A shrine to a stringer...

Its a boring Wednesday afternoon at 4.21pm when my phone vibrates to life on my desk at work. After a cold, slow spring for birds and moths on my patch, a glance down to see who is calling, and it suddenly looks like things were about to change.  

Gary Woodburn has been a birding friend of mine since he moved up here getting on for ten years ago (?). He used ring birds at Druridge Pools when that was my patch, but he always talked about his favourite spot - Low Newton, and had a hankering that better coverage of this quite remote Northumberland headland would produce the goods.

Since he moved up that way, the village has been nailed on to the birding map, that's for sure. Gary's patch watching has certain echoes of that other adopted Northumbrian, that raider from the north,  who turned the run down fishing village of Newbiggin into a birding mecca, Jimmy Steele.

It was with this knowledge that when I saw it was Gaz calling, it is often about a bird, and at this time on a Wednesday, it must be interesting. Previous calls from Gary have been for Greenish Warblers (the 's' isn't a typo),  Pallas's Warbler, Long eared Owl in the hand, Short toed Lark, Lesser Grey Shrike and Stilt Sandpiper ( though it can be to call in for a cuppa too... ) but I would not have guessed what this message would bring.

When I answered, a very calm voice asked if I was at work, when I confirmed this, he said, 'you might want to get up here...there's a  COLLARED FLYCATCHER'. 

Now, my office is 30 miles from Newton, on country roads too, so without time to waste I just clocked off and left. Thank God for flexi time. 

At the time, Gary was unsure that the bird would remain on public view as it was right on the edge of his ringing site on private land, so he hadn't gone public. I was sworn to secrecy until he assessed the situation, but by the time I got there an hour later, the bird was going to be viewable for the crowds and the informations services had been called.

It couldn't have picked a better feeding circuit, along an open fence line backed by gorse opposite the Tin Church where people could park cars and not disturb its routine. Excellent.

Collared Flycatcher is a new addition to the Northumberland List ( as was Gary's Stilt Sandpiper last year). In May 2005, Graeme Bowman made a request of the members of the Northumberland and Tyneside Bird Club to predict potential new additions to the county avifauna. Four people predicted Collared Fly - Eddie Slack, Les Robson, Maurice Hepple and yours truly! Easy to predict, harder to actually find...

So, in light of Gary's work in adding two new species in consecutive years to the county list, is it not time we had a statue erected on Newton Point....it could be named Stringers Shrine ;)

Cheers for the call Gaz, keep 'em coming!

What will be the next addition to the county list I wonder?

Surely a twitchable Pallid Harrier isn't too much to ask...

PC fixed now, so back to proper lists. A nice Nut tree Tussock was last nights highlight...

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 2
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 1 NFY
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 2
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 3
2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 3
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 3
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 4
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 14
2425 Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli) 1 NFY

34 Moths of 10 sp 

Nutty Tussock

A pic from last week of this nice garden combo...

Tree Sparrow and Blackcap share a feeder

Water Carpet

Taxa
0663  Diurnea fagella  1
0688  Agonopterix heracliana  5
0697  Agonopterix arenella  2
1746  Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata)  1
1750  Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata)  8
1917  Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria)  6
2182  Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda)  3
2186  Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis)  12
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  12
2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  13
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  27

90 moths of 11 sp

Agonopterix arenella

Another few moths last night, but this nagging breeze is becoming a bore now...

Taxa
0663  Diurnea fagella  2
0672  Parsnip Moth (Depressaria heraclei)  1
0688  Agonopterix heracliana  2
1750  Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata)  3
1862  Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)  1
1917  Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria)  3
2139  Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa)  3
2182  Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda)  2
2186  Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis)  6
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  6
2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  1
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  23

53 moths of 12 sp

I'm Back...

Well the computer has returned with a new case and seems to be working ok, though my emails are still cocked up so I'm getting a man in...

Last nights moths -


Taxa
0288  Caloptilia stigmatella  1 NFY 2nd for garden 3rd VC68 record
0672  Parsnip Moth (Depressaria heraclei)  1
0688  Agonopterix heracliana  1
1746  Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata)  2 NFY
1750  Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata)  2 NFY
1862  Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)  2
1917  Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria)  1
2139  Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa)  4
2186  Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis)  5
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  5
2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  4
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  15

Total 43 moths of 11 sp.

Even though this is the best catch so far this year, it shows how bad things really are. I should have had a few catches over the ton by now...Still I was please with the little Caloptilia...I'll ad a pic tomorrow.

Shoulder Stripes ( not last nights, its an older pic)

A couple more migrants have joined the slowly growing Howick list this week.

Day before yesterday a singing Grasshopper Warbler greeted me as I went out to feed the garden birds before work. It rattled away for a good while, but there was no sign in the evening or since. A passage bird probably.

Tonight a slow stroll around our village, in the evening sunshine and a call rang out over head. 2 male Yellow Wagtails chasing each other overhead then off towards the coast. Nice bright birds lit up by the low sun. 7 Wheatears were together near the fallen wall in the coast field too.

Who needs a Rock Thrush...

For the patch challenge 105 species (120 points).

The biggies...

At this time of year moth trapping can get a bit samey with day after day producing the same half dozen similar species in varying quantities. This year has been even worse with a poor, cold, spring greatly reducing garden catches, so when I inspected last nights catch, this morning I was very pleased to find two quite sought after spring species.

The pick of the bunch were only my second garden record of Red Sword-grass and, also hoped for each year, a Pale Pinion.

Pale Pinion

Red Sword-grass

Other new species for the year this morning were Early Grey, Double Striped Pug, Red green Carpet and Diurnea fagella.

Double striped Pug

Red green Carpet

Early Grey

Diurnea fagella

A new moth...

Above Top - Early Tooth Striped
Above bottom - Mottled Grey

I find these two quite tricky to tell apart. Easy when photos are side by side like this, but one, in the trap is a different proposition. I have had a good few Mottled Greys in the garden but until last night the only Early Tooth Striped I have seen were on Speyside last year. The easy way to tell them apart I think is the wing point shape. The ETS is much more rounded than the MG. Also the pairs of stripes either side of the body on ETS are quite obvious on this one...

Calmer...

A nice sunny mild day makes Jack a happy boy...

A couple of walks around the patch revealed 12 Sand Martins down at the Haven, and 2 or 3 Willow Warblers at the pond. Both patch year ticks. Also 3 Blackcap, 5 Swallow and many singing Chiffchaffs made migrant watching worthwhile. 2 Canada Geese and a Greylag flew south, and single Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell around the garden were my first butterflies of the year.

A nice Brown Hare has spent a day or two just over our drive wall, while 6 in the back field and 2 in Village wood made for a veritable Hare fest!

My phone has recovered and picks up emails, but no luck on the PC so I have enlisted professional help for next week.

Damn and blast!

PC is back.

Looks like it was repaired by a blind 12 yr old wearing boxing gloves using a fucking hammer. Now I have shagged my email passwords so not only do I not get them on my computer I cant get them on my phone either!

Shite.

If anyone needs to contact me please text.

What a load of Bollocks.

And while I'm raging....

Patch Challenge is slowly coming along with a Swallow two days earlier than expected on 13th making my list a neat 100 and 113 points.

PC world...

This is tricky. Phone blogging. My PC has had a fit and is going for repair this weekend. Normal service will be resumed when I get it back. I can still get emails on my phone...

Its all happening now...

Well its not really, but there has been an improvement since the start of April. Although its cold, days have been quite dry and sometimes sunny, without snow so its got to be a bonus.

On the 1st of the month a flock of 6 Canada Geese flew N low over the Village and today 2 Chiffchaffs  singing in Village Wood and the Pond Field plus a pair of Tufted Ducks on the pond itself were all new additions to the Patch Challenge list.

This takes me up to 96 species at 107 points. Hopefully there will be a few more additions before this month is out...

I had a report of a Ruddy Shelduck at Boulmer on Thursday so I called in before work yesterday but there was no sign...

Spring Marches on.....

Last night was a balmy 3 degrees at dusk, with a nice cloud covering and no wind, so out came the Robinson...

March was an absolutely dreadful month for lepidopterists with no butterflies and very few moths, so I was very pleased this morning to find millions in the trap. Well, 10 anyway.

Taxa
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 2 NFY
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 5
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1

10 Moths of 4 sp

March Moth