New for the year this morning were Heart & Dart, Willow Beauty, Light Brown Applle Moth, and my 2nd ever record of Oak-tree Pug. Itn seemed very "quiet" at Dunge so I was encouraged to make the longish journey (I was driven) to Cuckmere Haven for the (1st Summer) American Golden Plover. I'd heard the bird was very confiding and we weren't disappointed.

Oak-tree Pug

 American Golden Plover

Well not exactly fantastic but last night was the best of the year so far with 17 moths of 11 species, including a new macro species for the garden list: Light Brocade. I also had both Privet and Poplar Hawk-moths, which were new for the year alomg with the Red Twin-spot Carpet & Marbled Minor (agg.).

Light Brocade

Privet Hawk-moth

A warmer night produced 11 moths. May Highlyer, Spruce Carpet and Common Marbled Carpet were new for the year. Also a 2nd Pale Tussock after the one 2 days ago was interesting. Yesterday I photographed a Common Blue Butterfly locally which was my 1st of the year too.

Common Blue

Low numbers continue in the trap but with a few new species for the year. The best of these was a Pale Tussock yesterday. This was my 11th garden record in 14 years of trapping. The exciting news was of the Black Kite between here and Selling for the last few days. I've seen it on 2 occasions-the first I've seen in the UK. I'm still hoping to get a photograph.

 Pale Tussock

  

Since the last post moth numbers have continued very low for June. New species for the year have been Vine's Rustic, Treble Lines and Common Swift. However this morning I had The Parsnip Moth, which I have seen before, but not in my garden. So the garden list now stands at 490-can I get to 500 this year?

Parsnip Moth

Treble Lines

Slightly better this morning after 2 nights with nothing in the trap-(something I've not experienced in June before)-there were 8 moths of 6 species, with White-spotted Pug, Swallow Prominent & Diamond-back new for the year. Paid a visit to Bonsai bank this afternoon where I saw around 4 Duke of Burgundy Butterflies, 1 Green Hairstreak, several Dingy Skippers and a couple of Brimstones.

Diamond-back Moth

 Duke of Burgundy

Green Hairstreak

Well we've reached the end of another month and the Moths this year have actually been worse statistically than I thought. By the end of May last year I had recorded 56 species in the garden and this year the figure is 26. I did get however get 6 moths yesterday including Green Carpet, Freyer's Pug and a new micro fopr the garden list: Argyresthia trifasciata. On Friday I made a rip to Dunge and whilst it was generally fairly quiet I did photograph a Mediterranean Gull at Lade and a Little Owl in the Dungeness area.

Little Owl

Med Gull

 Argyresthia trifsciata

Green Carpet