Nights are still cold but in the last week Pale Mottled Willow, Waved Umber, & Muslin Moth have been new for the year. This morning an early Coxcomb Prominent was only my 2nd ever record.

Coxcomb Prominent

 Waved Umber

A couple of milder nights over the weekend meant a few more moths in the trap than of late. New for the year were: my 2nd ever Lunat Marbled Brown, Early Tooth-striped, Least Black Arches, White-spotted Pug, and Brimstone Moth; while a tiny micro which I think is Phyllonorycter esperella is new for the garden.

Least Black Arches

Lunar Marbled Brown

Phyllonorycter esperella

Since my last post we've had a lot of dry weather but with cold nights and low numbers in the trap. However, the micro Caloptilia semifascia was new for the garden list. Acleris cristana was my 4th garden record and The Streamer is always a nice one to get in the trap. Year list now 20.

 Caloptilia semifascia

 Acleris cristana

The Streamer

 

With the improved weather the last few days moth trapping has improved withthe following usual spring species turning up in the trap: D. fagella, Small Quaker, Early Thorn, Early Grey, Twin-spotted Quaker, The Chestnut and a Dotted Border. Year list 12. I did manage to see the 2 Short-eared owls at Oare yesterday but they remained firmly on the ground. Nearby a Little Egret looked good in breeding plumage in the sun.

 Little Egret

Twin-spotted Quaker

Small Quaker

Early Grey

 

I have managed to put the trap out on a couple of nights when it wasn't too wet or windy or both, and so far I've had 2 Hebrew Characters, 2 Common Quakers and 1 Clouded Drab. Additionally I found a Dotted Border on the front door after dark this week so that's 5 species so far this year. A couple of visits to Dungeness haven't produced a lot to report, failing to see either of the "White-winged" Gulls that have been reported recently. I did see the drake Smew distantly, the Firecrest on the reserve and there are a few Chiffchaffs wintering. There has been a wreck of sea creatures on the shore, which seem to be mainly Squid, Starfish and Sea Mice. We did note a dozen Mediterranean Gulls and a few Kittiwakes coming close to the shore.

Dotted Border

Chiffchaff

Starfish

I recently returned from a short trip to Brazil's Atalantic Forest. I will be posting my pictures on my Flickr site over the next few weeks. Just a few below:

TocoToucan

Maroon-bellied Parakeet

Bananquit

Still raining. The first moth record of the year was on 4th January when I found 3 wings of a Winter Moth on a window sill at the back of the house. In the Dungeness area on the 3rd January we saw 28 Bewisk's Swans on Walland Marsh, 2 Long-tailed Ducks on Scotney and a Shoret-eared Owl at Galloways. On 7th January I saw a Mediterranean Gull at hampton Pier, Herne Bay, and a Purple Sandpiper, which had a damaged bill and some line attached to one leg. this kind of thing seems more common lately.

Purple Sandpiper

 Bewick's Swans

 Mediterranean Gull