A mild wet night produced 56 moths of 26 species this morning with a nice Frosted Orange new for the year. This is only my 4th record in the garden and the 1st for 4 years. Spent the day at Dunge today and after struggling to find much on visits over the last few weeks there was a lot to look for. Red-necked Phalarope was a "Dunge tick" for me and my 1st in the UK since 2005. The Melodious Warbler in the Dengemarsh Gully was my first in this country since 2003 and the Redstarts there were my first for 4 years. Two Whinchats at Galloways and a Little Stint on the ARC were year ticks. Unfortunately, despite 2 attempts, the Wryneck remained elusive. The Ruddy Duck on the ARC pit must be quite a rarity these days.

 Frosted Orange

Melodious Warbler

Common Redstart

Since friday the trap has only produced one species new for the year up to yesterday: Rosy Rustic. Last night, when the rain stopped about 21.30, I put the trap out and was quite pleased with 44 moths of 21 species. However, Large Yellow Underwings accounted for 13 and Flounced Rustics for 5 of the 44. A Swallow Prominent was the 2nd of the year and a Peacock Moth was my 3rd ever.

Peacock Moth

 

After a milder night I had a few more moths this morning than of late. However, my first Least Yellow Underwing since 2011 was the only new species for the year. At Dunge yesterday where Spotted Redshank was about the best bird of the day.There were 2 Avocets on the ARC pit with a Greenshank, and the Great White Egret was present on Hooker's. Hundreds of Sand Martins and numerous Willow Warblers were also noted.The Swallows seemed about to fledge from the nest in the ARC Screen Hide.

Least Yellow Underwing

 Swallows

It was down to 6c last night so only 17 moths this morning. Yesterday was better but not much of interest. There was a 2nd generation Engrailed, which I don't think I've seen before, and a nice Common Marbled Carpet.

The Engrailed

Common Marbled Carpet

Serious computer problems have prevented me posting for a few days. Catches have been low but I did get a new micro for the garden list on Saturday morning: Epermenia chaerophyllella. Also new for the year in this period were: Orange Swift, The Nutmeg, Svennson's Copper Underwing, and Lesser Treble-bar. I continue to get the micro Metelampra italica quite regularly.On trip to Dunge last Thursday, the most interesting sighting was a grass snake near the RSPB visitor centre.

 Epermenia chaerophyllella

 Metalampra italica

 The Nutmeg

Despite more rain, Sunday morning produced 21 moths of 17 species which included my 3rd record of Agriphila latistria, following 2 records in August 2012. I notice that I have now recorded 101 micro species this year, which is my best ever, passing my previous best of 97 species in 2012. However, moth numbers have crashed since Sunday with just 8 moths yesterday and 10 this morning. Ten of these 18 were LBBYUs.

 Agriphila latistria

A wet night so only 26 moths of 19 species this morning. However Small China-mark was my 2nd garden record and the first for 10 years. Unfortunately it was quite a tatty individual. I've recently had up to 12 Small Tortoiseshells on our buddleia and a Migrant Hawker hung around for a while this afternoon.

 Migrant Hawker

It's been a not very exiting week for moths, although I've had the first Flounced Rustics and Straw Underwings of the year. Tawny Speckled Pug and Ypsolopha sequella were also new for the year. Struggled to find many birds at Dunge yesterday too. I did manage to get a poor shot of Great Green Bush-cricket, a species I struggle to hear nowadays, and in the Hanson Hide, as well as the wasps, was a Common Lizard with a rather long tail.

 Great Green Bush-cricket

 Common Lizard

A much cooler night meant only 14 species this morning and nothing new for the year. This afternoon I spent about 90 minutes at Oare in an attempt to photograph the Bonaparte's Gull. Some heavily cropped pictures are below.

Bonaparte's Gull

Yesterday produced 24 species of which Agapeta hamana and Dichrorampha acuminitana were new for the year. Also Mompha propinquella was a new micro for the garden list. This morning there were also 24 species with Bryotropha domestica, Spruce Carpet, Common Carpet, and Straw Underwing new for the year. Made a trip to Dunge today where there were 5 Wood Sandpipers (3 from the Firth Hide and 2 on Hooker's) and a Great White Egret at Hooker's too. An adult Cuckoo on the reserve seemd a bit late leaving? I also managed to see the Curlew sandpiper at Rye Harbour. As it's the end of the month I wondered how the moth numbers compared to recent years. By the end of July I've recorded 228 species which is my best ever and compares with 159 by end July last year and 225 in 2011. However it's been the micros which have been doing well with 95 species by the end of July compared to 56 by this stage last year and 79 in 2011.

Mompha propinquella

  

Dichrorampha acuminitana