The moth trap continues to do well with the mild weather we're having. On Wednesday morning there were 5 November Moths, plus a Pale Mottled Willow and a late Eudonia mercurella. This morning there were 2 Rusty-dot Pearls, November Moth, Feathered Thorn, Red-green Carpet and, new for the year, Barred Sallow. I then spent a very good day in marvelous weather at Dungeness. The day started slowly with the Red-crested Pochard, Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff and a Clouded Yellow butterfly on the ARC pit. We then moved to the fishing boats where we managed 7 Little Gulls, a few Med Gulls and a couple of Sandwich Terns. After lunch we saw a Bittern and Great White Egret in flight over Hooker's from the Dengemarsh Road. We adjourned for a coffee at the RSPB visitor centre from where another Great White Egret could be seen, and as we finished our drinks 2 Spoonbills dropped in to join 2 Little Egrets on the islands out from the centre. There was no time to relax however, as a message came through of a Grey Phalarope on the sea back at the fishing boats. We headed over there again, where my companion re-located it and we had distant views on the sea and in flight. We stayed there as there was an almost constant flow of Med Gulls going past-probably 200 while we stood there, and then 2 Pomarine Skuas flew west, giving good scope views in excellent light conditions. Finally 2 Common Eider appeared and it was time to leave. 

Barred Sallow

 Spoonbills

 Mediterranean Gulls

Two Rusty-dot Pearls were new for the year this morning.

Rusty-dot Pearl

Just 6 moths this morning but interesting records continued with a Mottled Umber (3rd garden record) and Spruce Carpet, which was new for the year. 

 Mottled Umber

 Spruce Carpet

As I approached the trap this morning I could see something large sitting on the vanes. I was hoping for large moth but it proved to be a Dark Bush-cricket (they live in our hedge but are rarely seen). It proved challenging to photograph-it kept running away. On the trap were Red-green Carpet, November Moth and LBAM. In it were B.lacticolella, Green-brindled Crescent  and Grey Shoulder-knot, which was only my 2nd garden record and the first, almost to the day, since 26/10/2000-14 years!

 Grey Shoulder-knot

 Dark Bush-cricket

A mild drizzly night produced 6 moths in the trap: LBAM, November Moth, Green-brindled Crescent, and my 3rd Merveille du Jour of the week (after only 1 in the last 14 years), which I'm fairly sure is not a re-trap. New for the year were: The Satellite and Yellow-line Quaker. The year's macro list has now reached 160, the same as in the last 2 poor years.

The Satellite

 Yellow-line Quaker

 Merveille du Jour

Had my weekly trip to Dunge yesterday where we struggled to find anything new. A search of the trapping area again failed to locate a Yellow-browed Warbler. At the fishing boats a Yellow-legged Gull was with the gull roost and 2 Arctic Skuas chased a Sandwich Tern in the distance. Two Guillemots flew in and Gannets were abundant. A flock of 25 Kittiwakes also landed on the sea briefly. On the reserve we finally caught up with the Cattle Egret late afternoon. This morning the moth trap held 2 Red-green carpets , a Feathered Thorn and the second Merveille du Jour of the week. No pictures yesterday so here is the latter against an autumnal backdrop.

Merveille du Jour

Just 3 moths this morning but Blair's Shoulder-knot was new for the year.

Blair's Shoulder-knot

The milder nights recently have meant a few more moths in the trap than during September. These have inluded another Sallow, 3 Green-brindled Crescents and 2 November Moths 9 (agg.) and Acleris sparsana.. I also had my latest ever Mottled Rustic. However, this morning, I was pleased to see a Merveille du Jour on the vanes of the trap-my 2nd garden record and the first for 4 years.

 Merveille du Jour

 Green-brindled Crescent

Just 6 moths this morning, but 3 species were all new for the year: November Moth, Red-green Carpet and at last a very worn Sallow.

November Moth

 Red-green Carpet

No trap due to rain last night but I made the weekly Dunge trip today. There wasn't much on the ARC pit but in the Hanson hide I found a micro moth which was new for me: Caloptilia stigmatella. On to the Desert and Trapping Area where the Wood Lark showed well. We then spent some time unsuccessfully trying to find one of the Yellow-browed Warblers. About 10 Ring Ouzels were seen in flight arouind the area. After lunch we saw a couple of Arctic Skuas at the fishing boats with just a few Sandwich terns. A lone Common Scoter and 7 Brent Geese also flew past. Back on the RSPB Reserve the Cattle Egret showed well and another 5 Ring Ouzels flew overhead. Finally the Great White Egret showed well on Hooker's.

Caloptilia stigmatella

 Wood Lark

Great White Egret

Another mild and fairly dry night meant 9 moths this morning-my best haul for quite a while: LBAM, Monopis obviella, 3 Common Marbled Carpet, Angle Shades, Lesser Yellow Underwing, The Chestnut, and new for the year Feathered Thorn. 

 Feathered Thorn

The Chestnut

 Monopis obviella

I've not had much to report lately but a mild night with not much rain this morning produced 5 moths in the trap: Silver Y, Common Marbled Carpet, Lesser Yellow Underwing, and new for the year: Green-brindled Crescent & a very worn Acleris sparsana.

Green-brindled Crescent

Acleris sparsana

Just 5 moths this morning: 2 Feathered Ranunculus, 2 Lunar Underwing, and at last an L-album Wainscot. This is the first time this year that I've had solely "autumn species" in the trap. Still no Sallows.

Feathered Ranunculus

 L-album Wainscot

A Feathered Ranunculus in the trap this morning was only the third species added to the year list in September but overall moth numbers so far are slightly better than last year. Visited Dunge today. After seeing a Great Crested Newt on the track to the Hanson Hide, and Black-necked Grebe and Water Rail from the hide, a message came of a Cattle Egret across the road near Boulderwall Farm, where it posed with some cows quite close to the path. At the Fishing Boats there were 2 Arctic Skuas still chasing the Sandwich Terns  and a Red-throated Diver in Summer plumage was on the sea. Back on the reserve after lunch there was a Yellow-legged Gull by the track to the visitors Centre and a distant Stint from the Makepeace hide was probably an adult Little. A Great White Egret was on Hookers. Back in the Hanson hide in late afternoon another Great White Egret showed well and Sparrowhawk flew past.

Great Crested Newt

Cattle Egret

 Cattle Egret

 Yellow-legged Gull