Moth numbers have declined a bit since my last post but Autumn appeared in the shape of first "Sallow" of the year this morning.

Centre-barred Sallow

Another 87 moths of 37 species this morning. New for the year were Dark Spinach and Holly Tortrix. I then headed off to Reculver to see the Baird's Sandpiper at Coldharbour Lagoon, my 1st in Kent since one at Dungeness in 2005. It showed well along with a Little Stint. On the way back a Great Skua passed by fairly close to the shore.

Baird's Sandpiper

 Baird's Sandpiper

 Dark Spinach

Slightly fewer moths this morning with 78 moths of 38 species. New for the year was: The Fern, which flew off as I pressed the shutter. Other interesting species included: Old Lady, White-point, and Poplar hawk-moth, but new for the garden was a tiny micro (4mm): Phyllonorycter klemannella.
 

 Phyllonorycter klemannella

 White-point

Another hot night with a thunderstorm and downpour produced another 117 moths of 42 different species. I was pleased to get my 2nd record of a Small Wainscot, especially as the 1st was 15 years ago. Also new for the year were micros Yponomeuta plumbella and Eudonia pallida.

Small Wainscot

 Yponomeuta plumbella

 Eudonia pallida

This morning after a very warm night there were 119 moths of 45 species in the trap. I was pleased to get my 2nd ever Peach Blossom, but the most remarkable record was 7 Latticed Heaths, a species I've recorded only 4 times in the last 16 years. New for the year also were: Maiden's Blush, Swallow Prominent, and Purple Bar.

 Peach Blossom

 Latticed Heath

 Swallow Prominent

 Purple Bar

 

A hot night produced 89 moths of 41 species this morning with Mullein Wave, Small Dusty Wave, and Sharp-angled Peacock all new for the year. Today at Dunge in very hot weather there were 2 LRPs and a Black-tailed Godwit on the ARC pit. The sea was quiet at the Fishing Boats but we did see 2 Black Terns go past and an Arctic Skua was lingering offshore. On the main part of the RSPB reserve in the afternoon there were 4 Great White Egrets, 1 Hobby, another Black Tern, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Stints, 1 Dunlin, 2 Green Sandpipers (Hayfields), 1 Wood Sandpiper (Hookers), 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Buzzards, with 2 Wheatears on the return trail. A Great Green Bush-cricket was also seen.

Sharp-angled Peacock

 Mullein Wave

Great Green Bush-cricket

 Wheatear

Nothing especially interesting to report form the moth trap but Common Wainscot, Six-striped Rustic and Marbled Beauty have all been new for the year over the last couple of days. At Oare Marshes at high tide yesterday afternoon there was an impressive number of waders-perhaps lacking a bit in diversity. I saw about 8 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 5 Knot and a few Avocet and Ruff amongst the 100s of Godwits, Redshank and Dunlin.

 Curlew Sandpipers

Six-striped Rustic

  

Moth trap numbers have declined sharply with the change in the weather. However, I was pleased to see a very small plume moth in the trap yesterday morning, which proved to be a Small Plume, a new one for the site. Off to Dunge yesterday where the forecast of heavy rain fortunately proved incorrect, with just 2 or 3 short showers in the morning and a dry afternoon. We did manage to see a few interesting birds but insects were keeping low in breezy conditions. Highlights were|: 3 Little Ringed Plovers on the ARC pit. An Arctic Skua was chasing a Sandwich Tern near the Fishing Boats and after lunch on the main part of the RSPB reserve there were 5 Great White Egrets, 2 Buzzards, 3 Common Sandpipers, 3 Greenshanks, 7 Redshanks, 2 Garganey, a Kingfisher and a Wheatear.

 Redshank

 Kingfisher

Down to 8c again last night and only 18 moths of 14 species this morning. However there was a new micro for the garden list: Caloptilia populetorum.

Caloptilia populetorum

Moth number declining with cooler nights (8c last night) but yesterday I had my 2nd records of 2 micros: Cochylis roseana and Lathronympha strigana. This morning I was pleased to see my 4th ever Chocolate-tip, the first for 4 years, and my second Poplar Hawk-moth of the year.

 Choclate-tip

 Poplar Hawk-moth

Lathronympha strigana

Moth numbers down a bit but new for the yearin the last 2 days were Pebble Hook-tip and Iron Prominent. This morning after a deal of trying I managed a poor photograph of a tiny micro which was Phyllonorycter joannisi-a new one for the garden.The Beautiful Demoiselle mentioned in the last posting was the 2nd record for the Dungeness RSPB Reserve (last seen in 1987).

 Pebble Hook-tip

  Iron Prominent

  Phyllonorycter joannisi

Moth numbers down this morning but the V-Pug was new for the year. Visited Dungeness for the first time in a few weeks where it was a fairly quiet day. However, I photographed a Beautiful Demoiselle on the Willow Trail near the Hanson Hide on the ARC Pit. I didn't realise this species occured at Dunge. At the patch an immature Med. Gull was of interest, while back on the RSPB reserve 2 Garganeys were close in front of the Firth Hide. Common Sandpipers, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers were noted and a Buzzard flew over Dengemarsh. Finally a Kestrel posed on a post in the ARC car park.

Beautiful Demoiselle

 Garganey

Kestrel

Another good moth night depite a low of 8C, with 54 moths of 32 species. There was a nice Blood-vein and Orange Swift was new for the year, but Rosy Minor, Gypsonoma minutana, and Limnaecia phragmitella (albeit a dead specimen in the trap) were all new for the garden list which now stands at 561.

Rosy Minor

 Orange Swift

 Blood-vein

 Gypsonoma minutana

Nothing new in the trap the last couple of days. However Oare this afternoon produced: 2 Little Stints, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, a few Ruff and 3 Whimbrel on the east Flood with the usual commoner species.

Little Stint

Curlew Sandpiper

A very good night last night with 68 moths of 37 species this morning. These included my 2nd ever record of Twin-spotted Wainscot (last one 2011), my 3rd Dog's Tooth (last one 2010), and also my first Canary-shouldered Thorn since 2010. My second Euspilapteryx auroguttella of the year also posed for its photograph.

Twin-spotted Wainscot

 Dog's Tooth

 Canary-shouldered Thorn

 Euspilapteryx auroguttella

No trap last night due to rain but I've had second thoughts about the indentification of the new pyralid for the garden list mentioned yesterday. I've sought some expert help and I'm fairly sure it's Acrobasis tumidana-a somewhat scarcer species. The red tufts on the "shoulders" are the key feature-see photo from a different angle.

 Acrobasis tumidana

We've reached the end of another month and so far this year the garden moth list stands at 231 which is 13 better than at this stage last year. New for the year have been: Mouse Moth, Rosy Rustic, Flounced Rustic, Bird Cherry Ermine, Apple Ermine and Large Twin-spot Carpet. I've also been getting a few Euzophera pinguis, but best of all was Acrobasis repandana which was new for the garden.

 Acrobasis repandana

Euzophera pinguis

 Apple Ermine

 Bird Cherry Ermine