Finally, in the 19th year of trapping in the garden I've had a couple of records of Oak Beauty. They are a common species, so it's surprising I've not had one before. Also the 1st Early Grey of the year appeared this morning.

Oak Beauty

Early Grey

In the trap this morning: 6 Hebrew Characters, 2 Common Quakers, 1 Twin-spotted Quaker, 1 Small Quaker and a Clouded Drab. Yesterday at Dungeness the male Bluethroat was still present and, in better weather, was showing on the grass by the roadside in front of a massed audience. Several Firecrests and a Wheatear where nearby. Elsewhere there were 2 Black-necked Grebes on the ARC pit, a Little Gull at the patch, and around the main part of the RSPB reserve: 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Slavonian Gebe, and 1 Knot. No sign of the regular Glaucous Gull.

Bluethroat

 Marsh Harrier

 Twin-spotted Quaker

Too cold for moths again-so I made a quick visit to Dungeness this morning to see a Bluethroat in the Dengemarsh Gully. Firecrest also present. The first Bluethroat I've seen in Kent and the first I've seen in the UK for 30 years.

Bluethroat

 Firecrest

Nothing exciting to report from the trap. However, I had a much better day at Dungeness today. We started at the ARC pit where 2 Firecrests were seen from the Hanson Hide. A further 4 Firecrests were in the Old Lighthouse garden, with 3 Black Redstarts nearby. At the patch a first winter Glaucous Gull flew out the seaa and appeared to head off in a Southerly direction and a few Brent Geese came past. After lunch the 2 Long-tailed Ducks showed well with a Black-necked Grebe on the Lade south pit. Finally on the main part of RSPB reserve another first winter Glaucous Gull was seen from the visitor centre, and another Black Redstart was nearby. The Slavonian Grebe, 2 Smew and another Great White Egret were also around the reserve where I also saw my first Butterfly this year: Small Tortoiseshell which I liberated from the Christmas Dell hide. 

 Firecrest

 Black Redstart

 

Not a great deal to report since my last post. In the moth trap a few Common Quakers have arrived and my first example of the Satellite for 4 years. At Dunge last week we struggled against a gale force wind. Highlights were limited to a Bittern again on the ARC pit. A Glaucous Gull at the patch and a very nice male Brambling with Chaffinches near Springfield Bridge.

 The Satellite