Friday 16 October 2020

Since my last post another new moth species has appeared in the trap, a pyralid: Palpita vitrealis. Also a Merveille du Jour on the ivy by the trap was the 400th species of the year-the first time I've reached this goal. They has a so been a few interesting migrant birds turning up. On last Sunday morning I photographed some Ring Ouzels at Langdon Cliffs, Dover and on Wednesday the long staying juvenile Red-backed Shrike continued to show incredibly well at St. Mary's Bay near Littlestone.

Ring Ouzel

Red-backed Shrike
 
Palpita vitrealis
 
Merveille du Jour


Friday 2 October 2020

 We've reached the end of another month with the trap total standing at 396 species for the year, which is only 1 short of my best year total in 2018. Since my last post Beaded Chestnut and Garden Rose Tortrix have been added. At Dungeness yesterday there were still at least 6 Cattle Egrets present on the RSPB Reserve. The sun came out after lunch and, on the Dungeness NNR, we saw the rare Mottled Shieldbugs which were first recorded in the UK in 2010. On the RSPB reserve Gorse Shieldbugs were fairly common on the gorse.

Mottled Shieldbug

 
Gorse Shieldbug
 
Cattle Egrets
 
Garden Rose Tortrix