November proved to be a difficult month for moth trapping with just 4 species being added to the year list which now stands at 367, with December Moth and Acleris umbrana being new for the year. Interesting birds seen in November include the Solitary Sandpiper at Stodmarsh and a Purple Sandpiper at Swalecliffe.
Acleris umbrana
At the end of October the garden moth list stood at 363. However, all the additions to the list were added in the first half of the month. Since then the weather has intervened and numbers have plummeted in the second half. Regular Autumn favourites in October included The Satellite, The Brick, The Sallow and Beaded Chestnut.
The Satellite
The Sallow
The Brick
Beaded Chestnut
Another month gone and the garden moth list for the year stands at 349 which is 31 fewer than at the same time last year. Interesting species recorded in September included a male Four-spotted Footman which was completely new for me, 2 Convolvulus Hawk-moths, 2 Merveille du Jour, 2 Brindled Green and a Scarce Bordered Straw.
Four-spotted Footman
Convolvulus Hawk-moth
Merveille du Jour
Brindled Green
Scarce Bordered Straw
We've arrived at the end of August and the moth year total is well behind last year's at the same time. However there were still 3 new species for the garden recorded during the month: Anania lancealis, Nemapogon clematella, and Choreutis nemorana. Elsewhere it was nice to see male and female Long-winged Coneheads on the Dungeness RSPB Reserve in August.
Anania lancealis
Another month has passed. I've been away for 2 weeks and the weather has changed so I've recorded 280 species by the end of July which is 63 short of last year's total at the same time. However there have been 2 new micros for the garden list: Acrobasis suavella, Calamotropha paludella, and another 3 Clearwing species for the year. Bird pictures from my trip to Cabad can be found on my Flickr site.
Acrobasis suavella
Calamotropha paludella
Six-belted Clearwing
Currant Clearwing
Red-tipped Clearwing
End of another month and the weather has been heating up dramatically with a remarkable improvement in the moth trap catches. At the end of May the garden list stood at 59, but by the end of June it was 222. This is 11 species better than the same time last year. Highlights were 3 new macro moths during the month: Maple Prominent, Blue-bordered Carpet and Obscure Wainscot. I've also been trying the pheromone lures in the garden which have produced 2 species so far: Orange-tailed, Red-belted, and Yellow-legged Clearwings. The Red-footed Falcon and 3 Spoonbills on the Dungeness RSPB Reserve were the bird highlights of the month.
Maple Prominent
Moth trapping poor again in May. By the end of May last year I had recorded 136 species in the garden whereas this year the there have only been 59, with nothing of particular note. Interesting Birds seen in May were the female Red-footed Falcon and male Red-backed Shrike at Stodmarsh, Purple Heron at Dungeness, plus Black-winged Stilts and Temmink's Stints at Sandwich Bay. The first Stag Beetle of the year was in the garden on 16th May and the female Dainty Damselfly at Oare Marshes was a new species for me. A Black Oil Beetle at Oare was only the 2nd one I've seen in Kent.
Red-footed Falcon
Red-backed Shrike
Dainty Damselfly
Stag Beetle
Black Oil Beetle
Moth trapping this April has been dire with just 4 species being added to the year list since the end of March. The most interesting were 2 sightings of Emperor Moth in the garden attracted by the use of a pheromone lure. Interesting birds seen in April were: Penduline Tit at Oare Marshes, Bittern at Stodmarsh, Hooded Crow and Night-heron at Dungeness, plus the first Wheatears and Whimbrels at Oare.
Bittern
Another month, with a lot of wind and rain. Moth list stands at 23 at the end of March. New for the year include: March Moth, Double-striped Pug, Dark Sword-grass, Small Quaker, Clouded Drab, Twin-spotted Quaker, The Herald and my 2nd ever Acleris literana. Interesting birds seen include: The White Stork at Sandwich Bay, and 3 pairs of Mandarin Ducks at Selling Pond.
Acleris literana
Twin-spotted Quaker
White Stork
Mandarins
Another month has passed and the moth list for the year stands at 14, which is fairly good. New species during February include: Pale Brindled Beauty, Early Grey, Common Quaker, Hebrew Character, Chestnut and 3 records of Acleris Cristana. Interesting birds seen in the month include: Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl, Glossy Ibis, Hawfinch, Hume's Warbler and Snow Bunting.
Hume's Warbler
Short-eared Owl
Acleris cristana
Hawfinch
End of another month and the garden moth list stands at 4: Mottled Umber, Winter Moth, Light Brown Apple Moth, and Dotted Border. Birds seen include Dartford Warbler and Great Grey Shrike. I've recently returned from a trip to Costa Rica and my photos will be appearing on my Flickr site. Crested Owls from that trip below.
Mottled Umber
