Moth trapping has improved with the warmer weather this week, but at the end of May I had only recorded 56 species this year compared to 126 at the same point last year, which shows the difference between a good and bad spring weather wise. This week I've recorded a new micro species: Elachita argentella. I also made a successful visit to the Bonsai Bank KWT Reserve for the Duke of Burgundy, Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak Butterflies, and the White-spotted Sable Moth. In the garden the Stag Beetles have appeared this week and a couple of Slow Worms have turned up for the 2nd year.   

Elachita argentella

 

Green Hairstreak

 

Stag Beetle

 

Slow Worm

 Since my last post the moth trap has picked up a bit with milder weather. Species new for the year include: Nut-tree Tussock, Yellow-barred Brindle, Small Waved Umber, Cinnabar, Muslin Moth, Streamer, Toadflax Brocade, Brimstone, Rustic Shoulder-Knot and Spruce Carpet. Best of all was a rather worn Gem which was only my 2nd ever record of this migrant species and my 1st for 20 years. Birds seen recently include good number of the Hobby, Yellow Wagtails and a Spoonbill at Dungeness.

 The Gem

                                                                        

Spoonbill

Hobby

Yellow Wagtail

 

 End of another month when persistent cold and often frosty nights meant very moths. The Early Thorn on 1st April was my only species new for the year recorded all month. Recent birds seen have included the Hoopoe at Stelling Minnis, Bar-tailed Godwits at Dungeness, Whitethroat and Stock Dove at Oare Marshes.

 Hoopoe

                                                                   

  Bar-tailed Godwits

                                                                        

     Whitethroat            

Stock Dove

With the cold northerly winds I've had no new moths since my last post. With the lockdown easing I've been a bit further afield and the best birds have been a Snow Bunting at Reculver, Garganey at Oare Marshes, Pied Flycatcher at Ashford, Iceland Gull at Dungeness, and a Ring Ouzel at Grove Ferry.  

Pied Flycatcher

      

    Iceland Gull

 

Garganey

 

Ring Ouzel

 A couple of very warm days at the end of March gave a small boost to moth numbers, with Brindled and Double-striped Pugs, Oak Nycteolene, Yellow Horned, Early Tooth-striped and Light Brown Apple Moth new for the year. Best of all was Caloptilia stigmatella which was new for the garden. A Rambur's Pied Shieldbug on the shed door was my second record. Further afield I finally tracked down my first Orange Underwing Moth in a local wood.

Orange Underwing

                                                               

                                                               Rambur's Pied Shieldbug

C. stigmatella

                                                                       Yellow Horned

 

 

 Since my last post another 6 species of moth have been recorded in the garden: Early grey, Small Quaker, March Moth, Brindled Beauty, A. alstromeriana and Common Plume. The Barn Owls have shown well on occasion at Seasalter and a Buzzard flew low over North Bishopden Wood, where 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers have been seen recently. 

 Brindled Beauty

                                                                        

Barn Owl

Common Buzzard

 

Not much recently but 8 moth species by the end of February is not bad for me: Winter Moth, Dotted Border, Chestnut, Hebrew Character, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, Pale Brindled Beauty and A. heracliana. Other wildlife seen recently includes: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Lesser Redpoll at North Bishopden Wood. 

 Dotted Border

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

                                                                               Redpoll