I've recently returned from Alberta, Canada-more photrgraphs on my Flickr site.

At home Red-line Quaker has been the only new moth species for the year, although a 2nd Merveille du Jour of the Autumn was nice to see.

Big Horn Sheep-Kananaskis, Alberta.

 Red-line Quaker

Great Grey Owl, Alberta, Canada.

In spite of some cold nights and rain, some interesting Autumn species have continued to turn up in the moth trap: Merveille Du Jour, Beaded Chestnut and another Deep-brown Dart.

Merveille Du Jour

 Beaded Chestnut

 Deep-brown Dart

Since my last posting we've had some cold nights and some very wet ones, but despite that I've had 3 good moth species in the last week. Last weekend there was the migrant: Scarce Bordered Straw, and yesterday my 2nd record of Deep-brown Dart (the last was 3 years ago), but best of all this morning was my first ever Pale-lemon Sallow, a nationally scarce species. A Grey Phalarope spent a few days the previous week at Birchington. (Photo on my Flickr site). 

Pale-lemon Sallow

Deep-brown Dart

 Scarce Bordered Straw

The nights turned milder at the weekend and I was pleased to find a Clancy's Rustic in the trap which was new for the garden. First recorded in 2002 by Sean Clancy at Dungeness, this moth has been spreading slowly ever since. New for year since then have been: Orange Sallow, The Mallow, and this morning, despite the rain overnight, The Sallow, Feathered Ranunculus, Black Rustic, Dark Sword-grass, and Yellow-line Quaker.

Clancy's Rustic

 The Sallow

 Yellow-line Quaker

 Dark Sword-grass

Since returning from a week away the nights have been cold and the moths few. However, it was a  slightly warmer night last night with a Pine carpet and Lunar Underwing new for the year. At Dungeness last week a Spotted Flycatcher was new for the year for me, as was the Pectoral Sandpiper at Dungeness this week on the ARC pit. A Cattle Egret was present in the same location both weeks.

Pine Carpet

Spotted Flycatcher

 Cattle Egret, Little Egret and Egyptian Geese

 

Just back from a week in Broadway in the Cotswolds where I ran the moth trap and got 4 species new to me. They were: Brown-spot Pinion, August Thorn, September Thorn and a micro Ypsolopha parenthesella.

 Brown-spot Pinion

 August Thorn

  September Thorn

 Ypsolopha parenthesella.

The hot weather over the last few days has livened up the moth trap with new species for the year including: Lesser Swallow Prominent, Dark Spinach, The Vapourer, The Fern, Six-striped Rustic, Rosy Rustic, and Cypress Pug. In the garden Painted Ladies have been fairly common and the UK's largest Hoverfly, Volucella zonaria (Hornet Mimic) has also appeared on the buddleia. However, best of all this morning in the trap was a Jersey Mocha which was another new one for the site.

Jersey Mocha

The Vapourer

Painted Lady

Volucella zonaria