Moths save the day

Sunny spells with some fog, 20°, light SW.

Portland.

The day started with a sea watch; however, the sea was relatively quiet and migrants on land were a bit thin on the ground so no big surprises there, but moths were the surprise of the day.

Sea: 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Common Scoter, 2 Sandwich Tern, 6 Balearic Shearwater, several Oystercatcher and reasonable numbers of Auks and Gannet plus several Shag and Cormorant.

Land: Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Wheatear, Grey Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Swallow, Siskin, Little Owl, Sparrowhawk and Buzzard.

Fish: several Bluefin Tuna feeding offshore.

Dragonflies: Common Darter.

Butterflies: Large White, Red Admiral, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Small Heath.

Moths: The surprise moth of the day was an Echium Leaf Miner (Dialectica scalariella picked from the moth trap by Martin Cade and only the 2nd for Dorset, the 1st being found yesterday). A tiny moth (5mm) that needed a macro lens to photograph it. I do not have one but I know someone who does.

Other moths of note were a Blue Underwing, Red Underwing and a Heath Rustic.

Insects: Speckled Bush Cricket.

Echium Leaf Miner a very skittish moth courtesy Martin Cade

Blue Underwing or Clifden Nonpariel upperside and underside

Common Darter

Common Buzzard

Red Underwing

Southern Oak Bush Cricket

Speckled Wood

All moths were safely released at the end of the day.

A showery day

Sunshine and showers, 14°, light to breezy WNW.

After yesterday’s excitement, back to the usual birding along the Bunk line:

A Stonechat, several Redwing, a single Yellow Wagtail and Grey Wagtail and a couple of Pied Wagtail.

2 Grey Heron, 2 Jay, several Meadow Pipit, Blackcap and good numbers of House Martin and to a lesser extent Swallow.

Tony Rayner has reported a Jack Snipe in his garden, present for a couple of days.

Butterflies: a single, possibly a Red Admiral.

Moths: Tony Rayner has recently caught a Clifden Nonpariel (also known as Blue Underwing) in his garden. A fairly rare moth in these parts.

Alan, Paul & Tony R.

Stonechat in the rain

Ruddy Darter

Sunny spells, 19°, light to breezy S.

Another good one from Alan today with a Ruddy Darter Dragonfly. A common dragonfly that is often overlooked. And the Willow Emerald Damsels seen again.

Also Chiffchaff and a flyby Kingfisher.

Alan along the Bunk line earlier, again fairly quiet, 10-15 Yellow Wagtail, 9+ Chiffchaff plus the usual.

A fairly quiet but pleasant walk out to Lollingdon and back today.

A couple of Common Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff around Lollingdon, plus a Little Owl and a Sparrowhawk.

A good day for thermals as numbers of Lesser Blackback Gull, Red Kite and Buzzard spiralling over the hill.

Another steady flow of Hirundines moving south, up to 80 birds with 90% Swallow and the rest House Martin.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Willow Emerald Damselfly, Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker, Common Darter & Ruddy Darter.

Butterflies: Large White, Red Admiral, Comma & Speckled Wood.

Moths: a few notable ones from Tony Rayner recently: Gypsy Moth, Clifdon Nonpariel, Jersey Tiger & Lime Hawk Moth. Also a Hornet Robberfly.

Ruddy Darter pics courtesy Alan.  

Comma

Little Owl

Clifden Nonpareil

Cloudy with some heavy rain, 18°, light to blustery SSW

Another rare moth caught by Tony Rayner today. A Clifden Nonpareil or Blue Underwing. The second record for Cholsey after one last year.

This moth recolonised southern England in 2007 and is slowly spreading northwards.

The unusual name of this moth derives from the first British records on the Cliveden estate in Berkshire in the 18th century and nonpareil meaning “without equal” in French.

Birdwise:

A flock of 50+ Hirundines over Church road this morning feeding along the edge of a rain front and moving off to the south east. Virtually all House Martin and 3 Swallow noted.

Possibly the same or another flock back after the rain ceased feeding over Whitehead Meadow and surrounding area.

A few photos taken by Tony before release.

New Moth for Cholsey

TR caught a new moth for Cholsey last night. A rather battered specimen but one non the less.

A Clifden Nonpareil - Catocala fraxini.

Photo of underside through netting. (courtesy Tony Rayner)

Clifden Nonpareil (courtesy wikimedia)