Early Moth
These can be a bit of a pain to photograph when fresh, as the wings are shiny and reflective.
Sunday, 19 January 2014
An Early Moth
Literally. First garden moth of 2014, attracted to the synergetic light and sitting tightly on the adjacent fence.
Tuesday, 7 January 2014
Overdue - Seraphim
About time to highlight another moth from my garden list that is overdue for a reappearance ......
Just two records to date, both of individuals. The above was the first on 29/05/2003 and the second came almost exactly a year later on 30/05/2004. However apart from a ridiculous 26 at Pickworth Great Wood on 01/05/2011, I've only seen a handful of other individuals. And actually, given that the main foodplants are Aspen and Black Poplar and that its habitat preference is broadleaved woodland, perhaps it's more of a surprise that it has appeared in the garden at all rather than one to expect to reappear?
Seraphim
Just two records to date, both of individuals. The above was the first on 29/05/2003 and the second came almost exactly a year later on 30/05/2004. However apart from a ridiculous 26 at Pickworth Great Wood on 01/05/2011, I've only seen a handful of other individuals. And actually, given that the main foodplants are Aspen and Black Poplar and that its habitat preference is broadleaved woodland, perhaps it's more of a surprise that it has appeared in the garden at all rather than one to expect to reappear?
Wednesday, 1 January 2014
Eating the Tart
My interest in all things natural was established and rooted in birding, gradually grew and expanded with mothing, and has over the last couple of years started to flourish into full blown pan-species listing (albeit at a relatively leisurely pace). It is entirely unsurprising that there are literally thousands of species that I have yet to see that would be considered, certainly by those with a specific interest in that group, to be complete 'tarts ticks'. But of course the reality is that for everyone embarking on the PSL adventure, whatever their roots and background, there will be a number of essentially easy species to pick up.
A bit of banter on Twitter with Graeme Lyons a few weeks ago centered around 'bogey' species, and perhaps establishing a bit of a Bogey Blitz in 2014. My immediate thought was that I haven't really got any bogey species as such - there is nothing that immediately comes to mind that I have specifically tried and failed to see several times. But it did get me to thinking about species I really should have seen.
Despite a few years of avid twitching in the 90's, there are a number of birds that I really should have seen but haven't on account of never having once made the effort. I guess I always expected that I'd connect with these during a twitch or other birding trip. Similarly, most birders drift into watching butterflies and dragonflies in the summer months, but I never really did as mothing was my main alternative focus. Therefore my butterfly list, currently 40 species, is largely thanks to incidental encounters and there are some blindingly obvious gaps in my list. My odonata list is even more laughable at just 17 species, as previously I've really struggled to be bothered with looking for/at them.
So, my personal 2014 challenge will be to tackle some of these gaps ......
Metaphorically speaking, I'm going to attempt to devour this big tart by seeing the following omissions from my bird, butterfly and odonata lists:
Ptarmigan Cairngorm 29/05/2014
Cory's Shearwater
Great Shearwater
Leach's Petrel
Roseate Tern
Greenish Warbler
Swallowtail
Lulworth Skipper
Silver-spotted Skipper
Grayling Aylesbeare Common 13/08/2014
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small pearl-bordered Fritillary
Silver-washed Fritillary Brampton Wood 22/06/2014
High Brown Fritillary
Purple Emperor
Brown Hairstreak
White-letter Hairstreak
Black Hairstreak
Chalkhill Blue Barnack Hills and Holes 09/08/2014
Beautilful Demoiselle
Common Emerald Damselfly Woodwalton Fen 02/08/2014
Variable Damselfly
Azure Damselfly Ketton Quarry 11/06/2014
Red-eyed Damselfly Huncote Embankment 21/06/2014
Small Red Damselfly
Common Hawker
Hairy Dragonfly
Club-tailed Dragonfly
Downy Emerald
Keeled Skimmer
That's a nice round 30 species. Whilst I doubt that I'll see all 30 I'll have a good go, and I will be calling on the advice, help and company whenever possible of friends and the the various bloggers, twitterers and facebookers that I've made contacts with. Of course it would be great if other PSLers had hit-lists like this so we can share the odd tick along the way.
A bit of banter on Twitter with Graeme Lyons a few weeks ago centered around 'bogey' species, and perhaps establishing a bit of a Bogey Blitz in 2014. My immediate thought was that I haven't really got any bogey species as such - there is nothing that immediately comes to mind that I have specifically tried and failed to see several times. But it did get me to thinking about species I really should have seen.
Despite a few years of avid twitching in the 90's, there are a number of birds that I really should have seen but haven't on account of never having once made the effort. I guess I always expected that I'd connect with these during a twitch or other birding trip. Similarly, most birders drift into watching butterflies and dragonflies in the summer months, but I never really did as mothing was my main alternative focus. Therefore my butterfly list, currently 40 species, is largely thanks to incidental encounters and there are some blindingly obvious gaps in my list. My odonata list is even more laughable at just 17 species, as previously I've really struggled to be bothered with looking for/at them.
So, my personal 2014 challenge will be to tackle some of these gaps ......
Metaphorically speaking, I'm going to attempt to devour this big tart by seeing the following omissions from my bird, butterfly and odonata lists:
Cory's Shearwater
Great Shearwater
Leach's Petrel
Roseate Tern
Greenish Warbler
Swallowtail
Lulworth Skipper
Silver-spotted Skipper
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small pearl-bordered Fritillary
High Brown Fritillary
Purple Emperor
Brown Hairstreak
White-letter Hairstreak
Black Hairstreak
Beautilful Demoiselle
Variable Damselfly
Small Red Damselfly
Common Hawker
Hairy Dragonfly
Club-tailed Dragonfly
Downy Emerald
Keeled Skimmer
That's a nice round 30 species. Whilst I doubt that I'll see all 30 I'll have a good go, and I will be calling on the advice, help and company whenever possible of friends and the the various bloggers, twitterers and facebookers that I've made contacts with. Of course it would be great if other PSLers had hit-lists like this so we can share the odd tick along the way.
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