Skev's B.L.O.G. : Birds, Moths, Stuff

Whetstone Moth Report 2011

2012-01-27T21:20:00.002Z

A bit delayed whilst I awaited the gen dets, but I've pulled together another garden mothing report in the same style as last year and uploaded it to Google Docs ...

Click here for the WHETSTONE MOTH REPORT 2011

As before, there is a full species listing, trend analysis, photos and endless mothy waffle. You can either read it in the Google Docs viewer (a little pixelated), or click 'File' + 'Download Original' to get the proper pdf version to read at leisure.

Have a look, and I'd appreciate any comments (and please do point out any glaring errors!).

Listening to - The Smiths

2012-01-20T21:23:00.000Z

30 years now since The Smiths formed, still sounding brilliant if you ask me.

Bagworms & Bagworth

2012-01-16T22:49:00.000Z

Yesterday morning was very cold again with a crisp frost, but the skies were slightly clouded over and the light was a bit crappy until later in the day. I headed over to Swithland Res for a quick scout around, mainly so that I could get the 2012 moth yearlist off of zero.

There can't be too many sights and sounds more evocative than whistling Wigeon and Teal on a still early morning reservoir with a chuffing steam train running in the background - click for big and imagine it ...

Other than the usual wildfowl, there was nothing too exciting bird-wise though a Peregrine in the usual tree and a Grey Wagtail along the usual stretch of the dam made it on to the yearlist.

A good search along the Kinchley Lane, dam and causeway walls produced six moths - all in the larval stage safely tucked up inside their cases. Aside from a handful of Coleophora serratella, they were all member of the Psychidae (or bagworms as they are sometimes called).

Taleporia tubulosa

Dahlica triquetrella - slightly bigger and 'grainier' than lichenella

Dahlica lichenella - slightly smaller and more 'licheny' than triquetrella

Psyche casta

Luffia ferchaultella (or lapidella f. ferchaultella depending on which Taxonomist you talk to)

The Dahlica spp. are not generally separable on the cases alone, however I've seen so many of them and reared a few through successfully over the years so I think I have my eye in for them. Sadly I couldn't find a Narycia duplicella otherwise it would have been an (almost) clean sweep on the VC55 Psychidae.

Next I decided to nip over to Bagworth Heath for a very quick look around. I had Siskin and Redpoll in mind but in fact it was very quiet. A crusty lichen on the fisherman's platform triggered a memory of a recent photo on the Leicestershire NatureSpot, which when I later checked was undoubtedly exactly the same patch.

Lecanore polytropa

A bit further round the site I found a couple of long-dead logs in damp shade covered in moss and lichen, which on closer inspection were one of the 'pixie-cup' types which I think is Cladonia chlorophaea.

Should be called Shrek's Ear Lichen

Also on the same logs was this fungi, which I think is Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum).

Heading out for a whistle stop business trip tomorrow, though not sure how the travel was planned! It's two flights (Birmingham - Amsterdam - Budapest) followed by a 2-3hr taxi ride to Kosice tomorrow, all day meeting in our plant on Wednesday before heading back to Budapest, and then the return flights very early on Thursday morning. I doubt there will by any time to actually see and enjoy any of the places ........

Looking at Genitalia

2012-01-15T18:38:00.000Z

I sent all of the specimens I'd kept in pots over the year, plus a couple from last year, to Jon Clifton recently and on Friday I got all the answers from the genitalia determinations. Of course I had muted possible IDs for most of these and happily a good few were correct (whilst others weren't!).

Significant VC55 Records

First and foremost, two that I had hoped would be firsts for VC55 were confirmed: Depressaria ultimella and Cydia illutana. Also the first confirmed post-VCH record for VC55 of Acleris schalleriana.

Also noteworthy were Sorhagenia lophyrella from Ketton Quarry on 26/06/2010 (one previous VC55 record?), Coleophora discordella from Whetstone on 10/06/2011 (two previous records), Dichrorampha aeratana from Huncote Embankment on 13/06/2011 (two previous records) and Aproaerema anthyllidella from my garden on 02/09/2011 (three previous records).

British Ticks (6 micros)

With the exception of Coleophora discordella and Dichrorampha aeratana, all of the above were British Ticks for me. The following was also a British Tick, Case-bearing Clothes Moth.

Garden Ticks (6 micros, 1 macro)

The following were all Garden Ticks: Case-bearing Clothes Moth, Aproerema anthyllidella, Acleris ferrugana, Acleris schalleriana, Acleris laterana (individuals from 11/07/2011 and 26/07/2011), Flax Tortrix on 15/06/2011 and Rufous Minor.

The Flax Tortrix was just a speculative potted Cnephasia that I held on to, whilst Acleris laterana/comariana is recorded almost every year but I'd never had one detted to confirm laterana.

Failed!

Aside from the Aproaerema anthyllidella (which I had very optimistically suggested was Eulamprotes immacualtella), the only others where my ID suggestion was not up to scratch were: a putative Scoparia basistrigalis (no confirmed VC55 records) that was just ambigualis, and a hoped-for Oegoconia deauratella that was just quadripuncta.

The Rest

Other dets were: Phycitodes saxicola from Huncote Embankment on 02/07/2010; Coleophora flavipennella, collected as a larval case from Pickworth Great Wood on 01/05/2011; Dichrorampha alpinana from Huncote Embankment on 13/06/2011, and Eucosma hohenwartiana from Loughborough Big Meadow on 14/06/2011. The latter was completely worn and knackered and couldn't be identified as anything but a tortrix on externals.

What does it all mean?

Taking into account the above dets, I've managed to just about sort out my 2011 lists. There is actually just one specimen still awaiting confirmation - the potential VC55 first Acleris logiana from my garden which was passed on for setting and will be gen. detted at some point (hopefully) soon.

So the 2011 Garden List finished at 394 species (+1 pending). This included a superb 23 (+1) new micros and 7 new macros. I can now start on doing my usual garden moth reports for the year.

The overall 2011 Yearlist finished at 633 species (+1 pending). Surprisingly I picked no British Tick macros at all in 2011 - must get out more this year!

Patch Tick

2012-01-14T17:12:00.001Z

Very crisp, bright, still and cold today - superb. Just the sort of wintery weather that I actually enjoy - or would if I wasn't spending some of it at work. I dropped off Alex at his Karate class and then headed to work via Enderby. This caused me to drive through the Grove Park area within my wider Soar Valley South patch, and happily it meant that I noticed lots of gulls standing on the part-frozen balancing pool. I made a mental note and went back for a proper look after a couple of hours in the office.

With all the white-wingers flooding into the country, I naturally expected to easily pick out an Iceland or Glauc amongst the loitering Lariids, but no such luck. BHG, CG and LBBG were all I could muster. As I scanned through though I noted something else that I couldn't recall ever seeing on the patch before, and given the lack of open water it wasn't a surprise to check and find it was a patch tick. Click on the photos and see if you can work it out (it's not a gull, obviously). First one to comment the correct answer gets a self-congratulatory pat on the back for being the first one to read this post .......

Pochard

2012-01-13T23:14:00.000Z

Nipped out to Groby Pool at lunch time. Nothing much doing there, although I picked up Shoveler for the year. One duck I seem to have struggled to point the camera at with any success is Pochard. They always seem to but just a bit further out than anything else, and also drift even further out once they notice the camera pointing at them. Today I managed some shots - certainly not frame-fillers but they cropped down to something passable.

The Gadwall on the other hand were never close enough, or in nice looking water ....

Whilst the Canadas were just too close, but anything looks nice in the right light ....

Gulls n Owls

2012-01-10T20:44:00.001Z

Left work early this afternoon to sort a couple of things out, and then managed to spend an hour or two enjoying some birds. Not exactly birding, more turning up and pointing the camera in the right direction.

I headed over to Watermead CP South for another go at some gull shots - maybe the inccessant Gulling propaganda from a well know Seaton-based blogger is starting to rub off. As ever, plenty of bread-wielding wankers ensuring masses of inapproriate food for the wildfowl and plenty of scavenging opportunities for the gulls. The car park area is often awash with Black-headed Gulls, but otherwise usually just a few Common Gulls and most of these are first-winter birds. I was pleased then to find a nice adult Common Gull within reach for a few shots.

Also unexpected was this damned ugly second-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Despite some searching, no sign of anything interesting (ie as usual no Med Gulls, and no sign of any Yellow-legged or Caspians amongst the larger gulls around the island) so I filled up the card with a few more Common Gull shots instead - these are all different individuals.

One thing I will say for gulls is that the variability amongst individuals is more noticeable than in many other bird groups. Have look at this short vidiclip and see how different the size and structure is of the heads on these two first-winter Commons (presume the smaller bird is female).

With time pressing I quickly headed over to Cossington Meadows to check out the wintering Short-eared Owls. I hadn't even got alongside Swan Meadow before I'd picked one up in good late afternoon daylight. After five minutes or so I had four up together, with audible calling and a few jousts and skirmishes between them for good measure - brilliant stuff, but none of which I managed to capture on the camera in any way. I did get some vidiclip footage though, which I implore you to watch. Personally I think the drifting in and out of focus and the intruding Teasel heads make it all the more evocative ......

Liking Lichens

2012-01-09T23:44:00.000Z

Whilst out and about at Rutland Water yesterday, I distracted myself for half an hour or so looking at Lichens. That is looking at and photographing, not identifiying! I've found a couple of good resources to check through, but for the moment these are just unnamed images of things that it is all too easy to ignore (of course if you recognise anything let me know).

First up, something on smooth barked trees in Hambleton Wood:

The rest are from the old wall running along the fields by the North Arm Marsh:

More birding - with a Tarts Tick to boot

2012-01-08T20:08:00.001Z

Headed out this morning to Rutland Water for a long-overdue appointment with an over-wintering Snow Bunting. It has been loitering around the Old Hall area, but that was pretty much all I knew. I haven't been to this area for a while and was surprised at how low the water is - well short of the normal shoreline. This in turn meant a big expanse of 'muddy marsh' for a bunting to get lost in.

I head a bloody good search all along the area east of Old Hall, and bumped into a couple of others doing the same. We all drew a blank and aside from a couple of Pied Wagtails there were no passerines anywhere along the 'marsh'. I did pick up a few other nice yearticks though (nothing photographable): Scaup, Goosander, Goldeneye, Redshank, Egyptian Goose and Marsh Tit included. Eventually I had just about got back to the Old Hall when I heard and saw a couple of Meadow Pipits drop in behind me, but a quick search and nothing else with them. Around the same time I bumped into Matthew Berriman who also hadn't seen the bunting but confirmed it has been using teh area I was searching and that it was cohorting with Meadow Pipits. Whilst we were talking a few more pipits came in and, finally, so did the Snow Bunting. Get in - a county tick for me (albeit a bit tarty these days with a few easily twitchable ones in recent years that I haven't twitched!). Also a Reed Bunting knocking about with the flock.

It was a bit distant though seen very well with optics. Whilst Snow Bunts maybe quite approachable, Meadow Pipts aren't so no chance of getting a good close shot. So I opted for a distant pants vidiclip instead - you won't see a worse effort anywhere else on the net.

After filling my boots, I opted to head over to Eyebrook for a quick look. Again I haven't been for a while, and it looks like someone has pulled the plug out. I have never seen the res so low.

A few more nice birds for the year, including: Smew (drake and redhead), Pintail, Gadwall, Golden Plover and Dunlin. I completely forgot about the regular Green-winged Teal until I was half way around the res, and I was not compelled to work my way back and start looking for it. Maybe another day.

I ended the day on 64 species - hopefully a few calories burned with all the walking as well.

Done some light birding

2012-01-07T23:02:00.000Z

It seems like ages since I actually managed to go out, alone, with nothing to do but look at birds or some other wildlife. Today I left it late, but nonetheless an hour or so at Watermead CP South this afternoon with bins and camera was very welcome. From a yearlisting perspective, things got off to a good start (in a bizarre sort of way) as I only saw a few species with nothing too exciting and lots of things not seen that perhaps could have been. In fact the most interesting bird seen today was a Shelduck on the backside of the island, seeing as I managed not to see one all though the 2011 yearlist challenge. I'm at 39 species with a few bits from the garden thrown in. This means I will have to go out again and expend a bit more energy.

The lighting was rubbish, with short bursts of too bright and low sunshine in between lengthy spells of gloom. I pointed the camera at some common stuff anyway, just in case I start to forget how to use a shutter button.

Slim Listing

2012-01-07T01:28:00.000Z

I'll be totally frank.

On the one hand ..
Just lately I am the fattest bastard I know. I have been too short for my weight for some years, and it's been the best part of three decades since I was anywhere near trim, slim or sleak. I did manage to shed a stone and a half a couple of years ago before regaining it with interest. This can't go on, my knees hurt.

On the other hand ..
When it comes to bird yearlisting challenges I am a bit crap. I usualy fizzle out after some early enthusiasm, especially when I miss something due to work or family constraints.

I was therefore very impressed with the idea that Alan Tilmouth mentioned a few posts ago. A challenge whereby the target is to see more species than he weighs in pounds at the end of the year, only achievable by putting in some effort in both regards. The less effort put into one element means more effort required on the other. This sounds like a great idea to me, as my usual yearlisting approach would mean I'd have to shift shedloads of weight. I did realise though if the listing boundary is not adequately defined it would be too easy to go for a big British yearlist and stay fat. I therefore gave this idea some thought with regard to the listing area, the realistic chances of success, and targets.

The first listing area I thought about is what I laughingly call my birding patch - the Soar Valley South. I reckon that in a very good year with lots of effort I could just about see c100 species, so to win the challenge I would have to get my weight down to 99lbs which is just over 7 stone. That's about as likely as me losing the weight by giving birth to a very fat baby.

I could target Leicester City again despite the general failure from June onwards in 2011. Going at it full-on would still only yield c120 species, even with some stringing. 119lbs is 8.5 stone. Hmmm, fat chance.

Maybe I could just go for a County list. Every year we get c220 species in Leics. & Rutland. The County yearlist record is 202 species, and I think that every year someone going for it with lots of time on their hands gets somewhere in the region of 198 - 200 species. This would require extensive effort, which as I've mentioned is not my approach to yearlisting challenges. But if I saw 198 species then I could still be 197lbs, which is 14 stone and not a slim enough target.

I reckon that in any given year, doing some regular birding in the County you could see around 168 - 175 species without doing a mental full-on effort. This sounds ideal for me. By the power of coincidence, 175lbs is 12.5 stone and 168lbs is 12 stone. My ideal though challenging weight target is in that region. That's mathematical amazingness that is.

So, the area, realistic species target and challenging weight target all seemed to match up, but as I mentioned it could still be tempting to get down to and stick at say 189lbs and really make the effort to see 190 species. 189lbs is 13.5 stone which is a weight that I would be happy to achieve, but I think I need to aim slimmer. I therefore needed to add some incremental handicap to the species target to encourage the weight loss element, rather than heightening the twitching mentality. Here then is a table of weights, the handicap and the associated species target:

The red line represents 12.5 stone, the green box represents what would in all honesty be a brilliant result, and the yellow box represents what would still be a stirling effort that I'd be happy with. I start at the bloated post-Christmas position of 100Kg and zero species - needing to lose 21Kg or more and see 174 or less species by 31/12/2012. Wish me luck, don't tell me about easy to see birds and don't buy me chocolate. I will post the status of this personal challenge every now and then, and if you bump into me in the field then encouraging comments like 'have you lost a bit of weight? nothing to see here by the way' would help.

2011 A to Z

2012-01-05T23:58:00.001Z

Here's my belated and haphazard version of the old blog padder 'Review of the Year', and an excuse to back-link to a few bits and photos from last year. It's mainly an easy means for anyone new to this blog to delve back and see how diverse the nonsense I post can be ......

A is for Acleris
Of the new for garden highlights, there are potentially four new Acleris spp. which are being subjected to gen. det. including a possible VC55 first Acleris logiana (24/02/2011), a possible first post-VCH Acleris schalleriana (22/03/2011), a garden first Acleris ferrugana/notana (15/03/2011) and a probable garden first confirmed Acleris laterana (several, just haven't had one detted before).

B is for Broomrape
Being botanically inept didn't stop me from finding the first spikes of Knapweed Broomrape recorded in Leicestershire (though not VC55 as it is known from several sites in Rutland).

C is for Caterpillars
Several interesting new caterpillars found during the year, including Pale Brindled Beauty, July Highflyer and best of all Small Ranunculus.

D is for Darters and Dropwings
Some smart small odonata seen in Sevilla; Red-veined Darter, Violet Dropwing and Orange-winged Dropwing.

E is for Epiblema grandaevana
Big tortrix highlight.

F is for Fungi
A few new ones for me this year, like Shaggy Parasol, Velvet Shank, Candlesnuff and Glistening Inkcap.

G is for Garden
Pottering about in the garden in late summer with a digital camera is always a chance for something interesting to hit the sensor.

G is also for Gulls - Big Gulls, Small Gulls, Greedy Gulls, Nice Gulls, Immature Gulls and Plain Ugly Gulls

H is for Hawk-moths
With the highlights being this superb garden first Privet Hawk-moth, and this garden first form of Lime Hawk-moth.

I is for Inconsiderate Spotty Bastard
The long-staying blocker-busting Spotted Sand at Rutland Water.

J is for Journalism
Shoddy journalism at that.

K is for Ketton Quarry
A whopping list from a great overnighter at this favoured VC55 site.

L is for Listing
There are only two types of Naturalists: Listers and Liars (a twist on the old joke about blokes - yes, you know the one). I finally broke and pulled together a Pan-species List.

M is for Mothing
Only one way to do out of garden mothing properly ....

M is also for Music
Like this, this, this, this, this and this. And this, and this. And this.

N is for Nostalgia

N is also for North Devon, it's beaches and gardens.

O is for Orchids
A successful first-ever plant twitch for me. Dave Gray found the first Bird's-nest Orchid in VC55 for c30 years and it would have been rude not to go and have a look.

P is for Psychidae
The annual courtesy look-see at the Swithland bagworms.

Q is for Queen ..
.. and her mentally retarded spouse.

R is for Reptiles
Another excellent foray to Ketton Quarry for Adders.

S if for Skeletal Remains
I found teasing the bits out of Barn Owl Pellets oddly therapeutic.

T is for Trap

U is for Urban Birding
At sites like Watermead CP South.

V is for Vagrancy and Variety
As ever, during the year on many occassions I mixed some varied stuff in the same post.

W is for Waxwing, Wood Sand, Wagtail and Wheatear. And wader.
Some great photo opportunities during the year.

X is for Xanthoria parietina
A common lichen.

Y is for Yellow Shell, Yellow Slug, Yellow Horned, Yellow Wagtail, Yellow-line Quaker and Yellow Rattle.

Z is for Zelleria hepariella
A garden first on 26/06/2011 which evaded the camera, and another on 13/10/2011 photographed badly and shown below for the first time to ensure a full alphabetical round-up!

Cast Iron

2012-01-04T18:16:00.001Z

With a star-studded cast, this Friday sees the UK release of the highly publicised and lauded film The Iron Lady ...

However there is some disgruntlement and criticism, primarily due to the fact that central to the film is the depiction of Thatcher as a frail old lady suffering from dementia. And I agree - this is wholly unacceptable and wrong.

As any balanced person with any sense of common decency and morality will surely agree, the suggestion that Thatcher is only suffering from poor judgement, confusion and troubling mental imagery in her later years is ridiculous - she was always completely barking mad. You'd have to be to sell off the National Assets and social housing, go to War to win an election, and let's not forget the debacle surrounding the introduction of the Community Charge. etc

I will not be watching the film - I think I would retch at every scene.

Last 2011 Moth

2012-01-01T16:29:00.000Z

This micro turned out to be the last moth that I recorded in 2011, though I saw a few fluttering geometrids along the lane on Friday night.

Agonopterix alstromeriana

Sadly it's not from last night. It's actually from back on 21/12/2011 (attracted to lit window) and it's been happily sitting in a pot in my fridge ever since - today is the first day I've been at home in daylight since then with enough time to fanny about photographing it. It was very mild but windy last night and I was tempted to get the trap out when we got home from London (not late, we didn't stay for the fireworks etc) but decided against it. In fact the biggest bonus last night was that the windy conditions must have made it hard to get those stupid fucking lanterns going as only one or two seen (versus a 100 or so last year). I have run the trap on a couple of mild nights in late December but scored bugger all. I was thinking of giving it a go tonight to try and get the 2012 garden moth list up from zero, but after a mild dull grey day it's now pissing it down heavily.

Had a great day in London yesterday making good use of our Merlin passes. We strolled up to and onto the Eye without any of that queueing for tickets nonsense. We last went on it in 2003 when Alex was a baby and Josh was two and a bit, so they remembered about as much of it as me from last time. Afterwards we had a walk along the Thames towards London Bridge passing and seeing a good few landmarks on the way (eg The Globe, The Golden Hind, that stupid Millenium Bridge, St Pauls, the 'Gherkin') and passing lots of street performers and ignorant 'get the fuck out of my way' type joggers. We then went into the London Dungeons. Never been before and wasn't quite sure what to expect but it was great - even the nerve-jangling bits were good and Isabelle's manic screaming at various intervals helped to make it even more fun. The 'hanging' ride at the end (The Drop) was exactly the sort of thing that makes my stomach churn without it being pitch black. We then headed back to the Eye to see the area lit up. We'd already seen the firework barges in the day, and with the massive sound system it did look like it would be a good spectacle but there was no way we were going to hang about for six hours or so. We saw a brilliant firework display at Alton Towers on November 5th anyway and that lasted twice as long as those in London last night - same thing with synched music and lazers, quite probably the same pyrotechnic company running it.

London Fireworks

Eye

Spammer

2011-12-30T19:06:00.000Z

Yes - I am still here. I've gone quiet as in between bouts of busyness at work, and aside from glutony, alcoholism and mediating between bickering offspring during the festive period, I've done feck all.

Apologies to anyone on my e-mail circ who received an inbox full of junk mail this morning. Some complete bastard fuckwit hacked into my hotmail account. Not sure how that happened as my home PC is fully protected (and always has been). Maybe my work PC antivirus/security stuff has not been updated over Christmas.

My password was not weak (though maybe not the strongest) with numbers and letters and not including an everyday word, but my biggest sin is using the same password for most on-line stuff (lazy, makes it easy to remember) and never changing it. Most worrying was any potential risk to on-line banking etc. Needless to say I spent time this morning changing passwords. Hopefully sorted now - we'll see.

There's every chance I may even get out some time in January ......

Hopefully going down to the smoke tomorrow for a family day out, so before I go I'll wish everyone a Happy New Bird/Moth/Stuff filled Year.

Ho ho ho ....

2011-12-11T20:54:00.000Z

... my arse.

Been so busy lately I'm disappearing up my ample backside - workwise in the week and kidswise at the weekends. And then to top it all, I turn my back for a couple of weeks and it's nearly Christmas. The whisky stash has been taking a hit in the evenings recently to keen me calm or comatose inbetween.

Photos, getting out and seeing things - if only.

Listening to - Skrillex

2011-11-29T20:21:00.000Z

This week I have mainly been getting in the right frame of mind for seeing Skrillex at Rock City tomorrow night. I imagine it's going to be ear-bleedingly brain-blisteringly heart-thumpingly loud and filthy .... or at least I'll be disappointed if I can hear myself think and have a clear head on Thursday morning.

BTW - this is what a crossover of otherwise disparate genres can sound like ....

More Mushrooms from the Bog

2011-11-28T21:19:00.000Z

Managed to (I think) identify a few, though most I have either seen or similarly mis-identified before. Only new one so far is this:

Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus

Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa

Southern Bracket Ganoderma australe

Sulphur Tuft Hypholoma fasciculare

I've also revisted this recent posting with some IDs.

Still lots more to have a go at, and I think I'll start setting up a 'Fungi Wot I can't ID' page.

Snuff

2011-11-27T17:34:00.000Z

All those who found this by mistake, were you looking for: info about tobacco based stuff to inhale; info about the new Terry Pratchett Discworld novel, or are you some sort of sicko looking for depraved movies?

The snuff I am actually posting about is this ...

Candlesnuff Fungus Xylaria hypoxylon

This is a new one for me, and I found loads of it this afternoon at Narborough Bog whilst I was mooching about with the camera with a bag on. I was hoping to get up for the Greater Yellowlegs this weekend, but with no news at all on Friday I wasn't about to spend the fuel and get up at stupid o'clock to be up in Northumberland for dawn yesterday. As it happened, there was no news at all yesterday either until late in the afternoon when the message came through that it was still around. So maybe a Sunday twitch .....

.... I would like to have gone up today but I was scuppered by the Family Calendar. Have you got one? The way it works is this: anything that the kids are doing gets written on and on pain of death it has to happen; anything I want to do has to go on or I have no chance of doing it, and even if it's on it may not happen; anything that Nichola wants to do happens irrespective of whether it's on the calendar or not, and why the hell don't I know about it anyway .... and so it was that Nichola was out on a 'uncalendared' works do last night that meant I had to be here this morning to ensure the kids were sorted (eg picking Josh up from an 'uncalendared' sleep-over) whilst she recovered. Arse. I'm digressing and moaning aren't I.

Back to the bog. I had thought about going back over to Cossington for another Short-eared viewing seeing as the afternoon sunshine prevailed, but opted instead for a closer-to-home effort at finding more fungi. I actually found quite a few and I will spend a bit of time trying to name a few before posting up. But the Candlesnuff was an easy one to ID (or at least it is until someone points out I've screwed up).

Other stuff that I think I've identified are these:

Black Spleenwort Asplenium adiantum-nigrum growing out of a railway bridge

Hammered Shield Lichen Parmelia sulcata

The latter was on a lichen and moss covered tree, and with the camera on flash I took a few arty-farty shots with the background completely unlit, like these:

Wadertastic

2011-11-24T20:15:00.001Z

I felt the urge to twitch birds creeping back into my psyche with several lifers knocking about at different ends of the country. So I successfully managed to extract myself from work for some twitching time today though I was torn as to which way to go. One option was to head north in the hope that yesterday's glum face symbol next to the words Greater Yellowlegs on Birdguides was more down to no one looking anymore rather than it being gone. But the bitter taste of dipping that Isabelline Wheatear a couple of weeks ago was still a bit too fresh for my liking, and a long solo drive for nothing was not appealing. Another option was to head for Kent and hope for the best with the Blackpoll Warbler. Hmmm - maybe not. The safest bet seemed to be to head south for the juv Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - a bird that I've wanted to see for years (no rational reason why, other than they were much rarer when I first started twitching so maybe a relict sense of it being a proper mega).

So, with my mind made up I went for it. Bear in mind I am happily pagerless and don't have a smart phone - it was either going to be there or not but I wouldn't know until I pulled up. The trip down was largely uneventful apart from a snarl up on the M5 whilst some poor bugger was extracted from their car by the services. Once past that I shamefully made use of the in-built TwatNav in the car to negotiate the A and B roads between the M5 and Chew Valley Lake. As Herriot's Bridge came into sight, I could see cars and people - hurrah!

The twitching opposite of dipping is walking directly from car to bird with no effort. Today was almost that as the bird has been showing from the roadside, but at the moment I arrived it wasn't. No matter, whilst I waited for the small wader flock to come back into view I scanned to the other side and immediately picked up the two Long-billed Dowitchers that have been knocking about for a while - excellent. A small Dunlin flock appeared into view, and back out again before I could check through properly. A few more minutes and there it was, superb scopeful TVs of the Sharp-tailed Sand as it preened and milled about. It was initially in amongst the Dunlin and Lapwings and only partially on view but was soon out in the open. I had a big inane grin on my face. It disappeared again with the Dunlin, but again came back and this time the whole flock had a really good fly around. It was amazingly easy to pick it up in flight amongst the Dunlins, looking slightly larger and darker as they wheeled about. It was at this moment that an unsavoury aspect of my twitching psyche surfaced as I found myself churlishly urging it to 'go on, feck off my son before anyone else who needs it gets here ....' The flock landed and I came to my senses. Walking back across the road I turned my attention to another bird. I looked along the edge of Herriot's Pool and picked up the Spotted Sandpiper as it pottered along. Brilliant, I'd been there no more than 20 minutes and I'd picked up all three great birds. I stayed for a while longer to watch the Sharpie, and after an hour or so I decided to head straight back to Leics with the intention of heading to Cossington Meadows.

Almost as soon as I got back to Leics. I got a local grapevine message that there was a small stint at Cossington with yellow legs, and alternatives to Temminck's had not been ruled out. I rang Dave Teaboy Gray to see what he knew and it transpired that he was both the finder and still on site. I headed straight there bumping into Andy Llama Mackay on the way in. We frogmarched down to Tern Pool but no sign of anything small and stintish. We later tied up with Dave and Allen Pocock but the bird was gone after being flushed by a Sprawk. Sounds like it was almost certainly a Temminck's (unusual in itself at an inland site in late November) but perhaps we'll never know for sure. After a bit of a natter and catching up we spend the rest of the light watching at least two Short-eared Owls putting in a great performance.

All in all a day of high returns for minimal effort - I could really get back into this birding and twitching malarky. Just a shame there were no decent photographic opportunities!

ps - the Greater Yellowlegs has had 3!!! all day and no glum faces, wonder if it will stay until Saturday .....

Dance Craze

2011-11-20T21:16:00.000Z

Anyone else remember the excellent docu-film Dance Craze about the late 70s early 80s Ska revival, featuring live footage of The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, The Beat, Bad Manners and The Bodysnatchers? Great stuff it was, went to see it at the flicks as soon as it was on (cFeb 81 I think).

I'd love to see it again, but in the meantime there's some grainy LD footage on You Tube.....

Fungaling?

2011-11-19T19:20:00.001Z

Actively looking for birds = birding
Actively looking for moths = mothing
Actively looking for anything fungal = fungaling?

Of course, looking for and identifying are not one and the same thing as far as me and fungi are concerned, so here's a collection of attempted IDs and pleas for help, starting off with two leaf rust type fungi.

I think this is Violet Bramble Rust (Phragmidium violaceum) - front and back of the same leaf.

All of the local Elm in the hedgerow has these raised black spots on the leaves. Web searches haven't helped so far (although there is something called Elm Black Spot, though it does not appear to be a UK species). Any idea what it is?

Found this down the lane - I think it's a developing Shaggy Parasol (Chlorophyllum rhacodes).

This one is from Enderby - Peziza repanda I think.

~~The following are all as yet unidentified - any ideas?~~ Thanks to Steve Gale for identification suggestions for the following two which match other images and descriptions:

These are all varying stages of Glistening Inkcap Coprinus micaceus

Pleated Inkcap Coprinellus plicatilis

I've checked further on these and think I've now got them sussed.

I'm convinced this is an aged Verdigris Toadstool Stropharia aeruginosa.
In particular see here for a very similar specimen.

Pretty sure this is Velvet Shank Flammulina velutipes.

The following are still unidentified:

Big - c4inches across

Very big - c8inches across

Originally thought this was a developing Wood Blewit but really not convinced.

Finally, something non-fungal ..

Red Pustule Gall Mite (Aceria aceriscampestris) on maple

Post edited 28/11/2011

Legless

2011-11-17T22:30:00.000Z

Seems everything is against me seeing new birds these days. Local Snow Bunts would have been an overdue county tick, and that bloody Greater Legs up in Northumbs is grating a little now. I would really like to see this superb bird but I have had zero chance of taking time out of work this week and face another heavily constrained weekend. Next week is not looking any more likely for a day off either. Arse.

In lieu of doing or seeing anything exciting, and with no new photos to share, I had a quick trawl through the hopelessy archived archives looking for old photos to give a new airing. I found a few, and inadvertently found a new sawfly in the process (one that is very obvious some nine years later with improved online resources).

Blue-tailed Damselfly, Crow Mill Way 26/06/2002

Willow Sawfly (Nematus salicis), Narborough Bog 23/07/2002

Migrant Hawker, Whetstone 01/09/2002

Dingy Skipper, Clipsham Quarry 12/07/2003

Orange-tip, Whetstone 23/05/2004

From the garden trap 13/11/2011

2011-11-14T19:11:00.000Z

The Synergetic combo trap has been on a few times in the last week or so, but nothing exciting or new for the year. With news of yet another Palpita vitrealis in Leicester (both in Adrian's trap - lucky bugger), I decided it was time to go all out and run the MV aswell. Didn't make a blind bit of difference, although I did pick up a garden yeartick in the Synergetic.

Total catch 13 of 6sp.
(125W MV 4 of 3, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 9 of 5)
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 4
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1395 Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 2
1799 Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata) 1
1923 Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria) 4
1933 Scarce Umber (Agriopis aurantiaria) 1 (NFY)

Scarce Umber

Still no sniff of Sprawler or December Moth - neither recorded here since 2001.

Brilliant ...

2011-11-11T21:43:00.000Z

.. is my one-word review of the excellent new book by Colin Hart.

Just got my copy this evening thanks to the combined efforts of Keith Tailby who picked it up at the BENHS Exhibition at the weekend, and Adrian Russell who delivered to me whilst out on and about. Many thanks both.

The plates in this book are superb, showing specimens at both life-size and in excellent blown up detail. This is just what we need for such groups, and what the Pugs book by Riley & Prior should have been! The text and keys will be invaluable, and a lot more plumes will be confidently identified now (and Colin can have a rest from endless queries and specimens being sent to him).

This book should be on the book shelf of every lepidopterist (and pan-lister).

Pacmoon

2011-11-10T22:24:00.000Z

I see a few people have pointed camera at the moon and other night-sky stuff. So I copied them as the full moon tonight is casting some lovely corona type effect on passing clouds ....

Remind you of anything?

Just lately the boys have been finding inane stuff on You Tube that they find hilarious and I find annoying. Like Annoying Orange. I think it only fair to inflict this on you as well ....

The Golden Age of Pretentious Album Titles

2011-11-08T20:58:00.000Z

This week I have mostly been listening to a couple of cultured classics from the early 80s ....

Dip

2011-11-07T21:00:00.000Z

On Friday night at the LROS meeting, John Hague asked me what my plans were for Sunday. 'Nothing much, why?' was my response, but it should have been 'A bit of gardening, sorting out a TV aerial and definitely not going on an out-of-county twitch'. And so it was that I counted myself in to a twitch to Spurn if the Isabelline Wheatear was still around on Saturday. I was not available on Saturday and neither was John - but the bird remained on view all day. So with positive news up until dusk, we left John's at 6am yesterday and arrived at Spurn after it was properly light and just in time to find out 'no sign so far this morning'. Arse, feck, bastard, bugger.

Back in the day when I used to twitch much more regularly than the current once a year or so, dipping was part and parcel of the 'game' although I was remarkably lucky and suffered very few momentous dips. Often I either came away happy, or was dipping with the whole twitching community (eg October 2000 Siberian Blue Robin at Minsmere). The only dip that really grated was driving up to Scotland overnight in June 1997 and spending c6 hours in the pissing rain looking at nothing, only to receive a pager message a few hours later on the way home that 'Roller still at Lochaber Loch'. The last bitter out-of-county dipping experience for me was back in October 2002 when I was already in the throws of giving up twitching. That was in bloody Yorks as well (White-throated Sparrow at Flamborough).

Anyway, back to Spurn. We duly ignored the negative info. and set about looking for the wheatear. In the process, we saw very little (lots of very distant waders, a few close in Knot, a Grey plover, some Redwings and a Wren .......). we certainly didn't see any rare exciting passerines. This was made all the more galling by the continued presence of another Izzy Whitearse in Wales. Bastard!

After walking and searching for a good while, we gave it up and headed off to grab a bite. With everything closed locally, we decided to head back the other side of Hull to eat and then go to Blacktoft Sands. At least we'd see something on the day out, and be within distance in the unlikely event that the Wheatear popped up again.

Click for big - typical view from a Blacktoft hide

Click for big - Shelduck Shoveler Island

I do like Blacktoft, and it provided some pleasing birding spectacles though nothing unexpected. 1000s of Golden Pover were constantly filling the skies, and we got superb views as a decent number of them fed in a field adjacent to the reserve along with masses of Lapwings . Sadly no sign of the recently present Common Crane though. We also had a few various-sized skeins of Pink-feet heading over in all directions (including some going back and forth for some reason), c200 being the biggest group.

Click for big - all those dots are Goldies and Lapwings

Click for big - aimlessly wandering Pink-feet

We stayed for the raptor roost, picking up anywhere between a conservative 10 and 13 Marsh Harriers including one or two superb full adult males. Also one, possibly two, ringtail Hen Harriers including a very close fly-by. But sadly no owls, no Merlin and no Bittern.

Click for big and spot the Marsh Harrier

Perhaps the least expected things we saw all day were a couple of Red Admirals and at least 6 Common Darters soaking up the late afternoon sun .....

Dipping was a pain, and Blacktoft was maybe not as great as it could have been, but the day out was still a whole lot better than gardening and sorting out a TV aerial!

Feeding Tree Sparrows

Feeding Shelduck

Incidentally, 'Isabelline' is a colour and though the etymology is inconclusive the theories about it's origin appear to relate to piss-stained underwear .......

Spot The Difference

2011-11-05T09:43:00.000Z

I tried to post this yesterday evening before I went out, but blogger wasn't playing (no idea what was wrong). I went out to the LROS Indoor Meeting with Alan Davies and Ruth Miller giving their Big Twitch talk, and we were out for a couple of beers afterwards. Good taking to Alan and Ruth about their experiences - and some cracking photos and anecdotes during the evening.

Anyway - spot the difference between these two plots:

All records up to 02/11/2011

All records up to 04/11/2011

Double-striped Pug is the last thing I was expecting or hoping for in the trap in early November!

03/11/2011, 12 of 8sp.
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 4
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1041 Acleris sparsana 1
1395 Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 2
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 1

Knock knock ......

2011-10-31T19:43:00.000Z

.... trick or treat!!??

How about feck off! I really don't like the way that the American developed extortion with menaces has pervaded our society. In fairness, the kids around our estate are actually taking part in a modernised version of the more traditional celtic guising and there is no malice or vandalism. They also only go to houses with a lit pumpkin so anyone without kids or who does not want to be disturbed is left in peace - like I would be if Nichola and the kids didn't have a say in the matter .......

Slightly better in the Synergetic combo trap last night, with 18 of 11sp.

0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 5
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1398 Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella) 1
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 1
1923 Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria) 4
2245 Green-brindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1

Ultra - Pants

2011-10-30T20:26:00.000Z

Ran the garden Synergetic last night - mild with a strong southerly and rain later. 3 of 2sp. was a pants return and certainly not the immigrant filled emptying I was hoping for. 2 x Feathered Thorn, 1 x Brick.

I'm sure DM had my garden trapping results in mind when they titled these two excellent tracks from the Ultra release.

Useless

It's No Good

Fungi, Mining and Recycling in the Garden

2011-10-29T20:41:00.002+01:00

Here's some bits from the garden this week.

First up, I found a few toadstools on one side of the garden in various states of development. I think they may be an Inocybe sp. (maybe Inocybe maculata?). Of course they could well be nothing of the sort.

No idea on this one - it is growing right at the base of the main trunk on the Lilac bush in the garden.

Also a few vacated Stigmella aurella and splendidissimella mines as last year, plus these very fresh new tenanted mines ~~that I'll keep an eye on~~ that are Emmetia marginea (thanks Matt).

Finally, back on 13/10/2011 when I got home from Sevilla, literally as I walked up the driveway I heard a glazed thud and found a very feshly deceased and bleeding Dunnock under the window. I decided to give it the dignity in death of being recycled and dumped it underneath a bush on the front garden. I then forgot about it until this week when milling about with the camera. Doesn't look anything like a Dunnock now!

In case you haven't noticed, I've worked out how to add pages to the blog which I'll progressively add and update as and when I can be arsed and have nothing better to write or do!

2011 Mothing Update

2011-10-25T22:29:00.000+01:00

After the best part of a week in Sevilla, a constrained intervening weekend, a family holiday last week including Isabelle's 16th birthday, and our 12th wedding anniversary last weekend (yes, cart before horse!), I've not had any chance to generate anything exciting to write about. In lieu of anything else, this evening I decided to get the moth records up to date - not that the traps have been out much, and when they have I've just run the Synergetic/CFL combo. Having updated the records and lists, I find that at the moment my 2011 garden list stands at 388 species (with an additional 7 pending gen det) and my overall British 2011 year list stands at 621 species (with an additional 10 pending gen det). It's actually been a pretty good year for the garden with 6 new macros (+1 pending) and 17 new micros (+6 pending). Probably not too many garden trap nights over the next few weeks .......

23/10/2011 : 10 of 8sp.
1395 Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 1
2245 Green-brindled Crescent [ab. capucina] (Allophyes oxyacanthae ab. capucina) 1
2262 Brick (Agrochola circellaris) 2
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 1
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 2

14/10/2011 : 29 of 12sp.
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 2
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1771 Juniper Carpet (Thera juniperata) 1
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 3
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 1
2245 Green-brindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae) 5
2245 Green-brindled Crescent [ab. capucina] (Allophyes oxyacanthae ab. capucina) 2
2262 Brick (Agrochola circellaris) 3
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 3
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 5

13/10/2011 : 48 of 18sp.
0435 Zelleria hepariella 1
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1
1395 Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 3
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1771 Juniper Carpet (Thera juniperata) 1 (NFY)
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 4
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2245 Green-brindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae) 11
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1
2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) 3
2262 Brick (Agrochola circellaris) 2
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 3
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 6
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 3
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 4
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1

03/10/2011 : 60 of 21sp.
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 4
1041 Acleris sparsana 2
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1682 Blood-vein (Timandra comae) 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1769 Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica) 1 (NFY)
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 3
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 7
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 3
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 12
2245 Green-brindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae) 2
2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 3
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 3
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 7
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Paradrina clavipalpis) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 4

The Barry Norman Slot

2011-10-22T23:06:00.000+01:00

Films to see or catch up on .....

Some Garden Moths

2011-10-15T22:05:00.000+01:00

Juniper Carpet - found this in the garden on Thursday afternoon when I got home from Sevilla

November Moth agg. - from the garden trap on Thursday night

Green-brindled Cresent ab. capucina - from the trap last night

King Crimson (n Stuff)

2011-10-13T22:30:00.002+01:00

A fair bit to write about and from the last week, but in the meantime here's a few from yesterday afternoon ...

CORR ... shame I didn't get a great shot as it briefly settled

Wheatear - even the birds were panting in the searing heat

Cattle Egret - more panting

Very distant Greater Flamingos

The rest are various Anadalusian Wall Lizards (I think) ..

Sevilla 09/10/2011

2011-10-09T22:51:00.001+01:00

Today's bus trip didn't quite go as planned - too cervesa addled to explain right now so here's some shots in the meantime ...

Lot's Sardinian Warblers today, most seen better than photographed ...

Clouded Yellow

A very knackered Cardinal

Brown Argus

Spoladea recurvalis

Sevilla 08/10/2011

2011-10-08T20:48:00.003+01:00

Saw loads of Cattle Egrets before the plane had landed, milling about on farmland on the approach and also actually on the air strip and then en route from the airport to Sevilla. And then no more once I was out and about with a camera. Today I just had a look around the area where the hotel is (on the southern outskirts of Sevilla), and then walked to Sevilla and had a look around there. I've walked bloody miles in the baking hot sun. Mainly I have found myself looking at scantily clad females and mentally saying 'hola' in a sleezy Leslie Phillips manner.

Not too much avian interest in the town - no Lesser Kestrels on the cathedral, and nothing exciting found in the big Maria Luisa park on the way in, apart from loads of screaming Ring-necked Parakeets (again, saw some in Holland a few weeks ago as well). Nevertheless, I found a few interesting things to point the camera at - though whilst I am lucky to have internet access here in the hotel I am using my crappy laptop/monitor and don't have my proper software.

First of all, within a shortish slog of the hotel I found some Red-veined Darters, mainly female types. In the same area, I also found some Lang's Short-tailed Blue butterflies.

Red-veined Darter - female

Lang's Short-tailed Blue

Just after watching these for a while, I happened to look up and - FECK!

~~Got to be a Griffon, hasn't it?~~ Massive. Bloody rare Ruppell's Vulture! (thanks Stewart)

In the aforementioned park, some superb bright dropwings posing ridiculously well.

Orange-winged Dropwing (left) and Violet Dropwing (right)

Also loads of these in the water:

Iberian Green Frog

I've sussed out the bus timetable and bus station, so all being well some light birding around El Rocio tomorrow, on the edge of Coto Donana. Meanwhile, this shot was taken at 20:00 local time tonight whilst sipping una cerveza by the pool.

Y viva España

2011-10-07T22:25:00.001+01:00

Hola. Estaré en Sevilla por la mañana, esperanzadamente viendo algunos pájaros locales. No tendré un coche, sino que puedo poder conseguir un autobús al El Rocio el domingo. Una cerveza por favor. Los niños y las niñas es en la piscina y son muy felices. Éste es principalmente absurdo como usted puede ver. El servicio normal reasumirá el próximo viernes. Adiós para ahora. (translate badly)

Craneless

2011-10-04T21:09:00.000+01:00

Several things conspired late yesterday that prevented me twitching; I had planned to get up in the early hours to drive to Suffolk and tick that twatting Crane, but late notice changes in work committments made such irresponsibility out of the question. I needed to be in the office for late morning and getting to Suffolk and back in the available time would have left little or no time to look for/enjoy the bird. Back in the days before I had real work responsibilities, I'd have gone without a second thought and sorted out the consequences with the manager later, but these days (being a manager) it's just not that simple. Luckily I have almost completely cured myself of the urge to bugger off on a whim to twitch out of county, but that Crane is starting to bug me now. I'll have no chance now as I fly to Seville on Saturday on business for a week, will be heavily constrained the following weekend and then I'm away on holiday for a week. Hopefully it will just sod off to France tomorrow.

I haven't sorted the records yet, but here's some moths from last night ....

Silver Y

Blood-vein

Spruce Carpet

Summer is here ...

2011-10-03T22:14:00.002+01:00

... Swallow-tailed Moth last night!

Actually, a second brood is not unprecedented but this is my latest ever (after a few September individuals in 2006). Right on with the summaries for 1st & 2nd.

01/10/2011 : Total catch 81 of 32sp.
(125W MV 27 of 16, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 54 of 25)

0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
0870 Oegoconia quadripuncta 1
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 3
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 9
1041 Acleris sparsana 4
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 6
1054 Acleris cristana 1
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 3
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 11
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 5
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 2
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 2
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 2
2245 Green-brindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae) 3
2262 Brick (Agrochola circellaris) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 2
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 1
2266 Brown-spot Pinion (Agrochola litura) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 6
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 1
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 5
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 1
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Paradrina clavipalpis) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

I'm convinced this is Oegoconia deauratella (albeit late!). I added this species to the VC55 list in 2003, based on an individual that looked different and turned out right after gen. det. This one has a witness of the markings on the costa just beyond the basal markings, which should make it deauratella.

Oegoconia quadripuncta - gen. det. by Jon Clifton Jan 2012

Barred Sallow - a nice richly marked one

Beaded Chestnut - this is the best year for this species in the garden, the previous best being 2001.

02/10/2011 : Total catch 85 of 34sp.
(125W MV 27 of 19, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 58 of 26)

0246 Tinea semifulvella 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 2
0994 Clepsis consimilana 1
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 2
1041 Acleris sparsana 4
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 5
1062 Acleris emargana 1 (NFY)
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 1 (NFY)
1922 Swallow-tailed Moth (Ourapteryx sambucaria) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 5
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 6
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 7
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 3
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 8
2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) 2
2262 Brick (Agrochola circellaris) 2
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 3
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 2
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 1
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 9
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 1
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 2
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 4
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Acleris emargana - only the second for the garden (first 2003)

Acleris sparsana

Light Brown Apple Moth - the massive decline continues, only 77 individuals so far this year (versus 219 in 2010, a peak of 902 in 2002, and an average of 545 2003 - 2009)

Dark Chestnut

Bugging Me

2011-10-02T16:51:00.001+01:00

Time for some relief from moths, though nothing exciting bird-wise to post (haven't felt the urge to open the wallet, take time off of work and chase that crane all over the place, or to go and look at 'odd' Little Stints). I have noticed a couple of birdy things over the last couple of days though - c40 Pied Wags descending onto roofing at the Meridian leisure park on Friday evening, and a huge vis-mig movement of Skylarks SW over my garden yesterday morning (all seven of them).

These two are new for me (at least in the sense of taking the time to find out what they are). Both from the garden, and both from the moth traps one way or another ...

Tree Damsel Bug - found this sitting on top of my traps before I put them out on Friday evening

Birch Shieldbug - one of several in the trap on Saturday morning (and one I've definitely overlooked before)

In keeping with the theme of the post, here's are some excellent tracks from The Bug. Whack it up loud if your system can take it ....

Garden Mothing / Garden Tick

2011-10-01T23:36:00.000+01:00

Just been catching up on the garden records, with the traps having been on every night except Wednesday when I was away on business. Before all the summaries and photos, here's the biggest highlight - a superb garden tick Large Wainscot last night.

Large Wainscot

27/09/2011
Total catch 72 of 25sp.
(125W MV 24 of 14, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 48 of 22)

0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 3
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 5
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 8
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 2
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 3
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 2
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 13
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 5
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 3
2248 Brindled Green (Dryobotodes eremita) 1 (NFY)
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 3 (NFY)
2266 Brown-spot Pinion (Agrochola litura) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 1
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 5
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 3
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 2
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 4
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1

Red-line Quaker

Beaded Chestnut

29/09/2011
Total catch 46 of 22sp.
(125W MV 16 of 12, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 30 of 15)

0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 2
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 2
1041 Acleris sparsana 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
1961 Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 4
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 9
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 2
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 5
2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) 1
2262 Brick (Agrochola circellaris) 1
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 1 (NFY)
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 1
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 1
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 4
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 3
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 1

Yellow-line Quaker

Garden Rose Tortrix

30/09/2011
Total catch 71 of 26sp.
(125W MV 27 of 14, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 44 of 21)

0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 4
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 3
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 5
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 9
1054 Acleris cristana 1
1395 Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 1 (NFY)
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 3
1707 Small Dusty Wave (Idaea seriata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 2
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 11
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 8
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 3
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 2
2245 Green-brindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae) 1 (NFY)
2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 2
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 1
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 2
2271 Orange Sallow (Xanthia citrago) 1
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 3
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 1
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2

2375 Large Wainscot (Rhizedra lutosa) 1 (FIRST FOR GARDEN)

2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Paradrina clavipalpis) 1

Green-brindled Crescent

Rusty Dot Pearl

Small Dusty Wave

Acleris cristana - one of the drabber forms, but looks at those fresh scale-tufts!

Emmelina monodactyla

Red-line Quaker

From the garden trap 26/09/2011

2011-09-27T20:55:00.000+01:00

Back out with the traps last night - turned out to be cooler than I'd hoped and it was a bit nippy and damp this morning. Aside from three yearticks, biggest surprise was a Common Rustic agg. - the last one I recorded was around three weeks ago on 3rd September.

Aside from any potential immigrants or garden firsts, there are c6 species left that I can reasonably expect to turn up over the next couple of weeks, and maybe c6 other possibles before the year end. The fat lady isn't singing yet, but I can hear the gargling and throat clearing ....

Total catch 41 of 20sp.
(125W MV 11 of 8, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 30 of 15)

0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 2
1041 Acleris sparsana 1 (NFY)
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 2
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1923 Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria) 1 (NFY)
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 5
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 7
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 2
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 2
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 5
2262 Brick (Agrochola circellaris) 1 (NFY)
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 2
2271 Orange Sallow (Xanthia citrago) 1
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 1
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 2
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 1

Feathered Thorn

Brick

Black Rustic - stunning when fresh but this is another less than perfect individual

Fluffy Clouds, Setting Sun, Dark

2011-09-26T22:02:00.000+01:00

24/09/2011 Mothing

2011-09-25T22:46:00.000+01:00

Last night we were free of the boys, duly incarcerated at my Mum's (Isabelle opted out, a teenage privilege). Nichola had very clearly indicated that we should take advantage and get out, but I had already clearly indicated to myself that it would be good to get out mothing. So, I made a suggestion that we loaded the car up with a few traps, headed out east to dump them and then go for a nice rustic pub meal and drinks before heading back to retrieve the traps. Gladly, this mothing plan masquerading as compromise and the best of both worlds was duly accepted and we headed out to Ketton Quarry. Even the appearance of Adrian Russell at Ketton to run a sheet and a couple more traps was overlooked.

The forecast was for a dry mild night. As good as Ketton usually is, it can at times turn very cool and damp there on clear nights and sadly last night was one of them. Of course, having set up five traps and departed to enjoy a good meal at The Collyweston Slater, and a couple of pints of Batemans XXXB, I was generally unaware of this until we got back.

Adrian had managed to pick up 77 of 29sp from a sheet and two traps, but my five traps were on the cooler side and the catch was pretty poor. Neither of the hoped-for targets appeared and not even anything new for the year (strictly speaking - though good to see an adult Brindled Green having recorded it in the larval stage earlier in the year).

Total catch 37 of 18sp.
(3 x 125W MV traps, 1 x 40W/20W actinic/CFL combo & 1 x 80W/11W actinic/CFL combo)

1138 Epinotia nisella 3
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 4
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 2
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 2
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 3
2248 Brindled Green (Dryobotodes eremita) 1
2266 Brown-spot Pinion (Agrochola litura) 1
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 2
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 9
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 1
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Brindled Green

The garden fared a little better, though again nothing new for the year.

Total catch 87 of 29sp.
(125W MV 26 of 15, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 61 of 21)

0227 Skin Moth (Monopis laevigella) 1
0246 Tinea semifulvella 1
0462 Ypsolopha sequella 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
0697 Agonopterix arenella 1
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 2
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 2
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 3
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 2
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 22
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 15
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 5
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 1
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 2
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 2
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 1
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 4
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 6
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 4
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 1
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 1

Rosy Rustic - a huge female, Large Yellow Underwing sized

Large Yellow Underwing - a nice colour form, shame about the wing damage

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Shuttle-shaped Dart

From the garden trap 23/09/2011

2011-09-24T17:20:00.000+01:00

I ran two combo traps last night for a change. The now regular 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL trap was positioned half way down the garden (where I usually run the MV) and a 40W/20W Actinic CFL/CFL combo by the house (where I usually run the Synergetic). O most night since I started using it, the Synergetic has outperformed the MV, but interestingly last night when it was in the usual MV position it didn't do as well as the 40W actinic.

Total catch 73 of 24sp.
(22W/18W Synergetic/CFL 21 of 11, 40W/20W Actinic CFL/CFL 52 of 22)

0246 Tinea semifulvella 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 3
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 2
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 4
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 2
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 2
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 4
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 18
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 11
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 4
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 2
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 2
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 1 (NFY)
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 4
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 2
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 1
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

I'm running a few traps at Ketton Quarry tonight - targets are Large Ranunculus (which I've not seen for years) and Mallow (which I've never seen anywhere!).

Blair's Shoulder-knot

Black Rustic

Lesser Yellow Underwing

Lunar Underwing

From the garden trap 22/09/2011

2011-09-23T19:55:00.002+01:00

... but before that, a garden tick from yesterday evening in the form of a leaf-mine on a large cultivated rose that is actually growing in the neighbours garden although the branch that yielded this is overhanging the fence into my garden (good enough for me anyway!).

Stigmella anomalella

More than double both the individuals and species in the traps last night compared to Wednesday, with three more yearticks but nothing to get the adrenaline going (it's been a good five years now since any decent autumnal migrants landed in my garden traps). Sadly the Black Rustic was a bit too scuffed to bother photographing.

Total catch 63 of 27sp.
(125W MV 24 of 17, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 39 of 22)

0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 3
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1
0985 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) 1 (NFY)
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 3
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 7
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 3
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 3
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 9
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 5
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 2
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 3
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 2
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 1 (NFY)
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 2
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 2
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 1 (NFY)
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 3
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 3
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Barred Sallow

Red-green Carpet (first since 13th January!)

Common Wainscot

And following a comment from Matt, here's the periodicity plots for my Common Wainscot records:

From the garden trap 21/09/2011

2011-09-22T20:58:00.000+01:00

Another rare outing for the garden traps so far this September. The conditions were mild but blustery, so I had low expectations and was therefore not too disappointed with the relatively low catch. Two more new for the year species bring the garden total up to 370 species (with an additional 6 pending confirmation once inspected under the microscope). Not too many dead-certs left for the year, so it's looking very likely to be a few less than last year's record total of 390 but still well above the average for the preceding years (c324).

Total catch 28 of 13sp.
(125W MV 10 of 6, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 18 of 10)

0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 3
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 10
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 2 (NFY)
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 2 (NFY)
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 3
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Paradrina clavipalpis) 1

Pink-barred Sallow

Frosted Orange

Beaded Chestnut

Quiet Life ...

2011-09-20T19:52:00.000+01:00

.. is what I have been listening to just lately. Still a great album, and in particular Karn's fretless bass and sax work on this was brilliant.

Very Retro Garden Tick

2011-09-19T21:08:00.001+01:00

One thing I am very good at (or bad at depending on your view) is retaining e-mails. It's not through effective filing or anything too anal or obsessive, I just can't be arsed to delete them all and have managed to keep transferring them from one software package to another along with the address book etc (since May 2000 at least, earlier one were lost).

Recently I was trying to find something amongst some old e-mail (as the other thing I am probably too good at is having a vague recollection of something and then finding it on an old e-mail). Whilst at it, I browsed a few others from the same period and found an old ID request with some completely rubbish photos attached. One of the photos was of an as-then unidentified tortrix from my garden on 13/05/2001 - only looking at it now with over ten years more experience the ID was immediately apparent and I've managed to add a very retrospective tick to the garden list. Checking on the UK Moths archive I then found that actually someone had suggested that ID as well, so no idea how or why I missed the record at the time.

The photo is still rubbish despite the armchair victory!

Fruitlet Mining Tortrix (Pammene rhediella)

There's a slightly better recent photo of one here.

From the garden trap 16/09/2011

2011-09-17T20:07:00.000+01:00

Ran the garden traps last night for the first time since 8th - a combination of being busy and away at work, and the weather being shite. Biggest highlight last night was two Brown-spot Pinions - a garden rarity for me with only three previous individuals (Sep 2000, Sep 2006 & Oct 2006).

Brown-spot Pinion

Total catch 75 of 26sp.
(125W MV 30 of 14, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 45 of 17)

0422 Argyresthia albistria 1
0460 Ypsolopha parenthesella 1 (NFY)
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 2
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 4
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 2
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1961 Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 14
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 26
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 2
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 3
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2266 Brown-spot Pinion (Agrochola litura) 2 (NFY)
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 1 (NFY)
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 1
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 1 (NFY)
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Ypsolopha parenthesella (knackered)

Lunar Underwing

So Juvenile

2011-09-11T20:22:00.000+01:00

Other than working, haven't done much this weekend sadly. Did manage to nip over to Watermead CP South late this afternoon more in hope than expectation. A juv Arctic Tern has been knocking about though I expected it to be gone - but luckily it wasn't. Good views in late afternoon sunshine and strong wind. I tried to get a few shots but they pretty much amounted to nothing. The damned thing seemed to follow a set circuit up and down the water until I got into position and pointed the camera, at which point it would change it's route and start another circuit. Nice clean white rump and forehead, dark black-looking bill and whitish secondaries. Not that the following grainy crop helps paint the picture ...

This week, I have mostly been listening to ....

2011-09-07T22:13:00.000+01:00

.... an eclectic mish mash of random and slightly obscure stuff (anyone who's been reading this blog over the last four years will have noted my wide-ranging music tastes!)

Skinny Puppy

Noise Unit (a Front Line Assembly side project)

Suicide

Hula

Alien Sex Fiend

My Life With The Thrill Kill Cult

Watermead CP South 02/09/2011

2011-09-05T22:36:00.000+01:00

Early evening on Friday, I nipped out on the bike for a quick sprint down the lane and back and realised that it was still pretty mild. I got home and checked the forecast which looked very promising, got on the phone to Adrian and we quickly arranged a very short notice foray to Watermead CP South. The plan was to set up a couple of traps and sheet around the biggest accessible clump of Butterbur (the plant) and promptly add The Butterbur (the moth) to the VC55 list. We set up 125W MV sheet, 2 x 125W MV traps and a 40W/20W actinic/CFL combo trap.

Sadly, the planned glory never materialised. The Butterbur genuinely appears to be scarce and local in and around the midlands with several apparently blank counties. More planning and gen required I think. We still had a good night though for a quick two-hour jaunt, but it wasn't the light traps that provided the biggest surprise. We'd been up and running for an hour or so and decided to have a quick patrol of the traps. En route I noticed a Sallow apparently nectaring on the 'flowerhead' of a Common Reed, and then another. We then started noticing lots more Sallows and Square-spot Rustics (50+ of each) and other species. Completely unexpected and really interesting to see - no damned camera to catch the moment sadly.

The overall total recorded was 409 of 43sp. (of which 293 of 41 were at light, 116 of 11 were nectaring on the reeds). The numbers in square brackets is the split between [light, nectaring]. Only two species new for the year - Bulrush and Large Wainscots.

0697 Agonopterix arenella 1 [0, 1]
0993 Cyclamen Tortrix (Clepsis spectrana) 3 [2, 1]
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 3 [2, 1]
1076 Celypha lacunana 1
1086 Hedya salicella 1
1104 Endothenia quadrimaculana 1
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1309 Agriphila geniculea 1
1328 Schoenobius gigantella 1
1350 Beautiful China-mark (Nymphula stagnata) 6
1405 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 2
1439 Trachycera advenella 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 2
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 11
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1914 Dusky Thorn (Ennomos fuscantaria) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
1956 Common Wave (Cabera exanthemata) 1
2087 Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum) 1
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 6
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 22 [17, 5]
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 3
2133 Six-striped Rustic (Xestia sexstrigata) 2
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 222 [172, 50]
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 4
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 5
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 58 [8, 50]
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 3
2300 Old Lady (Mormo maura) 3
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 6 [5, 1]
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 6 [3, 3]
2368 Crescent (Celaena leucostigma) 5 [4, 1]
2369 Bulrush Wainscot (Nonagria typhae) 2 [0, 2] NFY
2375 Large Wainscot (Rhizedra lutosa) 3 [2, 1] NFY
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 9
2452 Red Underwing (Catocala nupta) 1
2474 Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) 2
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 2

Large Wainscot

Beautiful China-mark

Schoenobius gigantella

Cyclamen Tortrix

Turnip Moth

The following two Sallows illustrate perfectly how widely variable individual moths of the some species can be. If these were birds they'd have been split into five or more species by now!

Garden Mothing Update

2011-09-04T20:21:00.001+01:00

Here are the summaries for the last four nights, including a couple of garden firsts.

31/08/2011 : Total catch 156 of 27 sp.
(125W MV 62 of 24, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 94 of 16)

0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 3
0422 Argyresthia albistria 1
0462 Ypsolopha sequella 1
0658 Carcina quercana 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1305 Agriphila tristella 2
1309 Agriphila geniculea 19
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 3
1708 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 8
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 3
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 2
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 7
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 41
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 36
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 10
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 2 (NFY)
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 1
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 2
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 5

01/09/2011 : Total catch 164 of 37 sp.
(125W MV 77 of 28, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 87 of 24)

0443 Cedestis subfasciella 1 (FIRST FOR GARDEN)

0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0658 Carcina quercana 1
0873 Blastobasis adustella 1
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 2
1076 Celypha lacunana 2
1138 Epinotia nisella 7
1305 Agriphila tristella 1
1309 Agriphila geniculea 32
1331 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) 1
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 2
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1708 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 2
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 3
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 4
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 2
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 7
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 35
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 24
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 3
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 11
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 3
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1 (NFY)
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 2
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 2
2300 Old Lady (Mormo maura) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 2
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1
2474 Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) 1

Cedestis subfasciella - a bit faded/worn, but markings correct. Good to add this to the garden list as there are only six previous VC55 records, and four of those are from Andy Mackay's old Markfield garden. Coincidentally I only saw this for the first time earlier in the year in Devon.

02/09/2011 : Total catch 215 of 32 sp.
(125W MV 79 of 21, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 136 of 25)

0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 2
0411 Argyresthia goedartella 1
0455 Ypsolopha scabrella 1
0462 Ypsolopha sequella 2
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 3
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1

0843 Aproaerema anthyllidella 1 (FIRST FOR GARDEN)

0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 3
1043 Acleris aspersana 1 (NFY)
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 7
1138 Epinotia nisella 14
1305 Agriphila tristella 1
1309 Agriphila geniculea 53
1331 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) 1
1439 Trachycera advenella 1
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 2
1707 Small Dusty Wave (Idaea seriata) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 7
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 2
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 6
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 2
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 2
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 11
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 40
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 24
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 2
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 12
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 3
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 6

Possible Eulamprotes immaculatella. Only c9mm wingspan which is too small for the most likely similar species, and otherwise seems to fit the description in MBGBI4. If confirmed, it will not only be a first for me and the garden, but VC55 and quite likely the whole of the midlands.

Aproaerema anthyllidella - gen. det. by Jon Clifton Jan 2012

03/09/2011 : Total catch 238 of 41 sp.
(125W MV 97 of 31, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 141 of 28)

0125 Emmetia marginea 1
0263 Apple Leaf Miner (Lyonetia clerkella) 1
0332a Firethorn Leaf Miner (Phyllonorycter leucographella) 1
0422 Argyresthia albistria 3
0455 Ypsolopha scabrella 1
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 4
0658 Carcina quercana 1
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 2
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 7
1138 Epinotia nisella 6
1304 Agriphila straminella 1
1305 Agriphila tristella 2
1309 Agriphila geniculea 25
1439 Trachycera advenella 2
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1690 Small Blood-vein (Scopula imitaria) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 4
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 4
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 4
1867 Treble-bar (Aplocera plagiata) 1 (NFY)
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 6
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 6
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 62
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 38
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 2
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 3
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 21
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 2
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 1
2271 Orange Sallow (Xanthia citrago) 1 (NFY)
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 4
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 1
2300 Old Lady (Mormo maura) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 2
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 8
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 2

Treble-bar

Treble-bar - showing the long pointed abdomen (versus short and rounded in Lesser Treble-bar)

Orange Sallow - I'll get a really nice fresh one to photograph one of these days!

Mouse Moth - let's face it, if moth conservation depended on the public opinion of moths like this then there would be no moth conservation!

Planes, Galls and Whitearses

2011-09-03T21:58:00.000+01:00

Had a good night out mothing at Watermead CP South with Adrian Russell last night, and the garden traps have been ticking over nightly with a couple of interesting firsts to report - however I'm going to save the moth trapping posts for the moment and go with other stuff.

First up, whilst out on my bike on Thursday night looking for leaf mines I also found some very distinct 'spangle galls' on the underside of oak leaves.

This is the type of thing you see all the time and ignore, but I decided to check them out and found that they belong to a very common gall wasp - Neuroterus quercusbaccarum. Also found out about the alternate sexual generations of this and similar species. These galls host the growing larvae of the wasps over the winter, and the adults emerge in the spring as both males and females. Once they've mated, the fertilised eggs develop into a completely different type of gall (a currant gall), and the adults emerging from these are parthenogentic, laying unfertilised eggs which develop into the spangle galls to start the cycle again.

Of the leaf mines, not too much success with ID. I found Caloptilia stigmatella on sallow, and this is Phyllonorycter corylifoliella on hawthorn (vacated blister mine):

Today saw the return of the 'Victory Show' at Cosby, the neighbouring village. Still amazes me how a local rural village manages to arrange a military and air show! We headed up to Huncote Embankment again in the afternoon to watch the flying display. Whilst up there I noted at least two Wheatears, neither of which was very accomodating for the camera - they refused to come close enough and kept facing away, like this:

As for the airshow - all very good with great displays with aircraft including AT-6D Harvard, Lancaster, a couple of Spitfires, P-51 Mustang, Hurricane and a Messerschmitt Me-109.

AT-6D Harvard

Lancaster and Spitfire

Lancaster

Spitfire

Messerschmitt Me-109

Spitfire and P-51 Mustang

The show goes on tomorrow as well, and as far as I know the awesome Vulcan Bomber is coming over - just about shook the roof off of our house last time.

Various Bits

2011-09-01T21:23:00.000+01:00

Ran the traps last night - haven't had a chance/been bothered to transcribe and enter the records yet but suffice to say it was pretty much more of the same as yesterday with the exception of this first for the year:

Centre-barred Sallow

I also potted up and finally made the effort to ID one of those nasty looking Ophion things that I have an irrational loathing for (one of several mothing villains that I really would prefer was not in the trap). Didn't manage to get a photo as it would not sit still and I didn't want to get too close to it, but it was Ophion ventricosus - one of the bigger and uglier species. See here for someone elses photo.

This evening whilst out on the bike (trying to make this a daily event, not quite there yet) I stopped to look for a few leaf mines. Basically I'm rubbish at doing leaf mines, and it's something I really ought to make some effort with this year. I did find one or two more Bedelia somnulentella mines, plus a couple on hawthorn, sallow, field maple and oak to mull over in conjunction with the excellent leaf mines website.

The only other thing I did this evening, finally, was get a positive ID on the local bats. I acquired a heterodyne bat detector at the birdfair (I only bought non-birdy things), but as sods-law dictates the local bats which patrol over the close and garden for 10 - 15 minutes every evening have been complete no-shows ever since. Tonight though I did get one, giving the distinctive sound of Common Pipestrelle at 45kHz (sounds like an old analogue synth I used to have doing a resonant bass flippy-flappy high-tempo random arpeggio).

Traps are out again tonight and I'll post a proper summary tomorrow evening. Expect there will be a few more of these:

Garden Carpet

Chiffys & Garden Mothing

2011-08-31T21:34:00.001+01:00

A major migrant fall in and around my garden today - with at least two Chiffchaffs ....... Okay, not exactly a classic fall. Maybe not even migrants. Who knows! There were definitely two together, but I strongly suspect that there were actually three knocking about.

Despite patience, stealth and oodles of fieldcraft, the blighters were constantly zipping about 'sweeo'ing to each other and this blurry 'about to vacate the dogwood' shot is the best I managed.

Yesterday morning I potted up a Phyllonorycter that I thought was another kleemannella, and then promptly forgot to check until today when I realised it wasn't. I managed a very poor shot, but everything fits for a worn Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella - a first for me and the garden. Not sure what other VC55 records there are, but it must be common as it is on birch.

The garden traps were uninspiring last night, with a first for the year Sallow conclusively closing the door on summer, and the only other moth of note being a second Mompha propinquella for the garden.

Total catch 168 of 31sp.
(125W MV 59 of 19, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 109 of 22)

0455 Ypsolopha scabrella 1
0462 Ypsolopha sequella 1
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0888 Mompha propinquella 1
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 2
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 1
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 3
1076 Celypha lacunana 1
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1219 Lathronympha strigana 1
1260 Cydia splendana 1
1309 Agriphila geniculea 16
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1707 Small Dusty Wave (Idaea seriata) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 8
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 2
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 3
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 3
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 6
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 48
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 40
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 3
2133 Six-striped Rustic (Xestia sexstrigata) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 9
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1 (NFY)
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 1
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 7

Sallow

Common Marbled Carpet

Garden Rose Tortrix

Mompha propinquella

Garden Mothing Update

2011-08-30T21:17:00.001+01:00

Thought I ought to get the August records up to date and post a summary.

29/08/2011 : Total catch 161 of 36sp.
(125W MV 63 of 23, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 98 of 29)

0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 6
0332a Firethorn Leaf Miner (Phyllonorycter leucographella) 2
03xx Phyllonorycter sp. 1
0462 Ypsolopha sequella 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
0658 Carcina quercana 1
0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
0706 Agonopterix nervosa 1
0969 Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis corylana) 1
0972 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis heparana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 4
1138 Epinotia nisella 7
1139 Nut Bud Moth (Epinotia tenerana) 1 (NFY)
1309 Agriphila geniculea 32
1342 Eudonia angustea 1 (NFY)
1398 Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella) 1 (NFY)
1439 Trachycera advenella 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 8
1742 Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata) 2
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 3
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 3
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 3
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 4
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 27
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 18
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 2
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 12
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 2
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 3
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 5
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Paradrina clavipalpis) 1
2452 Red Underwing (Catocala nupta) 1

Red Underwing

Rush Veneer

Pale Mottled Willow

28/08/2011 : Total catch 157 of 25sp.
(125W MV 68 of 16, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 89 of 21)

0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 4
0125 Emmetia marginea 1
0422 Argyresthia albistria 2
0462 Ypsolopha sequella 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0706 Agonopterix nervosa 1 (NFY)
0789 Bryotropha domestica 1
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 3
1138 Epinotia nisella 3
1309 Agriphila geniculea 36
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 2
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 3
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 3
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 4
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 2
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 36
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 25
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 14
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 1
2300 Old Lady (Mormo maura) 2 (NFY)
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 7
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1

Agonopterix nervosa

And for completeness, here's an overview of four trap dates I never got around to posting:

16/08/2011 : Total catch 88 of 30sp.
(125W MV 36 of 17, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 52 of 21)

First for year:
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 1

17/08/2011 : Total catch 62 of 25sp.
(125W MV 26 of 12, 80W/11W Actinic/CFL combo 36 of 19)

First for year:
1632 Pale Eggar (Trichiura crataegi) 2

20/08/2011 : Total catch 314 of 54sp.
(125W MV 106 of 33, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 208 of 43)

First for year:
1207 Pine Leaf-mining Moth (Clavigesta purdeyi) 1
1336 Eudonia pallida 1
1914 Dusky Thorn (Ennomos fuscantaria) 1
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 2
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 1

Flounced Rustic

22/08/2011 : Total catch 340 of 53sp.
(125W MV 132 of 33, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 208 of 47)

FIRST FOR GARDEN:
0264 Bedellia somnulentella 1

Full listing for these four trap dates (sorted by total individuals): 804 of 75sp.

1309 Agriphila geniculea 180
1138 Epinotia nisella 84
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 56
0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 44
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 37
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 33
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 33
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 31
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 22
1439 Trachycera advenella 20
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 20
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 19
1305 Agriphila tristella 15
1304 Agriphila straminella 14
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 14
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 13
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 11
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 11
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 11
0873 Blastobasis adustella 7
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 7
0455 Ypsolopha scabrella 6
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 6
1405 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 6
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 5
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 5
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 5
1632 Pale Eggar (Trichiura crataegi) 5
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 4
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 4
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) 4
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 4
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 4
0422 Argyresthia albistria 3
0462 Ypsolopha sequella 3
0658 Carcina quercana 3
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 3
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 3
2474 Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) 3
0441 Paraswammerdamia nebulella 2
1076 Celypha lacunana 2
1732 Shaded Broad-bar (Scotopteryx chenopodiata) 2
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 2
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 2
1883 Yellow-barred Brindle (Acasis viretata) 2
1884 Magpie Moth (Abraxas grossulariata) 2
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 2
2133 Six-striped Rustic (Xestia sexstrigata) 2
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 2
0264 Bedellia somnulentella 1
0411 Argyresthia goedartella 1
0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
0787 Bryotropha terrella 1
0868 Helcystogramma rufescens 1
0870 Oegoconia quadripuncta 1
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1
0892 Mompha subbistrigella 1
0969 Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis corylana) 1
0972 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis heparana) 1
1207 Pine Leaf-mining Moth (Clavigesta purdeyi) 1
1336 Eudonia pallida 1
1344 Eudonia mercurella 1
1415 Orthopygia glaucinalis 1
1424 Endotricha flammealis 1
1707 Small Dusty Wave (Idaea seriata) 1
1724 Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia) 1
1742 Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata) 1
1811 Slender Pug (Eupithecia tenuiata) 1
1838 Tawny Speckled Pug (Eupithecia icterata subfulvata) 1
1914 Dusky Thorn (Ennomos fuscantaria) 1
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 1
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 1
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 1
2450 Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 1

Garden Rose Tortrix - a nicely pied individual

Odd Bits

2011-08-29T21:25:00.000+01:00

I haven't updated on the garden mothing lately - mainly cause there's not been too much of interest and even less worth photographing. The most notable thing though was a full tick for me back on the 22nd that I forgot to mention, a Bedelia somnulentella. It was a spanking individual when I potted and scrutinised it, but less than pristine by the time I'd fannied about with it for half an hour trying to get a shot. I ended up with something just about identifiable but not worthy of posting here. To make amends I finally got around to looking for its mines on bindweed today whilst out and about on the ATB. Found a few vacated mines on Hedge Bindweed pretty easily - windows in the leaf with frass (and other detritus) stuck in silk on the underside.

Otherwise not much to get excited about, but there were a couple of Old Ladies in the traps last night - one was already a bit knackered, so I shot the other one.

This evening I nipped over to Jubilee Park again - only avian interest was c15 Swifts feeding low over the pool with a handful of Swallows also knocking about. All the Canada Geese vacated en masse and no sign of anything tagging along with them. The only things wading along the edge of the pool were a Pied Wag and big brown cow.

Only other thing of interest was a hoverfly I found roosting, which happily was identifiable on the basis of the yellow sides to the thorax and the wing versus abdomen length:

Male Sphaerophoria scripta

Many birders and naturalists of a certain age remember fondly the innumerable times in your youth when out in the local parks or countryside that you'd happen upon some illustrated reading material deposited by the Porn Fairy. Nowadays such finds are a thing of the past, and even worse if you do find some abandoned literature it's a fecking Argos catalogue.

Not left by the Porn Fairy, but actually left by some moronic twat who doesn't know what a bin is

Life In The Garden 28/08/2011

2011-08-28T21:07:00.000+01:00

Been very lazy today; a good lie in, catching up on a couple of bits off of the Sky+ box (Torchwood and Dr Who), and going nowhere with the on-off crapness of the day's weather. Pottered in the garden a bit, and here's some random stuff:

Garden Spider

Rhingia campestris

Birch Catkin Bug (Kleidocerys resedae) - not a great shot but you get the gist.

This is new for me and the garden.

A currently unknown sawfly larva - one of a few I found feeding on the small garden birch. Any ideas?

Pill Woodlouse

Common Wasp

And a couple of moths not from today:

Firethorn Leaf Miner - found c20 of these resting on the garden fence yesterday afternoon, and I get the odd one in the traps so one of the neighbours must have something edible in their garden.

Pale Eggar

Listening to - NERO - Welcome Reality

2011-08-26T19:56:00.001+01:00

This week I have mostly been listening to the newly released Welcome Reality by Nero. Excellent stuff provided you are partial to a bit of electronica with decent beat and bass and wibbly bits, and a nice vocal. Here's an album sampler giving a flavour of the whole thing - turn it up loud and damage your speakers.

And here's a Skrillex remix of Promises which I think was a great track in the popular music charts. (Looking forward to seeing Skrillex at Rock City in November by the way.)

And here's the original version:

Ah what the hell - here's some other recent stuff that I thoroughly like.

Dont watch if epileptic!

Inland Migratory Tendancies in Ross's Goose [Anser feckingplasticus]

2011-08-25T21:42:00.000+01:00

Headed over to Jubilee Pool for a mooch about after dinner this evening - the first time I'd dropped in there since early March I think. Anyway, the pool was all but dried up so not much of interest on there apart from a few Lapwings knocking about the edges and the massed ranks of Canada's which I ignored. I carried on with my route which I'll come back to in a moment, but on the return approach to the pool I could see up ahead Colin Green and Pete Asher watching and photographing something. Unbefeckingleivable - it was the same small white pile-o-shit I'd photographed yesterday (albeit more distant and looking much wilder as a result).

Wild Ross's Goose

Using a combination of Google Maps, weather charts, plastic ruler and finger in air, I have established that this diminutive herbivore has travelled an immense 7miles in a south-westerly migratory route that will have required following the wild River Soar through the concrete jungle of Leicester. However this is pure conjecture, and only ringing recoveries and perhaps satellite tagging will provide the real story of the migratory tendancies of this species.

The great south-westerly migratory route of Ross's Goose

Back to more mundane matters, in between arriving and chatting with Colin and Pete, I walked along the bank of the soar. Nothing of massive avian interest, apart from a few Swallows overhead, a Swift moving ahead of a squall, and best of all a juv Reed Warbler milling about in the reeds. The latter was way to skittish to get anything resembling a photo - I did manage one shot but it is too embarrassing to post even here.

Otherwise, I also found a load of Prickly Lettuce growing long the bank and a quick check on the first clump revealed - yes - more Small Ranunculus larvae. Common as muck round here you know.

Small Ranunculus

I also noted some of this growing in the river:

Amphibious Bistort

And lots of this along the river:

Common Reed

And the skies looked good too.

Ross's

2011-08-24T21:53:00.000+01:00

Nipped over to Birstall Meadows and WCPS after work in the vain hope that the deteriorating weather late afternoon would drop in a wader or two. No such luck. Only birds of note at Birstall were 3 Little Egrets milling about in the far corner, and the only waders here (and at WCPS) were Lapwings.

Almost immediately when I pulled up at WCPS it pissed down. I waited in the car for the squall to pass, and emerged to that distinct 'it's just rained heavily on dry tarmac covered in goose shit' smell. Talking of goose shit, almost immediately in front of me was this pile ....

Sporting a plain gold band on right leg, therefore clearly married

Mid November in Norfolk, in a shitty field with Pink-feet, and this is of course an immediately tickable wild Ross's. Probably.

Nothing else of real interest; a few Swallows over the water, a distant Common Tern, and a few gulls. I'm not a Larophile - I'd quite happily lump them into just four species: Small, Medium, Big and Ugly. As a good example, this brute got caught on the sensor - a transitional first-summer into second-winter Great Black-backed? I would not be surprised to find I'm wrong!

Warren Hills 17/08/2011

2011-08-22T22:33:00.001+01:00

Time to catch up on some mothing action. Last Wednesday in less than ideal conditions, I cajoled Adrian into a quick effort at Warren Hills targeting Heath Rustic and Annulet. Warren Hills is part of the Charnwood Lodge reserve, and holds possibly the best area of heather in VC55 (though there is not that much of it). It was good to see the heather in full bloom, and there appeared to be a notable spread since a grazing policy in recent years.

Click for bigger

No success with either of the target scarce site specialities, but we managed a respectable 346 of 51sp in 2.5hrs. We ran a 125W MV light over a sheet, a 125W MV trap, a 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo and a 40W/20W CFL Actinic/CFL combo. Here's the full list:

0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 2
0018 Map-winged Swift (Hepialus fusconebulosa) 1
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 1
0873 Blastobasis adustella 3
0954 Eupoecilia angustana f. fasciella 3 (NFY subspecies)
0987 Ptycholomoides aeriferanus 1
1093 Apotomis betuletana 2 (NFY)
1134 Epinotia ramella 1 (NFY)
1260 Cydia splendana 2
1304 Agriphila straminella 8
1305 Agriphila tristella 4
1340 Eudonia truncicolella 5 (NFY)
1342 Eudonia angustea 1 (NFY)
1344 Eudonia mercurella 1
1702 Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) 3
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 1
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1
1740 Galium Carpet (Epirrhoe galiata) 1
1756 Northern Spinach (Eulithis populata) 10
1757 Spinach (Eulithis mellinata) 4 (NFY)
1831 Ling Pug (Eupithecia absinthiata f. goossensiata) 1 (NFY subspecies)
1846 Narrow-winged Pug (Eupithecia nanata) 5 (NFY)
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 1
1914 Dusky Thorn (Ennomos fuscantaria) 1 (NFY)
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2000 Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius) 1
2006 Lesser Swallow Prominent (Pheosia gnoma) 1
2047 Scarce Footman (Eilema complana) 5
2050 Common Footman (Eilema lurideola) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 3
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 14
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 7
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 4
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 2
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 35
2118 True Lover's Knot (Lycophotia porphyrea) 8
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 11
2130 Dotted Clay (Xestia baja) 10 (NFY)
2133 Six-striped Rustic (Xestia sexstrigata) 6
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 7
2145 Nutmeg (Discestra trifolii) 1
2176 Antler Moth (Cerapteryx graminis) 149
2177 Hedge Rustic (Tholera cespitis) 1 (NFY)
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 1
2254 Grey Chi (Antitype chi) 2 (NFY)
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) 1
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 3
2342 Rosy Minor (Mesoligia literosa) 2 (NFY)
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 3
2350 Small Wainscot (Chortodes pygmina) 3 (NFY)

Narrow-winged Pug

True Lover's Knot

Galium Carpet

Dotted Clay

'Ling Pug'

Grey Chi

Hedge Rustic

Flame Shoulder - a really smart individual

Eudonia truncicolella - all in various states of wear and disrepair

Dirty Habit

2011-08-21T21:34:00.000+01:00

Back to the Birdfair again today for a stint on the LROS stand. On the way to Rutland Water, I dropped into Eyebrook Res for a quick gander at the Cattle Egret - would have been rude not to. I pulled up by the modest crowd, checked with bins and could see the egret doing what they do best - standing still and looking boring as hell. You can see all of the finer plumage details, and a handy comparison to its common congener Little Egret, in this perfectly captured shot.

Click for a bit bigger if you like, but its still the indistinct white blob on the right.

I scoped it anyway, and it eventually did do something more exciting when it had a bit of a fly about, came down into cattle, hid for five minutes, then flew to the island where it looked boring for another 10 minutes or so, then flew off strongly at 12:05 and disappeared for a good few hours.

When it flew to the island, I had just packed up the scope and started the car to move further down the road when I noticed a full world birding first for me. As I waited to pull off, a car pulled up and a nun in full habit got out grabbing her bins as she did so. I really wanted to get out and grab a shot, but thought it best not to.

I have seen various films that involve nuns on extra curricular activities (mostly involving them doing the most ungodly things with candles), but never once have I seen a twitching nun. Bizarrely though, I have seen a birding monk at Charnwood Lodge. Wonder what my next ecumenical birding encounter will be, Pope with a Scope?

Life In The Garden 17/08/2011

2011-08-20T20:27:00.001+01:00

WARNING - lots of photos follow of things that are not birds or moths. Or plants.

Having access to a digital camera and a wealth of on-line reference images and info, means that in this day and age it is easier than ever to become completely distracted for long periods of time, snap away at anything that moves, and identify it retrospectively. Or string it, depending on how good or bad the references are and your photographic skills ....... please let me know if anything below is more stringy than Rab C Nesbitt's vest.

Anyway, I innocently wandered into the garden on Wednesday morning to see if there were any hoverflies about, or maybe another Tree Bumblebee as last year. Before I knew it a couple of hours had passed, the camera battery was dead and I'd added 322 photos to the SD card. Most of the following are new for the garden and me (at least in the sense of trying to name them). ~~Still two unidentified - though how when they appear so distinctive is a mystery.~~

I'll start with hoverflies, headed up by a new one for me and the garden - newly identified thanks to the book I bought yesterday.

Myathropa florea

Volucella pellucens

Volucella inanis

Next up, true Flies. I only started taking shots of these when I noticed a garden first Mesembrina meridiana (which ironically evaded the camera) and lots of Sarcophaga carnaria (which I did photograph but I've left them out this time). I grabbed a few shots of other flies, then realised one or two were different again, and before I knew it I was on a fly mission.

Calliphora civina

Eriothrix rufomaculata

Tephritis formosa

Thaumatomyia notata

Pollenia rudis

Neomyia viridescens

Lucilia caesar

~~And the two I've not been able to sort out ..~~

~~Any ideas on this one?~~ Phaonia valida

~~Surely this is identifiable??~~ Face Fly (Musca autumnalis)

Before I end this overly long and illustrated post, some other bits ..

Viburnum Beetle (Pyrrhalta viburni) - destroying my Viburnum tinus

Common Flower Bug (Anthocoris nemorum)

I think this is Xanthoria parietina - a lichen living on a bit of dead Winged Spindle

Birders - Birds

2011-08-19T21:34:00.002+01:00

Photographing stuff in the garden on Wednesday, out mothing Wednesday night and out with the family all day yesterday, getting home well after dark. So - loads to catch up on over the next few days/posts.

Today though I was at the Bird Fair all day. Good to meet and chat with Gary '~~Newton~~ Beadnell ~~Birding~~ Stringer' Woodburn and Iain 'Druridge Pools' Robson, and a number of Leics. faces, like Colin Towe, Mark Andrews, Graham Finch and Mark Rossell (apologies to those I missed etc etc). Mainly though, the crack centered around the beer tent with a number of Birdfair Bitters downed in the company of John '~~Drunkbirder~~ Freebie Blagging Media Whore' Hague, Andy 'Llama' Mackay and Dave 'Teaboy' Gray. Lots of obtuse conversation about non-birdy stuff, sniping about wildlife cameramen who make you feel queasy when on the wrong side of the lens, and mainly lots of laughs. A good 3 hours whiled away around a plastic table.

I did spend a bit of time in the various marquees, and spent some money on non beer/birding items. Finally got around to getting a couple of books that have been notable ommissions from my pathetically small library - British Hoverflies by Stubbs and Dragnoflies of Britain and Europe by Dijkstra/Lewington. The BWP stand is showing the new Lewington micro book as due for publication in early 2012 - looking forward to that one.

Felt obliged to look at some birds before heading home, so dropped into Eyebrook Res for a quick look. Loads of mud. And water. A quick scan with bins revealed lots of Ringed Plovers, a few juv Ruffs and the odd Dunlin. Also loads of Lapwings. Got the scope out and confirmed that the bins were right and couldn't see anything more exciting and gave up quickly. Lazy bastard. Everything too far to photograph as usual.

So in lieu of any decent photos from today, but to maintain the unfamiliar birdyness of this post, here are some photos and vidclips from our grand day out at Scarborough yesterday.

A classic natural Kittiwake colony

Greedy fat bastard

juv Herring Gull

Herring Gulls

Great Black-backed Gull

Turnstone

Birdfair

2011-08-17T11:10:00.000+01:00

Anyone out there going to the Rutland Water Birdfair this year?

I'll be around for most of the day on Friday 19th, probably drinking a beer or two around lunchtime with The Drunkbirder, and I'm also helping out on the LROS stand on Sunday afternoon (Marquee 2, stand 37). Would be good to say hello to any visiting bloggers.

From the garden trap 13/08/2011

2011-08-16T21:08:00.000+01:00

After the day out on Sunday, I spent all of yesterday recovering the garden shed. I've mentioned before how the shed was looking a bit tired and especially so with the 100s of wasps using it as prime nest-building material. So to preserve the shed, and make 1000s of wasps homeless in the process, I gave it a liberal x2 coating of fence life type stuff. Looks much better now, though every now and then I can hear a wasp buzzing something along the lines of 'WTF!'.

So once again, without trying too hard, I've behind with updating the garden moth trapping records - albeit just the one night on 13th.

Total catch 149 of 46sp.
(125W MV 69 of 34, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 80 of 34)

First for year in garden:
0792 Mirificarma mulinella 1
0969 Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis corylana) 1

Highest counts:
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 18
1304 Agriphila straminella 17
1309 Agriphila geniculea 13
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 12
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 10

The rest:
0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 2
0263 Apple Leaf Miner (Lyonetia clerkella) 1
0422 Argyresthia albistria 1
0441 Paraswammerdamia nebulella 1
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
0787 Bryotropha terrella 1
0789 Bryotropha domestica 1
0873 Blastobasis adustella 3
0972 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis heparana) 2
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1138 Epinotia nisella 2
1305 Agriphila tristella 3
1388 Udea lutealis 1
1405 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 1
1439 Trachycera advenella 5
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 2
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 3
1682 Blood-vein (Timandra comae) 1
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 3
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 2
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 4
1742 Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 2
1883 Yellow-barred Brindle (Acasis viretata) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 4
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 6
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 2
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 2
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2112 Least Yellow Underwing (Noctua interjecta caliginosa) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 4
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 2
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) 3
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 1
2341 Cloaked Minor (Mesoligia furuncula) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 2
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1

THI3TEEN

2011-08-15T21:29:00.000+01:00

Had a great family day out yesterday at Alton Towers, though I have to say that when it comes to thrill rides, rollercoasters and anything that churns your insides inside out, I am a complete pussy. There is no way on earth I would go on the Oblivion for example, as quite frankly I'd have a cardiac arrest half way down the vertical plummet. So, my arbitrary line in the sand is this - if the height restriction means that my 8 year old Alex can ride on it, then it can't be too bad and I'll go on it aswell.

So, the first thing we went on was the THI3TEEN rollercoaster, of which none of us knew anything but Alex was tall enough to go on.

I've never been so scared and thrilled on a ride before. The worst bit about rollercoasters for me is the initial climb giving you all the time in the world to anticipate the stomach churning drop. That was bad enough, but once the ride came to a stop then the real thrill started with a load bang and then the whole thing dropped slightly - causing screams from everyone on board - then it really dropped. Shit the bed! How the hell did that happen, and - WTF - we're going very fast backwards.

Only after the ride did I read the bit saying it was the world's first vertical drop rollercoaster. Looking on the web the drop is 5M, and the combined thrill and fear factor has given rise to a new descriptor for this type of ride - a Psychoaster!

Alex loved it. We went on again towards the end of the day, though Alex wouldn't sit next to me in case I screamed like a little girl and cried. Even knowing what was coming it was still a surprise! Great ride, great day.

Numbers

2011-08-13T12:20:00.000+01:00

I've updated the moths lists which are over there on the right:

The 2011 garden list currently stands at 342 species with an additional 5 TBC.
The overall 2011 list currently stands at 572 species with an additional 8 TBC.

The garden macro list is now 300 with another one TBC.
The garden micro list has swelled to 306 with an additional 5 TBC.

No movement on the British macro list (still 494 species), but the British micro list is now up to 547 with an additional 6 TBC.

I've never got around to compiling my VC55 lists (which obviously will be a fair bit higher than the garden lists, but equally sort of the British lists) something I'll sort out during the colder mothless months - like July and August!