Monday, 12 June 2017

Few more moth species

A wonderful week camping on the Isle of Wight meant a break from local mothing, so these records are from 31st May - 2nd June and then 10th - 11th June, where new species continue to arrive.

On the 31.v.17 I ran the Heath 15W actinic trap on a grassy footpath, adjacent to several horse fields.
A total of 52 moths of 14 species were taken in the 2 hours the trap was one.
New for year were:
Phtheochroa rugosana
Hedya pruniana

That night, the home Skinner 125W gave up a pleasing 49 of 29 species with year additions being:
Mottled rustic
Small dusty wave
Least black arches
shoulder striped wainscot
Beautiful golden Y

Beautiful golden Y

Small dusty wave

Least black arches

Shoulder striped wainscot
The Following night I switched on the garden trap and headed off with all my gear for a long wander out to Stocking Wood. A superb habitat with much potential, having already taken some new for parish records here. Trap set by dusk and off wandering, netting as I went.
By 12.45a.m. I had plenty of records and these increased upon opening the trap before setting off for home.
New for my parish records were:
Phyllonorycter leucographella
Elasticha maculicerusella
Bucculatrix ulmella

Whilst the following made it on to the 2017 list:
Parornix anglicella
Lozotaenia forsterana
Pandemis cerasana
Wormwood pug
Blood vein
Tortrix viridana
Archips podana
Tinea semifulvella
Scoparia basistrigalis
Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
Choristoneura hebenstreitella

In total, Stocking Wood gave up an impressive 130 moths of 41 species. Back home, another 36 of 21 species were recorded, including NFY:
Cinnabar
Barred yellow
Lobster moth

The night of the 2nd meant just a garden trap as we were off for the ferry from Southampton early. Additions were:
Ribande Wave
Elephant hawkmoth
Suspected

Parornix leucographella

Lobster moth

Wormwood pug


Tinea semifulvella

Cinnabar



Returning from the IOW, I once again just ran the garden trap on the 10th, taking NFY:
Green pug
Celypha rosaceana
Uncertain
Barred straw
Dark arches
Clepsis consimilana
Apotomis betuletana
Paraswammerdamia nebulella
Adela crosella
Adela crosella

Dark arches

Last night, the heath trap ran for no more than an hour in Millennium Wood whilst the garden trap was on as usual.
From the wood:
Small fan foot
Beautiful hooktip
Yellowshell
Archips xylosteana

whilst at home, new for year records were:
Clouded border
Burnished brass
Hofmannophila pseudospretella
Hedya nubiferana
eudonia angustea
Treble brown spot

Yellowshell

All these additions mean I have now recorded 1957 moths this year of 210 species: 139 macros and 71 micros.
This compares to last year where had recorded 1115 moths made up of 160 species: 102 macros and 57 micros.
Just to emphasise how much better this year is than last, in 2016 by this time I had been away and not trapped on 4 nights only, whilst birdwatching in Aviero, Portugal.
This compares to this year, where I have been away on 23 nights, having visited Sri Lanka, The Camargue and the Isle of Wight.


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This is me

This is me
At the end of another Norfolk Coastal footpath walk. 47 miles, 3 days 99 species of bird. September 2009

Caley Wood view

Caley Wood view
sunshine through the canopy 29.05.08

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007
Best birds on this walk: black and middle spotted woodpecker and short toed treecreeper

About Me

My photo
A primary school teacher for 30 years, I retired from teaching in July 2009 to set up my own science enhancement and communication company. The Primary Works offers science clubs, workshops and staged science shows nationwide. I have always been interested in bird watching since my early years. Apparently my first tick was after inquiring about a chaffinch and then receiving the Observer book of birds. By the age of 9 I had moved on to Tory Peterson's collins guide and was now involved on YOC birding holidays to Northumbria, Essex coast, Slimbridge and Yorkshire. My twitching rule is that I will willingly travel 1km for each gram the bird weighs. However, I have had many rarities just by being in the right place. I have travelled widely throughout Europe and also visited Australia and Sri Lanka. In 2016 I spent time at Portland Bird Obs and two trips to Aviero, Portugal. 2017 found me back in Sri Lanka in Feb/March, then July and back for New Year's Eve celebrations in December. Also returned to The Camargue in May for a 4 day trip. Few plans for 2018, but nothing yet booked apart from a trip to the IOW.

Grey heron

Grey heron
Over the allotment 28.09.08

Southern Hawker

Southern Hawker
Ridge footpath 27.08.08

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)
Note the stripes, denoting a bird fledged this year.

common blue

common blue
Ash Valley G.C. 15.08.08

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)
River Ash

azure damselfly

azure damselfly
River Ash 28.07.08

marbled white

marbled white
Discovered at Westland Green 22.07.08

ruddy darter

ruddy darter
Bush Wood 21.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08
growing in hedgerow in Chapel Lane

cinnabar moth caterpillar

cinnabar moth caterpillar
Photographed on ragwort 19.07.08

Bittersweet

Bittersweet
Study of petals 11.06.08

male yellowhammer

male yellowhammer
08.06.08

common blue butterfly

common blue butterfly
06.06.08

River Ash

River Ash
looking south from the bridge at Hadham Ford

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)
in rape field 29.05.08

Caley Wood sunshine

Caley Wood sunshine
29.05.08

Millenium Wood fox

Millenium Wood fox
24.05.08

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)
06.05.08 banks of the River Ash

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)
flowers, leaves and fruit edible . Good in salad and pesto

April showers

April showers
Double rainbow 30.04.08

Caley Wood bluebells

Caley Wood bluebells
22.04.08

Yellow Archangel

Yellow Archangel
Chapel Lane (20.04.08)

sunlight 16.04.08

sunlight 16.04.08
looking south west from Bush Wood

snowy buds

snowy buds
06.04.08 in Bush Wood

Looking north west

Looking north west
05.04.08 evening shower approaching

Back Garden

Back Garden
Easter Sunday (23.03.08)

Brick Kiln Hill

Brick Kiln Hill
Looking east (23.03.08)

No play today

No play today
The 2nd hole at Ash Valley golf course

Teasel head

Teasel head
Bush Wood (21.03.08)

Reflections

Reflections
daffodils at Bush Wood pond (21.03.08)

Swollen River Ash

Swollen River Ash
The river at the bottom of Winding Hill 16.03.08

Daybreak over the chapel

Daybreak over the chapel
Thursday 13th March

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)
growing in Bush Wood

January snowdrops

January snowdrops
Banks of River Ash, north of Much Hadham

Good Moon

Good Moon
From garden 24.01.08

Village Green

Village Green
Looking east towards Acremore Street

Looking south before Hadham Ford

Looking south before Hadham Ford
rare January blue sky

Useful sites

The following are some useful websites that may interest readers of this blog.
Firstly, Bishop's Stortford Natural History Society http://bsnhs.webplus.net/

Fellow birder, Gary Whelan's blog. Gives reports from our trips out together plus reports from his trips abroad. http://hairybirders.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.hertsbirdclub.org.uk/ The official herts bird club website. Frequently updated, listing bird sightings around the county. Offers links to many other websites. Both of these sites also offer links to yahoo discussion groups.
http://www.birdforum.net/ An international site. You can enter as a guest but become a member( free) to post comments, bird sightings and just about anything to do with wild birds. Good news updates, classified section for binoculars, cameras etc.
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com/ A new site set up where you can contact people worldwide who will help you find good birds in their country. UK section being set up presently.
http://www.britainsbirder.co.uk/
Fellow birders blog. Strtford resident, Graeme Smith regulary birds the area south of Stortford as well as around Spellbrook and the River Stort from Spellbrook to Twyford Locks. Some superb bird photography: Graeme uses a digital camera attached to his powerful telescope to get detailled images of the birds he sees. Well worth a browse.
Two local sites that may be of interest can be found at
http://www.thehadhams.com/ www.thepelhams.net/content/section/12/139/

South Easterly walk

South Easterly walk
black, normal, red extended walk

South Westerly route.

South Westerly route.
Black usual, red extended

North Easterly walk

North Easterly walk
black short, walk. Red, extended

North West Patch

North West Patch
black route regular. Red route the extended wander