Last new moth for the month

July ends as it began, with heavy rain and a very soggy moth trap. Consequently, low numbers, but this §pectacular magpie moth was new for the year.
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Butterflies and dragonflies; 28.07.12

A wander up the hill opposite the lane and around fields and green lanes was the order for Sunday morning. A female common darter was found close to the dry River Ash (photo 1.) Further on migrant hawker and brown hawker were observed but too speedy for a photo. Butterflies were still in worryingly low numbers. Meadow browns were ubiquitous (2,) gatekeepers were in low numbers. Photo 3 and 4 depict gatekeeper. Note the 2 white spots in the eye ring, whereas the meadow brown only has the single dot; a diagnostic feature for identification. Also, small white (5,) red admiral and a few small skippers. No speckled woods, small tortoiseshells or peacocks were noted and, even though a detour to a local common blue habitat, none were recorded. Last year over 50 at this site. Finally, near home, a comma (6,) before it began to rain and a rainbow lit the darkening sky.
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Moth morning 28.07.12

Considering the perfect conditions I expected a better moth haul this morning. However, a combination of not getting to the trap until 8a.m. And the fact a house sparrow was hoovering up all that were not actually in the trap meant only 35 species of 62 moths. A Small fan foot wave (1) and small scallop (2)were new for the year and a latticed heath was only the 2nd garden record for 2012. Amazing as last year they were a daily occurence. A new micro (photo 4) was an Argyresthia bonnatela. This moth is 5mm in length! Finally, an immaculate lesser broad bordered yellow underwing, photo 5.
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Spotted Flycatcher

Another photo of a local celebrity, the spotted flycatcher.this good record has been forwarded to the county recorder.
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Moth Round up

Busy times at the moth trap recently and not enough time to update blog
A gold triangle, Hypsopygia Costalis was a new micro for the garden (photo 1) whilst a ruby tiger was an expected mid July arrival (photo 2). However, more unexpected, on the same night was a buff footman (3). The following night a v pug (4) and waved black (5) were good to see along with a dagger sp (6.) Also, a new micro, albeit common, a Hypsopygia glaucinalis (7) and a large emerald, another new garden record (8).
In Chapel Lane, outside the house, I came across several 6 spot burnet moths, 1st of the year (9 and 10). Whilst the following morning (Friday 27th) another new micro was recorded in the garden; a Lozotaeniodes formosana (11) along with a twenty plume moth (Alucita hexadactyla 12) All in all a good few days.
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Bird list from boundary walk 23.07.12

A list here of all birds recorded on the walk on Monday:
Black headed gull, blackbird, song thrush, chiffchaff, magpie, wood pigeon, wren,carrion crow, green woodpecker, yellowhammer, jackdaw, swallow, blue tit, pheasant, sparrow hawk, house sparrow, rook, kestrel, jay, blackcap, dunnock, great spotted woodpecker, skylark, robin, great tit, linnet, bullfinch, linnet, goldfinch, swift, house martin, chaffinch, greenfinch, cormorant, coot, white throat, tufted duck, mistle thrush, starling, collared dove, lesser black backed gull, spotted flycatcher
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Long wander

I set out this morning to cover many miles of the parish boundary, beginning on the west side of Bishop's Stortford. In all, 6 hours to the house and then a few more around Hadham Hall. Still several footpaths and boundaries to survey. In all, I recorded:
40 species of bird, 13 butterfly species and 7 dragon and damselfly species. Highlight bird was undoubtedly discovering a spotted flycatcher was indeed a pair and feeding young. Not many of those in Herts. Plus, cormorant and a fine male sparrowhawk. Butterfly wise, it was a case of what I didn't record rather than what I did. No blues at all, no peacocks, only 2 small tortoiseshells and 10 gatekeepers. These are worryingly low numbers, considering that I had 15 marbled whites, a butterfly considered as uncommon for East Herts! Dragonflies were: 5 emperors, 5 brown hawkers, 1 migrant hawker and 4 black tailed skimmers. Damsels were common blue ( 100's) and over 25 blue tailed. All damsels I netted to check for azure were common blues, but I am sure that azure were present.
Photos from the top:
Common blue damsel in hand
Common blue, dorsal view
Black tailed skimmer, male
Black tailed skimmer female
Heat hazed spotted flycatcher
Comma
Small tortoiseshell
Green veined white
Marbled white
Gatekeeper
Small skipper
Battered red admiral
Narrow bordered 5 spot burnet moth
Puffball ( note £ coin for size reference)
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Moth morning 23.07.12

A good array of moths this morning with several irregular visitors, albeit common for Herts. A chinese character ( photo 1) was good to find, along with the 1st straw underwing for me(2.) In the micro department, the first Acleris holmiana was taken (3) along with a new one for me Swammerdamia albicapitella (4.) At least, that's what I think it is! Also, a regular micro, endotricha flammealis (5)
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Westland Green mothing 19.07.12

A night in a 6acre mature and natural garden in Westland Green last night. Huge numbers of moths with plenty new species for the parish record. Many thanks to Mary for permitting us access and being able to use 3 traps, skinner 125 MV, heath 15V and one other. In all, more than 150 macros of over 50 species, as follows: nfm = new for me, nfy is new for year.
These are in order as they came from the trap which ran all night. I was in attendance until 1 a.m. And returned at 5.45a.m.
1 light arches
14 common footman
1 small blood vein (nfm)
3 buff ermine
4 broad bordered yellow underwing
Small rivulet (nfm)
3 mother of pearl
2 peppered moth
1 blue bordered carpet (nfm)
2 smoky wainscot (nfm)
12 large yellow underwing
13 uncertain
8 mottled rustic
1 yellowtail (nfy)
1 beautiful golden y (nfy)
1 lime hawkmoth
5 dark arches
7 dunbar
3 heart and dart
6 rustic
5 swallowtail
1 elephant hawkmoth
6 scarce footman
2 beautiful hooktip
1 buff tip
3 cloaked minor (nfy)
2 snout
1 brimstone
1 mottled beauty
1 minor sp
2 spectacle
3 common rustic
2 privet hawkmoth
2 setaceous hebrew characters
10 double square spot
1 clouded border
1 pine hawkmoth
1 bright line brown eye
1 early thorn
3 v pug (nfy)
1 green pug
2 lesser yellow underwing
1 flame
1 flame shoulder
1 scalloped oak
2 buff arches (nfy)
2 small emerald
1 common emerald
1 buff footman (nfm)
1 blood vein
Several specimens still to have confirmation on them. All these were from the Skinner trap
At the heath trap:
4 dark arches
1 yellowtail
2 july highflyer
1 double square spot
5 common footman
1 uncertain
1 privet hawkmoth
1 ringed chinamark
1 broad bordered yellow underwing
Photos fromthe top:
July highflyer
Buff arches
Pine hawkmoth
Early thorn
Broad bordered yellow underwing
Small rivulet
Cloaked minor
Beautiful golden y
Hawkmoths on conifer bark
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