Wednesday 2 August 2017

July records and Stats so far this year


Following my Sri Lankan visit, I returned to moth trapping on 20.vii.17 and the following night before another hiatus as we were in Norfolk for a couple of nights.
Very disappointing weather conditions meant both home and away traps were not recording insects in any great numbers. On some occasions, it just wasn't worth the effort to set up the 15 watt heath trap at one of the 14 local sites I have used this year.
A new for year record on the 21st was a browntail, but better was a new for parish records: a yarrow pug. Upon our return from Holkham, nothing notable on the 24th whilst the following night, I ventured out to Pig's Green, a damp green lane surrounded by mature trees. In with the 50+ hornets upon my return at 11.45pm were Cydalima perspectalis (NFY) and another new for the parish record in the shape of Least Yellow underwing. At home that night, a relatively poor haul to the garden 125 watt Skinner trap included a new for year Agriphila tristella.
Black arches


Hummingbird hawkmoth

Least yellow underwing

A hummingbird hawkmoth was noted in the garden on the 26th and everyday since whilst a reasonably early rosy rustic and Notocelia roborana were new for year in the garden trap that night. The best of the haul was my first record of Bordered pug, not a common moth for gardens.
The 27th was just a home trap night, giving a new for year record of Coleophora trifolii. Similar set up the following night realised a new for parish record of a rather worn Maple pug.
The 29th was particularly poor so on the 30th I thought I may as well run the heath trap, nothing to lose, so I left it from 8.30pm until 11.45 on a footpath crossing Ash Valley Golf Course. Plenty of goat willow, fescues and lots of longer grasses. Consequently, plenty of shaded broad bar, but also Cochylis hybridella , new for year. On the same night, the garden trap gave up new for year records of Monopsis weaverella and Archips rosana.
Bordered pug

Coleophora trifolii

Cochylimorpha straminea

On the last night of the month, I set the Heath trap on a field margin, adjacent to some elder and nettle scrub. only 10C and breezy meant, in total just 33 moths of 9 species. Amazingly, all at the trap were micros, with the only macro being a magpie that I netted as I walked back to the car with all the gear. In these micros a new for year Cochylimorpha straminea.
So, the start of a new month and the Heath trap left until near midnight in an unmanaged deciduous woodland, where over 70 moths were taken. This total included new for parish records of Lesser spotted pinion whilst at home, another reasonable haul of 65 included Argyresthia albistria and cabbage moth being added to the year list.
Ypsolopha scabrella

Lesser spotted pinion

Argyresthia albistria


As from 01.viii.17 my annual records stand at:
6211 moths identified of 399 species made up of 226 macro species and 173 micro species.
With 34 species added to the parish list so far in 2017, I have now recorded 698 moth species in Little Hadham since I started recording on a daily basis in 2011. This total is made up from 344 macro species and 354 micro species. I anticipate the 700th parish record within the next week or so.



No comments:

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