Day 2: The Camargue.

Another superb day, very busy and plenty observed. Started with a local wander in the cool of the morning. Here scored with several species new for the trip including kingfisher, marsh harrier and serin. Then a 9 o'clock bus ride to the Parc Ornithologique. 7 euro entry but worth it. However, before this I visited some lagoons not far from the Parc and got black kite, wood sandpiper and another melodious warbler. Into the park and round the 4 mile track that surrounds the scrapes. Not too much about, but some pleasing photos esp herons, egrets and terns. A black crowned night heron got on to the list as did marsh warbler. All pretty good before a bus back to town.
I booked a boat trip up the Petit Rhone, but nothing new apart from 1 black redstart and some little terns. The former on a post and too far for a photo. Loads of great views of more herons and gulls. However, good views from the sea looking inland which will be useful for my illustrated talks on this area.
Upon returning I hired a bike for the next 2 days and went for a ride. My 1st cycle ride for over a decade. All happy with this, so tomorrow a longish ride round to the East, to La Capeliere. Few more views here, including some phone scoped black winged stilts as well as a gardian of the bulls.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone www.blackberry.com

Day 1 To The Camargue.

A horrendously early start from home saw me at Luton airport at 4.30a.m. For the 6.20 flight to Nimes. All went well and I was at Nimes station by 10. Next train to Arles; 12.34, so off to the adjacent bus station, where there was a bus at 10.20. It didn't turn up and neither did the 11.20, so back for the train. I arrived in Arles just in time for the bus to Saintes Maries de la Mer, is arrived in the Capital of The Camargue before 2. A long journey of 11 hours!
However, well worth it as on the bus, especially once we had passed Albaron on the D570 I got: black winged stilt, bee eater, cattle egret, little egret, purple heron and, highlight, a flyover roller at Paty de la Trinity. Only my 2nd roller for this area. What a start.
I checked in at my sea side accomodation and unpacked binocs and scope + camera and was out within 15 minutes. Temp was touching 35C, so beer was bought for the walk along Le Digue de la Mer. This is a track to the south of the region and well worth checking out. Amongst plenty of regulars such as hirundines, common sandpipers and greater flamingoes, I scored with hoopoe (2) red crested pochard, shelduck, melodious warbler, zitting cisticola, sardinian warbler, sandwich tern and little tern. Indeed, a good start. Back at the room by 7pm and now for a shower and out for a meal. Hungry, thirsty and tired, but very relaxed. Might hire a bike tomorrow for a trip further along the Digue to La Capeliere reserve, some 25km away and on the East of the Etang de Vaccares.
Only phone shots at present.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone www.blackberry.com

New garden record 12.07.14

A real surprise this morning when, checking the trap later than usual, I went through the usual creatures: rustic, uncertain, smoky wainscot, common footman, Chrysoteuchia culmella, Crambus perlella, Eudonia mercurella etc. I then turned over an egg box to find a new moth for me, a shark. A good specimen and, whilst not a particularly rare moth for Herts, 119 seen since 1884, it is, nevertheless, a good garden record.
Another new for year moth was a small blood vein, that managed to disappear before I could get a photo; only my 3rd garden record for this species.
All in all, 28 moths of 23 species, so a most pleasing morning as my garden record now stands at 283 species,

Shark

Face to face with a shark

Chrysoteuchia culmella

Good garden moth haul 10.07.14

Surprisingly, after a windy afternoon and gusty night, I had a good number of moths to the trap. I had visited the trap up to midnight and potted a few that I wasn't sure of and then returned at 4.30a.m. where, in poor light, I ended up with a fridge full for later id.
New for year macros were scarce footman and drinker moth while my micro number increased courtesy of Scorparia ambigualis and a caloptria sp yet to be dissected for id, but possible a good moth for Herts.
In all, 77 moths of 40 species, so, whilst not a garden record, a good number.

Eucosma cana

Epiblema roborana

Acleris holmiana

Celypha striana

Scarce footman

a worn Scorparia ambigualis.

All these id's are my own view and therefore open to question. Do please let me know if I am wrong.

As it was a good haul, thought I'd actually give a list;

Macros:
clouded silver (2), common footman (9), Common wave, Rosy minor, dunbar, Drinker (2 NFY), Clay, tawnymarbled minor, riband wave (3) least carpet, brimstone, dark arches, uncertain (3) smoky wainscot, treble brown spot, snout, waved black, large yellow underwing, mottled rustic, poplar hawkmoth, scarce footman (NFY) dwarf cream wave, willow beauty.

Micros:
Udea prunalis (4) Eudonia mercurella (5), Eudonia lacustrata (6), Pseudoargyrotoza conwagana, Chrysoteuchia culmella (8), Hedya pruniana, bee moth, Clepsis consimilana, mother of pearl, Acleris holmiana, Epiblema roborana, Pandemis cerasana, Ditula angustiorana, Scorparia ambigualis + the yet to be sorted Caloptria sp.

updated year list 08.07.14

After trips to Norfolk twice, plus a week away in Madeira, my year list has crept up a little. Since end of May, I have the following additions:
159. spoonbill
160. red crested pochard
161. quail
162. greenshank
163. little tern
164. spectacled warbler
165. red backed shrike
166. spotted redshank
167. sandwich tern
168. stock dove

Little Hadham red kite

A reasonable moth haul 08.07.14

What appeared to be a colder night than late actually turned out to be a good moth night, with 32 species represented, of 45 moths. New for the year were smoky wainscot, Epiphyas postvittana and Gypsonoma sociella.
Other surprise moths were two 2nd generation early thorns and 3 nut tree tussocks. Waves were well represented with riband wave, dwarf cream wave, single dotted wave and treble brown spot, as well as a least carpet.

early thorn

short cloaked moth

Yponomeuta evonymella

These additions take the running total for 2014 to 147 macros and 66 micros, and in total, I have trapped 1297 moths in the garden this year.

National Moth Day 2. 06.07.14

Another night of National Moth Night so kept a reasonable eye on the trap, closing it at 5 for an inspection later. Overnight rain had a detrimental effect on numbers compared to the previous night, but plenty to keep me occupied with several new for year moths.
In the macros there were Bright line brown eye, dunbar and beautiful golden y alongside these micros: Olindia schmacherana, Acleris holmiana, Catopria falsella and Acleris forsskaleana.
Garden totals rise to 146 macros and 64 micros.

Acleris forsskaleana

Catopria falsella

beautiful golden y

Brown line bright eye

Whilst outside taking photographs of this morning's catch, I came across a humming bird hawkmoth, visiting garden buddleia. Shame, but very overcast, so unable to set the camera to a speed that will capture the wings as well as the body.

Hummingbird hawkmoth

National Moth night: 05.07.14

As it was National Moth Night, I thought I would give a little more attention to the trap last night, so potted or listed everything that came past the trap as well as identified this morning the contents. Finished at 2a.m. and was back, in the rain, fairly early at first light to check those roosting on the fence and to close the trap to stop escapees.
All in all a good night with 43 species represented and a total of 80 moths. A good haul for the garden.
Several new for the year moths, that are always expected in early July: swallowtail moth, Freyer's pug, dingy footman and latticed heath in the macros and Anania coronata and Udea prunalis in the micros. However, new for the garden was a fine example of Argyresthia goedartella, an amazing metallic gold micro, common for Herts. but needs birch trees nearby.

Emmelina monodactyla

Rather worn Freyer's pug

Yponomeuta evonymella

Swallowtail moth

Dingy footman

Anania coronata

Udea prunalis

Argyresthia goedartella

Full species list from last night:
Macros:
Freyer's pug (2) swallowtail moth (2), Common footman (7), Beautiful hooktip (3), least carpet (2), Dingy footman, Riband wave, Lattice heath, Clouded silver, fan foot (3), Dot moth (3), Privet hawkmoth, Bright line brown eye (2) mottled rustic, dark arches (5), Engrailled, Dwarf cream wave, Rustic, Flame, Heart and Club, Common wainscot (2), Green pug.

Micros:
Agapeta hamana, Crassa unitella, Cydia pomonella (2) Eudonia mercurella (4), Anania hortulata, Chrysoteuchia culmella (4), Pandemis cerasana, Celypha lacuana, Pleuroptya ruralis (2), Notocelia uddmanniana, Aphomia sociella (2), Eudonia lacustrata (2), Argyresthia goedartella, Hedya pruniana, Anania coronata, Udea prunalis, Yponomeuta evonymella, Emmelina monodactyla, Pterophorus pentadactyla.

Top moth night

Typical: I have a heavy workload and the weather changes and there are moths everywhere. Consequently, a quick check on the trap early this morning, basically listing macros and micros and potting as many as possible for identification at the weekend.
4 Old Ladies were new for the year, bashing around the trap along with a privet hawkmoth, which meant a most disturbed trap. Both species seem to take an age to roost and knock all other residents about.
Of the already identified micros: Epiblema uddmanniana (bramble shoot moth,) Blastobasis decolorella and a Batia sp, probably lunaris but will need dissecting to check not a Herts first, were all new for the year. In all, well over 120 moths of at least 36 species. I am expecting another good haul tonight, 18C and cloud cover. Again, I have an early start for work, so no long period of trapping and potting into the small hours. Hope the weather stays for the weekend.
Edit: Batia species now confirmed as the most common one for Herts. Batia lunaris

Blastobasis decolorella

Batia lunaris

dwarf cream wave

single dot wave

Better moth night

Start of July and a huge improvement in moth numbers after the cold night on Sunday/Monday when I recorded an all time low for June, 4 moths with scalloped oak and heart and dart being the 2 macros and Ancylis achatana and Archips xylosteana being the micros.
This morning, 2 new macros in the shape of treble brown spot and dwarf cream wave along with micros Crassa unitella and Mother of Pearl. Other good moths were a privet hawkmoth, 10 common footman and 3 each of clouded border and barred straw.
These new ones take my macro total to 135 and the micro total to 48, with a few still to identify and presently residing in the fridge.

treble brown spot

Dwarf cream wave

Ancylis achatana

Mother of Pearl