Diasemiopsis ramburialis

Now confirmed by county recorder and looking to be the 2nd record for Herts. This map shows all other UK records; note that majority are on the coast, making this Herts record even more unusual.

This morning, back to the regulars, with 4 green brindled crescents, an extremely worn willow beauty, my 2nd deep brown dart and a grey pine carpet.

Seriously rare migrant moth

After another night of rain I was in no hurry to attend to the trap this morning, not getting to it until gone 7.30a.m.! Clearly been a better night than I had thought as an angle shades and common marbled carpet were roosting on the perspex. Inside, a green brindled crescent (form capucina, the dark version, a beautiful hooktip, Acleris variegana, my 1st Blair's shoulder knot and chestnut of the autumn, a beaded chestnut and a very worn, suspected Epiphyas postvittana.
However, another micro was discovered and looked unfamiliar. Potted and placed in the fridge for checking later. Upon checking this afternoon, I was still unsure so sent photo to mothing mate Graeme who thought it could be Diasemiopsis ramburialis. The previous and only, Herts record was 1963.
I have just had confirmation from Colin Plant, county recorder that it is indeed this rare species. A great record.

Diasemiopsis ramburialis

Blair's shoulder knot

Green brindled crescent (f capucina)

Beautiful hooktip

Beaded chestnut

Chestnut

Presumed Epiphyas postvittana

Several new moths for 2014

After heavy rain all day Monday, I was not expecting much, if anything, in the trap Tuesday morning. I was surprised to find the best haul since 28th Sept. of 8 moths, 7 species.
A red line quaker and grey pine carpet were both new for the year and also: 2 green brindled crescents, a satellite, Emmelina monodactyla, Acleris variegana and Acleris schalleriana. After a drier and warmer night, I was down to the trap early today to find just one green brindled crescent. You can never tell!

green brindled crescent

grey pine carpet, stubbornly refusing to show upperwings

red line quaker

satellite

201st macro species for 2014

barred sallow

 A new moth for the year, 201st macro in the shape of barred sallow, above. Below, a set of other sallow species taken in the garden for comparison.

pink barred sallow

sallow

dusky lemon sallow

centre barred sallow

At last; a few more moths.

October has been very poor mothing, with only 21 moths so far this month. Last night, at least 6 appeared of 4 species, with a straw dot being a little unexpected. 3 common marbled carpet, a very worn snout and this excellent green brindled crescent, only my second of the year.
Numbers now obviously slowing down with colder nights and, presently, a bright hunters moon.

green brindled crescent

straw dot

Updated year list 04.10.14

With a few Kent trips and the weekend at Portland as well as a Norfolk trip, time to update the year list;
191: green sandpiper
192: wryneck
193: great skua
194: tree pipit
195: shag
196: black guillemot
197; yellow browed warbler
198: jack snipe
199: ring necked parakeet.

Archive photo: Titchwell beach Oct 2009

Moths

It continues to be very quiet at the moth trap; this morning, lunar underwing, 2 snout, a beaded chestnut and this surprise blood vein, the latest I have ever taken.
Rain today and colder weather forecast does not make good reading for someone with still so many regular species to trap this year.

A coal tit was also in the garden this morning, with 3 flyover cormorants, 3 flyover teal (3rd village record) and 2 goldcrest and a chiffchaff in a neighbour's tree.

Oare Marsh visit

As I was giving an RSPB presentation in Thanet, I thought a few hours wandering around Elmley and Oare would be the order of the afternoon. Plans changed as I arrived at Elmley to find that it was closed on Tuesdays, so an extra hour at Oare.
Usual good numbers of waders; 1000 golden plover 300+ black tailed godwits, little stint, knot, dunlin, curlew sandpiper, ruff, ringed plover and lapwing.
A jack snipe was bobbing near the gate before flying off, over the road and dropping down into the sedge and out of view. Severla clouded yellow butterflies whizzed by whilst out on the Swale mud, shelduck, black headed gulls, oystercatchers, little egrets and a lone marsh harrier. Always a super little reserve to visit.

landing golden plover

golden plover

little stint, black tailed godwit, 2 golden plover and a knot

little stint, knot, golden plover and black tailed godwit

ruff

clouded yellow flyby

3500th moth for 2014

On 1st October I trapped the 3500th moth for the garden this year, so not going to achieve the target of 4000 specimens in a year. Suspect no more than a couple of 100 maximum possible now, but maybe 20 new species for the year list.
Mothing has been very quiet over the last week, with single figure hauls most evenings, culminating in only 2, a snout and large yellow underwing, last night.
However, 2 micro species have been taken to add to the year list, an Acleris schalleriana and a Clepsis consimilana. The latter, a very worn species that was dissected.
Here, the Ac schalleriana. Again, a rather end of season, worn example.

Basically, all others have been the regulars, with a feathered thorn noted, also on the 1st. The 3500th moth was, not surprisingly, a large yellow underwing, which, along with snout, lunar underwing and brown spot pinion, seem to be the only regulars at present.
Totals for the year are now 199 macro species and 132 micros, so maybe get to 350 species for the year. An improvement in the weather would help, i.e. cloud cover and a few warm nights.

More new moths for the year list

A successful night at the trap, with a beaded chestnut and pink barred sallow increasing the macro year list to 198 species. Also, lunar underwings, common wainscot, setaceous hebrew character, beautiful hooktip, brown spot pinions, large yellow underwing, diamond back micro and Acleris variegana.

pink barred sallow

autumn collection: lunar underwing, beaded chestnut, brown spot pinion and pink barred sallow

A wander around Hadham Hall was fairly uneventful. Couple of little grebe on the irrigation lake along with 11 mallards and a tufted duck. Overhead, a cormorant, 4 skylark, 15 mixed gulls, reed bunting, linnet and pied wagtail.
Several goldcrest in the pines at the Hall were elusive and identified on call only.

misty start

yellowhammer

robin in fine voice

all rather grey

overhead cormorant.