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July 2010
Saturday 31st July
Not sure what happened to today, only that I didn't get out as I'd hoped, not that the weather was particularly conducive to finding Silver-washed Fritillaries that seem to be appearing at various places around the county at the moment, including the wood I can see from my bedroom window.
Photographing moths with flash presents problems as some species in particular have very shiny surfaces that reflect the flash and burn out any colour or detail. To some extent I've found you can get round that by holding the camera at an angle to the moth, but this is only partially effective. Rob recently suggested I put some translucent material over the flash bulb so I tried that tonight, and I think it has helped a bit. The first four below are normally very reflective species and I wouldn't normally have managed a photo from directly above them without completely burning out the colour, so whilst not perfect, they do represent an improvement. The one on glass would have been equally diffiicult to pull off normally, so this was a good tip!
Compared to recent nights this was not a particularly good one for moths - best things were Large Tabby, Scorched Carpet, Buff Ermine and Yellow-tail.
Friday 30th July
Work's been pretty hectic lately so I've not been taking many lunch breaks to go birding in. Did manage to take a short break today though and found 1-2 Yellow-legged Gulls at Houghton. On the way home this afternoon I was surprised to see a Red Kite circling low over the A1067 at Twyford and later on I saw a Little Owl at Sparham Hole.
Moths were good again tonight, starting off with my first Small Scallop and closely followed by my first Oak Eggar (discounting a dead one back in 1992). I'm a bit more confident about the Argyrotaenia ljungiana - a brighter individual than last Saturday's tentative record of this species. Among the others were Yellow-barred Brindle, Diamond-back Moth, Carcina quercana, Udea prunalis and Trachycera advenella. Still plenty of Silver Ys - 9 tonight.
Thursday 29th July
A good night for moths. Completely new to me were Rosy Rustic and Cherry Fruit Moth* while Dusky Sallow was my first here - I'm more used to seeing them on Knapweed flowers during the day. Udea lutealis was another one I see more often away from home during the day. Among the 50 or so others were Yellow Shell and Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet.
Update 2012 - seems I misidentified the Cherry Fruit Moth: it was Argyresthia bonnetella (still my first).
Wednesday 28th July
There haven't been many Pugs here lately but one among tonight's moths proved, as usual, a bit challenging for me to ID. When I was first seeing lots of Pugs several went down for a while as Currant Pugs but in the end I reidentified them all as something else and so far I've not managed to find one that has convinced me it is Currant Pug. Today's does seem to be a good candidate though, although the front edge spots are perhaps a bit weak, but I'm not sure that I've eliminated White-spotted Pug, one with it's thoracic spot worn off. Or maybe I've got it totally wrong and it's something else entirely - please let me know what you think if you've got more experience with these!
Still good numbers of Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella with a dozen tonight but Agriphila tristella now seem to be picking up with about 6 tonight - Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella have dropped right off now - none tonight. Best micro was what seems to be my first Elachista atricomella.
Tuesday 27th July
Following a third individual tonight I have now reidentified the two Tineas from earlier this month and in June as Brown-dotted Clothes Moths rather than Case-bearing as I had first thought. The best of tonight's moths were my first Nemapogon clematella and a Yellow-tail.
Monday 26th July
Top trump tonight was a distinctive-looking micro that took me a while to identify - because of its large size I'd assumed it had to be a Pyralid or perhaps a Tortrix but in the end it turned out to be an unusually large member of a completely different family of moths. It was Morophaga choragella, quite a scarce fungus-eating species by all accounts and one that hasn't been recorded locally before - and less than annually in the whole county. A couple of other moths were new for the year: Coxcomb Prominent and Trachycera advenella. Also 4 Dingy Footmen, the most I've ever had in one night.
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Morophaga choragella, Bawdeswell, 26th July
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Coxcomb Prominent (left) and Endotricha flammealis (right), Bawdeswell, 26th July
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Trachycera advenella, Bawdeswell, 26th July |
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Sunday 25th July
After my first for the year yesterday there were 4 Blastobasis lignea tonight. Nothing else very special among nearly 40 moths.
(Update 30/7 - thanks to Rob for sorting out my "unidentified Tortrix" - it's Endothenia ericetana)
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Blastobasis lignea (left) and Diamond-back Moth (right), Bawdeswell, 25th July
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Agriphila tristella (left) and Endothenia ericetana (right), Bawdeswell, 25th July - thanks to Rob for the Tortrix ID |
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Saturday 24th July
First stop this morning was Cley where 6 Spoonbills were on North Scrape, including a juvenile that was presumably from another site in Norfolk where Spoonbills have apparently made history by breeding successfully for the first time this year. Also here were 2 Curlew Sandpipers, Whimbrel, a few Spotted Redshanks and loads of Bearded Tits but we couldn't pick out any continental Black-tailed Godwits.
I then joined Rob and we headed off to Felbrigg Lake which was heaving with Common Blue Damselflies. Tthere were plenty of Small Red-eyed Damselflies there but we couldn't find the Red-veined Darter despite bumping into Mark who'd seen two there a few minutes earlier. Other insect-life included a Dun-bar moth and, despite my protestations to the contrary, Rob correctly identified a Forest Shieldbug (it was much browner than the ones I've seen before but apparently that's not unusual). A single Mandarin was on the lake briefly. Last stop was a site for White-letter Hairstreaks but these weren't playing and I had to make do with a Brown Argus.
Over 50 moths tonight including some interesting ones, at least from my perspective. Apparently a very common and widespread species, but a first for me, was Pale Prominent - it was a distinctive-looking beast despite being more than a bit worse for wear. Other macros included 2 Common Rustic sp., Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, Common and Dingy Footman and 12 Silver Ys.
Micros included my third Ringed China-mark and, having been commenting to Rob earlier in the day that I'd not identified any yet this year, a Blastobasis lignea. Then there were two that I didn't recognise. I think one might be Argyrotaenia ljungiana, but that's pretty tentative. The other seems a good match for one of the Caryocolum species. The one it seems to me to most closely resemble is Caryocolum alsinella, but Norfolk records of that species are restricted to two singles in Yarmouth/Caister around the turn of the century and one in the Broads in 1874! The next nearest seems to be C. fraternella, but that's not much commoner with 4 records since the 19th century - although these are are from much closer locations including the last in my 10 km square. I'm half-expecting someone to kindly point out that it's not Caryocolum at all, but instead some abundant and widespread species that I've not thought of, but you never know. Or maybe you do know, in which case please get in touch! (Update July 2011 - looking back at this now with more resources available I now think it's Caryocolum fraternella)
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Brown Argus, Cromer (left) and Dun-bar (right), Bawdeswell, 24th July
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Gatekeeper (left) and Comma (right), Cromer, 24th July
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Small Red-eyed Damselflies, Felbrigg Lake, 24th July
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Caryocolum fraternella, Bawdeswell, 24th July
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Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Bawdeswell, 24th July - please let me know if you can confirm this tentative ID (update 30/7: Eudemis profundana has been kindly suggested - not sure about that though as all the images I can find of that species show a dark patch near the tip of the wings and gingery brown behind the head, but they do seem variable in other respects so maybe?)
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Pale Prominent (left) and Ringed China-mark (right), Bawdeswell, 24th July
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Blastobasis lignea (left) and Common Rustic sp. (right), Bawdeswell, 24th July
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spider (left) and Small Fan-footed Wave (right), Bawdeswell, 24th July
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Mother of Pearl, Bawdeswell, 24th July - never did see this one land so had to practice my in-flight photography! |
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Friday 23rd July
A record count of 4 Common Footmen and 8 Silver Ys were tonight's only macros apart from another possibly Common Rusticy type thingy that I'm continuing to struggle to ID.
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Silver Y (left) and unidentified moth, probably a Common Rustic sp. (right), Bawdeswell, 23rd July |
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Thursday 22nd July
Not so many moths tonight but a couple of good ones. Just six species of macro moth, by far the best of which was my first Chevron, apparently a fairly scarce species judging by the number of records on Norfolk Moths. The micros included one which, assuming I've identified it correctly, has even fewer records - none since 2008 - a plume moth, Oidaematophorus lithodactyla.
Wednesday 21st July
At least 64 moths tonight - mostly standard stuff or things that I've seen already this week, though Scalloped Oak was new for the year and always one of my favourites. I'd read on Penny's blog about an invasion of Silver Y moths today so wasn't surprised to find at least 10 here too. There were 21 Pearl Veneers, 6 Garden Grass-veneers and 2 Agriphila tristella (or possibly A. selasella).
Tuesday 20th July
Although I've seen one elsewhere before, tonight's Vapourer was my first at home. A Flame was third time lucky, after I'd misidentified my first and second last month - I had a suspicion then that I'd stuffed them up at the time but with the Field Guide's dorsal view of Flame obscuring its distinctive shape I'd overlooked it and tentatively plumped for something completely wrong! That's one reason why, for now, I'm not submitting my moth records - I just don't trust my IDs! A bit safer perhaps was my first Carcina quercana for the year while tonight's other moths included Eucosma cana and Red Twin-spot Carpet.
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Carcina quercana (left) and Flame (right), Bawdeswell, 20th July
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Vapourer, Bawdeswell, 20th July
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Red Twin-spot Carpet, Bawdeswell, 20th July |
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Monday 19th July
A good night for moths. These included my first ever Beautiful Carpet and Tinea trinotella , second Small Rivulet and third Marbled White Spot, along with what I think might be a Common Rustic sp., my first this year if it is, though I have some doubts, and a Buff Ermine.
Sunday 18th July
Another Beautiful Hook-tip was the best of the macros tonight but the micros provided a few challenges, including some I'm still struggling with. First an Agriphila seems to me to be Agriphila selasella, but with that being not having being reported round here before I'm wondering if I've adequately ruled out the much likelier and rather similar A. tristella. Confirmation would be gratefully received if you're reading this and more experienced in identifying these. Similarly I've got some doubt about a moth that I've tentatively identified as a Nut Bud Moth. Unlike the Agriphila this species has at least been recorded locally, but it is scarce, and I'm by no means sure about it. Then there's another nondescript individual that I've got nowhere at all with so far, so if you can help me ID any of these please get in touch!
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apparent Agriphila selasella (left) and Celypha lacunana (right), Bawdeswell, 18th July
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possible Nut Bud Moth, Bawdeswell, 18th July
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unidentified moth, Bawdeswell, 18th July |
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Saturday 17th July
Popped down to see a certain White-tailed Plover this morning. Very nice too, even if it did decide to go to sleep just after I arrived and didn't move again for the best part of 3 hours. A Garganey or two, 2 Green Sandpipers and a pair of Little Ringed Plovers with a small chick were also present.
Moths tonight included Beautiful Hook-tip, 4 Riband Waves and 2 Dwarf Cream Waves.
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White-tailed Plover, 17th July
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Green Sandpipers, 17th July
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Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Bawdeswell, 17th July
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Dwarf Cream Wave (left) and Silver Y (right), Bawdeswell, 17th July |
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Friday 16th July
A few more moths tonight, but nothing spectacular. Early Thorn was my first of this generation and Swallow-tailed Moth was my 11th of the year making this my best year so far for this attractive species.
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Hook-marked Straw Moth (left) and Endotricha flammealis (right), Bawdeswell, 16th July |
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Thursday 15th July
Last week's high numbers of Garden Grass-veneers have all but disappeared, but Pearl Veneers are now appearing on a daily basis. Dark Arches was the best macro.
Wednesday 14th July
A fine specimen of a Ghost Moth was the best of tonight's moths.
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Small Fan-footed Wave (left) and Ghost Moth (right), Bawdeswell, 14th July
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Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, Bawdeswell, 14th July |
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Tuesday 13th July
Relatively few moths again tonight, including just one macro (Riband Wave). Among the Scoparia-like things there was another plain looking one - still not sure if these are subfusca or not, but I'm starting to think probably not... (updated Nov 2011 - indeed not - Eudonia mercurella)
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Eudonia mercurella, Bawdeswell, 13th July - updated in November 2011 to correct both IDs
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Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, Bawdeswell, 13th July |
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Monday 12th July
I've still never seen a Little Owl from the house, despite hearing them a few times. I did see one just round the corner though, this evening, along Foxley Road. Not much mothly activity this evening, partly due to me turning in too early.
Sunday 11th July
I headed back down to Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe this morning to see the River Warbler again. Arriving at 5.00 am I was pleased to find it singing away and showing in full view. I remained until the site closed again at 8.00 am and throughout the whole time it continued performing brilliantly - apparently the best it has ever showed. Also Norfolk Hawker dragonflies there.
A new macro moth this afternoon in the form of a Small Rivulet (thanks Rob). Although I didn't see it during the day I imagine the Epiblema foenella was the same indidvidual as yesterday that failed to leave overnight, but perhaps it was a second one?
Saturday 10th July
Another new-for-me species of micro moth was Epiblema foenella - smart enough to deserve an English name I reckon, but I can't see that it's got one yet. Another new Tortrix too, but not fully identified - either Grey or Flat Tortrix I think. Relatively uneventful with respect to the bigger moths, but Dingy Footman was my first this year.
Friday 9th July
A new species for me was Phtheochroa inopiana while Mother of Pearl and Large Twin-spot Carpet were new for the year. I often wonder if I'm overlooking other species among what I identify as Garden Grass-veneers and certainly did so tonight, as I later discovered a Grass-veneer (C. pascuella) among the photos. A couple more micros remain unidentified so far - if you can help please get in touch!
Thursday 8th July
Not quite so many moths tonight, but still good. Most of the 40 Garden Grass-veneers were new, though a few of yesterday's refused to leave. Another Large Fruit-tree Tortrix was nice, while what I think was Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix was new for the year and another similar Tortrix currently remains unidentified. By far the most unusual moth though, if I've identified it correctly, was a Grapholita janthinana. Unfortunately my photo didn't come out very well, but hopefully it'll be enough for someone to be able to tell me what it really is. In the unlikely event that I'm right, it's only recorded 1-2 times a year in Norfolk, though some of those records have been from this 10km square. Update - thanks to Jon for confirmation (and Jim for passing it on) - apparently it is correct.
Wednesday 7th July
A good haul of moths tonight with no less than 90 visiting the bedroom, much to my wife's delight (not!). Two thirds of them were Garden Grass-veneers (I think, though I have a feeling I may be overlooking other species amongst them). The remainder included my first Phlyctaenia perlucidalis.
Tuesday 6th July
Barred Straw was the best of tonight's macros, but the micros were more interesting, included two new species for me: Acrobasis consociella and what I think was a Skin Moth.
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Acrobasis consociella (left) and Skin Moth (right), Bawdeswell, 6th July
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Brown Rustic (left) and Single-dotted Wave (right), Bawdeswell, 6th July |
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Monday 5th July
A wander round Syderstone Common at lunchtime produced few birds but some butterflies and dragonflies, the latter chiefly Ruddy Darters. Moths this evening included two new for the year, Engrailed and Endotricha flammealis, but nothing more unusual than a Sandy Carpet.
Sunday 4th July
News of a River Warbler at an initially undisclosed private site "SE of Norwich" came through just in time for me to be able to reorganise my plans for today and be able to get down there (Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe) once the site was disclosed and access arranged, in the evening. I have seen River Warbler in Norfolk before, but that was 21 years ago and I've not seen one anywhere since then, so this was a bird worth seeing - and hearing. A few bursts of soing were the only sign initially but after a while it was located deep within a bush. It was only visible from a narrow vantage point so viewing was difficult with people in front constantly blocking the view, and even when they moved out of the way only its tail and back were visible most of the time, though I did catch a glimpse of the head and it's diagnostic undertail-coverts at one point. Eventually it started singing more and moved to a different position where at first it was possible to see much more of the bird, though by this time light was so poor it didn't really help. Despite the less than ideal views, it was a great bird to hear and well worth the visit. A big thanks from everyone there to the Rare Bird Alert team and the site's owners for doing a fantastic job in organising the access.
Another apparent Metzneria lappella this evening, along with my first Single-dotted Wave and Dipleurina lacustrata for the year.
Saturday 3rd July
Best macro moth tonight was my first Pretty Chalk Carpet. Barred Straw and Beautiful Hook-tip were new for the year. The micros were interesting too, with Large Fruit-tree Tortrix, Marbled Orchard Tortrix, Gypsonoma sociana and Scoparia pyralella all firsts for me, and Blastodacna hellerella, Bramble Shoot Moth and Udea prunalis new for the year. (Update July 2011: looking back at the Gypsonoma I now think it was more likely dealbana rather than sociana)
Friday 2nd July
An excellent night for moths. Among the macros the highlights were my second ever Sycamore (my first here), my second ever Lilac Beauty and my second ever Marbled White Spot. A Drinker was the first this year and others incuded Blood-vein, Freyer's Pug, Clouded Silver and yet another White Ermine (I'd already seen twice as many this year as I've seen in all previous years put together). The micros were good too and included two lifers - the rather macro-like Donacaula forficella and a plume moth, Platyptilia pallidactyla. Tinea semifulvella was only my second record and Pyrausta aurata was my first this year. The most numerous moth by far was Garden Grass-veneer - there have been a lot of these recently but with well over 30 tonight I think this is the largest number of a single species of moth that I've had visit my room in one evening!
Thursday 1st July
Moths included my first Smoky Wainscot and Clay for the year and a Barred Yellow. Micros were interesting too, with what seems to be my first Eudonia mercurella and what seems to be my first Metzneria lappella, although I'm not sure I've ruled out one of the other Metzneria spp.
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Metzneria lappella, Bawdeswell, 1st July
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Clay, Bawdeswell, 1st July |
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Previous months: |
2007: Jan ; Feb ; Mar ; Apr ; May ; Jun ; Jul ; Aug ; Sep ; Oct ; Nov ; Dec ; |
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2008: Jan ; Feb ; Mar ; Apr ; May ; Jun ; Jul ; Aug ; Sep ; Oct ; Nov ; Dec ; |
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2009: Jan ; Feb ; Mar ; Apr ; May ; Jun ; Jul ; Aug ; Sep ; Oct ; Nov ; Dec ; |
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