
August 2013
Saturday 31st August
A very disappointing morning's birding at the patch where the escaped Ruddy Shelduck and a single Green Sandpiper were the best I could muster up. Insects were a bit better, but still nothing I've not seen there recently: 3 species of Hawker, both Darters, Clouded Yellow, Purple Hairstreak, etc. Moths were Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis and Straw Dot.
Tonight's moths at home weren't much more exciting: Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 4 Garden Carpets, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, 8 Brimstone Moths, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 2 Small Square-spots, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 21 Square-spot Rustics, Nutmeg, 2 Cabbage Moths, 2 Centre-barred Sallows, 2 Pale Mottled Willows, Spectacle and 2 Snouts.
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Southern Hawker, Creaking Gate Lake, 31st August |
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Friday 30th August
Only had the light on briefly tonight, getting Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Currant or Wormwood Pug, Double-striped Pug, 2 Brimstone Moths, Dusky Thorn, 4 Flame Shoulders, 2 Small Square-spots, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Square-spot Rustics, Mouse Moth and Straw Dot.
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Mouse Moth, Bawdeswell, 30th August |
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Thursday 29th August
Once again I didn't put the MV light on tonight but still got plenty of moths coming in, among them my first Grey-streaked Smudge Plutella porrectella. Also in were Brown Rowan Argent Argyresthia semifusca, 3 Brown House-moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 2 Small Dusty Waves, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, Yellow Shell, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, 1-2 Currant Pugs, Willow Beauty, Engrailed, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 4 Square-spotted Clays, 2 Cabbage Moths, Burnished Brass and 2 Straw Dots.
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Buzzard, Beacon Hill near Burnham Market, 29th August
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Grey-streaked Smudge Plutella porrectella (left) and Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana (right), Bawdeswell, 29th August |
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Wednesday 28th August
I deliberately limited moth numbers tonight by not putting the MV light on so as to catch up but still got my first home-record of Crescent, along with Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Orange Swifts, probable Currant Pug, Double-striped Pug, Flame Shoulder, Small Square-spot, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 8 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot and Straw Dot.
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Crescent, Bawdeswell, 28th August |
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Tuesday 27th August
Tonight's highlights were two moths that I'd had only once before at home, both for the first time earlier this year: Double-striped Tabby Orthopygia glaucinalis and Maiden's Blush. Flame Shoulders continue to break records with 43 tonight. Other records were Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 4 Garden Carpets, Common Marbled Carpet, 2 Currant Pugs, Tawny Speckled Pug, 3 Brimstone Moths, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 19 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Nutmegs, Cabbage Moth, White-point, 3 Copper Underwings, 3 Silver Ys and Straw Dot.
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Maiden's Blush (left) and Double-striped Tabby Orthopygia glaucinalis (right), Bawdeswell, 27th August |
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Monday 26th August
Despite all the good birds reported over the weekend the coast didn't really come up trumps for me, so today I decided to stay local and bird the patch. I hoped the continued north-easterlies would still be bringing migrants in but the clearer weather would result in them heading inland instead of being grounded at the coast. I've noticed several inland Wryneck records have been in clear weather when there wasn't so much being grounded at the coast, so perhaps today would be the day to find some migrant passerines (or a Wryneck) on my inland patch. Well as it turned out it was a good day on the patch, but not for passerine migrants.
First surprise was a Kingfisher in a place where I wouldn't have expected to find one. I heard it call once, but although it sounded like Kingfisher the sound was coming from beside the road or the field - must have been an odd Dunnock or something. That would have been the end of it except that Dave was arriving in his car at the same time and saw the Kingfisher cross the road in front of him! One of 2 Green Sandpipers here seemed structurally strange (heavy chested and quite attenuated at the rear) and was constantly and rapidly bobbing its tail like a Common Sandpiper. Unfortanately it was just a Green Sandpiper, but I've never seen one look and behave quite like that before! While we were watching these we heard a call a bit like a Wryneck... but I was pretty sure this wasn't the boy, and indeed it proved to be one of 2 Hobbies flying overhead.
Next stop at Bittering produced a Greylag x Canada Goose hybrid. I checked through the small flock of gulls on the lake and discovered a nice juvenile Mediterranean Gull. Already moulting into first-winter plumage its intermediate plumage made it appear quite subtle. Nice patch tick for both of us. Then as 5 Buzzards flew over I picked up a flock of corvids pursuing something. That something quickly turned into an Osprey, another patch tick! This headed straight towards us before turning round and heading back where it came from, staying in view distantly for a few minutes. While we were watching this Dave picked up a Marsh Harrier, a third patch tick for me in the space of a few minutes!
The next pits produced a heard-only Greenshank plus a Clouded Yellow. Other insects of note were 2 Brown Arguses, Wall Brown, 10 Treble-bars and Latticed Heath. At Hell Pit Dave picked up a Peregrine circling overhead, our 7th raptor species this morning, and another Clouded Yellow flew past.
Creaking Gate Lake delivered Southern, Migrant and Brown Hawkers, Common and Ruddy Darters, a third Clouded Yellow, Small Copper, 3 Brown Arguses, Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella and 3 Silver Ys.
Although I'm seeing lots on the patch at the moment I've only ever seen Treble-bars during the day, so 2 at my light at home tonight were a surprise, and my first here. Other highlights from tonight's moths were Broad-blotch Drill Dichrorampha alpinana and Straw-barred Pearl Pyrausta despicata, while more record counts were provided by 41 Flame Shoulders, 10 Small Square-spots and 4 Cabbage Moths. The rest were Slender sp. Parornix sp., Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, 3 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 5 Garden Carpets, Currant Pug, White-spotted Pug, Tawny Speckled Pug, V-Pug, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 6 Brimstone Moths, Willow Beauty, Dingy Footman, Turnip Moth, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 10 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 7 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 21 Square-spot Rustics, White-point, 2 Centre-barred Sallows, Angle Shades, 4 Silver Ys, Spectacle and 5 Straw Dots.
Sunday 25th August
More hard work today, with somewhat disappointing results. We concentrated again on finding passerine migrants, as so many were turning up around the coast, but fared badly. A Yellow Wagtail flying west, a Pied Flycatcher and a Whinchat were about the lot. I heard a single call note that sounded suspiciously like a Greenish Warbler but alas I couldn't locate it. We resumed our search for this later and this time a bird was heard calling briefly that sounded interesting but unconvincing - I'd describe its call as being between Chiffchaff and Greenish Warbler. Then I thought I glimpsed a clean-looking Phyllosc but it wasn't enough. Some time later with no further sight or sound I played a recording of Greenish Warbler call and a Phyllosc immediately landed in the tree above me. I could only see its belly and against the light I couldn't get much on that, and then it was off. More searching continued, but I never saw or heard it again. Hungry and tired, and having already spent a good deal of time attempting to locate it, we decided to head off for sustenance, a decision I rather regretted the following day when someone else discovered a Greenish Warbler there!
During the course of the day we spent a fair bit of time checking the sea but it seemed to be dead. Reports from elsewhere suggested several interesting seabirds were being seen, and a call from Rob who was watching the sea much more intensely than us confirmed that at least some of these reports were genuine. Eventually we did see a single Balearic Shearwater, as well as the odd Great and Arctic Skua.
A micro potted from just above the beach is interesting but so far unidentified - some sort of Conch I think, although I did briefly wonder if it could be an exceptionally late and worn Lobesia reliquana (update Jan: we'd got there in the end anyway but thanks to Jon for confirming it with gen. det. - it was in fact a slightly odd, and my first, Shore Marble Lobesia littoralis). The only other moths encountered were 3 Silver Ys.
We headed off to Cley to see if the Icterine Warbler was still present. It hadn't been seen for a while so we didn't waste much time looking. A Garden Warbler was in there and a Willow Warbler seen from the hide got one optimistic chap going. More interesting were 7 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers.
At Salthouse people coming away were enthusing about how well the Wryneck was showing, but like yesterday's Icterine Warbler, when we got there it was not showing at all. We eventually got brief views of 1, probably 2, Wrynecks. More interesting to me was evidence of passerine migrants arriving with 2-3 Spotted Flycatchers, Pied Flycatchers, 1-2 Redstarts, 5+ Whinchats and Willow Warbler. Herein lies the problem with birding hard in the mornings - I have no energy left to go stomping round looking for migrants in an afternoon fall! Well I had limited time anyway so that choice wasn't really available to me even if I had had the energy.
Tonight's moths were Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 6 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Riband Wave, 3 Garden Carpets, Turnip Moth, 5 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 22 Flame Shoulders, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 12 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, a record 8 Small Square-spots, 6 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 22 Square-spot Rustics, Nutmeg, 4 White-points (also a record - never had more than 1 before), Centre-barred Sallow, Copper Underwing and Straw Dot.
Saturday 24th August
I gave up waiting for the rain to stop and headed off to the patch to see what it had grounded. 14 Teal at one site where I'd never seen them before and 28 Teal at another. The rain had restored one pool that had dried up duing the past week - this was the best site for waders during the spring but with its ever-diminishing water level it hasn't been so good lately. A little water makes a difference though and Greenshank and Green Sandpiper were in there today. A few moths dodging the showers included Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 5 Treble-bars, Latticed Heath and Silver Y.
The birds here were disappointing and I was now itching to get up to the coast and look for passerine migrants. This started well with 2 Pied Flycatchers along the first track but it soon became clear that today was going to be hard work! There were a few good birds turning up along the coast but this was no fall! For 5 hours we scoured the hedgerows, eventually locating just 2 Redstarts and a Grasshopper Warbler. I think it's fair to say we were a bit disappointed with this showing!
A few moths were seen during the afternoon: Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, 8 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Round-winged Drill Dichrorampha simpliciana, Yellow Shell, Yellow Belle and 3 Silver Ys. Before heading off home I decided to take a look for the Icterine Warbler that had been showing very well at Cley. People leaving as I arrived were going on about how well it had showed but needless to say it became a whole lot more elusive when I turned up. Eventually I did get a brief but good view of it (along with 2 more Pied Flycatchers).
I tried not to attract any more moths in tonight as I wanted to be up early in the morning and needed some sleep. 5 moths made it in anyway and one of these was a Square-spotted Clay, my first at home. The other 4 were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Small Dusty Wave, Square-spot Rustic and Copper Underwing.
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Pied Flycatcher, Sheringham, 24th August
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Redstart, Sheringham, 24th August
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Square-spotted Clay, Bawdeswell, 24th August |
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Friday 23rd August
I headed off to Creaking Gate Lake this evening for a mothing session. It was alright but the highlights weren't moths! Best was a Badger that scurried past, but the session also produced an avian patch-tick, a Whimbrel heard flying over. Also a roosting Brown Argus was found near the light. Best of the moths were my first 2 Willow Ermines Yponomeuta rorrella. Nothing extraordinary from among the remainder but enough to make it worthwhile: White-shouldered Smudge Ypsolopha parenthesella, Poplar or Birch Sober Anacampsis sp. (update Jan: now confirmed by gen. det. as my first Birch Sober Anacampsis blattariella - thanks Jon!), Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana, presumed Dover Shade Cnephasia genitalana (update Jan: also now confirmed by gen. det.), 1-2 Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 5 Birch Marbles Apotomis betuletana, Small Birch Bell Epinotia ramella, Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 4 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 4 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, 35 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, 8 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Dotted Oak Knot-horns Phycita roborella, Pebble Hook-tip, 1-2 Red Twin-spot Carpet, Shaded Broad-bar, Common Carpet, 2 Lime-speck Pugs, White-spotted Pug, Double-striped Pug, 3 s, Clouded Border, Brimstone Moth, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 2 Dusky Thorns, Willow Beauty, Iron Prominent, Swallow Prominent, 4 Black Arches, 2 Dingy Footmen, 2 Ruby Tigers, Turnip Moth, 5 Flame Shoulders, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 4 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 4 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Six-striped Rustic, 3 Square-spot Rustics, Nutmeg, White-point, Common Wainscot, Centre-barred Sallow, possible Svensson's Copper Underwing, Dun-bar, Common Rustic agg., Rustic, 5 Silver Ys, Spectacle and Snout.
At home I didn't have the light on for long but still managed these: Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 probable Dark-triangle Buttons Acleris laterana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Garden Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Square-spot Rustic and Silver Y.
Thursday 22nd August
After my first house record yesterday there were 2 Red Piercers Lathronympha strigana today! Also 3 Small Square-spots, a species I've only had singly at home before. The rest of tonight's moths were 4 Brown House-moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Small Fan-footed Wave, Small Dusty Wave, Single-dotted Wave, Red or Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 7 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 29 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 4 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Six-striped Rustic, 5 Square-spot Rustics, Dun-bar, Common Rustic agg., Silver Y and 2 Straw Dots.
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Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Bawdeswell, 22nd August - an atypical posture for this species! |
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Wednesday 21st August
Some interesting moths tonight including 2 that were new for my house: Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana and Maiden's Blush. These and a Dark Spectacle (my second here) brought the quality while another record-smashing count, 35 Flame Shoulders, brought the quantity. 4 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis was also a record.
The others were Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, 2 Brown House-moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, 6 + Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata, 12 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Orange Swift, Small Dusty Wave, Garden Carpet, Double-striped Pug, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, 2 Willow Beauties, Dingy Footman, 4 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 12 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 10 Square-spot Rustics, White-point, 3 Copper Underwings, 6 Silver Ys and 2 Straw Dots.
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Maiden's Blush (left) and Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana (right), Bawdeswell, 21st August
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Ledra aurita, Bawdeswell, 21st August - one of three tonight |
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Tuesday 20th August
Dave found a Scaup on the patch today, still present when I popped in on my way home from work. Not the time of year that I'd expect to find one here but I've seen a few coastal migrants at this time of year so no reason to assume it's not wild. After a conversation with Carl at the weekend in which he mentioned it was a good year for Purple Hairstreaks I determined to have a good look for these on the patch, but Dave beat me to it finding them at 2 sites today. They were still flying when I got there this evening - I saw at least 5-6 Purple Hairstreaks. A few moths about including Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 8 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis and 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis.
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Scaup, Bittering, 20th August |
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Monday 19th August
Heard a Whimbrel at Thornham while looking at 6 Saltmarsh Plumes Agdistis bennetii (and 2 Silver Ys) during my lunch break. Also Wall Brown and Migrant Hawker there. At the patch on the way home just single Green Sandpipers at 2 sites and Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis and Brown Plume Stenoptilia pterodactyla.
Having had a night off from mothing last night I made up for it tonight with Flame Shoulders and Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings again breaking records (19 each). Potentially better were 2 tortrix moths that seem to be Saltmarsh Bells Eucosma tripoliana - as their common name suggests this isn't a species that's normally found in Bawdeswell so I'm not sure if I've misidentified them...? (Update Sept: Jon is convinced that my ID of Eucosma tripoliana is correct; update Jan: he has now gen detted to confirm and they are indeed both male tripoliana - thanks Jon!). Also Skin Moth Monopis laevigella, Common Slender Caloptilia syringella (supposedly very common but my first since 2010), Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, Brown Rowan Argent Argyresthia semifusca, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 4 Brown House-moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, probable Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, 2 Many-plumed Moths Alucita hexadactyla, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Small Dusty Wave, Red or Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, 3 Currant Pugs, White-spotted Pug, Scorched Carpet, 3 Brimstone Moths, 2 Willow Beauties, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, Small Square-spot, 3 Square-spot Rustics, 2 Cabbage Moths, Dark Arches, 6 Silver Ys and Snout.
Sunday 18th August
Had a very enjoyable late afternoon and evening seeing some really interesting birds. It started off with a trip to Northrepps to see a peculiar sparrow found by Carl and Andy recently. It looks like an Italian Sparrow, never previously recorded in the UK, but just because it looks like it, that doesn't mean it is one - it might be a Spanish Sparrow x House Sparrow hybrid, for instance. Some comments and photos on my blog. Anyway, whatever it is I enjoyed watching it, initially on my own and then in the good company of Carl and Mrs Carl. An Elbow-striped Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea provided some distraction.
As the light started to go I figured I wasn't likely to improve on my photos so headed off to Cley where 2 Wood Sandpipers dropped in briefly and I was very grateful for some expert tips from Eddie and then Richard on some of the finer details of Yellow-legged Gull and Caspian Gull identification. There were plenty of Yellow-legged Gulls to practice on, including a juvenile which is a plumage I've struggled to pick out before, and by the end of the evening we'd also notched up 3 Caspian Gulls (2 adults and a second-winter) which were all very instructive. A bleached Herring-type Gull was quite interesting too, prompting some interesting speculation as to where it originated from (and what it might actually be).
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Italian-type Sparrow, Northrepps, 18th August
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Caspian Gull, Cley, 18th August
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Yellow-legged Gull, Cley, 18th August |
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Saturday 17th August
A good look round the patch today produced very few birds. In fact the only bird worth noting down was a single Green Sandpiper! I fared a little better on the insect front, though not a lot - dragonfly highlights were 4 Southern Hawkers and a Ruddy Darter while moths were 2 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana, 7 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 4 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 9 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Shaded Broad-bar and 5 Silver Ys. At Rawhall Wood I met Cathy who was looking for the Crested Cow-wheat (a couple were still in flower) and while I was chatting with her a Clouded Yellow flew over - the highlight of what was otherwise a fairly disappointing morning.
At home the highlights were another Oak Hook-tip and the first Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella that I've seen at home. The rest were 2 Cork Moths Nemapogon cloacella, 2 Brown House-moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, probable Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 8 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Trachycera advenella, 3 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Small Dusty Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Red or Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Large Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Garden Carpets, Common Carpet, V-Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, 3 Willow Beauties, Dingy Footman, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 6 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, 6 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 3 Copper Underwings, 3 Common Rustic aggs. and 5 Silver Ys.
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Banded Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatella, Bawdeswell, 17th August |
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Friday 16th August
Another Spoonbill was the highlight of my lunch break, this time at Thornham. Not much doing on the patch on the way home - 10 Teal represented an increase but 2 Green Sandpipers was a drop, taking into account how many suitable sites I checked. The escaped Ruddy Shelduck remains. Moths seen were 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, 4 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis and 6 Treble-bars.
An odd night for moths at home - usually I don't suffer from large numbers of the same moth, tending to get good variety over good counts. Tonight was a bit of a noctuid show with unusually high counts of several species, but relatively little variety from other groups. Even so, Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana was my first at home and Dusky Thorn was my second ever. Record counts were provided by 14 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 10 Flame Shoulders, 18 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings and 6 Common Rustic aggs.
The others were Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, probable Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Heather Tortrices Argyrotaenia ljungiana, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 6 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Currant Pug, Willow Beauty, Dingy Footman, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, Small Square-spot, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 4 Square-spot Rustics, Lychnis, Dun-bar, Dark Arches, Nut-tree Tussock and 6 Silver Ys.
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Dusky Thorn (left) and Lychnis (right), Bawdeswell, 16th August |
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Thursday 15th August
Lunch break highlights were a Stoat at North Creake and a Spoonbill at Burnham Overy.
With it being quite windy this evening I didn't expect many moths, but it turned out to be excellent. An Oak Hook-tip was my first at home (following my first anywhere last Saturday) and so too were 2 Sallow Kittens (which I've seen at several other sites) and a Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana (which I've also seen several of elsewhere, though possibly not such a dark specimen as this one). A fine specimen of a Wax Moth Galleria mellonella was only my second ever and Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella was my second here. A Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella was also my second here (confirmed by gen. det. thanks to Jon - we'd wondered if it could be the newly-split Epinotia cinereana). An Old Lady was my first since 2009.
Others were Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella, Midget sp. Phyllonorycter sp., 2 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, 2 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 6 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 11 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis, Small Blood-vein, 2 Small Dusty Waves, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 3 Garden Carpets, 2 Common Carpets, Currant Pug, Tawny Speckled Pug, V-Pug, Yellow-barred Brindle, Willow Beauty, Dingy Footman, Ruby Tiger, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 8 Flame Shoulders, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 4 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Least Yellow Underwing, Six-striped Rustic, Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 2 Common Rustic aggs. and 2 Silver Ys.
Wednesday 14th August
Nothing much found in my lunch break except Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana and Silver Y. On the patch after work were 5 Green Sandpipers and a Greenshank; the only moth was one Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis.
Best moths at home tonight were 2 White-spotted Pugs (doubling the number I've seen at home since my first in 2008) and a Mouse Moth, only my third here. Also Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella, Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, Slender sp. Parornix sp., 2 probable Four-spotted Obscures Oegoconia quadripuncta, London Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella, Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 13 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, 3 Grey Knot-horns Trachycera advenella, Orange Swift, Small Dusty Wave, Red or Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Lime-speck Pug, 3 Currant Pugs, Brimstone Moth, Dingy Footman, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4 Flame Shoulders, 3 Common Rustic aggs., Silver Y, Snout and Fan-foot.
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White-spotted Pug (left) and Mouse Moth (right), Bawdeswell, 14th August
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Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Bawdeswell, 14th August |
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Tuesday 13th August
Saw a Brown Argus at work today and then decided to revisit Raynham Lake in my lunch break. Another Yellow-spotted Lance-wing Phaulernis fulviguttella was the highlight; also Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana, White-backed Marble Hedya salicella, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis and 2 Silver Ys.
At home my first ever White Satin was a surprise. Less unexpected were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Slender sp. Parornix sp., 3 Brown House-moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 9 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 8 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Small Fan-footed Wave, Single-dotted Wave, Riband Wave, 2 Currant Pugs, 2 Willow Beauties, Scarce Footman, Ruby Tiger, 4 Flame Shoulders, 4 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, 2 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, Common Rustic agg., 7 Silver Ys and Snout.
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White Satin (left) and Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis (right), Bawdeswell, 13th August |
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Monday 12th August
Having checked the usual pig fields for gulls and found none I had only a few minutes left of my lunch break to look round a small part of Syderstone Common. This turned up 3 Brown Arguses and a Barred Grass-veneer Agriphila inquinatellla.
I didn't have the light on for long at home so only recorded Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella and Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella., White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, probable Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 8 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, Scorched Carpet, Willow Beauty, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Square-spot Rustic and 5 Silver Ys.
Sunday 11th Augst
The 4 Avocets (1 adult and 3 juveniles) are still at Rawhall, though mainly out of view - I would have left without seeing them had they not started calling. Also 7 Green Sandpipers at 3 sites around the patch and the first 2 returning Teal. Moths on the patch were 2 Cherry Fruit Moths Argyresthia pruniella, 4 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, 4 Cinnabar caterpillars and Silver Y.
Home producted Golden-brown Tubic Batia unitella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, 2 Many-plumed Moths Alucita hexadactyla, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, possible worn Little Grey Dipleurina lacustrata, Small Purple and Gold (Mint Moth) Pyrausta aurata, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 8 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Small Blood-veins, Small Fan-footed Wave, Small Dusty Wave, 3 Single-dotted Waves, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Red or Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Early Thorn, 4 Willow Beauties, Dingy Footman, 3 Ruby Tigers, Flame Shoulder, 6 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Dark Arches, 2 Common Rustic aggs., 4 Silver Ys, Spectacle and Straw Dot.
Saturday 10th August
Bittering produced 6 Green Sandpipers at 2 sites and Common Sandpiper but it was pretty hard work this morning. By the time I reached Creaking Gate Lake I was tired and nearly decided to head off home instead of looking round. Glad I didn't head home as my first patch Crossbill flew over. An Emerald Damselfly was also good to see - one I've not seen locally before. Moths on the patch were 2 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, 7 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata, 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 4 Shaded Broad-bars and 2 Dusky Sallows.
I headed off to Whitwell Common this evening for another Norfolk Moth Survey event. I was particularly keen to attend this one as it's a lovely little site that I've visited a few times before during the day and have often thought about coming back with a light one night. It was good - in fact it exceeded expectations! Several species were completely new to me including Pointed Groundling Scrobipalpa acuminatella, Two-spotted Neb Eulamprotes atrella, 6 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana (now confirmed), Meadow-sweet Button Acleris shepherdana, 3 Smoky-barred Marbles Lobesia abscisana, Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis, Oak Hook-tip, 4 Triple-spotted Pugs, Square-spotted Clay, Twin-spotted Wainscot and 4 Small Rufouses.
Other highlights were 2 Willow Bent-wings Phyllocnistis saligna, Knapweed Conch Agapeta zoegana, Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana, Dusky Plume Oidaematophorus lithodactyla, Maiden's Blush and Webb's Wainscot. The rest were 3 Carrion Moths Monopis weaverella, Yellow-triangle or New Oak Slender Caloptilia alchimiella or robustella, Slender sp. Parornix sp., Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Tipped Oak or Common Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella or lutipennella, Agrimony-type Case-bearer Coleophora follicularis-type, another Case-bearer sp. Coleophora sp., Triple-spot Dwarf Elachista maculicerusella, 2 Swan-feather Dwarfs Elachista argentella, Golden-brown Tubic Batia unitella, 10 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 3 + Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrices Pandemis corylana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, probable Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana, White-backed Marble Hedya salicella, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, 2 Cock's-head Bells Zeiraphera isertana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 6 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 15 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Long-winged Pearl Perinephela lancealis, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 25 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Grey Knot-horn Trachycera advenella, 3 Dotted Oak Knot-horns Phycita roborella, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Ghost Moth, Drinker, Scalloped Hook-tip, Chinese Character, Large Emerald, 2 Blood-veins, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, Riband Wave, 8 Flame Carpets, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, Common Carpet, 12 Small Phoenixes, July Highflyer, 2 Small Rivulets, 2 Lime-speck Pugs, V-Pug, Green Pug, 3 Scorched Carpets, Brimstone Moth, 8 Canary-shouldered Thorns, Scalloped Oak, 2 Willow Beauties, Common Wave, Sallow Kitten, Iron Prominent, 3 Pebble Prominents, Swallow Prominent, Pale Prominent, 6 Black Arches, 2 Round-winged Muslins, Rosy Footman, 6 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, Buff Footman, 3 Ruby Tigers, 6 Flame Shoulders, Large Yellow Underwing, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 3 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Least Yellow Underwing, Double Square-spot, 8 Six-striped Rustics, Square-spot Rustic, Smoky Wainscot, Grey or Dark Dagger, 2 Dun-bars, Dark Arches, 4 Common Rustic aggs., Dusky Sallow, Ear Moth agg., Nut-tree Tussock, 25 Silver Ys and Snout.
Update September: Just realised that a micro I originally thought was a Coleophorid and subsequently decided it was probably an Elachistid, but with no clear ID, was in fact an Eyelet Sober Thiotricha subocellea - so wrong both times, but another new species for me anyway!
Friday 9th August
Headed off to the patch this evening, miscalculating how much time I had before it got dark. Arriving at sundown I decided to head straight to a wader-potential site that I'd not visited for a few days. The only wader seen here was Green Sandpiper but I also heard Greenshank, my first here, and a (or the) Ruddy Shelduck flew over. Moths here were Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis and Flame Shoulder.
The clear highlight from tonight's moths was a Straw Flat-body Agonopterix kaekeritziana - there are only 10 previous Norfolk records, the last in 2004. Also noteworthy was a Double Lobed, the first I've recorded at home. Others were Slender sp. Parornix sp., Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 3 Brown House-moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, 2 Many-plumed Moths Alucita hexadactyla, 3 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 4 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 3 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Trachycera advenella, Orange Swift, Small Fan-footed Wave, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Lime-speck Pug, V-Pug, 3 Willow Beauties, 2 Flame Shoulders, 5 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Dun-bar, Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 4 Common Rustic aggs., 5 Silver Ys, 2 Snouts and Fan-foot.
Update Jan: another worn moth that I couldn't place at all has now been confirmed as my first ever Long-winged Shade Cnephasia longana (thanks Jon for the gen. det.)
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Straw Flat-body Agonopterix kaekeritziana (left) and Long-winged Shade Cnephasia longana (right), Bawdeswell, 9th August
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Lime-speck Pug, Bawdeswell, 9th August |
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Thursday 8th August
I popped in to Raynham Lake in my lunch break. I was looking for birds but saw none of significance, however I did find a significant moth! I decided to try the footpath that runs down to the west end of the lake, seeing a couple of Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana along the way. Where the path crosses the end of the lake I could hear Kingfisher but the path seemed not to provide any view of the lake itself. A small moth flying around was swiftly netted and subsequently identified as Yellow-spotted Lance-wing Phaulernis fulviguttella - the first to be recorded in Norfolk since 2007. As with a lot of micros, this is probably a much commoner moth than the number of records suggests - most of the records were from a single observer in just two years but covering several different sites.
I stopped off at the patch on the way home seeing 2 Green Sandpipers at Bittering. One Avocet was at Rawhall again, disappearing into a part of the complex that is not viewable from anywhere. Nearby the blue-ringed escaped Ruddy Shelduck was back at the private site where it spent much of the spring and with it were Greenshank and 3 Green Sandpipers (my first at this site) (along with 4 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis).
Moths at home this evening were Slender sp. Parornix sp., Garden Midget Phyllonorycter messaniella, 2 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, House Groundling Bryotropha domestica, probable Four-spotted Obscure Oegoconia quadripuncta, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 4 Many-plumed Moths Alucita hexadactyla, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 6 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, 9 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Small Blood-vein, Small Fan-footed Wave, Small Dusty Wave, Flame Carpet, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, 4 Willow Beauties, Dingy Footman, Flame Shoulder, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Common Rustic aggs., 2 Silver Ys, Straw Dot, 3 Snouts and Fan-foot.
Wednesday 7th August
I didn't have the light on for long tonight but still managed a few interesting moths. A Small Phoenix was the first I've had at home while potentially much rarer (but not my first) was what looks like Mouse-ear Groundling Caryocolum fraternella (update Jan: now confirmed by gen. det. - thanks Jon!). Others were Slender sp. Parornix sp., Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 4 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 7 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Small Dusty Waves, Single-dotted Wave, Red or Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 2 Garden Carpets, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, 2 Willow Beauties, Common Footman, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, Dun-bar, Cloaked Minor, Flounced Rustic and 6 Silver Ys.
Tuesday 6th August
Nothing to report other than a Common Grass-veneerAgriphila tristella on the office door. Still having lots of catching up to do I kept the windows firmly shut tonight until the lights were out - I just can't keep up with all the moths that have been coming in lately!
Monday 5th August
Walking across site to a team meeting this morning I looked up and saw a Hobby chasing after some House Martins. I think one of two of my colleagues were vaguely interested when I pointed it out!
At lunchtime I had a look for the gulls at Houghton, finding just 4 large gulls among the pigs. Not much chance of anything good with so few birds, you might think, but no, there were 2 Yellow-legged Gulls among the 4! Nearby Dusky Sallow and Snout were found amidst a plethora of common butterflies.
Stopped at Bittering on my way home from work where the Wigeon remained and 2 Green Sandpipers were present. A Ruddy Shelduck flew down the lake which I later picked up again at a different site. The other gravel pits on the patch produced just 1 more Green Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover. In my travels I encoutered a few moths too: Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Diamond-back Marble Eudemis profundana, Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana, Pale-bordered Piercer Grapholita janthinana, 11 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella and 3 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis.
At home I tried not to let any moths in as I needed to catch up on sorting out my records for the last few days. In the short time I put the light on just to see as I got ready for bed the following came in: my third and Norfolk's fourth White-speckled Clothes Moth Nemapogon wolffiella, 2 Slender sp. Parornix sp., another Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna, 2 Brown House-moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 2 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Small Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, Ruby Tiger and 5 Silver Ys.
Sunday 4th August
After last night's very late night I spent most of today asleep! Some good moths at home tonight but I was initially a bit suspicious as to where they came from. It's not unusual for the odd moth to be accidentally carried back home when I go out mothing but usually it's pretty obvious - typically it's something pretty worn appearing somewhere close to where I left my rucksack etc. So when I found an Ear Moth agg. on my bag of pots, a species I've never seen at home but which we saw one of last night, I wondered if I'd perhaps brought it back with me, although it looked fresh. Nearby a Buff Footman also made me wonder - there were two on my sheet last night and I've rarely seen them at home either. Then 2 Nutmegs appeared - I only saw 1 at How Hill and I don't think it was at my sheet, so could these have been new in? I've only seen one before at home so 2 in a night is unusual, but I thought I saw one come in through the window and both were fresh, which isn't normal for moths carried home in a bag - I think I shall count them as being new arrivals. Finally a Willow Bent-wing Phyllocnistis saligna appeared - this is the one I've wrestled with most as it's the more significant record - there aren't any previous records from anywhere near here. In the end I've decided to count it because (a) it first appeared right next to the open window and far from where I'd left my stuff from How Hill, (b) a second one appeared the following night - we only saw 1-2 at How Hill and the chances of me bringing 2 home with 1 hiding for over 24 hours seems a bit remote, (c) I didn't see any at How Hill at my light - they were all in different habitat and (d) it seems to be a good year for them with records cropping up from several places - I'm writing this late having come back from my third successive Norfolk Moth Survey event all of which recorded this species, at well-spread locations including last night's (10th August) which isn't so far from here.
Otherwise a more typical selection of moths was 2 Cork Moths Nemapogon cloacella, 2 Slender sp. Parornix sp. (looking good for devoniella), 4 Case-bearer sp. Coleophora sp. (update Jan: thanks to Jon for confirming these by gen. det. as my first ever Yarrow Case-bearer Coleophora argentula, Small Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella and my first 2 Orache Case-bearers Coleophora saxicolella - normally a coastal species), Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Burdock Neb Metzneria lappella, 2 probable Four-spotted Obscures Oegoconia quadripuncta, 3 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 4 Privet Tortrices Clepsis consimilana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, 5 Many-plumed Moths Alucita hexadactyla, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 8 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 10 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Large Grey Scoparia subfusca, Little Grey Dipleurina lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Small Blood-vein, 8 Small Fan-footed Waves, 5 Small Dusty Waves, Single-dotted Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 2 July Highflyers, Wormwood Pug, 2 Currant Pugs, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, 2 Early Thorns, 4 Willow Beauties, Dingy Footman, Common Footman, 7 Ruby Tigers, Flame Shoulder, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Dark Arches, Common Rustic agg., Dusky Sallow, 3 Silver Ys, Straw Dot, Snout and Fan-foot.
Saturday 3rd August
A good look round the patch was reasonably uneventful bird-wise - 3 Green Sandpipers, the same Wigeon and Little Egret, Common Terns, but nothing hugely exciting. Lots of butterflies included Essex Skippers at 2 sites and Brown Argus. Dragonflies included both Southern and Brown Hawkers at Creaking Gate Lake along with both Common and Ruddy Darters. Several day-flying moths were noted, the best of which was what seems to have been Valerian Pug feeding at forget-me-not (but I'm not 100% certain - it may be Marsh Pug - comments welcome!). Others were 12 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 6 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, 2 Six-spot Burnets, 3 Shaded Broad-bars, Dusky Sallow and 3 Silver Ys (along with a few Cinnabar caterpillars).
In the evening I headed off to How Hill for a Norfolk Moth Survey event. This was extremely productive producing several species that were new to me, namely 2 Laburnum Leaf Miners Leucoptera laburnella, Bog Dwarf Biselachista utonella, Suffused Groundling Carpatolechia alburnella, Crescent Groundling Teleiodes luculella, Orange-spotted Shoot Rhyacionia pinicolana, 12 Dotted Footmen, Fenn's Wainscot, 3 Crescents and 2 Webb's Wainscots,
Other moths I recorded were Little Slender Calybites phasianipennella, Midget sp. Phyllonorycter sp. (hilarella or ulmifoliella), 2 Willow Bent-wings Phyllocnistis saligna, 8 Gold-ribbon Argents Argyresthia brockeella, 2 Golden Argents Argyresthia goedartella, Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella, Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, 3 Case-bearer sp. Coleophora sp. (update Jan: including 1 which Jon has gen. detted - my first Osier Case-bearer Coleophora lusciniaepennella), Golden-brown Tubic Batia unitella, 2 Long-horned Flat-bodies Carcina quercana, 2 Poplar or Birch Sobers Anacampsis sp., Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Yarrow Conch Aethes smeathmanniana, 2 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrices Pandemis heparana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, Cyclamen Tortrix Clepsis spectrana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, Rush Marble Bactra lancealana, Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella, Cock's-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bramble Shoot Moth Epiblema uddmanniana, 6 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, 3 Wainscot Veneers Chilo phragmitella, Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, 12 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Giant Water-veneer Schoenobius gigantella, 10 Water Veneers Acentria ephemerella, Large Grey Scoparia subfusca, 2 Little Greys Dipleurina lacustrata, 3 Brown China-marks Elophila nymphaeata, 2 Ringed China-marks Parapoynx stratiotata, Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata, 2 Small China-marks Cataclysta lemnata, Long-winged Pearl Perinephela lancealis, 2 Elder Pearls Phlyctaenia coronata, 4 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Orthopygia glaucinalis, 3 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Dotted Oak Knot-horn Phycita roborella, 2 Hemp-agrimony Plumes Adaina microdactyla, Oak Eggar, 10 Drinkers, 5 Scalloped Hook-tips, 2 Pebble Hook-tips, 10 Large Emeralds, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Riband Waves, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Chevron, Grey Pine Carpet, July Highflyer, Dark Umber, Small Rivulet, 2 Sandy Carpets, Slender Pug, Wormwood Pug, V-Pug, 4 Clouded Borders, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Early Thorn, 2 Scalloped Oaks, 2 Peppered Moths, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, 2 Engraileds, Common White Wave, Common Wave, 2 Privet Hawkmoths, Pine Hawkmoth, Lime Hawkmoth caterpillar, 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, Sallow Kitten, Iron Prominent, Pebble Prominent, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, 2 Chocolate-tips, Buff-tip, 6 Yellow-tails, 15 Black Arches, Round-winged Muslin, 6 Rosy Footmen, 8 Dingy Footmen, Scarce Footman, 2 Buff Footmen, 2 Common Footmen, 4 Garden Tigers, 2 Buff Ermines, 2 Ruby Tigers, 2 Flame Shoulders, 3 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Least Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 2 Double Square-spots, Nutmeg, 2 Antler Moths, Clay, Southern Wainscot, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Poplar Greys, 2 Grey or Dark Daggers, 3 Reed Daggers, Light Arches, Copper Underwing, 4 Dun-bars, 4 Dark Arches, Double Lobed, Cloaked Minor, 6 Common Rustic aggs., Ear Moth agg., 20 Fen Wainscots, 2 Marbled White Spots, Nut-tree Tussock, 5 Silver Ys, Beautiful Hook-tip, 2 Snouts and 2 Dotted Fan-foots.
Friday 2nd August
A lunch-time drive took me past the pig fields at Houghton where a quick scan with bins only produced a minimum of 3 Yellow-legged Gulls - most of the large gulls were out of sight so I imagine a much larger count would be possible given time and patience (plus a better place to watch from and a bit more skill in their identification).
It was a good night for Nemapogon! As well as Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella and 2 more Barred White Clothes Moths Nemapogon clematella, I discovered a White-speckled Clothes Moth Nemapogon wolffiella. This was the third for Norfolk, following the second which I found in my bedroom in 2011!
Another highlight from tonight was my first Summer Rose Bell Epiblema roborana. The others were probable Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, Daisy Bent-wing Bucculatrix nigricomella, 3 Slender sp. Parornix sp., Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, 3 Brown House-moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Heather Tortrix Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 11 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 5 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Grey Knot-horn Trachycera advenella, Small Blood-vein, 4 Small Fan-footed Waves, Small Dusty Wave, 2 Single-dotted Waves, Riband Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet (plus 2 Red or Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets), Wormwood Pug, Scorched Carpet, 5 Early Thorns, 9 Willow Beauties, 2 Dingy Footmen, Dark Arches, 4 Common Rustic aggs., 4 Silver Ys, 4 Snouts and Fan-foot.
Thursday 1st August
Another excellent night for moths. A couple of moths whose identity is in some doubt but which were potentially new for me were 2 apparent Broad-blotch Drills Dichrorampha alpinana (update Jan: now confirmed by gen. det. - thanks Jon!). Although both had broad blotches apparently the breadth of the blotch is not a reliable way of separating this species from Narrow-blotch Drill Dichrorampha flavidorsana. Another tricky tortrix may have been Birch Bell Epinotia demarniana. It seemed an excellent match for one of the photos of Square-barred Bell Epinotia tetraquetrana shown on Lepiforum, but I had my doubts about that ID as that species has never been recorded in Norfolk later than 20th June. In the end I came up with demarniana which normally has a purer white fascia than this individual, but I'm far from sure (but thanks again to Jon, now confirmed as demarniana).
No less tricky was one of 2 Slender sp. Parornix sp. which I think is a good candidate for being my first Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella. I think it needs it's bits checking to be 100% but it ticks all the boxes (update Jan: yes, now confirmed as devoniella). Much easier to identify and also my first, though not so unusual, was a Double-striped Tabby Orthopygia glaucinalis. From a county perspective Barred White Clothes Moth Nemapogon clematella and Rose Tortrix Archips rosana were more noteworthy, although both seem to turn up here with some regularity.
Other moths recorded were possible Brown Apple Midget Phyllonorycter blancardella, 2 Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella, Dwarf sp. Elachista sp., 2 Golden-brown Tubics Batia unitella, 3 Small Dingy Tubics Borkhausenia fuscescens, 2 Brown House-moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Flat-body sp. Agonopterix sp., Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, 10 Privet Tortrices Clepsis consimilana, Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Light Grey Tortrix Cnephasia incertana, 2 Pale-bordered Piercers Grapholita janthinana, 2 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 4 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 2 Pale Straw Pearls Udea lutealis, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, 3 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 3 Small Blood-veins, Small Fan-footed Wave, 3 Small Dusty Waves, Riband Wave, Yellow Shell, July Highflyer, 2 Early Thorns, Dingy Footman, Scarce Footman, Ruby Tiger, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Least Yellow Underwings, Double Square-spot, Clay, 2 Smoky Wainscots, Dark Arches, 14 Silver Ys, Snout and 3 Fan-foots.
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Barred White Clothes Moth Nemapogon clematella (left) and Double-striped Tabby Orthopygia glaucinalis (right), Bawdeswell, 1st August
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probable Broad-blotched Drills Dichrorampha alpinana, Bawdeswell, 1st August - broad-blotched, but some of these Narrow-blotch Drills have broader blotches than this Broad-blotched Drill! (Update Jan: both now confirmed as male alpinana - thanks Jon!)
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Birch Bell Epinotia demarniana, Bawdeswell, 1st August - thanks to Jon for confirmation by gen. det.
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Hazel Slender Parornix devoniella (confirmed by gen. det., left) and Ledra aurita (right), Bawdeswell, 1st August - the Ledra was one of two, apparently Britain's largest leafhopper |
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Next month: September 2013
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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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2010: Jan ; Feb ; Mar ; Apr ; May ; Jun ; Jul ; Aug ; Sep ; Oct ; Nov ; Dec ; |
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2011: Jan ; Feb ; Mar ; Apr ; May ; Jun ; Jul ; Aug ; Sep ; Oct ; Nov ; Dec ; |
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2012: Jan ; Feb ; Mar ; Apr ; May ; Jun ; Jul ; Aug ; Sep ; Oct ; Nov ; Dec ; |
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