Migrant Moths

Turnip Moth. Also of interest last night - 9 Silver Y, 1 Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis, 10 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Rusty Dot Pearl, 1 Herald, 3 Pebble Prominent, 1 Marbled Green, 5 Marbled Piercer, 1 Scorched Carpet, 1 Maiden's Blush and 1 Blair's Mocha.

Mudbank this morning - 4 Knot, 1 Sanderling, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 37 Whimbrel, 48 Mallard, 21 Little Egrets and my first returning Kingfisher of the 'autumn'.

Rusty Acorn Piercer Cydia amplana. Also on 17/7 of note - c160 Willow Ermine, 5 Small Mottled Willow, 1 Four-spotted Footman, 1 Diamond-back, 1 Silver Y, 3 Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 2 Blair's Mocha, 1 Marbled Green and 2 Pebbled hook-tip.

Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana - dark form.

Gem. Other immigrant species on 16/7 included 3 Silver Y, 2 Rush Veneer, 3 Rusty Dot Pearl, 1 Dark Sword-grass and 4 Small Mottled Willow. Also 1 Four-spotted Footman, 2 Blair's Mocha and 1 Portland Ribbon Wave.

15/7 - 27 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Rusty Dot Pearl, 4 Rush Veneer, 3 Dark Sword-grass, 1 Diamond-back and 1 Silver Y. Additionally - 1 Purple Bar, 1 Pebble Prominent, 5 Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 1 Mullein Wave, 2 Blair's Mocha, 1 Maiden's Blush, 1 Dun-bar, 1 Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, 2 Four-spotted Footman, 1 Marbled White Spot and 1 (garden first) Small Purple-barred. The latter two species undoubtedly blown in from the pebbled heaths.

Marsh Tit, Lunar-spotted Pinion

Really thrilled to see this juvenile Marsh Tit on the edge of Bystock meadow this morning. Discovered whilst looking for butterflies, this is my first in  Exmouth since 2021. We can only hope that this bird will remain in the area to breed (I'm assuming it is a dispersing juvenile from somewhere outside the parish). Also at Bystock - 3+ Spotted Flycatchers, 1 Jay and 1+ Firecrest.

Mudbank today - 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 9 Whimbrel, 115 Curlew, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Grey Plover, 7+ Mediterranean Gulls, c20 Sandwich Terns, 24 Mallard and a juvenile Peregrine. Two Sand Martins flew upriver. Nearby at Shelly Beach - 1 Sand Martin, 24 Mediterranean Gulls and 13 Sandwich Terns.

One of at least three Spotted Flycatchers at Bystock. Believe it or not these were my first in Exmouth this year, though I've seen a fair few just beyond the parish boundary.

I think this could be Shaded Tortrix Eucosma obumbratana but I can't see any records on the Devon Moths website. If it is it's a new one for me. Amongst last night's catch - 1 Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis, 1 Vestal, c70 Willow Ermine, 11 Small Mottled Willow, 1 Dark-bordered Pearl Evergestis limbata, 2 Rush Veneer, 1 Blair's Mocha, 1 Least Carpet and 1 Lunar-spotted Pinion.

Lunar-spotted Pinion is a new moth for the garden here in Exmouth.

Vestal.

Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana.

Least Carpet.

A well-marked Small Mottled Willow.

Blair's Mocha.

Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis.

Moths Latest

Small Marbled. Other migrants last night were 1 Silver Y, 1 Rush Veneer, 1 Rusty Dot Pearl, 2 Diamond-back and 7 Small Mottled Willow. Also, amongst the usual more common stuff - c80 Willow Ermine, 1 Bulrush Veneer Calamotropha paludella, 2 Four-spotted Footman, 2 Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana, 1 Pebble Hook-tip, 1 Black Arches, 4 Cloaked Minor, 1 Marbled Green, 2 Ruby Tiger, 2 Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 1 Thistle Ermine, 1 Italian Bark Moth Metalampra italica, 1 Small Pine Shoot Moth Clavigesta sylvestrana and 1 Hawthorn Knot-horn Acrobasis advenella.

Willow Ermine.  c80 of these last night.

Mottled Oak Tortrix Zeiraphera isertana.

Italian Bark Moth - my third in as many weeks.

Pebble Hook-tip.

Small Pine Shoot Moth Clavigesta sylvestrana.

White Crescent Teleiodes luculella.

Ni Moth. Nice to get this on 10/7 along with a number of other species including 11 Willow Ermine, 12 Jersey Tiger, 2 Four-spotted Footman, 4 Rusty Dot Pearl, 3 Small Mottled Willow, 1 L-album Wainscot, 3 Ruby Tiger, 1 Yellow-spotted Tortrix, 1 White-foot Moth, 3 Acorn Piercer, 1 Tree-mallow Tortrix Crocidosema plebejana and 1 Pearl Grass-moth Catoptria pinella.

Acorn Piercer Pammene fasciana.

White-foot Moth Epiblema foenella.

Yellow Spotted Tortrix Pseudoargyrotoza conwagana.

Marbled Green.

 Tawny-fronted Straw Neocochylis molliculana.

Poplar Hawkmoth caterpillar - Blackhill Quarry.

LRPs

Encouraging signs the local Little Ringed Plovers have had a productive breeding season - at least 7 birds counted this morning including a recently-fledged chick.

Mudbank today - 2 Sand Martins, 2+ Whimbrel, 6 Sandwich Terns, 1 Redshank and 1 Mediterranean Gull. Liverton Copse - 2+ Firecrests and 1+ Treecreeper.

5/7 - Mudbank - 9 Whimbrel, 1 Dunlin, 2 Sandwich Terns and 1 Great Crested Grebe.

4/7 - Mudbank - 6 Whimbrel, 1 Mallard and 1 Mediterranean Gull.

A couple cycle-rides into Topsham over the last few days. Birds seen at Bowling Green have included 2 Spoonbills, 4 Green Sandpipers, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Spotted Redshank, c125 Redshank, 8 Teal, 1 Knot, 1 Mediterranean Gull and 1 Dunlin.

Green Sandpipers.

Summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank - Bowling Green.

Garden Small Skipper.....

.....and garden Roesel's Bush Cricket.

Garden Straw Agapeta hamana.

Silver Y.

One of 23 Small Mottled Willows trapped last night. Also - 1 Rush Veneer, 1 Rusty Dot Pearl and 3 Silver Y.

Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana. One of two in the trap this morning.

Silver-washed Fritillary - Frying Pans.

Broad-leaved Helleborine - Liverton Copse.

One of six Sandwich Terns off Mudbank this afternoon.

Puss Moth Cat

Went searching for the remarkable-looking Puss Moth caterpillar this afternoon but didn't really expect to find one. A bonus Sallow Kitten caterpillar too!

Mudbank - not a lot today but 14 Mediterranean Gulls included a flock of twelve flying upriver at 0950. Also off there - 8 Sandwich Terns.

Blackhill Quarry - 7 Tufted Ducks and 1 Coot with a recently-fledged juvenile. See below for yesterday's birds.

Puss Moth caterpillar.

Sallow Kitten (third instar?) caterpillar.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth - Wheathill carpark.

Grayling.

One of seven Tufted Ducks on Blackhill Quarry pool. No juveniles.

Ringlet.

Large Skipper.

My first returning Redshank of the autumn - Mudbank 29/6/26.

Mudbank yesterday - 1 Redshank, 5 Whimbrel, 7+ Sandwich Terns, 2+ Mediterranean Gulls, 125+ Black-headed Gulls, c40 Curlew and my first fully-fledged juvenile Herring Gull of the summer.

A quick search of Liverton Copse revealed 20 Broad-leaved Helleborines - the majority no yet in flower so I'll be back...

Small Tortoisehell - Exmouth cricket club 28/6/26.