Juv Med

The Meds have been a bit thin on the ground compared to previous years. We haven't had the 'double-figure' beach gatherings that normally occur when the seaweed builds up on the beach, so I took advantage of the fact that this juvenile allowed quite close approach and took some photos. Unfortunately it was a gloomy old morning so the results weren't as good as they might have been. Not a lot else around this morning but I did log another juvenile Yellow-legged Gull out in the bay, as well as an adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 Ringed Plover, c10+ Manx Shearwaters, c10+ Common Scoters, 1 Grey Heron and a dark phase Arctic Skua that powered into the bay before chasing Sandwich Terns just off the Warren.
A further 3 or 4 Mediterranean Gulls were off Mudbank and 4 Silver Y and a Rusty Dot Pearl were trapped overnight.

Golden-rod Pug

Golden-rod Pug - a localised and subtle species but it immediately didn't feel right for Grey Pug or any other species that I'm familiar with for that matter. Note the chequering on the veins and the whitish metathoracic spot. This is a brand new species for me but I wasn't really expecting it. The  larvae apparently feed on the flowers of Golden-rod and Ragwort.

 

Quiet again on the birding front. A quick whiz round this morning resulted in 6 adult Mediterranean Gulls and my first Kingfisher of the autumn off Mudbank, but little else.

Yesterday morning, in rather benign conditions, I was surprised to find a flock of 150 Manx Shearwaters out in the bay. At least 1 Balearic Shearwater was in with them - my first of the year in/off Exmouth.

The moth trap yielded some surprises this morning - most notably my first ever Golden-rod Pug and my first Currant Pug for the garden. Sadly the latter species flew off prematurely as I was attempting to photograph it. A single Silver Y and European Corn-borer were the only immigrant species in a catch that also included a Bordered Sallow, Least Carpet, Phoenix, Sycamore and Knot-grass.

Bordered Sallow - only my second and a much more pristine individual than the first.

 

 Least Carpet

 

 

Plume Moth species.

Sallow Button - Acleris hastiana  - there are apparently dozens of different forms of this moth. I've only knowingly recorded 2 but I will endeavour to find more. Below is another form that I trapped the other day.

 

Possible Scoparia ambigualis?
 

Phoenix

 

Below are a selection of the Common/Lesser Common Rustics that were trapped last night - a tremendously variable pair of moths. I've never actually positively identified either species though I must have seen both by now!

Classic YLG on Beach

Five Mediterranean Gulls together on Maer Rocks first thing this morning.

 

A bit samey this morning but that's fine by me because it meant discovering another two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls. The individual shown was initially on Maer Rocks before the tide pushed it off on to the beach. The second bird was flying around out in the bay. Also seen this morning were 7 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Sanderling and 1 Dunlin.
A further 7 Mediterranean Gulls were of Mudbank on the dropping tide, along with a couple Whimbrel.
Migrant moth species trapped last night comprised of 6 Silver Y and 2 Rusty Dot Pearl. Otherwise the following macro species were trapped: Drinker, Buff Arches, Common Emerald, Small Blood-vein, Small Fan-footed Wave, Single-dotted Wave, Riband Wave, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Garden Carpet, Slender Pug, Haworth's Pug, Foxglove Pug, Green Pug, Double-striped Pug, Clouded Border, Dusky Thorn, Early Thorn, Scalloped Oak, Swallow-tailed Moth, Bordered Beauty, Willow Beauty, Brussels Lace, Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Buff-tip, Yellow-tail, Rosy Footman, Dingy Footman, Hoary Footman, Common Footman, Four-spotted Footman, Buff Ermine, Ruby Tiger, Heart and Club, Heart and Dart, Flame, Flame Shoulder, Lesser Yellow Underwing, True Lover's knot, Square-spot Rustic, Dot Moth, Bright-line Brown-eye, Clay, Smoky wainscot, Knot Grass, Marbled Green, Dark Arches, Minor Agg, Common/Lesser Common Rustic, Uncertain, Rustic, Spectacle, Straw Dot, Snout, Fan-foot and Small Fan-foot.
The smart White-foot Bell was the micro highlight but as usual there were more identification conundrums than positive id's!

YLG and adult Med Gull

Obligatory YLG flight shot

This is the first juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull I've seen this summer. I also saw my first juvenile Great Black-backed Gull this morning.

The juvenile Yellow-legged Gull eventually joined the small gull flock roosting half way along Exmouth Beach.

This bird had already replaced some of its scapulars with new first-winter anchor-marked feathers.

White-foot Bell - Epiblema foenella

Hoary Footman - a garden first

Male Four-spotted Footman

Micro sp - Edit - Poplar Cosmet - Batrachedra praeangusta - many thanks Nick!

Tortrix sp

Pyralid sp

Tortrix sp

Juv YLG

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull with Herring Gulls

 

A few birds off Maer Rocks early this morning - 7 Common Sandpipers, the first I've seen in Exmouth this year, 6 Common Terns, c40+ Sandwich Terns, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, c40+ Common Scoter and a Grey Heron that flew across Dawlish Bay.
Another, or possibly the same, juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was briefly off Mudbank with 3 Mediterranean Gulls later in the morning. Otherwise, just large numbers of Black-headed Gulls and a small scattering of Whimbrel and Turnstones.

New Tawny Tubic - Batia Lunaris - just 4mm long!

Micro sp

Acorn Piercer - Pammene fasciana

Small Purple and Gold aka Mint Moth - Pyrausta aurata I think!

Hoary Footman - trapped by Nick last night.

Red Twin-spot Carpet

Marbled Conch - Eupoecilia angustana

Small Purple-barred - masses of these on East Budleigh Common this afternoon. Also several Silver Y seen whilst on a family dog walk.