Sunday 31 July 2022

Small Mottled Willow

Small Mottled Willow - this immigrant species accompanied 3 Silver Ys, and a hatful of Rusty Dot Pearls, the night before last (30/7). I've caught a small number of these over the years but this was the first in a long, long while.

Numbers of common wildfowl continue to build off Mudbank. Today's counts included 142+ Mallard, 74 Canada Geese and 18 Mute Swans. Also today - 1 Greenshank, 42 Whimbrel, 175 Curlew, 3 Common Gulls, c5/600 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Common Terns, several Sandwich Terns, and 2 Mediterranean Gulls.
Compare with yesterday's counts of 103 Mallard, 55 Canada Geese, 1 Greenshank, 30+ Whimbrel and 170+ Curlew. The first two Kingfishers were back yesterday - my first Exmouth sighting of this species since the winter.
The first-summer Yellow-legged Gull was again frequenting the recycling centre, early this morning.

Maiden's Blush.

Satin Wave.

Ringed China-mark. I catch this species regularly. Not so the other China-marks, with just 1 Small China-mark making it to the garden so far.

Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana.

Twin-barred Knot-horn Homoeosoma sinuella.

Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana.

Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana


 September Thorn. Three trapped Friday night, along with a single Early Thorn.


Small Rivulet.


Spruce Carpet.


Small Seraphim.


Ruby Tiger.


Common Drill Dichorampha petiverella.


Common Emerald - a very common moth but I rarely see them in as perfect condition as this. The checked fringes rapidly wear away and the green fades.


Mocha - always on the cards but this was a first for the garden, here in Exmouth.



First-summer Yellow-legged Gull - recycling centre. I'm glad this bird is around because I've had no success tracking down any juveniles as yet. Should be some in August though...

6 comments:

  1. Glad to see a Mocha in your catch, Matt. It surprised me that you didn't get them, whereas it's a regular here. However, there are several in this post which I've yet to see at all. Early days though, and so far I've not had a single catch without at least one new species!

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    1. Hi Gav - yep I was very glad to see it too but it felt like it was coming. I've no doubt that any you've not seen will soon appear in the trap. None are uncommon and even Small mottled Willow's a dead cert at some point, especially where you're positioned, close to the coast. Assuming you keep trapping you're going to get new ones right up to late autumn/early winter, then you've got all the fab early spring stuff to see. I'm confident you'll be getting new ones regularly throughout next year too. There are so many species to see. Looking forward to your next post...
      All the best. Matt.

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  2. Catch-up time. Some nice moths there. Have only seen a couple of Small Mottled Willow. Did find a Bordered Straw on my local patch a few years back-good inland record. Mocha was new for me this year in Perivale Park.

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  3. Good to hear from you Neil. It sounds like Mocha is a species on the up. Amazing how these immigrant species find their way inland. Way back in 2006, when we were living in Rockbeare, which is probably ten miles from the coast, I used to get regular Scarce Bordered Straws and Bordered Straws, plus goodies like Cosmopolitan, Dewick's Plusia and Great Brocade. Anything is possible I guess! All the best. Matt.

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  4. Mocha nice, Matt. One I still need here! Nick

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  5. Hi Nick - thought I was the only one who hadn't trapped Mocha! Will keep hold of the next one and give you a shout. Hope you had a great holiday. Hope to see you soon. Matt

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