Orcombe

Juvenile Willow Warbler

 

I haven't properly started doing Orcombe Point yet but I took a leisurely stroll just as far as the Geoneedle this morning and was pleased to pick up a couple migrant juvenile Willow Warblers, glowing yellow in the early morning sun. At least 4 Blackcaps were in the Elder bushes and a couple Chiffchaffs were knocking around the bushes too but they, like the Blackcaps were presumably just local birds.

On or from the beach at Maer Rocks were 2 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Sanderling, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Common Tern and 110+ Sandwich Tern. At least 10 Mediterranean Gulls were consorting with the Black-headed Gull flock.

Blackcap

 

Small Copper

Carpet Hunting

Juvenile Kittiwake

 

Kittiwakes breed just round the corner on Straight Point but opportunities to photograph them are few and far between, so 3+ juveniles joining the black-head flock this morning were very welcome. That said, they never got that close and the early morning light was awful so my photos are typically crap. There were at least 7 Mediterranean Gulls with the Black-headed Gulls this morning but the only other species to make the notebook were 3 Common Tern and 1 Ringed Plover.
Mid-morning I took the kids cycling up on Haldon. We did the 'Kiddons' trail and for much of the way round we were accompanied by the friendly 'chip' of Crossbills - I reckon there are quite a few up there.

This afternoon I spent an hour wandering along Gore Lane, gently tapping the hedge with a stick in search of Galium Carpet - a new species for me that I really should have found before now. I was successful in my search, finding 2 Galiums as well as 5 other carpet species - Shaded Broad-bar, Yellow Shell, Common Carpet, Purple Bar and Red Twin-spot Carpet. I was surprised at the number of other species found with Small Fan-footed Wave, Riband Wave, Dingy Footman, Rosy Footman, Silver Y and Jersey Tiger all discovered, as well as several 'micros' and several species of butterfly.
Interestingly, when I disturbed the Jersey Tiger it was closely pursued along the lane by 2 Gatekeepers. Whether the orange of the Jersey's underwing attracted them or aggravated them I'm not sure. Anyone any ideas?

Adult winter Mediterranean Gull

 

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull - one of 4 juveniles this morning - one was wearing a green Darvic ring but I didn't manage to read it.

 

Shaded Broad-bar

Galium Carpet - a new species for me. Note the concave leading edge to the forewing.

Yellow Shell - much better 'hiders' than the other carpet species. This one was a sod to get close to and seemed to have a much better idea of how to conceal itself in a hedge!

Red Twin-spot Carpet

 

Purple Bar

 

Holly Blue

 

Micro sp - to be identified but I'm pretty sure I've seen it before so presumably a common one!

Gatekeeper - plenty of these around at the moment.

Acleris laterana/comariana - probably laterana but either way, a smart little 'tortrix'.

White-spotted Pug

White-spotted Pug

 

I had quite high hopes for a big catch last night but it wasn't too great. There was a reasonable number of common stuff including a small number of immigrants - 7 Silver Y, 1 Rush Veneer and 1 Rusty Dot Pearl. Otherwise I'm trying to reacquaint myself with some common micros and make some effort to learn the new English names.

The beach was quiet - just 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls of interest and a light and distant Manx Shearwater passage. A distant pale-phase skua settled on the sea and was probably Arctic.

 

Euzophera pinguis - Tabby Knot-horn

 

Acrobasis advenella - Grey Knot-horn

Swallow Prominent

Mother of Pearl

Pyrausta aurata

Pyrausta aurata

 

Pyrausta aurata is a common enough micro, often found day-flying, but I don't routinely find them in the trap. This one posed for its photo - a beautiful little moth. It has prompted me to start thinking about working on my 'micros' list - something I've neglected for far too long. Not much else in the trap this morning but Small Square-spot was the first I've seen this summer, as was Purple Bar.

 

Rusty Dot Pearl - one of three trapped last night along with a single Rush Veneer - the only other immigrant.

 

Purple Bar - always much appreciated but common enough.

 

Eucosma campoliliana

Not a moth and no prizes for guessing what it is! The only bird of note on a quick check of the beach this morning, along with three Mediterranean Gulls.

Narrow-winged Pug

 

 

Narrow-winged Pug was the best of last night's catch - a heathland species that has presumably wandered down from the Commons, although its larvae apparently do feed on heather in gardens as well as on heaths, so it may not have travelled too far. The rest of the catch included 2 Silver Y, 2 Rusty Dot Pearl and 1 Dark Sword Grass on the immigrant front and new for me this year was Oak Hook-tip and Square-spot Rustic.

 

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This Sanderling was on the beach by the Lifeboat Station this morning and there was a Common Sandpiper, 2 Turnstone and 1 Mediterranean Gull off Mudbank during a very brief visit.

Small Mottled Willow

Small Mottled Willow - this moth is common on the continent and apparently has a world-wide distribution.

 

Loads of small mottled willows have been turning up in the country and I've been kind of expecting to catch one, but it was still a lovely surprise to find this one in the trap this morning. It is an immigrant species and one that I've only trapped a couple times before. There were at least 5 rush veneer in the trap too but, oddly, no silver y. Also in the trap the first red twin-spot carpet, jersey tiger and canary-shouldered thorn of the year among about 30 species in total.

The usual early morning scan of the sea and beach around Maer Rocks produced a brief juvenile yellow-legged gull, 1 mediterranean gull, 2 common tern, 6 teal 'in-off' and 2 pomarine skuas that cruised slowly south around 0630'ish.

Off the Imperial were 2 common tern, 3 turnstone, 3 mediterranean gull and 1 black-tailed godwit.

 

 

Jersey Tiger

 

 

 

 

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet

Dark-barred twin-spot carpet was the best moth (not rare but I haven't seen very many) in an otherwise paltry haul. A single rush veneer and silver y were the only immigrants but my first tree pipit of the autumn flew over as I went through the trap and there were 3 mediterranean gulls at the back of the house on Warren View football pitch.
It was a bit quiet off Maer Rocks this morning - single arctic skua and yellow-legged gull were the best. No mediterranean gulls on the beach this morning but 2 turnstone and 2 common tern were present.

Juvenile Yellow-legged gull

Knot Grass

 

Brimstone