Today's Moths

Shoulder-striped Wainscot

 

A few common species in the trap last night and only 4 Diamond-backs.

Pale Tussock

Poplar Grey

Common Marbled Carpet

Small Seraphim

micro sp - Edit - many thanks to Andrew and Nick for identifying this as Elachista argentella or Swan-feather Dwarf.

Small Fan-foot

Freyer's Pug

Diamond-backs

I found hundreds of these Diamond-back Moths in a tiny area on Orcombe Point today. They reckon they had millions on Portland yesterday so the numbers in the UK must be astronomical at the moment. They are easily disturbed from long grass and hedgerows so check your garden and see if any of this tiny immigrant moth species have paid you a visit.

I also found several remarkable-looking Alabonia geofrella (above) whilst searching for Diamond-backs along Gore Lane, as well as a number of other moth species like Common Carpet (below).

This Poplar Kitten was trapped by Nick last Night. It's only the second one I've ever seen. Nick also trapped Lunar Thorn and 10 Diamond-backs along with a decent haul of other more regular species.

Portland Ribbon Wave

Portland Ribbon Wave

A big thank you to Nick for popping in with this moth this morning - a rare species I've long hoped to see and one that appears to be spreading from its Portland stronghold, although it could be an immigrant from the continent. It's very difficult to know when it comes to moths. Have a look at Nick's fabulous blog - www.wordofmothblog.wordpress.com which brilliantly charts his journey into the world of moths and the complexities of identifying new species as they are encountered for the very first time. I'm sure it will encourage more people to take up this fascinating and all-consuming hobby.

On the bird front, an Osprey watched hunting the lower part of the estuary at 0830 this morning, from the back garden, was the highlight and represents only the second one I've seen this spring (cf 5 spring birds last year). One can only wonder where it's going this late on in the season but late May/June records are not unprecedented on the Exe.

Off Maer Rocks this morning - 15 Sandwich Terns, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, 6 Sanderling and 2+ Great Crested Grebes.

Swallow - Exmouth Docks

Little Egret over the back garden.

Pale Shag

 

I scoped this first-summer Shag from the back garden this morning. It was unbelievably pale and naturally thoughts turned to the Mediterranean race 'desmarestii', even though I know that our British birds can be exceptionally pale too. It was striking enough for me to try and get a photo, which meant driving down to Shelly Beach and jogging for about half a mile out onto the mudflats, only to find no sign of it when I stopped to scan its chosen sand bar. I'll make an effort this week to relocate it but, given the distance I was looking from, I couldn't rule out a leucistic bird, however unlikely that may be. I wasn't too disappointed however because it was just magical being out on the estuary on such a glorious morning. The only other birds of note down there were a fly-over Bar-tailed Godwit and 2 Black-headed Gulls heading upriver.

Yesterday the only noteworthy sighting was a flock of 13 Common Scoters first thing off Maer Rocks though 17 Canada Geese, 3+ Sandwich Terns, 3+ Great Crested Grebes, 11 Sanderling and 1 Dunlin also made the notebook.

I've spent quite a few hours up on the East Devon Commons these last few days. Some of which has been walking the dog with the family and some of it just pootling around enjoying the peace and quiet. Highlights have included Dartford Warbler, Spotted Flycatchers, Hobby and Turtle Dove along with a load of other wildlife like Roe Deer, Grass Snake, Green Hairstreak, Small Heath and Beautiful Demoiselle.

The moth trap was run last night for the first time this year with 25+ species recorded.

 

Green Hairstreak

Grass Snake - Woodbury Common

Terrapins - 2 of 5 on Bystock Pond. Also 5 Tufted Ducks there this morning.

Eyed Hawk-moth

Yellow-barred Brindle

Common Pug

Small Phoenix

Grey/Dark Dagger

Treble Lines

Grey Pug

Chocolate-tip

Honey Buzzard

Since the obliteration of the dung field I've kind of lost the will to cover Orcombe, but I forced myself to have a wander around early this morning, despite the thick fog. Needless to say it was utterly birdless. I got home, had some breakfast, and pottered around the house and garden whilst the family stirred into life. A lightning quick look off Mudbank, as the tide crept in, produced the first Greenshank in ages, along with 3 Dunlin and one Black-headed Gull.

With the sun burning through the fog and noise pumping across the river from Powderham Castle, I decided to do a little sky-watching. Within minutes, at 1110, I picked up a raptor drifting east across the river, a little way north of Mudbank. It immediately looked interesting (there are Common Buzzards almost permanently in view in the surrounding area) with flat-held wings, a tiny head and long tail. Once it had crossed the river it did a few lazy circles which allowed me to clock the distinctive 'bulging secondaries' wing-shape and barred tail. The wings were held flat or depressed at all times lending the bird the classic Honey Buzzard profile. It gained height and slowly continued east and out of sight. This is the first Honey Buzzard I've seen since 2013 when I had a bird go west over the garden on 31/5 and another east over on 2/6, both of which I managed to photograph, unlike today's bird.

This afternoon, with Lu and the kids at the Exmouth festival, I walked the dog around Woodbury Common, but it was pretty quiet, and the week just gone has been equally uneventful. On Wednesday, off Maer Rocks, there was 1 'commic' tern (probably Arctic), 1 Great Northern Diver and 6 Sanderling.

The day before, early on, I had 7+ 'commic' tern off Maer Rocks, a short while later seen heading upriver with 13 Sandwich Tern. At least 1 was an Arctic Tern but I strongly suspect the others were too.

Heath Spotted Orchid - there are several in bloom on Woodbury Common at the moment.

Skylark - Woodbury Common.

The tern situation of late can only be described as abysmal. I've not had more than a couple Sandwich Terns recently so it was a pleasant surprise to pick up 7+ 'small' terns off the seafront on Tuesday. I concentrated on one bird, which proved to be Arctic Tern, but I'm pretty sure the birds it was with were also the same species. They all headed rapidly north upriver and were not present later in the day.

This Honey Buzzrad was photographed flying west over our garden on 31/5/2013. I was extremely lucky to get this shot - a point and 'panic-press' situation!

This HB (on the soar) went east just a couple days later. Note the tiny head, bulging secondaries and barred tail .

Nightjar

Nightjar

I've seen plenty of Nightjars over the years but this afternoon was the first time I've actually found one roosting. I'm always looking at suitable-looking fallen trees and bits of log and finally this afternoon there it was - a beautiful sight just feet from the path up on the East Devon Commons. The dog sat and waited patiently whilst I snapped away, struggling with the focus as the breeze swayed blades of grass gently in front of it. This photo has been cropped but it probably wasn't more than 15ft away and it never even blinked. As well as the Nightjar this afternoon - 1 Hobby, 1 Kestrel, 2 Tree Pipits, several Stonechats and 3+ Siskins.

A two minute look off Maer Rocks, at about 6am this morning, produced 3 high-flying Great Northern Divers heading north inland .

Stonechat

Two or three Spotted Flycatchers around the carpark at Woodbury Castle today. Otherwise pretty quiet up there with a single Tree Pipit and a few Stonechats seen whilst walking the dog. This male Stonechat was unusually brave and inquisitive, presumably because it had newly fledged young nearby.