Good Sea-watching

A 90 minute sea-watch from Orcombe Point, from 1530, produced 16+ Storm Petrel west, 3 Sandwich Tern, 2 Guillemot, 1 probable Pomarine Skua, 118+ Manx Shearwater, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Balearic Shearwater, c20+ Kittiwake and 2 Swift. I popped back down to the raised beach huts after Joel had been dropped at football, and in a 45 minute spell recorded a further 9 Manx Shearwater, 3+ Storm Petrel, 1 Arctic Skua (presumably the earlier bird), a second-summer Mediterranean Gull and an arrival of 30+ Sandwich Tern with a single Little Tern. The wind had subsided a little.
Sea-watching is rarely this good off Orcombe and once again it was a pleasure to get good views of Storm Petrel. At one stage a little party of four birds was feeding around one of the marker buoys.

Storm Petrels

As far as I'm aware this is the dredger that's 'hoovering up' sand and sending it, via a floating pipeline, to the Warren in order to strengthen its defences.

 

I didn't  get out from work 'til late this evening and I wasn't intending to go out, but a reasonably strong south-westerly tempted me down to the raised beach huts after dinner for a quick look. From 810pm to 850 at least 4 Storm Petrels flew past Orcombe Point and c40+ Manx Shearwaters were bombing around out in the bay. At least one of the Storm Petrels lingered off Orcombe Point - always a joy to watch!

Gull sp

I couldn't suss this gull out before it flew off (without me getting wing/tail detail). Possibly a first-summer Lesser Black-backed Gull or even Yellow-legged Gull. Either way it was pretty large and extremely worn.
Off the seafront today - at least 4 Arctic Skua lingering and at least 6, possibly as many as 9 Great Northern Diver, 3 Manx Shearwater and c50+ Kittiwake.
Yesterday evening, in appalling weather, at least 4 Arctic Skua, 12 Sandwich Tern and 2 Common Tern.

Crossbills

 

Juvenile Meadow Pipit

 

Twelve Crossbills on Bicton Common this afternoon - a flock with several juvenile birds present.

Heath Spotted Orchid

Round-leaved Sundew

Three of twelve Crossbills - Bicton Common

 

Bramble Shoot Moth

 

Lackey Moth Caterpillar

Bee Orchid - Pynes Hill

Bumblebees

Really enjoying looking at Bumblebees. Not enjoying not being able to name them!

Common Carder I think.

Buff-tailed?

Treble Brown-spot

Treble Brown-spot

 

Trapped in the garden last night - 5 Common Pug, 1 Lime-speck Pug, 6 Small Magpie, 29 Heart and Dart, 1+ Grey Pug, 3 Freyer's Pug, 1 Buff Ermine, 1 Garden Carpet, 1 Blood-vein, 2 Treble Brown-spot, 1 Snout, 1 Sandy Carpet, 2 Willow Beauty, 1 Clouded Border, 1 Silver Y, 1 Poplar Grey, 2 Ruddy Streak, 2 Middle-barred Minor, 1 Vine's Rustic, 5 Treble Lines, 1 Straw Dot, 2 Meadow Grey (Scoparia pyralella), 3 Flame, 3 Mottled Rustic, 2 Small Dusty Wave, 2 Minor Agg, 1 Common Marbled Carpet, 1 Clouded Silver, 1 Light Emerald, 1 Foxglove Pug, 1 Ingrailed Clay and 1 Yellow-barred Brindle.

The Treble Brown-spots were the first ones I've ever trapped. Nick does really well for them about half a mile away. Hopefully I've got a colony near me.

Poplar Grey

Small Dusty Wave

 

Think this is Ingrailed Clay rather than Double Square-spot.

 

 

Black Sexton Beetle

May Moths and a July One

 

Cypress Carpet - a month earlier than expected according to 'Waring and Townsend' which states that it's on the wing in late June/July and October/November.

 

Trapped last night, in order of appearance - 8 Common Pug, 1 Flame, 2 Brimstone, 1 Scorched Wing, 5 Common Marbled Carpet, 4 Lime-speck Pug, 3 Green Pug, 3+ Vine's Rustic, 17 Heart and Dart, 1 Small Seraphim, 7 Small Magpie, 1 Common Swift, 2 Garden Carpet, 4 Silver Y, several Light Brown Apple Moth, 3 Ruddy Streak, 1 Eyed Hawkmoth, 1 Peppered Moth, 1 Orange Footman, 1 Figure of Eighty, 1 Southern Bell, 1 Coastal Pearl, 1 Freyer's Pug, 1 Pale Tussock, 1 Ringed China-mark, 2 Olive Pearl, 2 Meadow Grey, 1 Marsh Grey, 6 Flame Shoulder, 4 Treble lines, 3 Shuttle-shaped Dart, 1 Narrow-winged Grey, 1 Lychnis, 2 Middle-barred Minor, 3 Small Square-spot, 3 Minor Agg, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Character, 3 Rusty-dot Pearl, 1 Large Yellow Underwing, 1 Cypress Carpet, 1 Small Dusty Wave, 1 Ruddy Carpet, 1 Angle Shades, 1 Grey Pug, 1 Common Carpet, 1 Willow Beauty and 1 Mottled Rustic.

Freyer's Pug

Middle-barred Minor

Scorched Wing

Common Swift

Figure of Eighty

Orange Footman

Lychnis

Large Yellow Underwing

Ringed China-mark

Marsh Grey - Eudonia pallida

Silver Y - a noticeably pallid individual and one of 4 in the trap last night. The only other immigrants were 3 Rusty-dot Pearl.

Olive Pearl - Udea olivalis  - a common and distinctive micro.

Small Seraphim

 

Common Pug

 

Cockchafer

 

Sheildbug sp