A nice haul of Autumn moths.

Monday 11th October 2021.

A nice variety of moths in and around the moth box this morning after a clear cool night.

I had booked another days holiday today and though I was up at ‘stupid o’clock’, it wasn't till 8.30am that I went to check the moth box to see if there were any moths. I have not had the moth box on since coming back from Devon, but it was a clear night and quite mild as well, therefore convincing me to try my luck. This morning was dry and bright and a lot of bird activity was going on over and near my garden, but the moths came first.

One of four Angle Shades moths this morning.

Though there was nothing new for the year this morning, there was a nice variety of Autumn moths present 33 moths of 12 species, which included the following:

• 12 Common Plume
• 1 Garden Carpet
• 2 Double-Striped Pug
• 4 Feathered Ranunculus
• 4 Angled Shades
• 2 Box Tree Moth
• 1 Silver Y
• 2 L-album Wainscot
• 1 Large Yellow Underwing
• 2 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Blastobasis lacticolella
• 1 Common Marbled Carpet

The vast majority were Common Plume moths, with their distinctive cross shape, while four Angle Shades is nothing to be scoffed at. In the background, I could hear a Chiffchaff calling and eventually, I saw the bird at the back of my garden in my neighbours tree and was associating with a strange calling Great Tit. At this time of year, one has to check what they are listening to as any rare bird can turn up at any place! Overhead, a few Meadow Pipits flew over and small groups of Goldfinch also went past. I could hear an ‘alba’ Wagtail flying over, but no sighting.

The two forms of Box Tree Moth were in my moth box this morning.

Yesterday, I topped up the seed feeder and it didn't take long for the local House Sparrows to find it and get stuck in. Becky was impressed as we were having a late lunch in the back garden. In the warm early afternoon weather, the flowering Ivy was certainly attracting the insects, with at least four Red Admiral butterflies nectaring on the plants. Stripey Ivy Bee’s were also taking full advantage of the Ivy along with the Hoverflies Common Drone Fly and the small Syritta pipiens were abundant. I did find a small micro-moth on the wing and once it settled, I quickly had a good look at it. Though I never had my camera to hand, I deduced it was a Prochoreutis species. I only wish I had got my camera now, but no doubt it would have flown off anyway.

This Blastobasis lacticolella micro-moth was totally unexpected in my moth box.  

We popped over to my daughter's new house in Bedhampton after shopping and on the way there, a female Sparrowhawk flew low over the A3M heading north. Earlier this morning, when I put Scruff out into the garden, a Kestrel flew low over the rooftops heading south, being pursued by a flock of Goldfinches!

This superb photo of a male Sparrowhawk was taken recently by birding pal, Richard Tucker.

The Western Sandpiper was still present yesterday on Normandy Marshes and nearby on Oxey Marshes, a Pectoral Sandpiper was present. It or a different bird was reported on Normandy Marshes on Saturday, but I think it was dismissed as a mis-identification. How wrong was that to be, for that would have also been a very good ‘year-tick’ too. Birding pal, Geoff Farwell, went down to Farlington Marshes yesterday and had a reasonable day with sightings of 3 Peregrines, Osprey, Sparrowhawk, Dartford Warbler, numerous Blackcaps, 11 Mergansers and 4 Stonechats. A Lesser Whitethroat was also reported there along with an ‘alpina’ race Dunlin on the lake with a Curlew Sandpiper.