Quieter in the moth box.

Wednesday 25th May 2022.

One of two White Ermine moths this morning by the box.

Another early rise (it gets earlier, 4.35am!!) and I really do hope I last the day at work, but one must suffer for their art it seems and to avoid the local House Sparrows devouring a lot of my catch, one must get up early before they raid my garden. Becky kindly bought me a new bird feeder for the garden, one that takes the sunflower hearts of which the Sparrows, Goldfinches and tits adore and will hopefully deter some of the Sparrows from my moths.

The immigrant moth, Dark Sword-grass was a welcome addition to my year list.

There were three moths that were new for the year, White Ermine, Dark Sword-grass and the micro moth, Pyrausta aurata; but numbers were much lower than Monday with just 24 moths of 17 species recorded. The following moths were recorded:

• 3 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 2 White Ermine (NFY)
• 1 Yellow-barred Brindle
• 1 Willow Beauty
• 2 Vines Rustic
• 1 Double-striped Pug
• 1 Brimstone Moth 
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 1 Dark Sword-grass (NFY)
• 1 Chrysoteuchia culmella
• 1 Tachystola acroxantha
• 3 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Ephestia woodiella
• 1 Agonopterix arienella
• 1 Pyrausta aurata (NFY)
• 2 Lime-speck Pug
• 1 Common Pug

Pyrausta aurata.

Away from moths, a Vixen Fox was seen walking away along the back wall of my garden and onto a neighbours shed roof and away south! Some cracking birds recorded in the country yesterday including a superb Roller in Cornwall, the White-tailed Plover in Norfolk and a few Great Reed Warblers reported in the country including a probable in Hampshire, at the Hook-with-Warsash site; though it was not seen, it was picked up by its song.  

This magnificent Roller was at a place called Praze-an-Beeble. just south of Cambourne, Cornwall. I have only ever seen one Roller and that was a distant bird many years ago at Broxhead Common in North Hampshire. Photo by John Manley.

I found this Buff-tip moth by the Book of Remembrance building at The Oaks Crematorium this morning. There was also a Pug species present, but I think it was just a Common Pug. Not many birds of note in windy and drizzly weather, though a Common Buzzard was seen struggling against the wind and a Little Egret was seen flying near our Leigh Park branch off Dunsbury Way. Thirty years ago, this would have been classed as an amazing sighting, but they are simply everywhere now.