A moth 'lifer' & another trip around the Cemy.

Sunday 10th September 2023.

A dark spectacle moth was added this morning to my year list.

I normally don't put the moth trap on two nights running for fear of catching the same moths, but as we had a family BBQ yesterday afternoon that went on into the evening, it got dark and my wife suggested putting the moth box on to get more light! How could I refuse? Yet again, it was another very humid night and this morning, I wasn't surprised in getting over a 100+ species of moth, including a few more new for the year.

Above, my first ever Winter Groundling moth and below, a Common Birch-bell was my first of the year.

A total of 140+ moths of 47 species were recorded this morning including three more species that were new for the year: Dark Spectacle and the micro moths, Common Birch-bell (Epinotia immundana) and another ‘lifer’ for me, Winter Groundling (Scrobipalpa costella). The latter was relatively common last year, though I never had one in my moth box, so this individual makes up for that.

Above, up to three Snout moths were in my garden and below, a Common Wainscot was sat by the back door of the kitchen.

Again, some great moths recorded today including THREE Clancy’s Rustic (never had that many at once before), a very smart Blair’s Mocha and a late Marbled Green. 3 Snout moths were good also and probably yesterday’s Canary-shouldered and Dusky Thorn were again by the moth box. Again, a good showing of Willow Beauty moths with 28 present this morning and at least 11 Pale Mottled Willows.

Above, the tiny micro moth, Horse Chestnut Leafminer and below, a Blair's Mocha & Willow Beauty moths.

The weather is supposed to be on the change this morning and by 8am, the dark clouds had rolled in and rain was imminent. I therefore had to get the garden furniture all covered with the rain guard and put my moth pots away before the deluge.

The moths recorded this morning included the following:

• 28 Willow Beauty
• 2 Angle Shades
• 2 Small Dusty Wave
• 3 Double-striped Pug
• 3 Square-spot Rustic
• 2 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 5 Marbled Beauty
• 4 Lesser Yellow Underwing
• 3 L-album Wainscot
• 4 Lime-speck Pug
• 11 Pale Mottled Willow
• 7 Large Yellow Underwing
• 1 Vines Rustic
• 3 Clancy’s Rustic
• 1 Blair’s Mocha
• 3 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Marbled Green
• 1 Common Wainscot
• 3 Snout
• 1 Dark Spectacle (NFY)
• 1 Canary-shouldered Thorn
• 1 Dusky Thorn
• 3 Garden Carpet 
• 8 Box Tree Moth
• 1 Olive-tree Pearl
• 1 White-shouldered House Moth
• 3 Narrow-winged Grey
• 1 Common Plume
• 1 Meal Moth
• 1 Marsh Dowd
• 8 Ruddy Streak
• 3 Gold Triangle
• 1 Brown House Moth
• 3 Beautiful Plume
• 4 Rusty-dot Pearl  
• 1 Elbow-striped Grass-veneer
• 1 London Dowd
• 1 Fern Smut
• 1 Winter Groundling (NFY)
• 1 Garden Rose Tortrix
• 1 Apple Leaf Miner
• 1 Sussex Dowd
• 1 Italian Tubic
• 3 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Common Birch-bell (NFY)
• 1 Horse-chestnut Leafminer

Skies were darkening overhead as my dogs and I strolled slowly around the Cemy this morning. Then the rain eventually came.

The dogs had their morning walk this morning over Highland Road Cemetery and as the sky got darker, eventually the rain came. Thankfully, the deluge never came and though it was a steady rainfall, it was still very humid and no wind whatsoever. There was a small group of Willow Warblers within the Cemy, close to the path near the Holm Oaks and Buddleia, with at least 6+ birds present. The only other migrants seen were two Swallows flying fast and low eastbound over the Cemetery.

Above, several Magpie's were in the Cemy and below, this was the only Robin I actually saw today.

I didn't expect butterflies to be on the wing and I was right there, but there were a lot of Drone Flies and Common Wasps enjoying the Ivy plants. Garden Spiders were abundant throughout the Cemetery, with their webs stretching across the bushes and a few footpaths. I hardly noticed anything flying overhead bar a few flocks of Feral Pigeons and the odd Herring Gull; possibly due to the impending rain perhaps? Fellow ‘Lazee Birder’ Andy Friend had a Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar in his garden this morning; something I have never ever seen yet. Maybe one day.

Above, this Garden Spider was one of many around the Cemy and below, this Buff-tailed Bumblebee enjoying nectaring on Ribwort Plantain plants.

Birds recorded in the Cemetery this morning included the following:

• Herring Gull
• Blackbird
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Goldfinch
• Blue Tit
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Starling
• Swallow (2)
• Chiffchaff (6+)
• Robin
• Wren

 Above, this Tapered Drone Fly enjoying the flowering Ivy Plants in the Cemetery and below, Andy Friend had a superb Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar in his garden this morning.

The sun was setting on our second walk around the Cemetery, 15 minutes before the gates shut. The Willow Warblers were still present in the same area just before me and the dogs left.