Room for an Old Lady?

Friday 30th August 2024.

An Old Lady moth was inside the Moth Box.

Another bright start to the day with a clear blue sky overhead and temperatures around 15 degrees with a very light north-easterly. It looks like it is going to be another pleasant, dry day today and hopefully, I might get some birding done today. I couldn't help by putting the Moth Box on again overnight as it was such a still evening and I was rewarded with at least 84+ moths of 31 species that included two more moths that were added to my year list.

My first Pallid Grey moth for a few years.

The new moths for the year included a smart and large Old Lady moth and the micro moth, Pallid Grey (Eudonia pallida). The Old Lady are annual to my garden and occasionally can be in large numbers for such a large moth. The Pallid Grey micro moth is not a regular to my Moth Box and I believe I have not seen one for a few years; therefore a good moth to pick up. Another Canary-shouldered Thorn graced the outside of my Moth Box and probably the same Portland Ribbon Wave and Small Ranunculus from yesterday were present too. Other migrant moths this morning included up to 7 Rusty-dot Pearls.

It's been a good year so far for Canary-shouldered Thorns in my garden.

The moths present this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS

• Small Ranunculus
• Portland Ribbon Wave
• Square-spot Rustic 3
• Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
• L-album Wainscot 3
• Canary-shouldered Thorn
• Brimstone Moth 2
• Double-striped Pug 6
• Lime-speck Pug 5
• Large Yellow Underwing 5
• Willow Beauty 10
• Garden Carpet 4
• Old Lady (New for Year)
• Vine’s Rustic 4
• Bright-line Brown-eye
• Small Dusty Wave 4
• Pale Mottled Willow
• Marbled Beauty 3

MICRO MOTHS

• Box-tree Moth
• Chestnut Tortrix
• Common Plume 7
• Beautiful Plume 2
• Chevron Grass-moth
• Pallid Grey (NFY)
• Bramble Shoot Moth
• Light Brown Apple Moth
• Rusty-dot Pearl 7
• Light Brown Apple Moth
• Dark Moss-moth
• Apple Leaf Miner 3
• Codling Moth

This Blue-headed type of Yellow Wagtail was seen by the 'Lazee's' today. Photo by Rob Porter.

Yesterday in Hampshire, A Wryneck was found at Oxey Marshes along the seawall late in the afternoon and a huge roost of at least 420 Yellow Wagtails were at Titchfield haven in the evening. An Osprey was seen early morning on North Binness Island, within Langstone Harbour and another Pied Flycatcher was seen at the Paddocks at Northney, Hayling Island.