Monday 26th May 2025.
My first Elephant Hawk-moth of the year.
I was up at 6am this morning, a little worse for wear from a drink or three last night in the Bell Inn pub. Coffee made and a good glug of fresh orange juice, I then went outside to check my Moth Box. It was still a bit breezy and there had been a bit of overnight rain, but it was sunny with a bit of cloud going over. The Rooks and Jackdaws were making their usual din from the nearby trees and Swifts were heard ‘screaming’ high over the countryside. A Blackbird was in full song in a neighbours garden and a Goldcrest was singing in one of the garden Pine trees. All was good with the world and so down to checking the Moth Box.
The Moth Box:
Another new moth for the year, a Mottled Willow.
Last night, I managed to pot a few moths that included my first Scorched Carpet of the year and also a Marbled Minor. An interesting moth caught my eye and so I took a decent photo of it using my mobile phone camera flash and it was my first Mottled Beauty of the year.The following morning, yesterday’s Lobster Moth was still present on the wall by the Moth Box and up to 26 moths of 16 species were recorded in all.
Setaceous Hebrew Character was also new for the year.
This included my first Hawk-moth of the year, an Elephant Hawk-moth and within one of the egg trays, my first Setaceous Hebrew Character of the year. Up to FOUR Buff-tips were present this morning; a record number for me in just one morning. Superb.
Above, a Scorched Carpet was added to my year list and below, I had up to four Buff-tips today.
The following Moths were present this morning:
Macro moths:
- Mottled Beauty x1
- Orange Footman x1
- Scorched Carpet x1
- Straw Dot x1
- Pale Tussock x3
- Cream Wave x1
- Marbled Minor x2
- Buff Ermine x4
- White Ermine x2
- Elephant Hawk-moth x1
- Buff-tip x4
- Treble-lines x2
- Lobster Moth x1
- Setaceous Hebrew Character x1
- Common Pug x1
Micro moth:
- Light Brown Apple Moth x1
Chittlehampton, Devon:
The beautiful surrounding countryside around the Village.
Before breakfast, I took the dogs for their early morning walk where I took the same route as yesterday. Again, all the usual birds were present, especially the Swifts with at least a dozen seen overhead within the Village. The Greenfinches were seen again as well as the Goldfinches in the same place as yesterday, but being a bit breezier now, getting a decent photo of the birds was a challenge. Juvenile Starlings were showing well this morning along the main road and a female Blackbird, with two male birds looking on, was collecting nesting material in her bill and then flew across the road towards me and then flew off into nearby gardens.
This female Blackbird with nesting material.
The Siskin was heard again calling, but no sighting of the bird this time, though I believe it was heading towards where I saw it yesterday. Young Blue Tits were calling deep within the trees though hidden by all the leaves. A tailless Jackdaw flying over took me by surprise, but too quick for me to grab a photo. A good look at the Barn to the south revealed no sign of the Little Owls there, but two Stock Doves were on the roof of the Barn.
Above, Common Furmitory and below, Common Honeysuckle.
Above, Red Campion.
I also took note of some of the plants along the hedgerow I missed yesterday and that included Common Fumitory and Red Campion as well as Common Honeysuckle growing throughout some of the Hedges.
Above, a juvenile Starling waiting to be fed and below, a male Greenfinch close to the roadside.
Later in the day, I found a Spotted Flycatcher perched on the fence within our garden, but it flew off quickly into a nearby tree and was joined by a second bird. I saw one here last August when we stayed here, so I can only assume that they could hold territory here. The weather was very indifferent today with a strong blustery wind at times and light showers throughout the day. But it was a lovely relaxing day in the Cottage.
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