Another balmy night produced the largest haul of moths for the year as I was up early again,checking the Moth Box and the surrounding area. There was a bit of a breeze this morning blowing over the garden, which I have to say was actually pleasant, though I was in company with an adult Herring Gull perched on top of our kitchen roof, watching my every move. I think it was after the dried Mealworms I had put out earlier for the House Sparrows!
At dusk, it was nice to sit out in the garden for a while over a nice ice cold beer and watch the Pipistrelle Bats hunt over the gardens. Up to three were seen and flew quite close to me a number of times. Three Med Gulls flew south heading towards the beach, calling as they passed and the Swifts had gathered up into small flocks overhead, screaming low over the rooftops. A lovely evening.
The Moth Box:
My first Snout moth of the year.
I finally broke the 100 species of moth barrier this morning with a grand total of 103 moths of 34 species. This included my first ever Miller moth; a species on my ‘most wanted’ list. I have seen a lot of other Hampshire ‘moth-ers’ having caught this species and so the long wait is finally over! Huzzah! The only other species new for the year was a Snout moth that sat on the brick keeping my rainguard down. Having seen 7 micro ‘year-ticks’ yesterday, not one was new for the year this morning! My first Elephant Hawk-moth in my garden this year was present (I had a few earlier this year in Devon), but it didn’t play ball and quickly flew out of the Moth Box. Easily, the most numerous species was the Riband Wave’s again with exactly the same number as yesterday, 15. Up to 9 Willow Beauties, 10 Common Plume’s and 8 Box Tree Moths were notable.
Drinker moth. Photo by 'Northern John'.
Birding pal, ‘Northern John’ had a Drinker moth on his back door this morning; a species I have only encountered just once at that was several years ago in Norfolk.
I was joined by this adult Herring Gull this morning while checking the Moth Box!
The moths present this morning included the following:
Macro moths:
Willow Beauty x9
Marbled Minor x2
Small Dusty Wave x1
White Ermine x2
Garden Carpet x4
Riband Wave x15
Straw Dot x1
MILLER x1
Double-striped Pug x5
Lime-speck Pug x1
Heart & Dart x1
L-album Wainscot x2
Snout x1 *
Common Emerald x4
Dark Arches x3
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing x1
Bright-line Brown-eye x3
Elephant Hawk-moth x1
Micro moths:
Ruddy Streak x1
Common Plume x10
Large Pale Masoner x4
Box Tree Moth x8
Garden Grass-veneer x3
Privet Tortrix x1
Brown House Moth x1
Meal Moth x1
Blushed Knot-horn x5
Light Brown Apple Moth x3
Bird-cherry Ermine x3
Brown Bark Moth x2
Bee Moth x1
Rusty-dot Pearl x1
White-shouldered House Moth x1
Gold Triangle x1
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
Thirteen bird species were noted on my first shift in Pembroke Road this morning that included up to four species of Gull: Herring, Great Black-backed, Black-headed and a Med Gull; the latter two species were on Governor’s Green where there were 7 Black-headed Gulls and a lone Med Gull searching for food on the recently cut grass. Just three Pied Wagtails were on the Bowling Green this morning and just a pair of Swifts were seen overhead.
A few butterflies were on the wing this morning that included a Red Admiral flying around and a Large White in Pembroke Close. There were a few moths flying around too, but none would settle near me. Hurrumph!
Small Magpie moth. Always a striking moth to see and annual to my Moth Box.
With the evening temperatures rising, it is safe to say that the moths are coming in thick and fast and that includes all those that are new for the year plus a few ‘Lifers’ as well. Already, I have had 16 micro moth ‘Lifers’ this year, which is incredible seeing how long I have been studying moths over the many years and we are only half way through the year! Yesterday, I put a photo of the micro moth Dark Spruce Knot-horn on Hants Moths and a reply of Assara terebrella was put up in the comments section. I would like to point out that this blog appeals not to just the experts, but also the novices out there who are just starting into moths and also those who have a mild fascination and so I do like to put the vernacular name of the moth rather than the Latin name. I take the vernacular name from Norfolk Moths website, which I find easier. My old mentor, the late John Langmaid, said to me that he hated vernacular names. Sorry John.
The Moth Box:
My first ever HEATH KNOT-HORNmoth.
I think this was the highest total of moths recorded so far this year with 93 moths of 38 species, with more micro moth species than macro moths! Easily the most numerous were the Riband Waves with 15 counted and up to 9 species were added to my year list. The rarest for me was another micro moth ‘Lifer’, a HEATHER KNOT-HORN (Pempelia palumbella). What on earth it is doing in my garden is a mystery for it frequents heather like the New Forest for example. Two macro moths that were new for the year was the ever so long name of Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and the small Short-cloaked Moth; both annual species to my Moth Trap.
My first Short-cloaked Moth of the year.
It was micro moths that I had the most ‘year-ticks’ that included a Gold Triangle, Common Clothes Moth, Case-bearing Clothes Moth, Meal Moth, Brown Bark Moth and finally, a Small Magpie Moth; which were all annual to my Moth Box. So yes, a cracking morning with the moths and I am now getting used to getting up at 4.30am. Good grief!!
My first Meal Moth of the year.
The first thing I did when I walked into my back garden was to put out dried Mealworms for the House Sparrows and it certainly paid off. However, though I flushed a Wood Pigeon from eating them, an adult Herring Gull literally perched itself on the fence about 4 feet from where it stood! So I flushed it away! Overhead, the Swiftswere in good numbers with around a dozen flying low over the rooftops. I believe their young are starting to get quite vocal in the nest boxes and it will not be long now before they start peeking their heads out of the nestbox. While checking the Moth Box, I saw an Emperor Dragonfly fly over the garden, but it flew off so fast and was gone before I could really get a good look at it as it headed off south.
Birding pal, Matt Parkes, found a Blood-vein moth at his place of work today; a species I have yet to see this year.
A Blood-vein moth. Photo by Matt Parkes.
The moths present this morning included the following total:
Macro moths:
Marbled Minor x2
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing x1 *
Large Yellow Underwing x1
Common Rustic x1
Heart & Dart x2
Riband Wave x15
Lackey x1
Willow Beauty x7
Double-striped Pug x3
Common Pug x2
Common Emerald x4
Short-cloaked Moth x1 *
Uncertain x1
Bright-line Brown-eye x5
Pale Mottled Willow x1
L-album Wainscot x2
Dark Arches x1
White Ermine 2
Micro moths:
Bee Moth x2
Apple Leaf Miner x1
HEATHER KNOT-HORN x1
Bird-cherry Ermine x1
Gold Triangle x1 *
Brown House Moth x1
Bud Moth x1
Blushed Knot-horn x8
Ruddy Streak x4
Common Clothes Moth x1 *
Case-bearing Clothes Moth x1 *
Diamond-back Moth x1
Common Plume x6
Garden Grass-veneer x1
Meal Moth x1 *
Privet Tortrix x1
Brown Bark Moth x1 *
Large Pale Masoner x1
Small Magpie Moth x1 *
Barred Marble x1
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
I parked out of the sun this afternoon underneath the Holm Oak trees in Pembroke Road.
I managed to see or hear up to 14 species on my first shift here in Pembroke Road this morning with probably the Great Spotted Woodpecker being the best sighting this morning. I heard it first somewhere perched in the Holm Oaks and then it flew right over my head heading north over the rooftops. Another good sighting was a Goldcrest flying out of theSycamore treesand also headed northbound. I have not seen a Goldcrest here since the winter and probably just a brief visitor here. Also within the two Sycamore trees were the brood of Blue Tits that were busy searching for food within the leaves and on the Bowling Green, up to 6 Pied Wagtails were seen.
A very brief film footage of the Hummingbird Hawk-moth this afternoon.
This afternoon, it was most certainly very warm and there were plenty of insects flying about including my first Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the year. The moth took a liking to the nearby Lavender plants and although I managed a very brief film footage of the moth, it didn't hang around long and quickly flew around the corner and out of sight. Also present was a Large White butterfly that flew over the road and settled on some vegetation on the opposite side of the road. I did see a very small light brown butterfly also nectaring on the Lavender but the Hawk-moth flushed it and was gone when I tried to relocate it.
In Hampshire, the Osprey was seen over by Fawley perched on a post and the summering Long-tailed Duck was still on Normandy Marshes.
As promised, it was another very warm day with temperatures getting into the 70’s and hardly a cloud in the sky. Another good moth haul this morning and more moths to add to my year list. Pembroke Road, in Old Portsmouth, was busy as usual around my first and second shift there and I suppose the most unusual sighting was of a Great Spotted Woodpecker perching on the weather vane of the Royal Garrison Church!
The Moth Box:
My first ever Dark Spruce Knot-horn.
A total of 73 moths of 36 species were recorded this morning and not only did I get two ‘Lifer’ micro moths: BANDED HONEYSUCKLE LEAF MINER (Phyllonorycter trifasciella) and a DARK SPRUCE KNOT-HORN (Assara terebrella), but also my first Eyed Hawk-moth for the year. Other moths new for the year included a Box Tree Moth, Hawthorn Moth, Hedge Hook-wing and a Rufous Pearl. It looks as though another night for the Moth Box coming up tonight and probably the rest of the week, though I do not like getting up before 5am every morning!
Above, a Hedge Hook-wing and below, the infamous Box Tree Moth.
Two more moths new for the year included above, a Hawthorn Moth and below, a Rufous Pearl.
The Moth Box also attracted a couple of Summer Chafer beetles too, of which I quickly released.
The moths present this morning included the following total:
Macro moths:
Cabbage Moth x1
Eyed Hawk-moth x1
Dark Arches x6
Common Pug x1
Green Pug x1
Heart & Dart x1
White Ermine x4
Buff Ermine x1
Uncertain x1
Garden Carpet x1
Marbled Minor x2
Willow Beauty x7
Riband Wave x3
Brimstone Moth x1
Lackey x2
Angle Shades x1
Micro moths:
Brown House Moth x2
Ruddy Streak x3
Box Tree Moth x1
Barred Marble x1
Bronze Alder Moth x1
BANDED HONEYSUCKLE LEAF MINER x1
White-shouldered House Moth x1
Blushed Knot-horn x4
Narrow-winged Grey x1
Hawthorn Moth x1
Hedge Hook-wing x1
DARK SPRUCE KNOT-HORN x1
Green Oak Tortrix x1
Rufous Pearl x1
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
One of the pathways that leads from Pembroke Road to Curtain Moat. Note the wild flowers growing along the fringes, which attracts a lot of insects, which in turn attracts the birds.
I managed to notch up 16 species today in Old Portsmouth over the two shifts there and as mentioned, the surprise sighting was of the Great Spotted Woodpecker on the Church Weather vane! Up to 5 Pied Wagtails were on the Bowling Green again and another pair on Governor’s Green. The fledgling Blue Tits were making a lot of noise within the Holm Oaks, though hopefully not attracting too much attention to the local Jays! All the usual Gulls were seen today, though no Mediterranean Gulls which was disappointing.
The insect life was a little sparse with just one Harlequin Ladybird seen on the ‘Lime and Lemon’ Bushes and a Parasitic Wasp species was making sorties over the plants this morning and the afternoon.
Earlier this morning, when I walked the dogs, I took some photos of the fledgling Herring Gulls on the roof of a house within our street here in Southsea. This will become a common sight from now on over the coming months and the continuous noise of their begging calls too.
I photographed this family of Herring Gulls down my road whilst walking the dogs early this morning.
In Hampshire today, a couple of Common Sandpipers were seen early morning on Farlington Marshes and the Tree Pipits were again seen on Martin Down and most likely the two we saw last Saturday. An Osprey was seen over Fawley early this afternoon and chased by a couple of Oystercatchers! Over in West Sussex, another 'Yank' wader was on the Stilt Pool, a Lesser Yellowlegs at Medmerry RSPB Reserve following the well-watched Least Sandpiper earlier this year and fellow birder Andy Scarborough kindly allowed me to put his film footage of the bird on my blog.
The Lesser Yellowlegs on the Stilt Pool. Film footage by Andy Scarborough.
My first Dun-bar moth for the year. This is an annual species for my garden of which I get about a handful most years.
After yesterday's excellent moths that were in and around my Moth Box, I just had to put the Box on last night, especially due to the fact that it is going to be a very warm week and should bring in some possible migrant moths. This morning, I was blessed with another reasonable number of moths and with a trip to Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth this morning. It looks like yet another very warm day coming up with a very light west south-westerly wind blowing this morning, though it is supposed to get into the high 70’s this afternoon.
The Moth Box:
My second Gold Twin-spot moth for the month and year. This is a very scarce immigrant moth for the UK, but it seems they seem to like my garden.
Up to 64 Moths of 29 species were recorded this morning, which included three more species added to my year list: Cloaked Minor, Clancy’s Rustic and a Dun-bar. Continuing with the theme of migrant moths, I had my second Gold Twin-spot of the year, having had one earlier in the month and a Diamond-back Moth was also a migrant.
Above, a Common Emerald and below, the immigrant moth, Clancy's Rustic.
I have been reading on the various Moth Facebook pages where some guys are getting well into treble figures of moths already. One particular guy had over 800+ moths of 135 species! The hot weather on its way will no doubt bring in large numbers of moths over the coming week, so I wait with anticipation on what my Box will attract.
Macro moths:
Gold Twin-spot x1
Cloaked Minor x1
Willow Beauty x7
Riband Wave x8
Clancy’s Rustic x1
Marbled Minor x2
Lime-speck Pug x1
Common Pug x4
Double-striped Pug x2
Dun-bar x1
Lackey x3
Common Emerald x2
Pale Mottled Willow x3
Large Yellow Underwing x1
Dark Arches x2
White Ermine x4
Bright-line Brown-eye 1
Heart & Dart x4
L-album Wainscot x1
Garden Carpet x1
Yellow-barred Brindle x1
Macro moths:
Common Grey x1
Garden Grass-veneer x4
Diamond-back Moth x1
Apple Leaf Miner x1
Ruddy Streak x2
Common Plume x2
Bud Moth x1
Blushed Knot-horn x2
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
The view from Pembroke Road looking south.
Yet again, the bird species total at Pembroke Road produced just 12 species this morning. There was a clear blue sky overhead, but it was a little nippy at 8am in the shade. So I opted as much as I could in keeping in the sunshine. Overhead, a trio of Swifts flew low west over Governor’s Green and on the Bowling Green, up to 5 Pied Wagtails chased insects on the short grass and were joined by a male Blackbird and several Starlings. A Wren was in full song by the Bowling Green and a juvenile Blue Tit could be heard in the Holm Oaks throughout my morning shift.
Regarding the insects, the usual Harlequin Ladybirds and a Parasitic Wasp species was seen around the ‘Lemon and Lime’ Bushes.
Last night, birding friends, Matt & Emma Parkes took a trip over to Whiteley Woods last night. Not only did they hear Nightjars, Woodcock, Tawny Owl and Nightingale, but also had a sighting of a Glow Worm.
Above and below, the Glow-worm. Photo by Matt & Emma Parkes.
This afternoon, it was rather hot and so I wore shorts for the first time in a few months on my second shift. The only addition to my bird sightings this afternoon was a Black-headed Gull flying low over the road. This evening, while watering the garden, I heard the alarm call of a Starling and so looking up expecting to see a raptor going over, I was right as a male Peregrine flew low overhead heading west over the houses. The watering flushed up some of my moths from this morning and one of them was a male Bee Moth. Considering I had not seen one this morning, I was pleased with that.
My first ever SMALL MARBLED moth. It is hard to believe that this tiny moth had flown from Southern Europe to be here in Southsea!
The beginning of a new week and I simply had to get up early to check the Moth Box this morning and at 4.30am, I was out and about in the garden checking the Moths and it was certainly most worth getting up at the crack of dawn. Though not as many as Saturday morning here in my garden, there was still a reasonable number, but a total of 7 more species added to my year list and included a very good immigrant moth, which was new to my Moth Life List! The weather was clear and bright and the moon was still shining brightly to the south with no wind whatsoever.
The Moth Box:
Only my second ever Blue-bordered Carpet was in the bottom of my Moth Box this morning.
A fairly good total of 57 moths of 30 species were recorded this morning with two real stunners amongst them. The first was a very small micro, a SMALL MARBLED. This is a migrant species from Southern Europe and most sought after by Moth enthusiasts. The second ‘stunner’ was my second ever Blue-bordered Carpet moth that was in the bottom of my Moth Box. The only other one seen of this species was many years ago of which I found in our Conservatory!
Another two species added to my year total. Above, a Lackey moth and below, a Dark Strawberry Tortrix.
Other moths that were new for the year included Common Emerald, Lackey, Common Rustic and the micro moths, Dark Strawberry Tortrix and Marbled Orchard Tortrix. We have a week of very warm weather, which in turn should produce not only a good haul of moths, but plenty of ‘year-ticks’. Fingers crossed.
My first Common Rustic agg. Sadly, it could be one of a few species but needs dissection to ascertain its true ID.
The Moths recorded this morning included the following:
Macro moths:
Uncertain x1
Riband Wave x4
Blue-bordered Carpet x1
Heart & Dart x1
White Ermine x7
Common Rustic x1
Bright-line Brown-eye x1
Dark Arches x6
Light Emerald x1
Common Emerald x1
L-album Wainscot x2
Pale Mottled Willow x2
Willow Beauty x5
Lackey x1
Double-striped Pug x4
Bloxworth Snout x1
Lime-speck Pug x1
Micro moths:
Barred Marble x1
Bee Moth x2
Bramble Shoot Moth x1
Garden Grass-veneer x1
Ruddy Streak x3
Brown House Moth x1
Dark Strawberry Tortrix x1
Large Pale Masoner x1
Narrow-winged Grey x1
Bud Moth x1
Common Plume x2
SMALL MARBLED x1
Marbled Orchard Tortrix x1
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
I found this Harlequin Ladybird emerging from its cocoon on the 'Lemon and Lime' Bushes in Pembroke Road this afternoon.
Another fairly quiet day regarding the bird life in Pembroke Road where only 13 species were recorded during my two shifts here at this site. I heard the Jay calling this morning, though didn't get a sighting this time. A pair of Swifts flew low overhead and looked stunning in the morning sunshine. Up to six Pied Wagtails were seen this morning; five were on the Bowling Green and one nearby on Governor’s Green; all busy chasing insects. A couple of adult Mediterranean Gulls were flying low over the seafront when I was driving back home. Last night, while I was in the back garden, at least 20 Swifts were circling overhead; easily the highest number so far this year here over my garden.
Andy had this female Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly in his garden yesterday.
Yesterday, birding pal Geoff Farwell took a trip to Fawley Down / Longwood Warren area and saw the following species: 4 singing Corn Buntings and a very pale male Marsh Harrier quartering a field for about 90 minutes. Also, 6 singing Blackcaps, 4 singing Common Whitethroats, 3 Chiffchaffs, a Raven, a Red Kite and a Common Buzzard. Meanwhile, over at ‘Cowplain Marsh’, Andy Fisher had a female Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly by his garden pond plus three Large Red Damselflies. Excellent stuff.
If you are about to read this, then forgive me as I took an awful load of photos today. The reason being is that not only did I get to see two very good haul of moths at both my house, but also Andy Fisher's house. Then afterwards, we made the lengthy journey to one of my favourite summer haunts, Martin Down; where there were Moths, Butterflies, Plants and Birds galore! Today's weather forecast looked good with occasional sunshine and a lot of high cloud; but it was quite warm at times with a south-westerly breeze.
The Moth boxes:
My first Portland Ribbon Wave this morning.
I was up very early again (4.30am) to check the Moth Box and again, I beat the House Sparrows from gorging on my moths. I topped up the feeder with dried Mealworms again before making a nice cup of coffee and then getting stuck into the moths. It looked rather quiet at first, but a good total of 71 moths of 32 species were recorded this morning.
Above, my first ever LITTLE GRASS-MOTH and below, one of three Bird-cherry Ermine moths.
Up to 5 ‘year-ticks’ were among the moths and pick of the bunch was my first ever LITTLE GRASS-MOTH; a species of shingle or sandy coastline. Another good moth was a Portland Ribbon Wave (virtually annual now in my garden) plus Bud Moth, Privet Tortrix and Bird-cherry Ermine.
Two more moths were added to my year list; Privet Tortrix (above) and Bud Moth (below).
The Moths present in my garden this morning included the following:
Macro moths:
Four-spotted Footman x2
Pale Mottled Willow x1
Heart & Dart x2
L-album Wainscot x4
White Ermine x1
Grey Dagger agg. X1
Riband Wave x9
Marbled Minor x1
Dark Arches x1
Portland Ribbon Wave x1
Lime-speck Pug x2
Common Pug x1
Green Pug x1
Garden Carpet x1
Willow Beauty x3
Vine’s Rustic x1
Macro moths:
Bud Moth x2
Cypress Tip Moth x1
LITTLE GRASS-MOTH x1
Ruddy Streak x5
Brown House Moth x4
Bee Moth x3
Privet Totrix x1
Blushed Knot-horn x4
Common Plume x8
Garden Mompha x1
Apple Leaf Miner x1
Green Oak Tortrix x1
Bird-cherry Ermine x3
White-shouldered House Moth x1
Garden Grass-veneer x1
Diamond-back Moth x1
Andy Fisher’s Moth Box:
My first Phoenix moth for many years.
Over at Andy’s house, his Moth Box had attracted the largest number here this year, 48 moths of 27 species. Another 5 moths were added to my year list from Andy’s haul of moths of which another ‘Lifer’ was present, a Western Thyme Knot-horn! My second ever Phoenix moth was by the back door near the Moth Box and other moths new for the year included a Yellow Shell, Uncertain and the micro moth Comfrey Ermine.
Above, my first ever WESTERN THYME KNOT-HORN was a real surprise too this morning. Below, the Uncertain.
Another two more moths were added to my year list: White-banded Grass-moth (above) and a Comfrey Ermine (below).
The Moths present here included the following:
Macro moth:
Yellow Shell x1
Willow Beauty x10
Common Marbled Carpet x2
Riband Wave x2
Garden Carpet x3
Double-striped Pug x1
Green Pug x1
Bright-line Brown-eye x1
Brimstone Moth x1
Treble Brown Spot x1
Heart & Dart x3
Uncertain x1
Small Dusty Wave x1
Foxglove Pug x1
Phoenix x1
Treble-lines x1
Micro moths:
Diamond-back Moth x1
Privet Tortrix x2
White-banded Grass-moth x2
Garden Grass-veneer x2
Blushed Knot-horn x1
WESTERN THYME KNOT-HORN x1
Bee Moth x3
Ruddy Streak x2
Comfrey Ermine x1
Common Plume x1
White-shouldered House Moth x1
Martin Down, Hampshire / Wiltshire border:
Another amazing view of Martin Down looking west.
This site is famous for its large variety of insects and plants and attracts a lot of Naturalists from miles away to enjoy a great day out at this magnificent site. Having come here earlier in the year, it was now time to increase my butterfly and moth year list and also enjoy the plants that Geoff identified for us. The birds here are also important and although the Stone-curlews have left the area many years ago, it still holds a wide variety of birds and even today, it threw up a few surprises.
The Birds:
I shall kick off with the birds seen today and even as we got out of the car, we enjoyed watching up to four Red Kites soaring over the farmland on the opposite side of the road from the Car Park. A Common Whitethroat was displaying in nearby bushes and a male Yellowhammer was singing on another bush nearby. A good start to the trip here. Sadly, raptors were far and few between today with only one more Red Kite sighting and a Common Buzzard that drifted westbound. A male Kestrel put in a brief appearance by the bramble bushes.
Above, up to four Red Kites were visible from the Car Park on arrival and below, good numbers of Yellowhammers were seen.
At least three Stonechats were seen and below, this was one of the singing Tree Pipits holding territory.
Above, another male Yellowhammer in song. Below, one of the singing Tree Pipits on Martin Down.
All one could hear most of the time here were Skylarks, with so many seen and heard today along with the occasional sightings of both Yellowhammerand Corn Buntings. Up to three Stonechats were seen and both Chiffchaff and Blackcap were heard singing in various areas. Two male Tree Pipits were singing in the eastern end of Martin Down and showed very well, but we didn't expect a flock of 7 Common Crossbills flying overhead and heading west. Other species seen included at least 3 Swifts, several Swallows over the fields to the south and a few Linnets over.
Butterflies & Moths:
Above, a Marbled White and below, a Small Heath butterfly.
Above, a Large Skipper and below, a Common Blue.
Above, an Adonis Blue.
Up to 10 species of butterfly were recorded here today, but sadly, no sign of any Marsh Fritillaries despite a good search. However, what we did see included the following:
Dark-green Fritillary
Common Blue
Adonis Blue
Marbled White
Large White
Small White
Small Heath
Meadow Brown
Brimstone
Large Skipper
Small Skipper
There was also a nice variety of daytime moths on show too of which, apart from the Common Heath, were all new for the year. It included the following:
Common Heath
Cinnabar Moth
Forester Moth
Five-spotted Burnet Moth
Six-spotted Burnet Moth
Satin Grass-moth
Hook-tipped Grass-moth
Above, Common Heath moth and below, a Cinnabar Moth.
Above, a Hook-tipped Grass-moth and below, a Five-spotted Burnet Moth.
Above, a Forester Moth and below, the Chimney Sweeper.
The Plants:
Agrimony.
Having an expert that is into plants is always a bonus and Martin Down offers a wide variety of plants including many scarce species. We were hoping for Burnt-tip Orchids today, but they were not present where we saw them last year; but other Orchids present included Common Spotted, Pyramidal, Fragrant and the superb Greater Butterfly Orchids.
Above, a Hounds tongueplant and below, Rough Hawkbit.
Above, Dropwort and below, a Goatsbeard that has gone to seed.
Above and below, Knapweed Broomrape.
Above, my first Pyramidal Orchid of the year and below, Greater Knapweed.
Above, both Fragrant Orchid and below, Greater Butterfly Orchid were my first of the year.
Other plants on show included the strange looking Knapweed Broomrape that was growing abundantly in one area. Other notable plants Geoff identified were the following:
Rough Hawkbit
Dropwort
Yellow Rattle
Goatsbeard
Greater Knapweed
Horseshoe Vetch
Tufted Vetch
Rock Rose
Purging Flax
Field Scabious
Hounds Tongue
Above, Cinnabar Moth caterpillars and below, a Common Tiger Hoverfly nectaring on a Rough Hawkbit plant.
The guys on Martin Down.
Some of the terrain on Martin Down is stunning and attracts so many insects.
Above, a Bumblebee Plumehorn.
We had spent a good five hours here enjoying the wide range of wildlife present and notching up many species that were new for the year. It was a bit of a hike around the site, but the views here are amazing with just open countryside to look at for miles. I said to Geoff that we should do a late evening visit here and maybe some Owls might be on the wing and even more raptor species perhaps?
