May 2013

Saturday 11th May

I didn't have long today but just enough time to make an early visit to Sheringham in the hope of some vis mig. In fact very little was moving - a few Swallows, 17 Swifts, but apart from them it was just single birds of about 6 species! One of these was a Tree Pipit though, a bird I don't see all that often, so it wasn't all bad. On the way home I popped in to the local patch where the only thing worth noting was a Garden Warbler at Creaking Gate Lake, the first on the patch this year.

No MV again tonight but the bedroom lights didn't draw anything in at all.

House Martin, Sheringham, 11th May
colour-ringed Stonechat (left) and Linnets (right), Sheringham, 11th May

Friday 10th May

A Muntjac in the field just behind the house was, I think, my first from the house. I forgot to put the MV light on this evening but the regular bedroom lights still attracted a few moths: probable Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, 3 Yellow-barred Brindles and Least Black Arches.

Thurdsay 9th May

Another quick visit to the patch on the way home from work produced nothing better than a Little Ringed Plover (yes, just 1) and a Canada x Greylag Goose hybrid. The moths at home weren't much better with just Waved Umber and Least Black Arches, two species that seem to be having a good year.

Wednesday 8th May

Popped into the patch on the way home from work - a Greenshank was at Rawhall and elsewhere the singing Yellow Wagtail remained along with Wheatear and Common Sandpiper.

A few moths at home included a nice Water Carpet. Others were Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, 2 Red or Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Garden Carpets, Yellow-barred Brindle, Waved Umber and Least Black Arches.

Common Sandpiper (left) and escaped Ruddy Shelduck (right), private site, 8th May
Water Carpet, Bawdeswell, 8th May
Yellow-barred Brindle (left) and Red or Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (right), Bawdeswell, 8th May - until recently I think the right hand carpet would have gone down as Dark-barred Twin-spot on account of the notches in the leading edge of the reddish bar, however this feature has apparently now been shown to be unreliable; if I understand it rightly individuals showing a combination of the notches and reddish colouration cannot be identified without dissection now
Least Black Arches, Bawdeswell, 8th May - we seem to be having a good year for these (and Waved Umbers)

Tuesday 7th May

A quick wander at Syderstone Common in my lunch break produced a single moth, my second ever Small Phoenix. Few moths at home this evening: Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, Garden Carpet, Shoulder Stripe, Streamer, Early Thorn, 2 Waved Umbers, Least Black Arches and Early Grey.

Willow Warbler (left) and Small Phoenix (right), Syderstone Common, 7th May
Waved Umber (left) and Early Thorn (right), Bawdeswell, 7th May

Monday 6th May

The new local patch consists of a number of sites spread along a valley and we normally move from one site to another by car. This morning Dave and I decided to park one car at each end and walk the whole length of the patch, starting at first light. So despite not getting to bed until about 1.15 am after last night's mothing I was up at 3.45 am and soon heading off to meet Dave. I would like to say the early start was worthwhile and we saw loads of good birds, but that woudn't quite be accurate. Eventually we did find some good birds though, by far the best being a surprise Short-eared Owl which I picked up flying low towards me at the ancient site of Little Bittering. This was very unexpected and I think the first time I've seen one anywhere near the Wensum valley. Otherwise migrants consisted of Common Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear, but it was pretty slow going and after walking the length of the patch we'd amassed a mere 72 species. A couple of interesting moths were noted along the way: Common Oak Purple Eriocrania subpurpurella and Latticed Heath.

Back at home this evening moths included 2 presumed Hawthorn Slenders Parornix anglicella, Leek Moth Acrolepiopsis assectella, 2 probable Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Many-plumed Moths Alucita hexadactyla, 3 Double-striped Pugs, Least Black Arches and Hebrew Character. I'm still not quite sure why I get as many Leek Moths here as all of the rest of Norfolk's moth-recorders put together.

Short-eared Owl, Bittering, 6th May
Barn Owl (left) and Willow Warblers (right), Bittering, 6th May
escaped Ruddy Shelduck, private site, 6th May
presumed Hawthorn Slender Parornix anglicella (left) and Leek Moth Acrolepiopsis assectella (right), Bawdeswell, 6th May

Sunday 5th May

A Holly Blue in the garden was my first this year. This evening Rob and I headed off to Marsham Heath for a mothing session. The first moth that came to our lights was new to both of us: the first of 2 Birch Mochas. Others new to me included 26 Common Oak Purples Eriocrania subpurpurella, Dawn Flat-body Semioscopis steinkellneriana and 3 Purple Thorns. Also Early Tooth-striped was only my second. The rest were Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, Bridge Roller Ancylis uncella, 3 Scalloped Hook-tips, Pebble Hook-tip, Frosted Green, 2 Spruce Carpets, 6+ Narrow-winged Pugs, 5+ Brindled Pugs, Double-striped Pug, Early Tooth-striped, Yellow-barred Brindle, Tawny-barred Angle, 2 Early Thorns, Engrailed, 3 Swallow Prominents, 2 Great Prominents, 2 Small Quakers, 3 Common Quakers, 2 Clouded Drabs and 13 Nut-tree Tussocks.

I didn't get many moths in the bedroom in the meantime: Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla, Streamer, Waved Umber and Spectacle.

Purple Thorn, Marsham Heath, 5th May
Purple Thorn, Marsham Heath, 5th May
Purple Thorn (left, same individual as immediately above) and Early Thorn (right), Marsham Heath, 5th May
Bridge Roller Ancylis uncella (left) and Common Oak Purple Eriocrania subpurpurella (right), Marsham Heath, 5th May
Birch Mocha (left) and Pebble Hook-tip (right), Marsham Heath, 5th May
Spruce Carpet (left) and Early Tooth-striped (right), Marsham Heath, 5th May
Swallow Prominent (left) and Great Prominent (right), Marsham Heath, 5th May
Dawn Flat-body Semioscopis steinkellneriana (left) and Narrow-winged Pug (right), Marsham Heath, 5th May
Frosted Green (left) and spider (right), Marsham Heath, 5th May
Waved Umber (left) and Streamer (right), Bawdeswell, 5th May

Saturday 4th May

The jet lag is still preventing me from getting up early - I thought it would have worn off by now! Instead of the planned early start I had a look round the patch at the other end of the day. All the usual stuff really, nothing unexpected. While out birding I netted a couple of moths, both of which were new to me. First at Hell Pit was a Phyllonorycter, which appears to be Brown Apple Midget Phyllonorycter blancardella (may need gen det for confirmation?). Next up at Creaking Gate Lake as Red-brindled Dwarf Elachista rufocinerea. Nearby when it got dark I torched 2 White-shouldered House-moths Endrosis sarcitrella and Red Twin-spot Carpet, followed by Engrailed in the headlights at Rawhall Wood.

Not much at home tonight: 3 Many-plumed Moths Alucita hexadactyla, 2 Brindled Pugs, Waved Umber and Hebrew Character.

Red-brindled Dwarf Elachista rufocinerea, Creaking Gate Lake (left) and probable Brown Apple Midget Phyllonorycter blancardella, Hell Pit (right), 4th May

Friday 3rd May

Spent a little more time at the patch on the way home tonight, though didn't see a vast amount to shout about. A Greenshank was at Rawhall and nearby a singing male Yellow Wagtail was interesting - I can't recall ever hearing these sing on passage before so perhaps it will stick around to breed?

The warmer conditions produced a better variety of moths despite the largely clear skies - easily my best evening so far this year. The best moth, I think, was a Fen Flat-body Depressaria ultimella. Previous Norfolk records consist of one this century, one at the end of last century and three in the 1800s! Also March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Brindled Flat-body Agonopterix arenella, 5 Many-plumed Moths Alucita hexadactyla, Garden Carpet, 2 Brindled Pugs, Early Thorn and Least Black Arches.

Fen Flat-body Depressaria ultimella, Bawdeswell, 3rd May
Brindled Pug, Bawdeswell, 3rd May

Thursday 2nd May

Popped into the patch on the way home - not much to shout about, usual stuff like Little Ringed Plover.

Moths this evening consisted of March Tubic Diurnea fagella, Clouded Drab and 2 Early Greys.

Wednesday 1st May

I still await some variety on the moth front... tonight just Common Quaker, Hebrew Character and Early Grey.

Hebrew Character, Bawdeswell, 1st May

Last month: April 2013