Moths Update

Last week has been brilliant for moths in both our gardens with Dave getting a trickle of new ones that is slowly bringing him up to the 600 species mark for his garden. Numbers not brilliant compared to some years but variety is spot on.

Barred Red

Buff Footman

Short-cloaked Moth

Scarce Silver-lines

Small Blood-vein 

Lozotaeniodes formosanus 

Blastodacna hellerella

Aston Rowant NNR

A terrapin species seen in a pool on the M40 service station at junction 8 was an odd start to our day as were the calls of Peacocks drifting over Watlington Hill, Oxfordshire when we first arrived.

By 9am it was touching 22c and butterflies were already out but thin on the ground (apart from Ringlets and Meadow Browns) managing only single Chalk-hill Blue, Silver-spotted Skipper and Dark-green Fritillary in 2 hours of searching.

Despite the hum of the M40 traffic we moved to the nearby Aston Rowant NNR and ended up in butterfly heaven with the flower rich meadows full of activity under a baking sun. Sixteen species seen with 40 Marbled White, 15 Silver-spotted Skipper, 25 Chalk-hill Blue darting among the more common species plus plenty of Six-spot Burnet and Cinnabar moths. Also seen were Fragrant and Pyramidal Orchids and Southern Hawker and not forgetting the scores of Red Kites where ever we looked.

Back home it was still very warm late afternoon with the cloud bubbling up allowing hawking Hobbies to be easily seen as they hunted over my garden and estate – 2 juveniles.

Napton Res and Just So

Might not be brilliant for birding but the high temperatures we have experienced over the last few days and nights has certainly given dragonflies, butterflies and moths a welcome boost keeping us busy with the cataloging and identification of some species.

Bob and I had a look at Napton Reservoir and the Bridge Nursery pool finding Black-tailed Skimmer, Emperor Dragonfly and Migrant Hawker new for the year along with Shaded Broad-bar. At least 9 species of butterfly noted with 4 Marbled White the best while the only birds of note were good numbers of Reed Warbler and a juvenile Raven overhead.

Black Tern

Eight Hare were down the Southam Rd romping about at the thought that summer is finally arriving while over the road the pond had adult Black Tern, Common Tern, 3 Oystercatcher, Sparrowhawk Buzzard, 27 Mute Swan and 12 Yellow-legged Gulls of various ages. An amble around areas of Ryton Woods that don’t get a lot of attention produced 12 Silver-washed Fritillary, 7 Purple Hairstreaks, 2 Common White Wave and Silver Y moths plus 6 Jay, 6 Nuthatch, Garden Warbler and juvenile Little Owl. Also seen were 4 Brown Hawker, Southern Hawker, Common Darter plus Large Red, Common and Blue-tailed Damselfly. Rest of the afternoon glued to the television watching the Cav, Froome and Wiggo show- awesome.

Sunny at last

With the forecast for the weekend looking good and spending the last couple of days rooting for Wiggins, Cavendish and Froome I was in need of fresh air so down the pond by 3am lamping for moths. The previous days showers had brought the temperatures down below double figures for the first time in over a week which meant there was not a lot on the wing (had a poor catch at home) but did manage Pebble-Hook-tip, Ghost Moth, Riband Wave, Small Rivulet, and Heart and Dart. The main reason for wandering around the pond at this ungodly hour was the chance of seeing the summer’s night sky’s which have been rare as hen’s teeth recently and I was not disappointed.

Jupiter was passing north of the V-shaped Hydres open cluster while the asteroid 4 Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres were also on show. Unfortunately I dipped on the space shed as it passed over at 5:18am and could not locate Uranus.

A Whimbrel was heard calling in the night and moved in to toft shallows at 5:30 and promptly disappeared in to the thick vegetation. Not a lot else apart from scores of larger gulls leaving the roost leaving 3 x 3rd year Yellow-legged Gulls behind as the mist developed. As it started to cloud up I checked on the back gardens of Draycote village where a Spotted Flycatcher pair has raised 3 young while the lane had Nuthatch and Blackcap.

Called in on a couple of ponds on the way home looking for insects managing Banded Demoiselle Common Blue Damselfly and my first Southern Hawker of the year with butterflies on the wing included Speckled Wood, 2 Marbled White and 7 Meadow Brown while day flying moths included 2 Narrow bordered 5 spot Burnet, 2 Cinnabar and a Straw Dot.

By the time I was home at mid-day Buzzards were dominating the sky with at least six over my estate while in the garden a mouse was taking advantage of the new mothing location for my robinson trap as falling bird seed from the feeders was landing on the light sheet set up used so my neighbours don’t complain.

Had intended watching La Tour but an offer to revisit Oversley Wood and the River Avon was to good to miss in such fine weather and came away with better numbers than last week adding Purple Emperor to my year and my first Scarce Chaser dragonfly for the county. Hobby on the way home over the M40/A46 junction.

Early birds catch the Cuckoo

We were lucky enough to watch a rusty brown juvenile Cuckoo perched on fence posts for over 15 minutes down the Southam Road first thing. Although a fields width away we had excellent scope views allowing views of the white nape patch.

The pond was duller than yesterday morning and the wind a lot stronger so we walked to rainbow corner for shelter getting our normal fare of Yellow-legged Gulls with at least 4 present, juvenile and 3 x 3^rd years. Only other birds of note were 250 Swift, 20+ Sand Martin, Raven, Buzzard and Great-spotted Woodpecker.

It started raining while we were at Brandon Marsh so just a group of 8 Teal and a Little Ringed Plover seen.

Gripped Off

Young Alfie took JJ for a ride on THE SHAKESPEARE EXPRESS between Birmingham SH and Stratford-upon-Avon which runs on Sundays in the summer and posted me this picture. It was being hauled by 4-6-0 Hall Class 4965 Rood Ashton Hall. Not only is it one I have not seen but I have dipped on it twice and he was also allowed on the footplate., You have well and truly gripped me off young man.