Huddsbirder

Time for moths again, I started tonight down at the place I work in  the nearby wooded area but had to abandoned it due to excessive amount of midges present plus I had only caught 3 moths (see this LINK) so I relocated back to the back garden. Whilst I was setting up I had already caught sight of 2 moths (Large Yellow Underwing and Light Arches) on the nearby Buddleia.

I was reward with the relocation the morning after with 13 species for the night with 3 new ones

Bold are new for the trap, Bold and Italic lifers

1. Bright line Brown eye (1)
2. Dark Arches (2)
3. Garden Carpet (2)
4. Garden Grass Veneer (2)
5. Light Arches (1)
6. Marbled Beauty (2)
7. Pale Mottled Willow (1)
8. Riband Wave (3)
9. Scalloped Oak (5)
10. Silver ground Carpet (2)
11. The Flame (1)
12. The Uncertain (1)
13. Yellow Shell (1)

Pictures of the new moths

The Flame

Light Arches

Pale Mottled Willow

and a favourite Scalloped Oak

Well here we go again another chance at some more mothing, tonight’s forecast was a clear sky to begin with maybe a light rain shower between 1am and 3am, half moon with a min temp of 11° and a 3mph wind from a NE direction.

Trap was up and running at 9pm with a few micro moths taking an interest mainly Light Brown Apple Moths, bed for me at 10pm but I was up again at 5:30am. I could see on my approach to the trap that the forecast was right when I noticed the rain drops on the perpex sheets and damp egg boxes, it seemed quiet on first inspection in the trap but it soon turned out to be my best night’s trapping so far at home with at least 15 species trapped and a few unknown’s mainly micros, one being a possible Eudonia or a Scoparia species, inspection of genitalia would sort it but we don’t do that, highlight of the catch has to be my first Plain Golden Y Moth…heres the list BOLD being a new species for me

Thanks to everyone who helped with some of the Moth ID’s especially BC_Yorkshire  🙂

1. Common Footman (2) new for trap
2. Dark Arches (1) new for trap
3. Dusky Brocade (2)
4. Garden Grass Veener (2)
5. Gothic (1)
6. Large Yellow Underwing (2)
7. Light Brown Apple Moth (3)
8. Marbled Beauty (1)
9. Marbled Minor agg (1)
10. Plain Golden Y (1)
11. Purple Clay (1)
12. Riband wave (1)
13. Scalloped Oak (1)
14. Silver Ground Carpet (1)
15. Uncertain (1)

Plain Golden Y

Common Footman

Scalloped Oak

Gothic

Marbled Beauty

Another moth night the trap was up and running again after an unexpected breakdown for a couple of week, what had happened I don’t know. The trap was stripped cleaned, fuse checked and was ok, put back together battery charged and was found to be okay!!!! So we had a new moon min temp was 9°c it was cloudy with a 4mph Northerly wind and a things were going right for a chance I was expecting a good number of moths…..two

• (2107) Large Yellow Underwing (1) new for the year
• (2170) Varied Coronet (1) New Species and a grade 3 moth for VC63 [info can be found here at Yorkshire Moths Site (PRESS)

So the numbers were rubbish but the Varied Coronet more than made up for it

Varied Coronet

Varied Coronet

It had come to the point were I needed time out from life again so I decided on a new venue and  since the weather was good and hot that venue was to be Leven Canal [Website Location] a good place for Dragonflies apparently and it delivered.

I pulled into the small car park at about 9am and made my way along the footpath (which is off the car park area not across the bridge) keeping my eye out for various things, the best dragonfly area is about a 20-30 mins walk off, the footpath is in good order with the vegetation kept in good order the walk was no problem.

Various warblers could be heard as I made my walk Skylark, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer and a Cuckoo. The birds overhead were Swallow, Swift, Common Buzzard. It was a fair walk in the morning heat be I was soon at a point where I could look out for various dragonflies Four Spotted Chaser was the first and they were here in abundance, then it was down to looking for the target species.

I was glad I brought my scope, the Opticron Mighty Midget, light and packable. I scanned the lily pads for Damselflies and once you’ve seen one you wonder why you struggled, Azure was the first along with Blue tailed then the one I was looking for, a bigger damselfly by far compared to an Azure next to it, Large Red eyed Damselfly [New species], easy to pick out with the black thorax and of course  lacking any antehumeral stripes, and always staying far enough away from the camera. Common Blue  Damselfly was also found but alas the other target species was not, the Hairy Dragonfly escaped me for today,but I did find Brown Hawkers and Emperor Dragonflies.

Birds in the reeds which I had great views of all were Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler , Reed Bunting and Moorhens with Pheasants calling in the nearby fields

A few butterflies were seen during the day Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Large White, Small Skipper, and Ringlet

Four Spotted Chaser

Rutpela maculata Longhorn Beetle

Mullein moth catapillar

Red Admiral

Leven Canal

I decided on an early evening outing to the old colliery site at Bullcliffe and wish I hadn’t, the hay fever kicked in really bad, but the nature was good which more than made up for it.

On arrival  I started in the first right hand field and here I found Common Blue, Azure and Blue tailed Damselflies along with the newly emerged Meadow Brown and Ringlet Butterflies also with Common Blue Butterfly, Small Heath and Large Skipper Butterflies. A fewmoths were seen Common Carpet, Yellow Shell, Shaded Broad Bar and a species of Plume Moth [Stenoptilia zophodactylus??]

Birds were about with Yellowhammers, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff,  and Common Whitethroat and with a Hairy Sheild Bug and a Golden bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle seen, so I was off home with a smile a very runny nose, sneezing, eyes itching and tears, roll on winter 😉

Small Heath Butterfly

Azure Damselfly

Sloe Shield Bug

Plume Moth

With me finding very little time to get out and about at the moment due to family and work it was Yes another moth night again in the back garden tonight’s forecast was light cloud at 12° with a 8mph North East wind with a waning moon at 99%. Light Brown apples were once again active before bed but nothing else was showing.

5:30am I was back and looking at my first trapped Hawkmoth the Small Elephant (what a beauty), having a quick look thru the trap there wasn’t a lot but the Hawkmoth had made up for that.

So what else was in the trap, I could see Small Magpie (1) which, a couple of Pugs, looking like the same species, a Garden Carpet (1), a couple of Light Brown Apple Moths (2), Barred Fruit-tree Tortix (1) [new species], Riband Wave  (1) [new species], Middle barred Minor (1) [new species], and a Garden Grass Veneer or Chrysoteuchia culmella  (a micro moth) [new species] and Scorpion Fly Sp

Small Elephant Hawkmoth

Middle barred Minor

Riband Wave

Barred Fruit-tree Tortix

Yep another moth night again in the back garden tonight’s forecast was light cloud at 12° with a 7mph east wind and a half-moon. Light Brown apples were once again active before bed but nothing else was showing.

5am I was back and looking at my first Scalloped Hazels, going thru the trap I could see Brimstone (1) which became very photogenic unlike the last one, a couple of Pugs, looking like the same species, a Bright line Brown eye (1), a few Light Brown Apple Moths (5), Silver ground Carpet (1) , Clouded bordered Brindle (1) (of a different form than previous nights catch), Knott grass (1) which is a  new species, Ingrailed Clay (1) which is a new species

Knott Grass

Ingrailed Clay

Brimstone

Bright-line Brown-eye

New moon and cloudy warm night I decided on giving the moth trap a night out wit the hope a catching a few new species. Before bed I had a quick look and saw the trap was attracting a lot of Light brown apple Moths so a good start.

Early morning rise and straight out to the trap and I could see I was in for a few surprises with a couple of nicely col0ured moths in the trap. This is what I had

1. Brimstone Moth (1) [which wasn’t hanging around for a photo and was soon in the next doors garden]
2. Bright-line Brown-eye (1)  [A new species]
3. Cabbage Moth (1)  [New Species]
4. Clouded bordered Brindle (1) [New Species]
5. Common Carpet Moth (1)
6. Garden Carpet (1)
7. Marbled Minor aggregate (1) [Aggregate due to this species being difficult to split from other minors, can only be certain with a dissection]
8. Scalloped Hazel (3) [New Species]
9. Small Magpie (1) [New Species}
10. White Ermine (1) [New Species]

Not a  lot on numbers but some very nice moths….here’s a few pictures (and more of the catch can be seen at my Flickr HERE)

Scalloped Hazel

White Ermine

Common Marbled carpet

I would just to take this opportunity to thank all my readers and followers for tuning in and taking an interest in my wildlife/Nature rambles

I would also like to say you can also find me at Huddsbirder at Work [Nature on a Lunch Break] which is more Nature rambles on the wildlife I find and photograph during my 30 minute lunch break, please take a look and enjoy,  its written on a weekly basis about all the wildlife and things that can go on at a place of work

You can find it on the left under the Birding Blogs link called Huddsbirder at work or press THIS

Once again out to Old Moor but with it being a hot day we were on insect watch primarily hoping for a few damselflies and chasers. We were there at 11am just as things were warming up nicely and we were not disappointed with a full set of damselflies hoped for around the pools Large Reds, Common Blue, Azure and Blue tailed all seen, dragonflies and Four spotted Chaser put in a good appearance with 3 seen with one individual putting in a great appearance which was well photographed by many. Whist watching the Chasers we were taken by surprise by what we first thought was a snake but with better views, eventually after a wait, we were reward with fast views of a large Slow Worm.

Butterflies about today were Brimstone and my first Dingy Skipper and Common Blue of the year

We did get further on to the reserve with what little time we had left taking in the Wader Scrape hide first highlights here were Common Tern, Avocet, and the breeding Lesser Black backed gulls. The walk down Green Lane was productive with Reed warbler, Common Whitethroat, Sand martins, Greenfinch, and Willow Warbler. 

We also had a little time in the family hide seeing Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Black headed Gulls, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe and Mallard. Our last port of call was the new location site for the Bittern Hide, but alas no Bittern, only Coots, Moorhens, Black headed Gulls and a few Mallards

Day List in no particular order :-

Common Tern, Avocet, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Gadwall, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Black headed Gull, Lesser Black backed Gull, Lapwing, Coot, Moorhen, Greenfinch, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blue Tit, Redshank, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Woodpigeon, Sand Martin, Magpie, Oystercatcher,

Four Spotted Chaser, Blue tailed Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Brimstone, Dingy Skipper, Common Blue Damselfly, and Slow worm

Four Spotted Chaser

Azure Damselfly