Saturday 30 August 2014

Norfolk Tick - Corncrake

Lucky, Jammy, Good Fortune or awesome skills (unlikely) or all of them. Either way I jammed in on a Corncrake today and in Norfolk!

I started birding late due to work, fancied seeing the Greenish at Winterton but also having a look for my own stuff to.

I headed to Horsey Gap and thought I would walk through the dunes to see what I could find. Wheatears were plentiful and a few Meadow Pipits. Terns and a few Skua's were passing by on the sea.

I got as far as the Shrike but on the seaward side of the dunes when I saw a bird come off the beach (possibly off the sea but didn't pick up on it until halfway across the beach). It was a brief view that gave me a what the ?? feeling.

The bird ditched in the first available dune so I walked along to investigate.

I had to nearly stand on the bird before it flew again, legs trailing behind a streaky body with red/brown wings this was in fact a Corncrake.

I was it just long enough to get my bins on it and see its head and grey body, bloody fantastic.

I went to the top I was just past the 6/7 birders watching the shrike. I ran round to see if any of them had seen the Crake fly over but none had, and none seemed overly interested. I was left to myself to try and re-locate the bird but had no joy, I tried both sides of the dunes and did see a small party having an organised look through after I had been chasing a moth (no idea what) on the other side.

I then walked back seeing Stonechat and more Wheatear.


After Horsey I headed to Winterton to see the Greenish Warbler, I saw Stuart White who told me he was unimpressed with his big 5min wait (lol) and Jim Bradley who was equally unimpressed with his 5 secs, so with that I knew I was cursed, and I was right.

After two hours of waiting the Greenish finally called and gave good but brief views and was always one step ahead of my camera.

It was now late so I headed home seeing a Pied Flycatcher near the Hermanus and still with a Corncrake smile on my face.

Wednesday 6 August 2014

Moths of July - a record Month

July was amazing for moths in my garden.

I had the highest number of moths ever recorded by me with 1693 in a single night on the 12th July, although 1106 of these were Diamond-back Moth which was in its own right a record.

I also record the most species I had ever had in a single night on the 18th July with a whopping 105.

I caught a total of 6422 moths during July and a total of 201 species of which 113 were macro and 88 were micro.

I ran the trap 15 times and twice pulled it in at around 12.30 due to rain.

Here is the total list with the total caught and highest number caught and the number of times caught in the trap.

Antler Moth, Total - 3, Highest - 2, No of Times - 2
Beautiful Hook-tip, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Bird's Wing, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Black Arches, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2

Bright-Line Brown-eye, Total - 17, Highest - 4, No of Times - 7
Brimstone, Total - 14, Highest - 3, No of Times - 8
Broad-barred White, Total - 4, Highest - 2, No of Times - 3
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Total - 12, Highest - 8, No of Times - 5
Brown-tail, Total - 2, Highest - 2, No of Times - 1
Buff Arches, Total - 3, Highest - 1, No of Times - 3
Buff Ermine, Total - 7, Highest - 3, No of Times - 4
Buff Footman, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Buff-tip, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2
Cabbage Moth, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Canary-shouldered Thorn, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times – 2 (Lifer)

Chinese Character, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times – 1 (Lifer)

Clay, Total - 19, Highest - 4, No of Times - 10

Cloaked Minor, Total - 16, Highest - 3, No of Times - 9

Clouded Boarder, Total - 6, Highest - 3, No of Times - 4
Clouded Silver, Total - 11, Highest - 4, No of Times - 4
Common Carpet, Total - 6, Highest - 2, No of Times - 4

Common Emerald, Total - 3, Highest - 1, No of Times - 3
Common Footman, Total - 37, Highest - 6, No of Times - 12
Common Pug, Total - 10, Highest - 3, No of Times - 6
Common Rustic, Total - 52, Highest - 18, No of Times - 10
Common Wave, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2 (Lifer)

Common White Wave, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Copper Underwing, Total - 5, Highest - 3, No of Times - 3
Coxcomb Prominent, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Currant Pug, Total - 3, Highest - 1, No of Times - 3
Dark Arches, Total - 236, Highest - 53, No of Times - 14
Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Total - 2, Highest - 2, No of Times - 1
Dingy Footman, Total - 14, Highest - 3, No of Times - 8
Dot Moth, Total - 39, Highest - 8, No of Times - 12

Double Square Spot, Total - 59, Highest - 10, No of Times - 11
Double-striped Pug, Total - 3, Highest - 2, No of Times - 2
Dun-bar, Total - 5, Highest - 4, No of Times - 2

Dwarf Cream Wave, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Early Thorn, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Elephant Hawk Moth, Total - 4, Highest - 2, No of Times - 2
Fan-foot, Total - 10, Highest - 3, No of Times - 6
Flame  , Total - 26, Highest - 12, No of Times - 5
Flame Sholder, Total - 45, Highest - 10, No of Times - 13
Garden Carpet, Total - 9, Highest - 3, No of Times - 4
Grey Dagger, Total - 23, Highest - 7, No of Times - 9
Heart and Club, Total - 7, Highest - 3, No of Times - 4
Heart and Dart, Total - 118, Highest - 24, No of Times - 13
Iron Prominent, Total - 5, Highest - 2, No of Times - 4

July High Flyer, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Juniper Pug, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Knot Grass, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2
Large Twin-spot Carpet, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2 (Lifer)

Large Yellow Underwing, Total - 257, Highest - 53, No of Times - 15
Least Yellow Underwing, Total - 3, Highest - 3, No of Times - 1
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Total - 18, Highest - 7, No of Times - 5

Lesser Common Rustic, Total - 11, Highest - 2, No of Times - 7

Lesser Yellow Underwing, Total - 28, Highest - 11, No of Times - 6
Light Arches, Total - 10, Highest - 4, No of Times - 6
Lime-speck Pug, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Magpie, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1

Marbled Beauty, Total - 10, Highest - 3, No of Times - 7

Marbled Minor, Total - 11, Highest - 4, No of Times - 3
Marbled White Spot, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2 (Lifer)

Middle-barred Minor, Total - 2, Highest - 2, No of Times - 1
Miller, Total - 4, Highest - 2, No of Times - 2 (Lifer)

Mottled Beauty, Total - 6, Highest - 2, No of Times - 5
Mottled Pug, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Mottled Rustic, Total - 6, Highest - 2, No of Times - 5
Mouse Moth, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2
Nutmeg, Total - 198, Highest - 45, No of Times - 14
Nut-tree Tussock, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2 (Lifer)

Oak Hook Tip, Total - 6, Highest - 4, No of Times - 2

Pale Mottled Willow, Total - 5, Highest - 3, No of Times - 3
Pale Prominent, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Peppered Moth, Total - 22, Highest - 6, No of Times - 8


Poplar Grey, Total - 4, Highest - 2, No of Times - 3
Poplar Hawkmoth, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (new for Garden)

Privet Hawk Moth, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Red Twin-spot Carpet, Total - 5, Highest - 3, No of Times - 3
Riband Wave, Total - 96, Highest - 11, No of Times - 13
Rosy Minor, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2
Round-winged Muslin, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times – 1 (new for Garden)
Ruby Tiger, Total - 33, Highest - 6, No of Times - 10
Rustic, Total - 52, Highest - 8, No of Times - 13

Scalloped Hook Tip, Total - 2, Highest - 2, No of Times - 1

Scalloped Oak, Total - 14, Highest - 3, No of Times - 9
Scarce Footman, Total - 10, Highest - 3, No of Times - 7
Scarce Silver-lines, Total - 4, Highest - 2, No of Times - 3

Setaceous Hebrew Character, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2
Shuttle-shaped Dart, Total - 241, Highest - 43, No of Times - 12
Silver Y, Total - 13, Highest - 5, No of Times - 6
Single-dotted Wave, Total - 5, Highest - 1, No of Times - 5
Small Blood-Vein, Total - 9, Highest - 3, No of Times - 6
Small Fan-footed Wave, Total - 3, Highest - 1, No of Times - 3 (new for Garden)

Small Rivulet, Total - 13, Highest - 3, No of Times - 7
Smoky Wainscot, Total - 8, Highest - 5, No of Times - 4 (new for Garden)

Snout, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2
Spectacle, Total - 3, Highest - 1, No of Times - 3
Striped Wainscot, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Swallow-tailed Moth, Total - 9, Highest - 3, No of Times - 6
Sycamore, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2
Treble Brown Spot, Total - 2, Highest - 2, No of Times - 1
Treble Lines, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
True Lovers Knot, Total - 3, Highest - 2, No of Times - 2
Uncertain, Total - 59, Highest - 9, No of Times - 15
Varied Coronet, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
V-Pug, Total - 5, Highest - 2, No of Times - 3 (Lifer)

White Ermine, Total - 3, Highest - 3, No of Times - 1
White Satin, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 

Willow Beauty, Total - 11, Highest - 2, No of Times - 9
Wormwood Pug, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1

Yellow Shell, Total - 34, Highest - 7, No of Times - 12
Yellow-tail, Total - 3, Highest - 2, No of Times - 2
Acorn Piercer - Pammene fasciana, Total - 7, Highest - 5, No of Times - 3 (Lifer)

Apple and Plum Case-bearer - Coleophora spinella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Apple Leaf Miner - Lyonetia clerkella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix - Pandemis Cerasana, Total - 59, Highest - 12, No of Times - 13
Barred Marble - Celypha Striana, Total - 16, Highest - 5, No of Times - 5
Beautiful China-mark Nymphula Stagnata, Total - 4, Highest - 2, No of Times - 3
Bee Moth - Aphomia Sociella, Total - 32, Highest - 15, No of Times - 8
Bird-cherry Ermine - Yponomeuta Evonymella, Total - 3, Highest - 1, No of Times - 3
Bramble Shoot Moth - Epiblema Uddmanniana, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Broad-barred Knot-Horn - Acrobasis Consociella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Brown House Moth - Hofmannophila Pseudospretella, Total - 7, Highest - 1, No of Times - 7
Bud Moth - Spilonota ocellana, Total - 15, Highest - 4, No of Times - 8

Bulrush Cosmet - Limnaecia phragmitella, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2 (Lifer)

Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix - Pandemis corylana, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Chequered Grass-veneer - Catoptria Falsella, Total - 6, Highest - 3, No of Times - 4
Cherry Bark Moth - Enarmonia formosana, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Cinereous Groundling - Bryotropha Terrella, Total - 18, Highest - 4, No of Times - 9 
Codling Moth - Cydia Pomonella, Total - 58, Highest - 17, No of Times - 9
Common Cloaked Shoot - Gypsonoma dealbana, Total - 10, Highest - 3, No of Times - 6 (Lifer)


Common Grass Veneer - Agriphila tristella, Total - 69, Highest - 21, No of Times - 9
Common Grey - Scoparia Ambigualis, Total - 79, Highest - 10, No of Times - 15
Common Marble - Celypha Lacunana, Total - 37, Highest - 8, No of Times - 10
Common Plume - Emmelina Monodactyla, Total - 5, Highest - 1, No of Times - 5
Common Slender - Gracilaria Syringella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1

Cork Moth - Nemapogon Cloacella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix - Pandemis heparana, Total - 4, Highest - 2, No of Times - 3 (Lifer)

Dark Groundling - Bryotropha Affinis, Total - 19, Highest - 4, No of Times - 9
Diamond Back Marble - Eudemis profundana, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2 (Lifer)

Diamond Back Moth - Plutella Xylostella, Total - 1249, Highest - 1106, No of Times - 14


Dingy Dowd - Blastobasis adustella, Total - 113, Highest - 20, No of Times - 12
Dotted Oak Knot-horn - Phycita Roborella, Total - 20, Highest - 11, No of Times - 8

Double-striped Tabby - Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Dusky Plume - Oidaematophorus lithodactyla, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2 (Lifer)

Elder Pearl - Anania coronata, Total - 8, Highest - 3, No of Times - 6
Flax Tortrix - Cnephasia asseclana, Total - 8, Highest - 3, No of Times - 6
Four-spotted Obsure - Oegoconia quadripuncta, Total - 25, Highest - 4, No of Times - 10 (Lifer)

Garden Grass-Veneer - Chrysoteuchia Culmella, Total - 1776, Highest - 385, No of Times - 15
Garden Pebble - Evergestis forficalis, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2
Gold Triangle - Hypsopygia costalis, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)


Golden Argent - Argyresthia goedartella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Golden-brown Tubic - Crassa unitella, Total - 6, Highest - 3, No of Times - 3

Grass Veneer - Crambus Pascuella, Total - 105, Highest - 12, No of Times - 14
Grey Tortrix - Cnephasia stephensiana, Total - 10, Highest - 2, No of Times - 8

Hawthorn Ermel - Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Total - 4, Highest - 2, No of Times - 3 (Lifer)

Hook-marked Straw Moth - Agapeta hamana, Total - 6, Highest - 2, No of Times - 4
Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner - Cameraria ohridella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

House Groundling - Bryotrophsa domestica, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Garden Lifer)

Larch Tortrix - Ptycholomoides aeriferanus, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2 (Lifer)

Large Beech Piercer - Cydia fagiglandana, Total - 12, Highest - 3, No of Times - 8 (Lifer)

Large Clothes Moth - Morophaga choragella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Large Ivy Tortrix - Lozotaenia forsterana, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Large Tabby - Aglossa pinguinalis, Total - 3, Highest - 1, No of Times - 3 (Lifer)

Lesser Wax Moth - Achroia grisella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)


Light Brown Apple Moth - Epiphyas Postvittana, Total - 56, Highest - 17, No of Times - 13
Little Ermel - Swammerdamia pyrella, Total - 4, Highest - 3, No of Times - 2 (Lifer)

Little Grey - Eudonia lacustrata, Total - 10, Highest - 3, No of Times - 7

London Dowd - Blastobasis Lacticolella, Total - 40, Highest - 9, No of Times - 11
Long-horned Flat-body - Carcina quercana, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Long-legged Tabby - Synaphe punctalis, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Many Plumed Moth - Alucita Hexadactyla, Total - 2, Highest - 2, No of Times - 1
Maple Button - Acleris Forsskaleana, Total - 3, Highest - 1, No of Times - 3

Marbled Cosmet - Mompha propinquella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Marbled Orchard Tortrix - Hedya nubiferana, Total - 2, Highest - 2, No of Times - 1
Marbled Piercer - Cydia splendana, Total - 21, Highest - 9, No of Times - 6




Marbled Yellow Pearl - Evergestis extimalis, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (lifer)

Meadow Grey - Scoparia pyralella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Mother of Pearl - Pleuroptya Ruralis, Total - 15, Highest - 5, No of Times - 6
Oak Carl - Tischeria ekebladella, Total - 8, Highest - 5, No of Times - 4 (Lifer)

Orange Pine Tortrix - Lozotaeniodes formosanus, Total - 3, Highest - 2, No of Times - 2
Pale Straw Pearl - Udea Lutealis, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Pale-Boarded Piercer - Grapholita janthinana, Total - 5, Highest - 3, No of Times - 3 (Lifer)

Pearl Veneer - Agriphila Straminella, Total - 46, Highest - 14, No of Times - 10

Pine Leaf-mining Moth - Clavigesta purdeyi, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1

Privet Tortrix - Clepsis Consimilana, Total - 8, Highest - 3, No of Times - 5
Red-barred Tortrix - Ditula angustiorana, Total - 21, Highest - 8, No of Times - 6
Regal Piercer - Pammene regiana, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Ringed China-Mark - Parapoynx stratiotata, Total - 7, Highest - 2, No of Times - 4
Rosy Tabby - Endotricha Flammealis, Total - 66, Highest - 16, No of Times - 12
Shore Marble - Lobesia littoralis, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Small Grey - Eudonia Mercurella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1
Small Magpie - Anania hortulata, Total - 5, Highest - 1, No of Times - 5
Small Purple and Gold - Pyrausta aurata, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Smoky-barred Marble - Lobesia Abscisana, Total - 2, Highest - 1, No of Times - 2
Tipped Oak Case-bearer -Coleophora flavipennella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1 (Lifer)

Water Veneer - Acentria Ephemerella, Total - 86, Highest - 64, No of Times - 8

White-shouldered House Moth - Endrosis Sarcitrella, Total - 1, Highest - 1, No of Times - 1

Yarrow Case-barer - Coleophora argentula, Total - 2, Highest - 2, No of Times - 1

Yellow Satin Veneer - Crambus perlella, Total - 53, Highest - 14, No of Times - 13


Here are the extras from July seen elsewhere

Ash-bark Knot-horn - Euzophera pingus



Buff Footman


Burnished Brass



Forester


Rosy Footman


Shaded Broad Bar



Silvery Gem


Six Spot Burnet


Southern Wainscot


Straw-barred Pearl - Pyrausta despicata