Back Down To Earth

Wakeham

Wow, I certainly wasn't expecting that. The moth trap went out last night and this morning all that was recorded, was 5 moths of 3 species.

Granted it was quite cool at 6.0°C, and pretty windy with that strong easterly, so I guess the moths weren't too happy with the weather conditions.

#1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata x1
#2 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi x3
#3 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana x1

#1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata

#2 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi

#3 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

#3 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

And the three Common Quakers and the Light Brown Apple Moth.

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Barleycrates Lane and Reap Lane Barns

Early afternoon, I took Ted for a walk down Barleycrates Lane and then south down the Southwest coast path to Reap Lane Barns.

Highlights on our walk were 10+ Sand Martin, 20+ Swallow, 1 Whinchat, 6 Wheatear and 1 Common Whitethroat.

Birds recorded:

Herring Gull

Wood Pigeon

Collared Dove

Skylark

Sand Martin

Swallow

Meadow Pipit

Pied Wagtail

Robin

Whinchat

Wheatear

Blackbird

Common Whitethroat

Long-tailed Tit

Great Tit

Blue Tit

Wren

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Jackdaw

Starling

House Sparrow

Chaffinch

Linnet

Goldfinch

A Whinchat on the electric fence in one of the horse fields along Barleycrates Lane here.

Here is the Whinchat again on the far left with two Wheatears top and right.

Two more Wheatears..........

.........................and another two.

Ted trying to blend in with the newly laid southwest path.

More Of The Same

Despite the outdoor temperature dropping to 6.0°C last night, there was a very slight uptake in the number of moths in the trap this morning. The return today was 25 moths of 12 species, of which 9 moths were Common Quakers Orthosia cerasi. A new addition to my Port & Wey moth was a Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa.

  *First for year

**New for P&W moth list

#1       Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata x2
#2       Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi x9

#3       Early Grey Xylocampa areola x2

#4       Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana x2

#5       Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica x1

#6       Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum x2

#7    **Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa x1

#8      *V-Pug Chloroclystis v-ata x1

#9        Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis x2

#10    *White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella x1

#11    *Silver Y Autographa gamma x1

#12     Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua x1

#1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata

#1 And another Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata

#2 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi

#3 Early Grey Xylocampa areola

#4 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

#5 Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica

#6 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum

#7 Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa

#8 V-Pug Chloroclystis v-ata

#9 Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis

#10 White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella 

#11 Silver Y Autographa gamma

#12 Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua

#12 Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua

Note:
#7 Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa. Another new moth for my Port & Wey moth species list. This moth is fairly common and is a Spring-flying moth appearing on warm days in March and April. This individual looks pretty worn which would suggest it over-wintered. More on this moth here.

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Also in the trap was an Ornate Sac Spider Clubiona comta.

This is an Ornate Sac Spider Clubiona comta and also goes by the name of Sac Spider or Leaf-curling Sac Spider. It is often found on trees and under loose bark, or on Ivy leaves, where where it constructs a silk sac . Adult females are found all year round, with males more often seen from April to July. More on this spider here.

That's More Like It

So as not to be defeated by yesterdays dismal moth totals, I decided to have another go with the moth trap last night.

The numbers were still low but at least there were more species, with 22 moths of 9 species, with two new species for my Portland list.

  * First for year

** New for P&W moth list

#1   *Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica x1

#2     Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis x3

#3   *Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana x3

#4     Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi x7

#5   *Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis x2
#6 **Bittersweet Moth Scrobipalpa costella x1

#7   *Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum x2

#8   *Early Grey Xylocampa areola x2

#9 **Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua x1

#1 Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica

#2 Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis

#3 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

#3 Another Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

#4 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi

#5 Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis

#5 Another Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis

#6 Bittersweet Moth Scrobipalpa costella*

#7 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum

#8 Early Grey Xylocampa areola

#9 Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua**

Note:

* #6 Bittersweet Moth Scrobipalpa costella - The adult moths are mainly seen in late in the year, but do overwinter as this one appears to have done. The caterpillars of this moth, mine the leaves of the Bittersweet plant, of which there has been one growing in the back garden ever since I moved to Wakeham back in May 2017. It is also known as the Winter Groundling. More on this moth here.

Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara) a nightshade species with toxic berries which will cause you serious illness if eaten. More on this plant here.

** #9 Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua AKA Beet Armyworm

The Small Mottled Willow moth Spodoptera exigua is also known as the Beet Armyworm and is native to Asia. However it is now found almost anywhere in the world, including the UK. It's not known to breed in the British Isles, but I guess time will tell. The larva, known as Asparagus Fern caterpillars are well-known as agricultural pests. More on this moth here, here and here.

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With so many St Mark's Flies Bibio marci flying around the garden yesterday, I guess it wasn't too much of a surprise to see one in the moth trap this morning.

A St Mark's Flies Bibio marci

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Also in the trap was a Winter Cranefly Trichoceridae sp. and a Nonbiting Midge Chironomidae sp.

There are many cranefly species in the UK, with Trichocera regelationis being the commonest. It could be, but probably not. See Nature Spot Here.

A Nonbiting Midge Chironomidae sp.

A Bit Disappointing

Well the moth trap was switched on last night, for the first time this year, and this morning I was up fairly early to see what was trapped overnight.

Sadly not much, with just 5 moths of 4 species hiding in amongst the empty egg boxes. It was fairly windy last night, with the odd shower passing through, so perhaps that had an effect on the numbers!!

*First for year

The moths trapped were:
#1 *Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla x1
#2 *Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis x1
#3 *Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata x1
#4 *Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi x2

#1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla

#1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla

#2 Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis

#3 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata

#4 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi

#4 And the second Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi

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At least there were plenty of other things going on, with both Willow Warbler and Garden Warbler singing from neighbouring gardens. The latter my first this year. I can't believe I havent seen or heard a Blackcap yet!!

A Willow Warbler singing in next doors garden, with Ted being inquisitive as ever.

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Also noted were dozens of St Mark's Flies Bibio marci flying around the Guelder Rose Viburnum opulus.

A few of the St Mark's Flies Bibio marci flying around the Guelder Rose Viburnum opulus. And.....

.............a photograph of one them, which remained still for a few seconds, before joining the rest.

The Perfect Home

Well having watched a pair of Blue Tits investigate the nest box I put up in the back garden yesterday afternoon, today the female was taking in nesting material. Well I certainly wasn't expecting that!!

Well That Didn't Take Long

It was another afternoon spent in the garden, mainly constructing a set of steps for the gazebo, using old railway sleepers and a few slabs. And for company I had a pair of courting Blue Tits which were totally oblivious to my presence.

A bit late I know, but as they were so active, I decided to put up a nest box on the newly erected fence. And within 2 minutes of it been screwed to fence post, both birds decided to investigate it. And it wasn't just the once, but several times throughout the afternoon.

It's not guaranteed that they will take up residence, but you never know.

Later in the day a Peregrine Falcon decided to wind up the local Herring Gulls, but circling overhead.

One of the Blue Tits having a look at the nest box, which is surrounded by a Guelder Rose Viburnum opulus in full leaf.

And here, both birds have a look inside. And it wasn't just the once but several times throughout the afternoon.

Spring Is Here

For me, Spring is finally here when I hear the song of the Willow Warbler.

And today was that day, with an impressive 300 Willow Warblers trapped and ringed at Portland Bird Observatory.

So seeing and hearing several passing through the garden, this afternoon, along with a few Chiffchaffs was lovely to note.

One of the few Chiffchaffs which passed through the garden this afternoon.

And my first Willow Warbler of the year.

And another. All the Willow Warblers gave............

........the briefest of songs as they passed through the garden. Unfortunately I got the direction of this individual totally wrong, as it was feeding and singing in the Cherry Tree.

And here is one of the reasons why my blogs have been very few and far between, as I erect a new fence, build a set steps and create a hard standing for the Picnic Table and BBQ.