1st Moth Evening at Nether Kellet (VC60) 30th July 2016

I took my 30W Actinic Light to our holiday home at Hawthorns Park and I spent an enjoyable few hours watching the following moths come to the light. The moths started to arrive at approximately 9:30 pm which is very early compare with home. This was my first experience of mothing under dark skies with very little light pollution.

Large Yellow Underwing 3
Blastobasis Adustella 1
Small Emerald 1
Common Carpet 1
Riband Wave (Banded) 1
Marbled Minor agg 1
White-shouldered House Moth 1
Clepsis Consimilana 1
Herald 1
July Highflyer 1
Muslin Footman 1
Honeysuckle Moth 1

The July Highflyer and Muslin Footman were lifers for me.

Muslin Footman

Herald

July Highflyer

Foulshaw Moss 30th July 2016

First visit to this Cumbria Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve and I will be returning after been impressed by the wildlife present in such as fragile habitat. The day was unfortunately bit a on the cool side, so not very many butterflies were flying about. We watched two Ospreys take to the skies around the reserve.

Giant Tachnid Fly

Black Darter

Common Lizard

Common Darter

Common Blue Damselfly

Speckled Wood Butterfly

Giant Tachnid Fly

Weekend in Lancashire 18th to 20th June

At our holiday home at Hawthorns in Lancashire we had a pleasant surprise with a family of Tree Sparrows visiting our bird feeders.

Despite the wet weather the birds were visiting constantly.

Leighton Moss Visit - 18th June 2016

At the public hide, a Great Crested Grebe was fishing just in front of the hide. A large fish was caught and now it had to be swallowed.

Leighton Moss Visit - 18th June 2016

Views from the Skytower Hide.

Birds seen around the feeder station, included Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, Robin and Bullfinch.

Leighton Moss Visit - 18th June 2016

We spent a few hours walking around RSPB Leighton Moss and it have been several years since our last visit. There has been a tremendous amount of work done on the reserve, especially the hides and there was a good selection of birds visible.

Lilian Hide had 100+ Black-tailed Godwit in breeding colours and the Marsh Harriers were flying over the reedbeds. Grey Heron, Gadwall and Mallard were also in front of the hide.

Garden Moth Update - 16th June 2016

Week 16 of the Garden Moth Scheme, recorded on the Thursday rather than the usual Friday night.

Brimstone 1
Buff Ermine 1
Scalloped Hazel 2
Double Square-Spot 1
Diamond-back Moth 2
Mottled Pug 1
Garden Carpet 1