Monday 26th May 2008

Bright, NE 5>6

Another very blustery visit to Cortonwood. Very surprised to see anything, let alone photograph anything.


Epiblema sticticana


Burnet sp

The above is either Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet or 6-spot Burnet. Very difficult to id in the larval stage, but very easy in the adult stage.


Blotch Mine on Oak

Another unidentified species. You can see the Larva in the top left of the mine. Not even sure whether it`s Lepidoptera or Diptera.

Nothing back at home, not even a photograph. Guess you`ve seen enough Woodpigeon & Starling pics to last a lifetime.

Moth year list - 67 ( Epiblema sticticana )

Heavy rain forecast for tomorrow. Suppose we had our summer spell during the last couple of weeks.

Holiday Countdown - 12 Sleeps

Sunday 25th May 2008

Hazy Sunshine, Clouding over, E/NE 5>6

Far too windy for my liking today, but i still managed a few pics ;

Cortonwood ;


Small Coppper


Fly sp


Sainfoin


Ragged Robin


Smooth Sow-thistle

My Garden ;


Woodpigeon


Starling


House Sparrow

Saturday 24th May 2008

High Cloud, Sunny Spells, E/NE 4>5

Had a walk round Cortonwood early doors, but not much to report. Although, i did kick up 2 micro-moths, both of which were firsts of the year ;


Aethes smeathmanniana ( big name, small moth )


Crambus lathoniellus

Then, a visit to the Gypsy Marsh/Knollbeck area, during a sunny spell produced these ;


Four-spotted Chaser ( 1 of about 6 seen )


Yellow Flag

Back at home, it was the usual birds, but then this Jackdaw came down to feed. It did`nt stay long, but long enough to get a shot ;



Moth year list - 66

Just 14 sleeps now, to a week in East Lothian. CAN`T WAIT

Friday 23rd May 2008

Low Cloud, E 3

Set the moth trap up last night, only to find that the bulb had cracked. So that`s night mothing off the agenda for a while. Will have to resort to finding species during daylight hours, by whatever means.

Woke up early this morning, to the sound of squawking young Starlings. There were a handful around the garden, but the light was`nt at its best ;





While photographing the above, my first garden Whitethroat of the year was scratching ( singing ) away, along the back hedge.

Talking of finding moths by whatever means. I had 3 year ticks at Cortonwood mid-morning : Platyptilia gonodactyla, Timothy Tortrix & Silver-ground Carpet. Despite the cloudy conditions, there were quite a few other inverts around, and the best of the birds, were singles of Cuckoo & Great Spotted Woodpecker.


Silver-ground Carpet


Dingy Skipper


Azure Damselfly

Back at home, the light was slightly better than this morning. So, i had another go at the young Starlings ;


( after Leatherjackets already )



Late afternoon, went to visit my parents at Rawmarsh, so i had a look around the Stubbin area. The only notables were a couple of butterflies : 2 Small Heath ( my first of the year ) & a single Common Blue.


Small Heath

Year Lists ;
Garden ( birds ) - 70
Moths - 64
Butterflies - 14

Thursday 22nd May 2008

Sunshine & Patchy Cloud, SE 2>3

Just 3 moths in the trap this morning : White Ermine, Lychnis & Spectacle. The last 2 being firsts of the year ;


Spectacle

A visit to Cortonwood produced my 2nd ever patch Little Grebe, with a single bird on Morrisons Pond.
Found a Geometrid ( moth ) larva, but i`ve not a clue what species it is. So it came home with me for rearing through. It`s feeding on Flowering Currant, which i have ample supply of, at home ;




Dog Rose

There`s been a Temmincks Stint for the last 2 days, at the Old Moor. So, with it being on the doorstep, i thought i`d better go and have a look.
A cracking little wader, that was feeding along the shoreline of the closest island to the Wader Scrape hide. Trouble was, it was`nt close enough for my camera.
Also saw my first Common Blue butterfly of the year.

Nothing new from the garden, with the same old species, feeding ;


Blackbird


female House Spug

Year Lists ;
Moths - 61 ( Lychnis, Spectacle )
Butterflies - 13 ( Common Blue )
Cortonwood - 93 ( Little Grebe )
Dearne Valley - 119 ( Temmincks Stint )

Wednesday 21st May 2008

Sunshine & Patchy Cloud, SE 2>3

Just invert activity to report from Cortonwood. A couple of Blue-tailed Damselflies, were my first of the year. They refused to be photographed, but these did`nt ;


Yellow-tail ( moth ) larva


Scorpion Fly


Solitary Bee sp

A slightly warmer night in store, so i`ll see what moths it brings.

Tuesday 20th May 2008

Sunshine & Patchy Cloud, E 1 > 2

A female Broad-bodied Chaser at Cortonwood this morning, was my first of the year, but that was about it. Probably one of the easiest Odanata`s to photograph, because they usually return to the same spot, after being disturbed ;





Lots of too`ing & fro`ing from the birds in my garden. All the usual species : 2 Stock Dove, Woodpigeons, Blackbirds, Starlings, House Sparrows & Goldfinch. Judging by the amount of activity, all must be feeding young.


Blackbird


Starling


male House Spuggy

These recent cold nights have put the kibosh on any moth trapping. Roll on some warm ones.