A bit wild out there tonight, but this very early (and NFG) Cabbage Moth has made it worth the effort of anchoring the trap with multiple bungees! 😄 #TeamMoth

Yay! A migrant! Despite big drop in temp, not as dreadful as I thought it would be, with 31/8 including one NFG Diamond-back and a surprising 9 Streamer. Axminster VC3. #TeamMoth

Thought 43/19 was a decent haul until I scrolled today's #TeamMoth output! This bit of East Devon evidently a migrant moth no-fly zone right now...🙄 Still, 4 NFG included a nice Powdered Quaker, 3 Scorched Carpet, Leek Moth and Common Pug. On 52 for year, 78 for garden. Axminster VC9.

7 NFG among a pleasing 40/17 this morning included a lifer Grey Birch. First decent showing of micros too. Best (15 Devon records) a poss Pale Maple Stilt, but not sure if can be ID'd 100% without gen. det. A good night. 😎 Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

Pick of this morning's 21/10 was this NFG Lunar Marbled Brown. Only ever caught three in the Bridport garden. Another Shoulder Stripe and 4 Streamer were nice too. 😎 Axminster VC9. #TeamMoth

21/10 in Axminster VC3 last night, including 2 NFG Nut-tree Tussock, this one pulled in by the porch light. Also 4 Streamer, 2 Shoulder Stripe and a Spindle Moth. Happy with that. 😎

Warning! No birds at all in this one... #TeamMoth

Apart from a small influx of Streamers, best of 18/8 was this NFG Oak-tree Pug. Foiled my photography plans, so here's last night's pot shot. I think this brings the 2026 garden total to 37 spp. Axminster VC3. #TeamMoth

Streamer-tastic night, with 8 of the little beauties, mostly on fence and walls close to trap. Almost all looking very fresh too. I think they like to rest head-down. 😄 Axminster VC3. #TeamMoth

Worth putting the trap out tonight, even if it's just for this pristine NFG Water Carpet. Only ever caught one in Bridport, at the end of last April. 😎 Axminster VC9 #TeamMoth

Well, that was a first. The 885 from Axminster to Seaton this afternoon for a bit of bus pass birding. 😄

14 Chiffs and 6 Blackcaps in a ten mile circuit from home felt like slim pickings, but nice reward at the end: my first Axminster Cetti's Warbler near the football ground. 😎 #DevonBirds

From zero in Bridport to 5 a night in Axminster. Turns out Shoulder Stripe is quite common here, and made up a quarter of last night's moth tally. No complaints from me. 😎 Axminster VC3. #TeamMoth

Along with last night's lovely Streamer, this Brindled Beauty in the trap contributed to 10/7 and was also new for the garden. Spring regulars gradually falling. Axminster VC3. #TeamMoth

Popped outside to check the actinic porch light, and a fluttering moth went straight up the sleeve of my fleece! Turned out to be this gorgeous Streamer, new for the Axminster garden and only my 2nd or 3rd ever I think. 😎 #TeamMoth

Trap not out till 9pm, and with a crystal clear sky I wondered whether it was worth the trouble. But when the modest 8/6 this morning included my 2nd Shoulder Stripe and a lovely Brindled Pug I was very glad I bothered. 😎 Axminster VC3. #TeamMoth

Common sense said 'Don't be silly' as I put the trap out last night. Still, 3 HCs braved the chill. Best/worst of all, I fluffed potting what I'm 99% sure was a Shoulder Stripe by the porch light just after dark. Which is incentive enough to ignore common sense tonight as well. 😏 #TeamMoth

Onwards and upwards... #DevonBirds #TeamMoth

A surprising 45/15 last night, including Brindled Pug NFG and Angle Shades cat. Don't recall getting anything like these early-March numbers in Bridport. Hopefully bodes well for this tiny Axminster garden. VC3 #TeamMoth

You know those really smart moths you always see in other people's Bluesky posts, but never in your trap? The ones that come to make up your 'most wanted' list? Well, tonight's drizzle has produced one of mine... Shoulder Stripe 😎 #TeamMoth

Some pretty cool late-afternoon gulling on the Axe included a handful of super-dark intermedius LBB Gulls, as well as 2w and 3w Yellow-legged Gulls (2w pictured). #DevonBirds

Second Oak Beauty of the year, this one pristine. Highlight of last night's 9/7. A simply stunning moth. 😍 Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

A taste of early spring. 😎 #TeamMoth

Was more than a bit breezy last night, so I'm not going to grumble about the moth tally of two. Common Quaker in the trap, plus NFG Early Grey tucked into the lee of the outside socket! 😁 Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

Nice walk from Axmouth Harbour to Beer Head and back made nicer still by this Black Redstart at Seaton Hole. 😊 #DevonBirds

The mothometer needle twitches a little... #TeamMoth

Two Buffs and a Brown added to the Axminster garden list recently: Common Brindled Brown...probably (strictly speaking, A. heracliana agg.) has turned up a few times now, but Coastal Buff (A. yeatiana) and Red-eyed Buff (A. ocellana) both new last night. VC3 #TeamMoth

Tawny Pinion. A chip off the ol' fence panel. 😎 #TeamMoth

Already there is excitement tonight! Only ever caught a single Tawny Pinion in the Bridport garden, and it seems to be one of those '15-20 records a year' species in Devon. Nice. 😎 Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

Walking the beach E of Axmouth Harbour this afternoon, could be forgiven for thinking spring was here. Few birds, but much solitude...☺️

With just 26 Devon records to end of 2025, this Pale Birch Tortrix is the pick of last night's seven moths. Assuming I've got the ID correct of course...😏 Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

Back again… northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2026/02/nd-r...

Rolling back the years... #UKBirding

Probably struggled with this dark-mantled LWHG more than I should have, but couldn't come to a confident, unequivocal ID. Interesting, whatever it is. Much easier were 28 Cattle Egrets and 9 Avocets - unequivocally largest flocks I've seen of either on the Axe! #DevonBirds

High ISO fuzziness in the late pm gloom, but even so, this leucistic 1w BHG looks pretty amazing. River Axe at Axmouth. #DevonBirds

Just got home from evening out to find 20W actinic porch light has pulled in two moths! Varied Tortrix best, plus Winter Moth. So, naturally the trap deployed immediately. Suspect I know how that's going to go, but you've got to try... #TeamMoth

9 miles today (Axminster/Kilmington) brought the #FootIt list to 54. GBBG was unexpected, but other highlights were 2 Song Thrushes in full song within 100m of home, and at least one uncooperative Sibe Chiff at Kilmington WTW with a conservative estimate of 60+ collybita. 😎 #DevonBirds

A 5-mile walk around the Axmouth lanes produced my first Fieldfares of 2026 plus 4 lovely Bramblings, including this smart male. Satisfying stuff...😎 #DevonBirds

Last light Larids, and other stories... #DevonBirds

Amazing number of gulls coming down the Axe valley in the last half hour or so before dark. Main prize was this 1w Caspian Gull which flew past the Seaton Wetlands Tower Hide around 16:30 and conveniently landed across the river. 😎 Barely enough light for the P950 to focus! Also 10 Meds. #DevonBirds

Added a couple more to my 'Naff Pics of Firecrest 2026' list this afternoon, when this little beauty popped up for a few seconds at Branscombe late this afternoon. Photos of 10+ distant Common Dolphins W were even worse. #DevonBirds

Despite unfulfilled expectations, a lovely local day out... #DevonBirds

A long, circuitous walk from Seaton seafront to Colyford and back today. Rewards included this lovely Sibe Chiff at Colyton WTW. I never tire of these subtle gems. 😎 #DevonBirds

There are plans afoot... #DevonBirding

And so it begins... #DevonBirds

Out the front door, then almost 5 hrs investigating footpaths and habitat mainly on W side of Axminster. Pleasantly surprised at potential. Among 42 spp recorded were a few not particularly expected, like Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, etc... It's a start. #FootIt #DevonBirds

Always look at gulls! 😄

Studies in greige... #DevonBirds

One of two Siberian Chiffchaffs at Colyton WTW this afternoon. Impossible to count in any meaningful way, but wouldn't surprise me if there were 100+ Chiffs present here. Quite a captivating sight. 😎 #DevonBirds

Keeping it simple... #DevonBirds