Far too cold last night, hence very few moths. This male Gem worth a mention though. The garden this morning produced Firecrest, Blackcap and Coal Tit, plus a hefty passage of Wood Pigeon.

I've just been to the shoreline copse at Moonfleet. There is a Yellow-browed sp in there, flitting around in the canopy with 2 Goldcrest. Completely silent though, so I cannot be sure it's the Hume's. Seems likely though! Absolutely no phone signal down there.

I released the Crimson Speckled into the garden this morning. It sat here for a while, but has now gone. Has to be my highlight of the year! Garden macro No 475. I won't live long enough to make 500!

Just to clarify the Hume's Warbler on the Fleet: I picked it up on call this morning and saw it several times. It was on private land sadly. I spoke to the owner who would not entertain visitors, hence my radio silence on this. I put it on Birdtrack, so I guess news leaked from there?

For 30 years there has been one species firmly at the top of my hit-list: Crimson Speckled. 30 years ago they had an almost mythical status, now more regular of course. So I was beyond elated to find this in one of the traps this morning!!! @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

I almost overlooked this amongst all the Light Brown Apple Moth in the traps today, it's Acleris hastiana, a form I've never seen before. Two Radford's FS may have been migrants, I've not had any here for ages. Adult Yellow-legged Gull at Silverlake this morning with an open wing shot.

The usual suspects in the trap, but most of the interest was in late dates. Garden Carpet and Dark Arches not overly unusual, but Small Dusty Wave is crazy late. I'm assuming there aren't any closely allied European counterparts, but will check!

A few from today: A Common Backswimmer found dead by one of the moth traps, presumably attracted in overnight. Pretty certain I've never had one to light here before. A small Common Footman larva on a wall near one of the traps and a nicely marked Epirrita sp from one of the traps.

Delighted to find a Hedgehog in the garden tonight, loitering around one of the moth traps! First one I've seen for ages. Rodden Hive this morning produced an impressive fishing flock of 50 Cormorant, quite the spectacle. Also 2 Marsh Harrier, 17 Shoveler, 4 Reed Bunting, Kingfisher and 105 Lapwing

Ring-necked Parakeet just flown over my Weymouth garden. Still a rare bird in this part of the world!

Weymouth: 34sp in the garden, 1 more than yesterday! Best were Vestal, 6 Palpita, 3 Oak Rustic, Blair’s Mocha, Rush Veneer, 2 Merveille du Jour, 6 Red-green Carpet, 4 Feathered Thorn, Barred Sallow, late Box Moth and Shuttle-shaped Dart. Mallow and December Moth were nfy. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

A remarkable 33 species (plus a Red Admiral) from the garden traps last night. Gem, Golden Twin-spot, Palpita vitrealis, 2 Blair's Mocha, Rush Veneer the highlights. Also a late Blood-vein. Photos of the Gem plus the diminutive Cosmopterix pulchrimella and Tuta absoluta. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Well, I went out into the garden at 3am and 6am hoping that Crimson Speckled would be falling out of the sky like confetti. Sadly not to be! 😆. It was just much too windy. A few moths in the traps, Oak Rustic and White-speck worth a mention. Another late record in the form of this Brimstone.

Corizus hyoscyami on the house wall by one of the moth traps. I've had this species quite often in the garden, but never to light before. Such an exotic looking Bug. Little to report from the traps so far, I've only seen an Oak Rustic, but it's windier than last night. Maybe dropping off a bit now 🤞

Weymouth: Best from the two traps were a tatty Cosmopolitan and a rather immaculate Golden Twin-spot. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Weymouth: Just potted a Cosmopolitan off one of the traps. It's a start...... @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

The most unusual moth from the trap today was an exceptionally late Mottled Rustic! At Silverlake, the 2 Pink-feet flew in mid morning, a quick photo taken before they went to sleep again. Also, a photo of part of the flock with one of the two YLHG present today. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

At least a dozen Common Darter on the wing at Silverlake including several pairs egg-laying. Frustrating brief views of a Dragonfly with a blue base to the abdomen. Failed to find it again despite much searching. More scorching views of the Pink-feet though!

The 2 Pink-feet still at Silverlake this morning and still asleep! Just a few yards away from where they were yesterday. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Here are the Pink-feet when I found them this morning! Even though they were asleep I could still see the darker heads. They did eventually wake up and go for a swim. A surprising 14 sp in the moth trap, best were Oak Rustic, White-speck, Red-green Carpet and Barred Sallow.

Just relocated the 2 Pink-feet at Silverlake. They're asleep on the mud at: masses.building.describe (W3W). @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Rarity value of a bird is very much related to its location. Two Spoonbills in Poole Harbour would barely be worth a mention, two at Silverlake are quite gripping! Only one previous record that I'm aware of. As soon as the sun came out, they livened up and flew off south. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

2 Spoonbill at Silverlake. East Lake with the Gull flock. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

More moths than I expected given the wild weather overnight. The oddest of them all though, was this Kent Black Arches. Extremely late date, but 2nd gen examples are not unprecedented in Dorset.

Best from Rodden Hive was a flyover Woodlark which headed off NE, calling as it went. I'm pretty sure this might be my first ever record from the Fleet. The 4 Barnacle Geese are still present. Best from the trap was the first Red-green Carpet of the autumn.

Not many birds on my walk this morning, but the scenery made up for it. A few Skylarks and Mipits moving NW. The toilets in Abbotsbury Beach car park always worth a look, but today just a Feathered Thorn, plus this very dark Cream-spot Tiger larva, which I rescued from getting trodden on.

A nice find on the fence by one of the moth traps, Oedemera femoralis, a False Blister Beetle. Pretty damn rare in these parts it would seem, although inevitably these things are under recorded.

Moth trap very quiet so I decided to photograph this very smart Diamond-back. Best at Silverlake were 9 juvenile Goosander on West Lake. At least one Migrant Hawker and 10+ Common Darter on the wing. Photos of a very dull individual and one I rescued from the water! Still pairs egg-laying.

Best from Rodden Hive were these 4 Barnacle Geese, provenance unknown of course. Otherwise, Peregrine and Kingfisher there plus good numbers of Wigeon now in. Single Cattle Egret and Marsh Harrier just outside the village. Best from a very quiet moth trap was this White-speck.

Little to report from Silverlake bar two juvenile Goosander on West Lake. Not often a Meadow Pipit sits in view for long enough to get the camera out! For once, no moth trapping last night, too cold and windy.

Acleris umbrana from last night, another once-rare species that is now regular here. Also, this Common Plume had its photo taken. At least 6 Common Darter still on the wing on Warmwell Heath plus Woodlark, Redpoll etc overhead. A quick look for Nail Fungus drew a blank. PS, don't Google Nail Fungus!

The moth trap still rather underwhelming, but both Oak Rustic and Large Wainscot were new-for-year. I get quite a few Oak Rustic here, but bizarrely never the orange-spotted form, always white. A beautiful still morning at Osmington Mills, but no payoff for the miles walked.

Out for a walk with Annie around Weymouth this afternoon, and found this Arctic Tern patrolling up and down Weymouth Harbour. Bad photos in pouring rain! Also, Little Egret in Newtons Cove and a humble Heart & Dart from the trap today. Mainly worth a mention as it's an unusual 3rd gen individual.

I picked up 2 Pink-feet flying into Silverlake earlier, but they landed out of view. I've just trudged round to the northern path, and they're showing well. 2 adults. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

@markgolley.bsky.social Found it Mark!

Highlight from Silverlake was finding hundreds of these Ivy Bee burrows. Far more than shown in the 1st photo. Otherwise ad YLHG, Jack Snipe, 2 Snipe, 500+ Med Gull, 90+ Lapwing, 30+ GBBGull, Common Sand, GWE. The Jack Snipe landed about 20 feet away in full view for a few seconds before flying off

Last few from the Azores: American Wigeon, Azorean Gull, Azores Chaffinch and some stunning Convolvulus. I genuinely didn't know before I went that the Chaffinch had been split (I'm no lister!) Dodgy photo, but they are very elusive and sound nothing like a Chaffinch!

Woodlark over Osmington Mills, calling as it went. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

The only real oddity in the traps was this 2nd gen Yellow-tail in full tumescent mode! First Merveille du Jour of the year. This will be the first and last photo of them! Otherwise Grey Pine Carpet, Sallow, Chestnut, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Feathered Ranunculus and Acleris sparsana best-of-rest.

Found this larva on the Beech hedge at the top of the garden this evening. Fascinating to watch. I realised it had spun together two leaves, and when I disturbed it, it quickly hit reverse gear and went back into it's leafy tunnel! It appears to be Diurnea fagella, not one I've ever seen before.

I've just installed a resident moth trap at my inland survey site, which is on a disused Trout Farm. Inaugural trapping last night produced 20sp including Clifden Nonpareil, Radford's Flame Shoulder, 66 White-point!!!, Merveille du Jour, Scarce Bordered Straw, 2 Delicate, Vestal, Barred Sallow etc

Highlight from Moonfleet this morning was this Glossy Ibis which circled overhead before heading down the Fleet. Also, decent views of this Kingfisher, a male Merlin and a single Grey Plover. Hundreds of Brents back now. @birdguides.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A Great White Egret flew straight through Rodden Hive this morning. Actually a pucker rarity there, I think its only my 2nd record! Also 2 Red Kite, a Barwit and a single, very vocal Fieldfare heading north, my first of the autumn.

Azores again: Canary, Hymenia recurvalis, Hypena lividalis (Chevron Snout) and Red Rock Crab.

A couple of posts from the Azores: Common Dolphin, Great-tailed Grackle, Sei Whale and Spotted Dolphin (one of ~200)

Rather surprised to see 3 Bats flying around in the middle of the day here on the Azores. A quick bit of research, and it seems they must be Azores Noctule. Day-flying is a feature of this species, thought to have developed as they have no predators. The only endemic mammal here.

Jaw-dropping street art in Ponta Delgada.

Doing the tourist bit at Sete Citades today and delighted to find an endemic! 3 São Miguel Goldcrest (R.r. azoricus) in the lakeside trees. Call more piercing than our Goldcrest, a bit more Firecrest like. Also found a drake Ring-necked Duck, no idea if it has been seen previously?

Azores is quite stunning. Grackle aside, I've also seen American Wigeon, Spoonbill, 15+ Waxbills, Azorean ssp of Chaffinch, Grey Wag and Large White. Highlights today were 6 Sei Whale and 200 Spotted Dolphin. Lots of Cory's and Azorean Gulls. Several Grass Webworm flushed underfoot yesterday.