Moth catch on the up! Back from a top week in Cumbria, and enjoying the moth trap in this extremely hot weather… Best was this Tree-Lichen Beauty, a real scarcity around the West Country, I believe?

You really can’t beat a day (and night) out on the Dorset Heaths! Nightjars showed well, but it was nice to see an assortment of quality invertebrates….. Heath Tiger beetle, Heath and Mottled Bee-flys and one of the Jewel wasps, genus Hedychrum…

Having a bit of a ‘purple-patch’ at the moment, with this Toadflax Brocade in the trap this morning! 🤩

Dunno how scarce or rare the Clancy’s Rustic is these days, but definitely first for me away from Portland! Nice addition to the garden list…

With the latest heatwaves, it was obvious the moths were going to erupt, and so they have! Hard work getting up to check the trap at 5.00am especially after the England game, but some real goodies this morning. This male Four-spotted Footman was new for the garden…and pristine too!

Thought I’d nip out locally, before the real hot stuff arrived….and try out the Pheromones. Nice Orange-tailed Clearwing at the Water-meadows late morning….

Well, we thought we’d try for an early White-Admiral and/or a Silver-Washed Fritillary…..,and we got both…with three of each. A full 10 days earlier than last year! Shame the Fritillary wasn’t as accommodating as the Admiral though… 😁

Also, it was completely unexpected, but this Beautiful Golden Y was found on the cool-box, whilst travelling back from a Marvellous Moths Event in Sydney Gardens, Bath! Jammy or what!! 😁

Nice to find this Eyed Hawkmoth in the light trap this morning….so here it is warming up, and ready for take off…..

….but I guess this Silver-barred Sable was the pick of the bunch this week….?

….and some lovely moths, including….Puss moth, Ghost moth, White-Ermine and Figure of Eighty…..

…with a great selection of Butterfly species, including Glanville, Small Pearl-Bordered and Marsh Fritillary, plus stunning Duke of Burgundy!

Some real late stuff from the week just gone, as been so hectic visiting so many places…..so starting with this female Emperor Moth dispatching a Red Admiral at Ham Wall yesterday….

Sorry for poor record shot, but rushed to get the scope up….as our first ever Beaver appeared on the river bank opposite the living room window!

The little Vixen brought the cub out this morning! We thought she had cubs, and she came and showed off her single one…though she spends most of her time looking for it, as it’s very inquisitive and runs off a lot!

The little Vixen has got used to me (a bit) and is happy to relax in the garden in daylight now. I’m sure she’ll be bringing cubs out soon…. 🤞🏻 🦊

As well documented, the garden is a safe refuge for Badgers. Well, seems that the local Fox’s have decided it’ll be good for them too!

Still tough going out there this spring, but after 6 hours of roaming in the heat at Martin Down yesterday, I did manage to hear 1st Cuckoo this year, and saw some NFY butterflies, including these…Grizzled Skipper, Green-Hairstreak and lots of Small Copper..

….and it was great to see the first Orange-tips of the year in local patch, and Holly Blue in the garden today….

Disappointing overcast day spent on the Levels yesterday, but sunny Tuesday gave me opportunity to film short clip of this Dark-edged Bee-Fly on Goat willow…

Thought I’d rattle the peanut tin, to see how many badgers are around this spring, now that evenings are drawing out, and the bird feeders are packed away until October. Not disappointed, with seven coming in. Here’s some of them…..

Always nice to get a local ‘rare’ and the Night Heron, not 30 mins from my place was a real stunner! Saw it well this afternoon, and went back this evening, where re-found down by the riverbank. Good to see & catch-up with many local birders too…

So, after a day out yesterday, taking in the Great Bustards on Salisbury Plain, we went to Winterbourne Down, to view the Stone Curlews. Where have they gone…and why is there no fenced off area anymore? Viewpoint still there…but seems the RSPB have given up on maintenance/conservation at this site?

Though I was lucky enough to find my earliest ‘patch’ Sand Martin at Bathampton Mill yesterday, I couldn’t find any other migrants today above Bath…but it was great to find Green-Tiger Beetle, Lesser Bloody-nosed Beetle and both Dark-edged and Dotted Bee-flies at Browns-Folly..in the sun!

Anyone out there able to identify this egg, found yesterday whilst walking around the Forest at Stockhill in Somerset? Quite large, but what would be breeding at this time of year? 🤔

Excellent day in the New Forest on Friday, with highlights including Goshawk, Woodlark, Firecrest, Crossbill, and the star of the morning, this Lesser spot! Excuse the brief iPhone video…

Decided on a short walk, as wind abated (slightly)….and gave an opportunity for quick pic of the Obs as a shower moved through…. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social

Well, what a way to brighten up a dreary, wet and cool Sunday morning! Finally after a poor Autumn for moths in my garden…this beauty turned up… Merveille du Jour!

A really nice sunny autumn day visit to @slimbridge-wild.bsky.social yesterday. Expected three species of Egret, Spoonbill and two Glossy Ibis were good to see, though lots of noisy maintenance kept waders and wildfowl numbers low..however, even I managed a few record shots of this Bittern!

Nice to see a few good moths here on Portland, including this stunning Passenger!

….and with amazing influx of Glossy Ibis too, it was a pretty amazing day to be out in the late summer sunshine. Butterflies still out in numbers, with 8 species seen, including pristine Painted Lady….

Nice day out around the l levels, and Cheddar Reservoir yesterday. Nearly 100 Gt White Egrets, good numbers of Little and Cattle Egret too. Wood & Green Sandpiper, Greenshank & Hobby among the sightings. But, the hot summer certainly taken its toll on Cheddar Reservoir!

Enjoyable day at Slimbridge yesterday, with plenty waders to view from the comfort of hides, out of the breeze! 17 Cranes and 3 Spoonbills, plus lots of Ruff, Black-tailed Godwits and a couple Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Green-Sandpiper and flyover Yellow Wagtails…all distant unfortunately!

….and I found this Hornet Robberfly tucking into a small Dung beetle at Batheaston …which seems to be a very unusual sighting around here? @bathnature.bsky.social

Some very cool invertebrates seen around Tidworth and Shipton Bellinger yesterday…and though we couldn’t find any Silver-spotted Skippers, the Brown Hairstreaks showed well…. 3-4 females seen… Pics from me and members of @bathnature.bsky.social

Pretty quiet in the trap this morning….but a garden first for me! Small Mottled Willow….

Not forgetting two species of Robber-fly. Both always tricky to find, let alone get a pic…but today, was lucky on both counts… Hornet and Kite-tailed…. Birds well represented too. Wheatear, male Redstart and 13 + Spotted Flycatchers were notable!

Another wonderful, full day visit around Martin Down. Highlights were many, and included, Hunmingbird Hawkmoth, Silver-washed Fritillary, Adonis & Chalkhill blues..

…but seeing three Bedstraw Hawkmoths takes some beating. Here’s the best of the three…

Belter of a long weekend at the @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social with friends. Butterflies, moths, birds and great company! Adonis Blue, Painted Lady, Golden-twin spot and Beautiful Marbled for starters…..

Great and unexpected find by Jodie at @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social this morning. The Angular Orbweaver spider (Araneus angulatus). Not one for the Arachnophobists!

Arrived at @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social this afternoon, for the weekend AGM. Thought I’d post two of the moths I’d trapped at home first…. My second ever Gypsy moth, and the smart little micro,Ethmia quadrillella (Comfrey Ermine)….a first for me!

After a superb 8 hours in the heat of Martin Down yesterday, I came across this. We all know that Purple Emperors like feeding on all sorts of unpalatable things, but this is the first time I’ve seen Chalkhill Blues doing the same! Was up to 9 feeding on this fresh dog-poo on the path.

….and this lovely Poplar Hawkmoth too….

Been an excellent few days for garden moths. Numbers way up on last year, and good photo opportunities. Like these Elephant Hawkmoths……

What an excellent morning at Ravensroost Wood. Just one White-Admiral, amongst the flora and fauna, but it showed rather well!

What a magical place, the Dorset Heaths are. Loved the Nightjars last night, and the supporting daytime cast was just as impressive. Loads of Silver-studded Blues, Rose Chafers, Wood Tigers and interesting to find these Oblong-leaved Sundew plants too..

And of course, the butterfly species were well represented. Ones I could get pics of were, unexpectedly Silver-studded Blue, Dark-Green Fritillary, Small Copper and a hiding Blackneck moth!

A few excellent species to add to a wonderful butterfly list from Martin Down yesterday. This Tachinid fly is a parasite of the Hairy or Sloe Shieldbug. Think I’m correct, but not a lot of info out there?

Just throwing this out there too…. I catch plenty Caddis and Stoneflies,but this Caddis seems to be Notidibia ciliaris, and I can’t find much info on it? Any ideas out there, guys?