Sep 242024
24th September 2024 – After a fine lunch at nearby Willington Marina, we decide to head back home via Foremark Reservoir. Upon arrival (14:10) I set up the scope from the dam wall end and began scanning, I quickly picked up (14:15 approx) 2 Black-headed Gulls and a third gull obviously smaller, with a dark blackish grey hood, which was beginning to moult around the forehead and a dark grey mantle and upper wing with black primaries. Wondering what this was, and I obviously knew it was something good, it jumped off the water and spread its wings. The expletive that followed was one of amazement, an adult Sabine’s Gull. I couldn’t contain myself. Racing back to the car to tell the “boss” of my find, grabbing bins and racing back to the scope. It took me a while to relocate it. Where were my Swaro’s when I needed them!!
I immediately put it out on the local social media and Whats App groups and onto Rare Bird Alert. A new species for Foremark and I think its about the eighth record for Derbyshire. When the bird was in flight it was simply stunning, showing off the classic tricoloured, triangle patterned wing, of black, white and grey. I only had my mobile phone so below is a handheld record photo and video clip taken through my telescope. Chuffed to Monkeys. Also on the reservoir were 30 Goosander and 5 Little Egrets of note.
Sep 112024
I ran my 20w actinic moth trap from my garden in south Derbyshire overnight on 9th September – results as follows: Flounce Rustic 1; Setaceous Hebrew Character 3; Lesser Yellow Underwing 3; Large Yellow Underwing 5; Epiphyas postvittana (Light-brown Apple Moth) 1:
Sep 072024
My very first Scilly Pelagic took place during 15th -19th August 2024. John and I attended five pelagics, all very well organised by Scilly Pelagics (https://www.scillypelagics.com/). During the trips we saw 41 Wilson’s Petrel; 145 European Storm Petrel; 147 Cory’s Shearwater; 489 Great Shearwater; 20 Sooty Shearwater; 5,300 Manx Shearwater; 8 Bonxie; 1 2cy SOUTH POLAR SKUA; 3 Arctic Skua; 1 Pomarine Skua; 3 Mediterranean Gull; 1 Kittiwake; 1 Common Gull; present Herring Gull; Lesser Black-backed Gull; Great Black-backed Gull; Fulmar; 19 Arctic Tern; c20 Whimbrel; c700 SB Common Dolphin; 1 Risso’s Dolphin; 5 Fin Whale (inc i calf); 1 Minkie Whale; 12 Bluefin Tuna; 2 Blue Shark; 2 Sun Fish. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a photograph of the South Polar Skua, but others did, and it was well watched and photographed. Many thanks to Bob Flood and Joe Pender for a fabulous few days at sea and for the South Polar Skua, a new British bird for me. If you want to see seabirds up close and personal, get yourself on a Scilly Pelagic, simple.
Aug 112024
I ran my 20W Actinic Moth trap from my garden, overnight on 19th July – Results as follows – Scarce Silver-lines (1); Uncertain (3); Riband Wave (6); Marbled Beauty (6); Chinese Character (1); Common Footman (4); Scarce Footman (1); Dingy Footman (3); Willow Beauty (1); Least Carpet (1); Common Carpet (3); Yellow Shell (1); Dark Arches (1); Heart & Dart (1); Large Yellow Underwing (3); Lesser Yellow Underwing (1); Snout (2); Cydalima perspectalis (Box-tree Moth) (1); Chrysoteuchia culmella (Garden Grass-moth (16); Hofmannophila pseudospritella (Brown House Moth) (2); Crambus pascuella (White-banded Grass-moth (4); Acentria ephemerella (Water Veneer) (21); Yponomeuta agg (Orchard/Apple/Spindle) (27); Yponomeuta rorrella (Willow Ermine) (5); Acleris notana/ferrugana (1); Spilonota ocellana (Bud Moth) (1); Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back Moth) (4); Anania coronata (Elder Pearl) (1); Ditula angustiorana (Red-barred Tortrix) (1); Cydia pomonella (Codling Moth) (1); Scoparia ambigualis (Common Grey) (1); Aphomia sociella (Bee Moth) (1); Cnephasia sp (1); Bryotropha affinis (Dark Moss Moth) (2); Lyonetia clerkella (Apple Leaf-miner) (1); Ancylis achatana (Hedge Hook-wing) (1); Grapholita janthinana (Hawthorn Piercer)(1). 132/37 species.
Aug 112024
I ran my 20W Actinic Moth Trap from my garden, overnight on 16th July, the results as follows – Silver Y (1); Common Footman (3); Buff Ermine (1); Uncertain agg (9); Uncertain (1); Heart & Dart (1); Riband Wave (1); Common Rustic agg (2); Dark Arches (2); Spectacle (1); Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back Moth (3); Crambus pascuella (White-banded Grass-moth) (3); Yponomeuta agg (Orchard/Apple/Spindle) (1); Chrysoteuchia culmella (Garden Grass-moth) (1); Ancylis achatana (Hedge Hook-wing) (1); Celypha striana (Barred Marble) (1). 32/16 species.
Aug 112024
I ran my 20W Actinic Moth Trap from my garden, overnight on 7th July 2024 – Results as follows – Scalloped Oak (3); Brimstone Moth (2); Buff Ermine (1); Uncertain/Rustic agg (4); Elephant Hawk-moth (2); Pine Hawk-moth (1); Spectacle (1); Willow Beauty (2); Scarce Footman (1); Common Footman (1); Dingy Footman (1); Heart & Dart (1); Heart & Club (1); Short-cloaked Moth (1); Cydalima perspectalis (Box-tree Moth ) (1); Chrysoteuchia culmella (Garden Grass-moth) (1); Borkhausenia fuscescens (Dingy Concealer) (1); Crambus pascuella (White-banded Grass-moth) (2); Eudonia lacustrata (Tawny Grey) (1). 26/19 species.
Aug 112024
I ran my 20W Actinic Moth Trap from my garden, overnight on 25th June 2024 – Results as follows – Box-tree Moth (4); Brimstone Moth (1); Short-cloaked Moth (1); Riband Wave (10 inc 3 f. aversata); Poplar Hawk-moth (1); Uncertain (5); Buff Ermine (1 male); Willow Beauty (2); Heart & Dart (3); The Snout (1); Common Rustic agg (1); Yellow-tail (1); Small Dusty Wave (2); Garden Carpet (1); Common Emerald (1); Scalloped Oak (1); Heart & Club (1) NFG, Lifer; Common White Wave (1); Common Pug (1); Large Yellow Underwing (1) ; Evergestis forficalis (Garden Pebble) (1); Chrysoteuchia culmella (Garden Grass-moth) (2); Acentria ephemerella (Water Veneer) (2); Scoparia ambigualis (Common Grey) (3); Plutella Xylostella (Diamond-back Moth) (2); Elophila nymphaeata (Brown China-mark) (1); Acleris schalleriana (Verburnum Tortrix) (1) NFG, Lifer; Tineola bisselliella (Common Clothes Moth) (1) NFG, Lifer; Lozotaenia forsterana (Large Ivy Tortrix) (1); Ancylis achatana (Hedge Hook-wing) (2); Crambus pascuella (White-banded Grass-moth) (1); Agapeta hamana (Garden Straw) (1); Eudonia mercurella (Garden Grey) (2); Udea olivalis (Garden Pearl) (1); Notocelia uddmanniana (Bramble Shoot Moth) (1); Ephestia woodiella (Blushed Knot-horn) (1); Monopsis crocicapitella (Pale-backed Detritus Moth) (1) NFG, Lifer; Dichomeris marginella (Juniper Webber) (1); Ditula angustiorana (Red-barred Tortrix) (1); Aphomia sociella (Bee Moth) (2); Coleophora sp (possibly gryphipennella) (Rose Case-bearer) (1). 69/41species
Aug 102024
I ran my 20W Actinic Moth Trap from my garden overnight on 22nd June 2024 – Results as follows – Swallowtail Moth (1) Bright-line Brown-eyes (1); Willow Beauty (2); Heart & Dart (2); Dark Arches (1); Buff Ermine (1); Riband Wave (1); Uncertain (1); Aphomia sociella (Bee Moth) (4); Pyralis farinalis (Meal Moth) (1); Eudonia lacustrata (Tawny Grey) (1); Cydalima perspectalis (Box-tree Moth) (1); Chrysoteuchia culmella (Garden Grass-moth) (1); Celypha striana (Barred Marble) (1); Crambus pascuella (White-banded Grass-moth) (1); Bryotropha domestica (House Moss Moth) (1); Hedya pruniana (Plum Tortrix) (1). 22/17 species.
Aug 102024
I ran my 20W Actinic Moth Trap from my garden, overnight on 3rd June, the results, in no particular order, are as follows – Lime Hawk-moth (1); Sallow Kitten (1); Heart & Dart (1); Setaceous Hebrew Character (1); Large Yellow Underwing (1); Marbled Minor agg (3); Freyer’s Pug (2); Light Emerald (1); Riband Wave (1); Anania hortulata (Small Magpie) (1); Bryotropha affinis (Dark Moss Moth) (3); Bryotropha domestica (House Moss Moth (1); Aphomia sociella (Bee Moth) (1); Crambus lathoniellus (Meadow Grass-moth) (1); Coleophora trifolli ( Melilot Case-bearer) (1) NFG. 20/15 species
