The Bald Birder

22 Jan 2012 - Farmoor Res, Oxon

2012-01-22T20:08:00.002Z

A quick late afternoon trip to Farmoor Reservoir F2 produced great views of the Grey Phalarope in the fading light. Nice.

Grey Phalarope

25 November 2011 - Warburg Reserve, Oxon

2011-11-25T22:31:00.000Z

Had a great few hours catch this evening thanks to a trip to the Warburg Reserve. 12+ Plumed Prominents and 50+ December Moths being the highlights...

Plumed Prominent

Plumed Prominent - now that's a plume....

Plumed Prominent - or two!

Plumed Prominent

15 Oct 2011 - Warham Greens, Norfolk

2011-10-15T22:17:00.000+01:00

With news of a Rufous-tailed Robin the evening before, and with J Clements still in China, I had to go for the twitch. A pleasant evening spent in Wells-next-the-Sea ended up being the highlight of the trip.

Here's a couple of pictures of the morning after the night before

14 Oct 2011 - Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxon

2011-10-14T22:14:00.000+01:00

A wee bit of small mammal trapping resulted in a trapped small mammal...

Field Mouse

Field Mouse being weighed

11 Oct 2011 - Little Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-10-11T22:08:00.000+01:00

A few hours at Little Whittenham Wood resulted in a nice Mallow, a Brick - and not much else of anything.

Mallow

Brick

5 October 2011 - Little Whittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-10-05T21:52:00.000+01:00

A evening visit to Little Whittenham Wood produced one of my all-time most wanted moths; Merveille du Jour - fantastic beasts!

Merveille du Jour

Red-line Quaker

Green-brindled Crescent

Sallow

Barred Sallow

4 Oct 2011 - Back Garden, Didcot, Oxon

2011-10-04T22:04:00.000+01:00

An interesting brown Pale Mottled Willow was nearly the overnight highlight:

Pale Mottled Willow

Large Ranunculus

2 October 2011 - Little Whittenham Wood

2011-10-02T21:47:00.001+01:00

A quick trip out to Little Whittenham Wood produced an interesting second generation Lilac Beauty.

Lilac Beauty

Frosted Orange

1 October 2011 - Bagley Wood, Oxford

2011-10-01T21:33:00.000+01:00

A visit to some woods south of Oxford produced a nice crop of Oak Lutestrings.

Oak Lutestring

Yellow-lined Quaker

Spruce Carpet

And a few Chestnuts - some of which were dark, but were still not Dark ChestnutChestnut

26 September 2011 - Back Garden, DIdcot, Oxon

2011-09-26T21:25:00.000+01:00

More garden catching resulted a few niceties:

Dusky Lemon Sallow

White-point

Willow Beauty

Sallow

Spruce Carpet

23 September 2011 - St Combs, Aberdeenshire

2011-09-23T21:19:00.000+01:00

In 1991 I had been at a trade show when the Shetland Sandhill Crane turned up. In 2009, I had been in Australia when the South Ronaldsay bird arrived on Orkney.

News of the adult Sandhill Crane on mainland Scotland gave the potential to see a much wanted blocker. 18 hours after news broke, John Clements and I were watching a Sandhill Crane at St Combs - job done!

Adult Sandhill CraneSeen feeding at 70-80 metres range, the bird was feeding in recently harvested cereal crops. It seems that the bird has actually been around 6 days already as a visitor to the RSPB's Loch of Strathbeg reported a crane last Saturday....

18 September 2011 - Didcot, Oxon

2011-09-18T21:11:00.000+01:00

A few moths in the garden trap this morning:

Frosted Orange

Large Ranunculus

Beaded Chestnut

Lunar Underwing

Heart and Dart

10 Sept 2011 - Wittenham Clumps

2011-09-10T22:14:00.000+01:00

A very late evening trip to Wittenham Clumps resulted in very little being caught in the woodland. Moving to the rough grassland area produced a lot more moths with an occasional highlight. Moth of the night was a Tissue - new for me.

Tissue

Blood-vein

Angle Shades

Snout

Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

24-spot Ladybird

4 Sept 2011 (pm) - Didcot, Oxon

2011-09-04T22:45:00.000+01:00

Couple of minor interest bits in teh garden trap this morning:

Toadflax Pug

Orange Swift

Silver Y

4 Sept 2011 - Paradise Wood, Little Wittenham, Oxon

2011-09-04T22:34:00.003+01:00

Decided to pop out for a wee bit of moth trapping.

I had initially thought this was a White-point, based on size, shape, markings and clear circular white mark (it didn't have a black belly so was a female whatever spp), then I thought Clay. Now, thanks to expert help, I'm settled on White-point (Thanks to Martin Harvey for the comments).

Lots of Common Wainscot

Rustic spp aggregate - picture taken to compare shape with Suspected, caught in Scotland a couple of weeks ago. Epiblema foenella

Endothenia quadrimaculana

3 September 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-09-03T22:21:00.001+01:00

Decided to take advantage of the warm night and take the MV light out to the woods - caught flippin loads of moths in the few hours I was out, nearly all Large Yellow-underwings and Square-spot Rustics!

Amongst few highlights were this 'brown phase' Rosy Rustic

Grey Pine Carpet

Tawny-speckled PugChinese CharacterSpectacleOak Hook-tipChequered Fruit-tree TortrixCarcina quercanaEarlier in the day I snapped a few Heather Ladybirds that my gov'ner had found

26 August 2011 - Blairgowrie, Perthshire

2011-08-26T21:16:00.002+01:00

No moth trapping last night... Only highlight was a Spotted Flycatcher in the garden, appearing shortly after a thunder storm.

25 August 2011 - Blairgowrie, Perthshire

2011-08-25T08:42:00.000+01:00

Have had two garden ticks for out CSottish holiday residence, Tree Pipit yesterday and today a female/imm Redstart.

Redstart

24 August 2011 - Moorland above Kinloch, Perthshire

2011-08-24T08:32:00.001+01:00

WIth cold night temperatures now being experienced, a poor catch was inevitable:

Small Wainscot - I caught 15 of these, mainly copper-coloured, in 1.5 hrs

Small Wainscot with Smoky Wainscot

Bordered Beauty

Barred Chestnut

Carpet - miniture specimen of Dark Marbled

Sallow - a very yellow specimen (compared to others caught this week)

Sallow - compare with above (variable indeed)

Black Rustic

July Highflyer

23 August 2011 - The neighbours again!

2011-08-23T09:45:00.000+01:00

Another catch in the neighbours garden again. Highlight was a superb Garden Tiger, a memory of rearing these as a kid in rural Cambridgeshire - this one being the first I've caught since trapping.

Garden Tiger

Dotted Clay - perhaps!

Ear spp

Black Rustic - smart beasts

Canary-shouldered Thorn

Sallows

Brown-line Bright-eye

Centre-barred Sallow

22 August 2011 - The neighbours' Garden

2011-08-22T22:57:00.001+01:00

I put the MV trap in the neighbours garden - it's too bright to put in our garden here with people sleeping in various garden facing bedrooms!

First out he trap was this lovely Grey Chi

And second out was this Angle-striped Sallow

It was a decent sized beast in comparison with a Sallow

Barred Chestnut or Ingrailed Clay

Flounced Rustic

Purple Clay

Juniper Pug (thanks for ID help John)

Grey Pine Carpet

Dark Arches (again)

And a quick micro - Spindle Ermine?

21 August 2011 - Moors above Kinloch, Perthshire

2011-08-21T22:26:00.001+01:00

A trip out last night produced another selection of interesting bits and bobs:

Heath Rustic

Autumnal Dart

Dotted Clay poss

Barred Chesnut (thanks again John for ID help)

Lempke's Gold Spot

Sallow

Square-spot Rustic

Various shades of Dark Arches

Various 'Ear' spp - to be determined

And the unknown Rustic aggr.

19 August 2011 - Blairgowrie, Perthshire

2011-08-19T23:50:00.001+01:00

A small garden catch of moths - a massive catch of caddis flies...

Lempke's Gold Spot

Gold Spot

Silver Y Presumed Rosy Rustic

18 August 2011 - Moorland above Kinloch, Scotland

2011-08-18T22:54:00.001+01:00

It's been a difficult catch today, fun, but difficult. The difficult bit is coming to the conclusion that I've still got a long way to go on these moths... First up is this previously unidentified moth which I had confused with the Lesser/Common Rustic complex and have taken a long time to conclude it's true identity. Based on wing tip and kidney mark shape, I am fairly confident that this is a Suspected.

Suspected

Unknown, still...

Another unknown - I'm guessing at Flounced Rustic (and too worn on the wing tip to see if its another Suspected - but I don't think think one is!) Ear spp - presumed Large Ear but waiting 'more detailed examination"....

Haworth's Minor - finally something I could ID!

Haworth's Minor - stocky wee fellas

Dunno (again!) - Square-spot Rustic?

Square-spot Rustic

Rosy Rustic

Dark Arches - lots of variation, as ever, with these

July Highflyer

Shaded Broad-barBrown China-mark

16 August 2011 - Moorland NNE of Blairgowrie, Scotland

2011-08-16T23:08:00.006+01:00

I travelled out last night to find some moorland - my previous location north of Drimmie Woods has been fenced off so I simply found a spot on the roadside and got the generator going. Not a lot of success with most of the following moths being caught later with the aid of my headlights on the way south to Blairgowrie...

Minor Shoulder-knot

Dark Marbled Carpets

Red Carpets

Now have a look in the books to see what an Arran Marbled Carpet looks like...

Gold Spangle

Presumed Square-spot Rustic

Presumed July Highflyers

Barred Straw

15 August 2011 - Blairgowrie, Scotland

2011-08-15T22:20:00.005+01:00

After last night's cold temperatures, it was no surprise to find a near empty moth trap this morning. Few bits of interest/confusion amongst the total of only 7 macros/6 species!

First up was this... Barred Chestnut? Hmm, not sure about this one.

Cabbage Moth - they look much better than their common name suggests.

The Antler Moth was a lot darker than any other specimen caught so far.

This worn Willow Beauty did its best to look interesting - but I'm sure it's just a Willow Beauty.

14 August 2011 - Blairgowrie, Scotland

2011-08-14T22:21:00.005+01:00

Day 1 of our trip to the out-laws. Arriving in time to set the trap last the possibilities were good - the weather, however, wasn't so anything this morning was a bonus.

Gold Spangle

Gold Spangle

True Lovers Knot

Dotted Clay (I think)

Pine Carpet

Narrow-winged Pug

Tawny-speckled Pug

Narrow-winged Pug & Tawny-speckled Pug for comparison

Antler Moth

Dark Spinach

Flame Carpet

Phoenix

Red Squirrel in the garden at 6am and three Ospreys (inc two juvenile birds) over the garden at 4.00pm nice!

First half of August 2011 - various sites in Oxon

2011-08-12T22:35:00.000+01:00

This is my second catch-up posting - delays owing to two small kids who need a bit of Daddy time. Highlight of this part of the month was this fine Square-spotted Clay caught at Wittenham Clumps.

Square-spotted Clay

The highlight had previously been the first of three Waved Blacks - this female (it subsequently laid eggs) was caught on a night out to Harcourt Arboretum. Having seen one earlier in the night but not caught it, this one turned up in Richard Comont's trap just after I'd departed.... Would I ever catch one? Orange Swift - I do like these

Dusky Sallow - common but always appreciatedMagpie Moth - caught on some nearby downland

Dark Spinach - Oxon downlandDark Umber - DownsSix-striped Rustic - Wittenham Clumps

Square-spot Rustic

Wormwood Pug

Six-striped Rustic in the Didcot garden

Marbled Beauty - a tiny specimen (honest)

Waved Black - Long Wittenham Wood - finally, one in my trap!

Red UnderwingTawny-barred Angle (f. nigrofulvata)

Oak Bush Cricket

Dark Bush Cricket

Old Lady - in the home at Didcot!

31 July 2011 - Various locations in Cambs & Oxon

2011-07-31T21:19:00.000+01:00

Time to catch up on a bit of lax posting for this summer. The following are just a few of the many highlights (for me at least) from recent activities.

Drinker - caught in Gamlingay Wood

Adonis Ladybird - found in Gamlingay

Ear Moth - Trapped at Harcourt Arboretum
Antler Moth - Harcourt Arboretum
Rosy Footman - Harcourt Arboretum
Leopard Moth - Harcourt ArboretumClouded Border - a nicely marked individual. Harcourt Arboretum
Pretty Chalk Carpet - Warburg Reserve

Scorched Carpet - WarburgCoxcombe Prominent - dark form

Coxcombe Prominent - normal one from the Didcot GardenSatin Beauty - Long Wittenham Wood

Bordered Pug - Didcot - one my second

Lackey - Didcot

Yarrow Pug - Didcot

Wormwood Pug

Slender Pug

12 July 2011 - Didcot & Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxon

2011-07-12T23:11:00.000+01:00

Last night's moth trap produced my first ever Olive - nice!

Olive

Dark Arches - and it was a lot darker than this over-exposed image appears

Grey Dagger

Field GrasshopperLesser Meadow Grasshopper

Speckled Wood

Shaded Broad-bar
Essex Skipper
Ich fly wasp spp thing

11 July 2011 - Didcot & Long Wittenham, Oxon

2011-07-11T23:03:00.000+01:00

A good evening's catch...

This Shark - was caught by net in the roadside in Long Wittenham Plain Golden Y

Burnished Brass

Black Arches

Fan-foot

Dun-bar

White Plume Moth

10 July 2011 - Wittenham Clumps, Oxon

2011-07-10T22:52:00.000+01:00

Aa morning walk with Max produced a few mini-beasts including:

Six-spotted Burnet

Scorpian Fly

Green fly spp on plant spp!

Hoverfly spp

Harvestman spp with mites

Wasp sppSnails - mating?24-spot LadybirdsCommon Blue Damselfly

7 July 2011 - Ewelme, Oxon

2011-07-07T22:43:00.000+01:00

A lunchtime visit to the watercress beds at Ewelme produced some fine Hoverfies - if such a thing is possible...

7-spot Ladybird larva

Harlequin Ladybird larva

Small fella

6 July 2011 - Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxon

2011-07-06T22:37:00.000+01:00

A few bits around the car park at lunchtime.

Pammene aurana Roesel's Bush CricketIch fly, wasp thing...

5 July 2011 - Didcot & Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxon

2011-07-05T22:32:00.000+01:00

Dingy Shears - new for the garden list & me!

Small Rivulet
There are loads of bees falling off the front of the cars in the car park at present - this wasp obviously happy for some easy pickings.

This spider still has to go out and catch its own prey...

4 July 2011 - Didcot & Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxon

2011-07-04T22:24:00.000+01:00

First thing this morning I emptied the trap in the garden. This Pug was big - as big as any pug I've ever seen. After spending quite a long time looking to ID the thing, I've eventually (with help) decided on Yarrow Pug (a first for me).

Yarrow Pug

This beetle spp was found on the pavement in Didcot centre - a lovely habitat....

At work this Brown Argus showed well during the lunch break Small Tort - one of several enjoying improved timesForest Bug - plentiful in the Lime trees in the car park

3 July 2011 - Gamlingay Wood SSSI, Cambs

2011-07-03T22:16:00.000+01:00

Only managed to get the trap going for a few minutes before having to pack in - the few minutes provided a couple of interesting bits and bobs.

Unidentified moth. I've spent quite a lot of time trying to ID this wee beast - and have strayed from Cloaked Minor, Small DOtted Buff to eventually thinking it might be a Mere's Wainscot. Would apprecaite any comments on the ID of this one. Certainly it was big-headed which is partly why I've dismissed the two other possible candidate spp. And the picture is an accurate portrayal of the individual.

Least Carpet Varied CoronetLight Arches

Brown-line Bright-eye

29 June 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood

2011-06-29T22:06:00.000+01:00

A good catch last night with a couple of new spp for me.

Short-cloaked Moth

Large Twin-spot Carpet

Small Blood-vein

Scarlet Tiger

Clay

Common Emerald

Small Emerald

Middle-barred Minor

Engrailed (I think)

26 June 2011 - Holly Hill, Kent

2011-06-26T22:44:00.009+01:00

A nice catch at Holly Hill with John Clements last night with a few new bits for us both.

Lunar-spotted Pinion

Satin Lutestring Grey ArchesLobster Moth Purple Clay Maple ProminentKent Black Arches x 2Shears

Oak Nycteoline

Cornonet (I keep catching these without any white - am I missing something here...?)

Shaded Broad-bar

Clouded Border

Common Emerald

Inrailed Clay (I think!)

Dunno _Silky Wainscot? Common White Wave
Mottled Beauty

July Highflier

25 June 2011 - Didcot, Oxon

2011-06-25T22:00:00.000+01:00

Dusky Brocade - new for me!

Smoky Wainscot

Poplar Grey & Sycamore

Cream-spotted Ladybird (thought it was Orange Ladybird at first, but now consider it a fresh Cream-spotted that hasn't developed full plumage yet!)

22 June 2011 - Didcot, Oxon

2011-06-22T21:57:00.000+01:00

Eyed Ladybird larvae - I think...

18 June 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-06-18T21:47:00.000+01:00

A good catch last night with Plain Golden Y being new.

Plain Golden Y

Common Marbled Carpet (I tried to string it in to a Dark Marbled Carpet - but failed)

Engrailed

Phoenix

Light Emerald

Barred Straw

Coronet

And finally, a Harvestman spp

15 June 2011 - Didcot, Oxon

2011-06-15T21:12:00.000+01:00

I don't really know for certain what this is. I wanted it to be a Small Clouded Brindle - but now I'm not so certain..

Dunno - probably a Rustic spp
CoronetLarge Fruit Tree Tortrix
Small Dusky Wave
Micro spp

11 June 2011 - East Malling, Kent

2011-06-11T13:29:00.002+01:00

A visit to friends over the weekend provided the opportunity to 'do' a quick moth trapping half hour near the old water cress beds at East Malling. The target was Haworth's Pug - which I failed on. Caught lots of Fern plus this Rannoch Looper.

Rannoch Looper

Fern - another new species for me

Triple-spotted Clay (at least I think that's what it is...)

Mottled Beauty

6 June 2011 - White-throated Robin, Hartlepool

2011-06-06T23:09:00.005+01:00

Viewed from the top of a white van... All on one of the funniest twitches ever.

White-throated Robin There's going to be a lot of these pics around soon...

And a few from the phone camera

3 June 2011 - Drimmie Woods, Nr Blairgowrie, Perthshire

2011-06-03T22:26:00.003+01:00

Another quick catch - this time in Drimmie Woods.

Dusky Brocade

Clouded Bordered BrindlePurple BarBrown Silver-lines

Water Carpet (I think) Scalloped Hazel Small Elephant Hawk-mothpresumed dung beetle spp

Spruce Carpet

Pug spp

Caddis Fly spp - biggest to date!

Larch Ladybird

Caterpillar spp

2 June 2011 - Between Tullymurdoch and Banff, Nr Blairgowrie, Perthshire

2011-06-02T21:49:00.001+01:00

Great catch last night.

Green Arches

Green ArchesClouded Border Micro spp

Dwarf Pug - I think
Grey Pine Carpet

Beautiful Golden Y

Clouded Silver

Shears - dark form

Coxcombe Prominent

Pale-shouldered Brocade

Lesser Swallow Prominent

Lesser Swallow ProminentSmall Elephant Hawk-moth

Rivulet Clouded-bordered Brindle

1 June 2011 - Blairgowrie, Perthshire

2011-06-01T21:46:00.000+01:00

I switched gardens this morning and trapped in our neighbour on the other side of the house. First up was a new species for me...

Tawny-barred AnglePossible Oak Pug - but this is a lot of guess work here
Pale Shouldered Brocade

31 May 2011 - Blairgowrie, Perthshire

2011-05-31T21:43:00.000+01:00

Silver-ground Carpet

Small Phoenix

28 May 2011 - Blairgowrie, Perthshire

2011-05-28T17:13:00.000+01:00

Another catch in teh neighbours garden - and another couple of new species for me. Today's delights weren'y rare, but they were species I've been looking forward to catching.

Small Angle ShadesBeautiful Golden Y
Pug spp - another unidentified pug at that...
Brown Rustic - a better specimen than my first in Oxfordshire earlier in the month

Elephant Hawk Moth - 2 caught last night

27 May 2011 - Blargowrie, Perthshire

2011-05-27T09:46:00.000+01:00

A nice wee catch in the neighbours garden - following on from some rough winds which much have seen the end of many a moth in the area.

Lunar Thorn (I need to check my images from last year to see if I ID'd some thorns correctly back then...)

Grey Pug

Pugs spp - whilst looking similar to the pug above, this beast is 50% bigger. I've tentatively claimed it as Scottish race of Freyer's Pug (ie. Edinburgh Pug)

Pale-shouldered Brocade

Broad-barred White - smart little things Spruce CarpetPug spp - probably Common Pug?

Scalloped Hazel

Lychnis

Caddis fly spp

Caddis fly spp - a very dark species

20 May 2011 - Didcot, Oxon

2011-05-20T09:42:00.000+01:00

A quiet catch last night with just this Varied Cornonet being the highlight.

Varied Coronet

19 May 2011 - Didcot, Oxon

2011-05-19T15:42:00.000+01:00

A good catch last night, including two new species for me - first of which here, the Scorched Wing, as an all time 'wanted' species (and which eluded me last year!)...

Scorched Wing

Broken-barred Carpet
This Willow Beauty looked odder in real life than this image suggests.

18 May 2011 - Didcot, Oxon

2011-05-18T15:38:00.000+01:00

Last night's catch was going down in history as one of the more boring events, so was pleased to find this Buttoned Snout lurking in the egg boxes. A new species for me, ID was challenging owing to the lack of a snout...

Buttoned Snout

15 May 2011 - Gamlingay, Cambs

2011-05-15T23:25:00.000+01:00

Not such a good catch as recently, but one gem that made up for things...

Pine Hawk-moth

Common Pug

Marbled Minor

13 May 2011 - Gamlingay, Cambs

2011-05-13T23:39:00.000+01:00

Certainly numbers were lower today than last weekend - but still a few bits to enjoy, the Brindle being new for me...

Clouded-bordered Brindle Dark Arches (pale form)
White Ermine

Peppered MothLime-speck Pug

12 May 2011 - Didcot, Oxon

2011-05-12T23:23:00.000+01:00

I keep seeing these wee things but rarely get a hald decent image - and I've just done it again...

Pyaustra aurata

10 May 2011 - Gamlingay, Cambs

2011-05-10T17:59:00.001+01:00

Orange Ladybird from the garden today - another species of ladybird caught this year.

Orange Ladybird

9 May 2011 - Gamlingay, Cambs

2011-05-09T23:18:00.000+01:00

Final few pictures from the weekend in Cambridgeshire.

Freyer's Pug - huge thing... well, large for a pug

Mottled Pug - almost loking quite smart

Common Pug - because it's only by looking at the common stuff...

Micro spp - they keep coming

8 May 2011 - Gamlingay, Cambs

2011-05-08T23:11:00.001+01:00

A great catch with two firsts for me...

Alder MothBrown RusticShears

Grey Dagger Bee Spp Hornet

Minor spp

Ingrailed Clay

Brown Silver-lines

May Highflier Purple Bar Pebble Hook-tip

Oak Hook-tip

6 May 2011 - Didcot, Oxon

2011-05-06T22:30:00.000+01:00

A selection of today's gems.....

Starting with 24-spot LadybirdEyed hawk-moth

Sallow Kitten

Wormwood Pug
Woodlouse spp - should be able to name this if I had my book to hand

Heart and Dart

Rustic Shoulder-knot

Miller

Light Brocade

Treble-lines

Waved Umber

Lesser Treble-bar

5 May 2011 - Ewelme Water (Cress) Beds, Oxon

2011-05-05T22:26:00.000+01:00

A lunchtime gasp of fresh air around the local water-cress beds failed to produce Water Shrew, Mole or Otter, but did provide a few interesting bit and bobs.

Highlight for me was this Slender Groundhopper

This Burnet Companion was an easy second

Grey Wagtail - a rare bird photo! Brassica bugs (I think) - shaggin!

32-spot ladybird (sorry to repeat old jokes!)

Mesembrina meridianaHoverfly spp

Rhynchites aequatus

Gastrophysa viridulaMisc insect spp!

And a spid!

1 May 2011 - Gamlingay Wood, Cambs

2011-05-01T22:18:00.000+01:00

A family visit to Cambridgeshire provided a nice little opportunity to see some of the mini-beasts in Gamlingay Wood:

Cercopis vulnerata

Large Red Damselfly

Speckled Wood

Misc bug spp

Misc spider spp

29 April 2011 - Long Wittenham, Oxon

2011-04-29T22:02:00.001+01:00

This Muslin Moth was the highlght of this otherwise average catch.

Muslin Moth

Dagger spp

Turnip Moth

Caddis fly spp - for when I start looking at them!

Max and I then wandered up to Wittenham Clumps for some snail finding Possible 6-spot Burnet Caterpillars were scattered around sunning themselves on various logs, etc

This beetle tried to look like a Cardinal Beetle, until I realised it wasn't one...

Max has already realised that a wander around in the morning is safest if he collects a dock leaf at the strat to protect himself from the inevitable stinging nettles...

27 April 2011 - Harcourt Arboretum, Oxon

2011-04-27T21:55:00.000+01:00

Baby sitting duties for me this morning and where better to take the buggy (complete with daughter), than for a walk at Harcourt Arboretum. Nothing much was happening, probably for the best, until I found this beetle on the birch trees. A smart chap and definately new for me (even though the book says, 'common').

Dendroxena 4-maculata

25 April 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, oxon

2011-04-25T21:45:00.000+01:00

A quick check of the tadpole pool this morning revealed a ladybird sat on the brick, surrounded by water (and tadpoles). However, on closer inspection I was very surprised to see that it was in fact a Cream-streaked Ladybird - new for me.

Cream-streaked ladybird

Then checked the moth trap in Long Wittenham Wood. Delighted to find another tick for today in the shape of a Chocolate-tip - one of my all time 'most-wanted' moths...

Chocolate-tip

Only other item of interest today was this Red Twin-spot Carpet

24 April 2011 - Garden & Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-04-24T00:09:00.001+01:00

Cassida rubiginosa

Double-striped Pug (I assume)

Silver Y

Cinnabar

Iron Prmoninent

V PugDagger spp

Myopa buccataShuttle-shaped Darts

Pugs

Caddis fly spp

22 April 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-04-22T23:50:00.000+01:00

A good catch last night - the highlight being Seraphim.

Seraphim

Spruce Carpet

Cockchafer

Knot Grass

Pale Mottled Willow

Waved Umber

Garden Carpet

Shuttle-shaped Dart

And a micro spp

22-spot Ladybird And my wee lad is still doing his natural history whilst out and potty training!

22 April 2011 - Pugs

2011-04-22T00:05:00.000+01:00

And a few pugs from this morning's catch. Sometimes I still find these difficult - most of the time I find them impossible!

17 April 2011 (PM) - Didcot, Oxon

2011-04-17T23:37:00.000+01:00

Spent the afternoon taking pictures of some mini-beasts from this morning:

Cream-spotted Ladybird

14-spot Ladybird

Pine Ladybird

2-spot Ladybird

Velvet mite And a Pale Prominent from the moth trap

17 April 2011 (AM) - Clifton Hampton, Oxon

2011-04-17T23:17:00.000+01:00

An early morning trip with Max (to give Mum more sleeping time) gave us the opportunty to explore a new site. This time the marshes along the Thames at Clifton Hampton.
Many interesting bits and bobs, some of which I could ID...

At least Max enjoyed a new sport

St Mark's Fly

Tabanus bromius (possible)

Gastrophysa viridula

Small Tortoiseshell

And other stuff I can't ID to species level

16 April 2011 - Iffley Meadows, Oxford

2011-04-16T23:11:00.000+01:00

One of the most 'wanted' plants I've been keen to see since arriving in Oxfordshire has been the Snake's Head Fritillaries. Today I managed to sneek an opportunity to head to Iffley Meadows and marvel at these beautiful plants.

Snakes's Head Fritillaries

13 April 2011 - Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxon

2011-04-13T22:54:00.000+01:00

Went out today to look for parasitised ladybirds as colleagues are working on them. Checked the first Sycamore from the office door and within 2 minutes found a Pine ladybird parasitised by Dinocampus coccinellae - the 5th world record! Easy! Masses of Morels growing by the car park - couldn't bring myself to eat them, even having taken a few home!
7-spot LadybirdBrimstone Moth - I still can't get a good picture of these common mothsNut-tree Tussock (female)

10 April 2011 - Patio Doors!, Didcot

2011-04-10T22:43:00.000+01:00

Spent one and a half hours in the back garden whilst mucking about with Max - in that time, I had over 100 large raptor sightings - mainly Red Kites, but many Common Buzzards and a single Peregrine. Sparrowhawks and a Kestrel made for a very productive session!

Common Buzzards

And just a sample of Red Kites from the patio doors - many of which just float about at house-top height

9 April 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-04-09T22:39:00.000+01:00

A productive catch today including:

Lunar Marbled Brown

Frosted Green

6 April 2011 - Garden, Didcot, Oxon

2011-04-06T22:00:00.003+01:00

Oak Nycteoline - and a tatty one at that. Still, a new species of macro for me...

5 April 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-04-05T21:58:00.000+01:00

This Streamer was new for the year for me

Diurnea fagella - a really dark individual

2 April 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-04-02T21:39:00.000+01:00

An average moth catch last night, but nothing special... With Max with me, we spent a couple of minutes searching the vegetation surrounding the trap for ladybirds. In addition to masses of 7-spot and one Harlequin Ladybirds, were the following...

Eyed Ladybird

Eyed Ladybird - definately a smart wee chappy (or Lassie)

10-spot Ladybird

14-spot Ladybird

31 March 2011 - Fulscot Copse, Didcot, Oxon

2011-03-31T21:21:00.000+01:00

This Frosted Green was a surprise find in the trap this morning. There seemingly isn't any March records of this species on the Butterfly Conservation, Upper Thames Branch web - so a good record me thinks! And it's a first for me..

29 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-03-29T21:29:00.001+01:00

An interesting catch this morning - 49 macros of 11 spp.

This Shoulder-stripe was the second for the year for me.

And now we've entered Brindled Pug emergence - with the three following images all the same species. Or so I'm told...

But is this really the same..?

28 March 2011 - Garden, Didcot, Oxon

2011-03-28T21:18:00.000+01:00

First Powdered Quaker of the year for me.

And my first Emmelina monodactyla (boring little thing!)

26 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-03-26T21:27:00.000Z

First Water Carpet of the year in an otherwise average catch..

24 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-03-24T21:11:00.000Z

A good catch this morning - 131 macros of 14 spp.

Highlight was my first Brindled Beauty - well, six to be precise.

This one was very much paler than the first.

And finally another couple of White-marked (with another one - the fourth - caught on the 26th March

23 March 2011 - Fulscot Copse & Garden, Didcot, Oxon

2011-03-23T21:04:00.000Z

I guess micros are always going to be tough - this Diurnea fagella defied identification till help was called. Even now I've started to call them 663's after their official number attributed to the species.

Diurnea fagella

Early Grey - just a different pose

22 March 2011 - Wittenham Clumps, Oxon

2011-03-22T20:51:00.000Z

Max wanted a trip out this morning as he needed a natural history 'fix'....

A good worm day

Marvellous wee things

Max's favourite animals - the wee spids

Millipede

Snail spp

Same snail spp?

And now Max is brnaching out into other stuff like fungi

20 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-03-20T21:31:00.002Z

A very small catch last night - compared to my ever-enthusiastic expectations. 1 x Small Quaker, 3 x Hebrew Characters, 1 x Clouded Drab.... a pride of place to this White-marked. This is the earliest White-marked for me - it also the first ever White-marked I've caught.

White-marked

17 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood

2011-03-17T23:01:00.002Z

One new year tick (Shoulder-stripe) amongst a very average catch this morning.

Shoulder-stripe

Small Quaker (a very mottled one)

Clouded Drab (a very pale individual)

Clouded Drab (more frequent plumage!)

13 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood

2011-03-13T21:43:00.003Z

Another good catch this morning, considering the 15W Actinic trap I have to use. Totals included: 9 x Engrailed, 5 x Dotted Border, 45 x Hebrew Character, 73 Small Quaker, 1 x Common Quaker, 2 x Chestnut, 1 x Tortricodes alternella.

I had trapped the same location 5 days earlier and had caught no Engrailed, so was surprised at the variation and condition of this morning's catch.

Engrailed

Engrailed (the 'warmest' of the three I kept back to photograph)

Engrailed

12 March 2011 - Chipping Norton & Didcot, Oxon

2011-03-12T21:43:00.003Z

Finally, finally, finally.... I managed to get out and get to Chipping Norton for doors open (unlike the previous weekend, when I made it there 10 mins after the bird had flown....). After a near hour's wait, movement at the front of the crowd meant only one thing - it had flown in. After a minute the folk at the front were encouraged to give up their places - allowing me to get a view and some snaps for 30 seconds before moving back and giving up my place. I'm happy I did move away as the bird was only on show for 3-4 minutes.

Oriental Turtle Dove (right!)

Oriental Turtle Dove
Back at home the moth trap set in the garden last night produced a new moth for me - an Early Grey

Early Grey

Early Grey (head on)

Early Grey
Satelite

10 March 2011 - A small wood outside Didcot

2011-03-10T13:29:00.002Z

A fairly decent catch last night (15W actinic) of 79 macros of 7 spp + 2 x Tortricodes alternella

Lead-coloured Drab (left) with Clouded Drab (right)

Oak Beauty (2nd of the year)

69 x Small Quaker, 3 x hebrew Character, 2 x Dotted Border, 1 x Common Quaker, 1 x Clouded Drab, 1 x Lead-coloured Drab, 1 x Chestnut, 1 x Oak Beauty.

9 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood

2011-03-09T20:41:00.003Z

Twin-spotted Quaker (1st of the year)

Satelite (2nd of the year)

Hebrew Character (with reduced dark markings from the norm)

49 individuals of 6 spp this morning:
23 Hebrew Characters, 16 Small Quakers, 5 March Moths, 3 Dotted Borders, 1 Satelite and 1 Twin-spotted Quaker.

And no micros!

6 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon

2011-03-06T20:59:00.004Z

My first catch at Long Wittenham Wood, thanks to the kind permission of the landowners. Given the temperatures, I was hardly expecting much, but thankfully my judgement was incorrect (again!);

First out of the trap was this Small Brindled Beauty (1 caught)

March Moths - 3 of six caught

Clouded Drabs 3 caught (picture slightly overexposed making the right hand specimen look more like a Red Chestnut than it did in real life!)Small Quaker (1 of eight caught)

Hebrew Character (1 of ten caught)

Other moths caught included five Chestnuts and two micros that eluded capture...

25 Feb 2011 - Didcot, Oxon

2011-02-25T17:03:00.002Z

My first successful catch of 2011 in the back garden - the previous night being a blank.

First up was this superb Oak Beauty - a great find, not in the trap, but on the patio window having been attracted to the light.

Oak Beauty

Common Quakers

Common Quaker

Boring little thing - a Oecophoridae perhaps?

20 Feb 2011 - A small wood outside Didcot

2011-02-20T22:25:00.000Z

A little bit of mothing following the arrival of Miss Junior Baldie in to this world on Wednesday (16th Feb) - weighing in at 7lb 13oz.

This Small Quaker was a welcome find in a trap that only had 5 moths in it (1 x Pale Brindled Beauty and teh following moths).

Small Quaker

Acleris ferrugana

Tortricodes alternella (only 2 caught)

5 February 2011 - A small wood outside Didcot, Oxon

2011-02-05T20:39:00.003Z

Though the wind did blow, mild temperatures and hopefully no rain proved too much of a lure - surely the wind wasn't going to be too bad within a wood. Being woken up during the night owing to the strong winds and being greeted in the morning by heavy drizzle, things weren't looking very good - and what was going to be of interest at this time of year anyway?

Satellite

- a new species for me and my first Noctuid of the year

Dotted Border - an expected addition with several of these being caught around the area

Chestnut - and a second Noctuid for me in 2011

Spring Usher - these are great wee beasties, coming in a multitude of colour forms

Spring Usher

Spring Ushers - showing just some of the variation on over!

Pale Brindled Beauty
Torticodes alternella

31 January 2011 - Wallingford, Oxon

2011-01-31T20:35:00.000Z

A day of little wind presented the opportunity to snap a few of the Hazel catkins that are currently adorning the hedgerows. The season is beginning.

27 January 2011 - A small wood near Didcot, Oxon

2011-01-27T19:52:00.002Z

My second catch of the year and a further respectable catch - Spring Ushers being the highlight whist the micro Tortricodes alternella (not that this would be much of a highlight for your average aged mother).

Spring Usher

Tortricodes alternella

15 January 2011 - Didcot & RSPB Rainham Marshes

2011-01-15T22:22:00.001Z

My first trap of the year - and several weeks since my last attempt - things could only be good... or naff. Decided on putting the trap in the nearby wood as a garden catch would surely be naff. The result was very good - for an actinic light. 9 moths of 4 species. Three species new for me owing to this being my first winter of mothing.

Pale Brindled Beauty Mottled Umber

Mottled Umbers

Mottled Umbers - this chap was a lot smaller than the other two
And finally, this Early Moth hid in the trap amongst numerous Winter Moths.

Spent the remainder of the day at RSPB Rainham Marshes looking at rubbish and gulls - the less said about that part of the day the better!

9 Jan 2011 - Back Garden, Didcot, Oxon

2011-01-09T22:22:00.000Z

I opened my new copy of 'Woodlice and Waterlice in Britain and Ireland' (S Gregory), only to be inspired that some of these mini-beasts can be found easily during the winter (summer can drive them, er, underground).

With no news of any Waxwings in Didcot, I instead ventured out to the back garden for a quick look-see while the Wiff was asleep. Checking a few upturned bricks and bits of wood, this was definately my childhood returning!

So, how did I do? Well, I was really choughed to find a few tiny, tiny white Woodlice (3-4mm) in an ants nest. In the past, I probably would have dismissed these as baby Woodlice - but I'm more educated on these things now, so have identified them as Platyarthus hoffmannseggii - great name eh?

Platyarthus hoffmannseggii

The other species found wasn't quite so easy to ID - and I may well have got things wrong. But I reckon they are Porcellio scaber.

Porcellio scaber

These white blobs are the lungs - strange stuff eh?

1 January 2011 - Glen Shee, Perthshire

2011-01-01T22:55:00.001Z

First day of the year and so I thought I'd have a quick run up to Glen Shee to see if there was anything about. The car park up at the ski centre produced a flock of about 20 Snow Buntings.

The flock included several colour-ringed birds.

After leaving the Snow Bunts, a drive to the southern end of the car park produced 17 Red Grouse. Ah well, that's enough year listing for 2011.