28 December 2010 - Blairgowrie, Perthshire

Man flu prevented me from doing much natural history - that and the bloody cold temperatures. This evening temperatures soared up to about +2oC and promptly enticed a couple of Winter Moth spp to the windows.

Now I had been thinking this one was a Northern Winter Moth. Hind wind white and bulging - or could it just be a Winter Moth. I don't know - looks like I'm going to have to go out and look for females (winter moth females that is....!).

18 December 2011 - North Norfolk

A trip to Norfolk this weekend to see the Northern Harrier. The date was chosen as the Good Lady Wiff and wee Max were both up in Scotland. A Friday night drive up to Wells-next-the-sea enabled me to avoid the snow and stay the night with Mike Sidwell.

Up late and a few cups of tea later, I ventured out in to a Norfolk that was -15oC.....

Rock Pipit on the salt marsh

Redshank

Dunlin

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Eventually, just before reaching the point of Brass Monkey, the Northern Harrier appeared and duly showed for the next hours or so (photo from Graham Etherington's blog).

Am I convinced Northern Harrier is a separate species for the European Hen Harrier - Yes.

Am I convinced this and the Irish bird are Northern Harriers - in all honesty, no. But what do I know?

21 November 2010 - A small wood outside Didcot, Oxon

December Moth - and I've been hoping to catch one of these wee chaps each time I can be arsed to put the trap in the local wood. Today this lovely moth finally gave itself up - superb.

Winter Moth - a differently marked individual to the one caught the other day. Not sure I can get very excited about them - but guess I need to keep an eye out for Northern Winter Moth amongst the flock....

19 November 2010 - Didcot, Oxon

Slowing but surely the garden moth list continues to climb - this Chestnut adding itself today. The only moth in the trap - oh well.

16 Nov 2010 - A small wood outside Didcot

Scarce Umber

Scarce Umber

Winter Moth

Wee bug

Wee bug again - dunno what it is. Wingless Gall Wasp perhaps?

7 Nov 2010 - Port Meadows, Oxford

A visit to Port Meadows to see this Lesser Yellowlegs resulted in my seeing my first vaguely interesting bird in Oxfordshire since moving to the area.Shed loads of Wigeon and Golden Plover were good to see.

1 Nov 2010 - Didcot, Oxon

Turnip Moth - a nice one (if such a thing is possible...)

30 Oct 2010 - A small wood outside Didcot

Feathered Thorns

November Moth

November Moth

November Moth

November Moth

November Moth

November Moth

24 Oct 2010 - Didcot, Oxon

A smart chap if ever there was one (although I guess it could be a female!). Dunno what it is though.

21 Oct 2010 - Didcot, Oxon

Red-green Carpet

Large Wainscot

Sallow spp - to be honest, I'm not 100% certain as to the ID of this Sallow. I guess it is just a Sallow...

16 Oct 2010 - St Mary's, Isles of Scilly

White-speck - another moth that others were catching, until this last catch of mine which finally produced this chap. Phew!

This presumed Shuttle-shaped Dart (Scilly race) was one of the most striking moths of the trip

And finally, I assume this is just a Square-spot Rustic

15 Oct 2010 - St Mary's, Isles of Scilly

Clancy's Rustic - and a welcome moth to have in the trap, being as though everyone else was seemingly catching them (well, I knew of two others...)

Feathered Ranunculus

Double-striped Pug - and I tried to turn it into somethingmore interesting, but I can't

And finally, a Scilly Micro....

14 Oct 2010 - St Mary's, Isles of Scilly

Firecrest

A visit to Clive Atkins' fridge produced a Delicate

And this Scarce-bordered Straw

13 October 2010 - St Mary's, Isles of Scilly

Feathered Ranunculus (left) and also (presumeably on the right...)

Large Wainscot

Common Marbled Carpet

Common Marbled Carpet

And this final carpet ssp of today was tiny in comparison to the two above - having cropped the image and zoomed in though, it's difficult to say that it isn't a Common Marbled Carpet (which is my final answer...)

Silver Y

And finally, a Willow Beauty