The natural history exploits of Ross Newham - and the ultimate cure for insomnia!
Thursday 31 March 2011
Tuesday 29 March 2011
29 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon
An interesting catch this morning - 49 macros of 11 spp.
This Shoulder-stripe was the second for the year for me.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgO-gTwe3ssSAt7p31f2_f3XxCys-oqa9Tc9eI_NpG5U2iaWLTRVZvgCv437aqdcmtQ_6yEkztgwH4Jg5YtKDprduVVFMmoF56fxsv-JdC7rygMbLAOKiRjcU2XTSNOusoVmmP9Q46Rs/s320/1746+Shoulder-stripe.JPG)
And now we've entered Brindled Pug emergence - with the three following images all the same species. Or so I'm told... ![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA461YvsfiO-fnRisezKV_VZguC-LitDMV7eGlJq80LXj_tSFdrCfmOpOszXS06sZlqLFsBefgZC_oMaN71tMZDbfONU6oeR2bCLqQ8R8HuDWY_X8gii_VembZwQTINYRO1rFLxZguH2w/s320/1852+Brindled+Pug+3.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpS21i8ZMWDrfQJgTJvTe6CtFJFtTICsnVtRmlKXZQ17XKIJq6hE12z7_mv3FEQoPc8eY-JqpNxKwyWDS_YxzSpAVq5Cx2tcSqsnOoq7sX2I7tnrW7dc0Uxv9Ya-pakXx_NSGY65bW54c/s320/1852+Brindled+Pug.JPG)
But is this really the same..?![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsMoc6Qc_olrlpHqBPP0m5wz_JWf-VKIe4r8O2NIb5p4p9jDErdroY5wV_2P4boV2loN3g190KAfMVr34rsRhoPQX3ON_SbzQNtLfeNvj_CMaLDdLPHBi40C1MjRikbGk5JdL8jSTmw0/s320/1852+Brindled+Pug+2.JPG)
Monday 28 March 2011
Saturday 26 March 2011
Thursday 24 March 2011
24 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon
A good catch this morning - 131 macros of 14 spp.
Highlight was my first Brindled Beauty - well, six to be precise.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHIWQ-yoorE_hwXtCnpDDVFoIOxt62gKCpPI8xxGAHBCHbUEsC02klByBgQs5tv72113stNwle0a32v0cLWsG9dHXbPj0ocRcE6OtNM3LZT0Pe_wLu7_sJFtZIp2RYwdHpB6A3xsHunc/s320/1927+Brindled+Beauty.JPG)
This one was very much paler than the first.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig95v3D_I_ZfyDzdRK4rhU_-FOEKbgZyD9OTWnzYWQHcdc3xaJNBy1WMT-1bxFmv9LrupLI9pNanM9Ae_107U2RSjZI2keYYbrrsA98N1NTdKrmPN-ZGVjNwsn-GmBjmyG5w75hxsVgNo/s320/1927+Brindled+Beauty+1.JPG)
And finally another couple of White-marked (with another one - the fourth - caught on the 26th March![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn2eVV9X-bBa9jl4ec7OOhUFm8jeFBKOv9Yf2FRqVIUYl8SNDvTr6DitrUCmfJVFJej1aDEHlwgMYtyZbIky-BxjoPII_tomC_Mttyg_tQ28lPm-B4Bp_dOxxGkBRKEHmjk-mz1fzQ8A/s320/2140+White-Marked.JPG)
Wednesday 23 March 2011
23 March 2011 - Fulscot Copse & Garden, Didcot, Oxon
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFrUcbUGv_rafUf3WMrbo9VvLmyy1e4Ge-DHLNit7z2NF-uC1F3YwWpaYSY4EbaK2DTO4Afpiu2_exahU_ZVQCOd5fk7yzoziognTwxy5wqjnjq7J2DNDZzCfZ0-5S_Ku6yZCINSxTN4/s320/663+Diurnea+fagella.JPG)
Tuesday 22 March 2011
22 March 2011 - Wittenham Clumps, Oxon
Max wanted a trip out this morning as he needed a natural history 'fix'....
A good worm day![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinr95jrCQyiPEYTzzEkwEs-fgb2jVs7-7fb5hfcxRt7WNGgr1sq2XIxdf4pLEtKirlTqb_UpIaoKWbun9gumgw8McqEcqryRxKVdM34l6tAzBCZQIKCxOPf4IMMLWrl16VMEeBAGp7gQM/s320/not+3+april+2011+ross+didcot+moths+109.JPG)
Marvellous wee things![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxnPiJwQ_lF1xe4HkktRe-Mht84Vq1bNoX7E0VqDu3Fdl7T-OE6GZW1W76Tf0w_MUiaxoP2PDtMiOf_xXImkJVA76D7OE3S17fDVN5Soy_U4_5ElXZG8y28FGKdsOwflgusCSg-zDJ0w/s320/not+3+april+2011+ross+didcot+moths+119.JPG)
Max's favourite animals - the wee spids![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoVZp1tNgBFVzHFYXztEz9nBg457D-OKX434TriZ8WQfkAFRIyIaYdOuD7FZCABiQpCe-8m-AO8HmmacqaoDHoAKGxb-SF1jw-vGQZkhfRWyaSDwJNtRXs4CTdaU41cZnf5vnohwoQiM/s320/not+3+april+2011+ross+didcot+moths+105.JPG)
Millipede![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XArqbhHnUmsxRQT30_pt48qMhaeZ80kPSQ_XgVfq81qpil-kTWNpfOVlxicLVRbtMB_Scti84vlg9YeFQjYMVYnrGYz_kQLKYZWalY6123jv4_j8_SpObse9gYuJDQIYoLQo9saN0V0/s320/not+3+april+2011+ross+didcot+moths+128.JPG)
Snail spp![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrrX7oPWGlwiHT6OWpmOIMvsM-Gog5tQDCvbX2MBZVCkdICAf6gSRzM6-VdE4CpOVjfkhn4jvtAgyBrN3nio71GDzyG-rc0HH0YkSQAa_aeH-3-9Qf1_Kon8t9gGd0V9__EmmuzVWppc/s320/not+3+april+2011+ross+didcot+moths+103.JPG)
Same snail spp?![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7axPHAnBd8pxVDSY5AVGPG7Dt1xF0NgTSF_yyeXDNKXY_d83X4OzcPZw3HbEH7tiloPXbkpMMVJGIaQvR_5xEnryKPcZaZDnrVo0_31a_htsFaxkL8_rUuNLl-_MuGHpwKFm5Bb98gJg/s320/not+3+april+2011+ross+didcot+moths+097.JPG)
And now Max is brnaching out into other stuff like fungi![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAm8xU_3SDCRwxwf1z4dOTLKLjp-C4xv5xxwC9cmzEI00gSN9vNvv18B_VlQ7PKhRjpl9_myJ9WzP44XsjEbUKJWGa8DTbsMnRVtKS5MVvKFatSJsBWtfPMdszqWKZrb8K9DdCI1PDZuI/s320/not+3+april+2011+ross+didcot+moths+132.JPG)
Sunday 20 March 2011
20 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoT76x7vt_Fe6OU05r0vy7R2i2AO4gimE7IePzHaTNqRit1dHoTWu5lhw63VQ7EksZThxci4fD8PTWsoqsjGnoH9IT90QZmKz0Vd1b8VVWk5d3bIQTDVbAsM2aVZEXP92z5nQ-03DHpto/s320/White-marked.JPG)
Thursday 17 March 2011
17 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood
One new year tick (Shoulder-stripe) amongst a very average catch this morning.
Shoulder-stripe![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiU_yZ-mCnevTmpRsugjZZQxD4GURG7pWhnA14838Ui9ldokz6kuC_rtoVk1Tm_8OnGN_lPpeMaT_c2vXStkykKIZ4SaG96CmSK4M8gULEzR_3FopgMfN9AicHhyvvXz_McjRgsp6OmEo/s320/Shoulder-stripe.JPG)
Small Quaker (a very mottled one)![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsakzcGRS9Syjq-XLmz7e17OmVL0iOIMCMeQrld5Kwd3rIrK6qbobT92oYwhy-TgTlzYfOBaGt3C2ii0NFqmGe8VKDFxh51UbjCMpvBp3_YP_Fxo9QqNekqyqrzz1mHlAFRAmqEu5sFoM/s320/Small+Quaker.JPG)
Clouded Drab (a very pale individual)![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHCrNcMauGcksJ_4EpG0FnDe1RWzKJohipHHVc3s7XWAnEpxOnVYxSCwyFUDAzdupY3PIBaTUb55E16Ay06-36ZsKW_Gj-3dY2XZuo6xhorGPKCuj7eXLmWKQpr4MGbtOHE0OspPL5xQ/s320/Clouded+Drab+pale.JPG)
Clouded Drab (more frequent plumage!)![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZW2DvvOE5fgsu5wQGtqPSt949of-1essxMu-k_KGseTix8ybcEiv7GMRPOP3yU40v9ofQvZYAN72H_6BilPn4ImEZ2LQfSGVjVgCHCqqmM6BnwULLw6-YSVMFyxETs1qGYcRmIS6ngb8/s320/Clouded+Drab.JPG)
Sunday 13 March 2011
13 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood
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.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonHXIWfq-Nb11aBcqhE2PlRlZk4uhd14WQ_Wp2fL2v54qPOeKouF4-UEr6gXrmekydRIkrKmEobMyiBBECjGanIqjuQf7TjjA1W8ZdKLKF4xyRg4ZbbbXYGbvxWXSv5XORevBcXEgkwA/s320/1947+Engrailed+3.JPG)
Engrailed (the 'warmest' of the three I kept back to photograph)![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHNkSW7nNOIuqbGtDrCe923wyVSSDCYD_iUTOTVZYREdZy88_NtAlWoXn0FGbuw9AePZ-kNsfmjwRZIIVFhQh8kGeRs0hc0EGFa5sI8F5w9fbKrylGWx4qqpt9ycA1aYh-ECMaQkd_hDw/s320/1947+Engrailed+2.JPG)
Engrailed![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3aVUosanp8DCMmWNBmsSANsX8d0rWYsz4KTZmMYL4W6CzJVoAIa9A89_s0rybMH0qpfPqTyZ_gT507wzLS9SnkZLsWsYbHdfx-G2cmIymrrhI9-IyABLzo4s0DjQl34ykfjx9F80udE/s320/1947+Engrailed+1.JPG)
Saturday 12 March 2011
12 March 2011 - Chipping Norton & Didcot, Oxon
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!)![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXL_iJajTf_4nu7rMzxvx-gfZET_qjix5HZUKQ_JpQvE_XTWFbshWDhUSyCTUqcQZbnoSk-eUWS51TrxsSCxChcQUoGndjy4n8fniV2dt6DFSzmDXaDtZC4XmqvG2huXWI3LJ-haoIVk/s320/Oriental+Turtle+Dove+%2526+Wood+Pigeon.JPG)
Thursday 10 March 2011
10 March 2011 - A small wood outside Didcot
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.
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.
Wednesday 9 March 2011
9 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood
Sunday 6 March 2011
6 March 2011 - Long Wittenham Wood, Oxon
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!);
Other moths caught included five Chestnuts and two micros that eluded capture...
First out of the trap was this Small Brindled Beauty (1 caught)![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCuCKI-OEX6W_rC061wxuK1OLSYxevMGO6I_rLzi9i0UEvqwSyghdOGZueU1a0XjwNtNCp0GfHh3HJF3jDNGLaa_ShYOdFMw5uj438DrS3_grM7ek0ERTJZNAlWyKqW1AtEtZcpNC2RU/s320/1925+Small+Brindled+Beauty.JPG)
March Moths - 3 of six caught![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPii-DYM02GroATsR8D5GANmh56H3sxDt_sVHbhyphenhyphenmkmyoPL3VM5_O-WJwjVEtOmObBAboLi6bfccEHXBzxc13wwqTjZvjx_tTw1LTitBvKfr7qCDW0BfV7PbYZOKWcSNQh_JJybet22Dc/s320/1663+March+Moths.JPG)
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)![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKv2Q20Tmpcq5t1-L3Uxki7bQ5zI4GD9DkovkRu6ZwIvwTbzGXUY-0ABUDbgOQKnologtMI3QKPDt6ZAGWBS4ajuyVon811X8KZAQASHMZ42GnWxsf05XeLoMk7ckq9oCr1Xib_rEirJM/s320/2182+Small+Quaker.JPG)
Hebrew Character (1 of ten caught)
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