New Moth

 Monday September 27

Last Wednesday, we opened the moth traps as quickly as we could before leaving for Titchwell. I always photograph any moths that look 'different' or are new for the year. I then process and identify my photos the same day. 

We were late back from Titchwell, I completely forgot that I had taken two photographs of an odd Silver Y. I found them - in my recycle  bin - on Saturday. No way was it a Silver Y. It was a Dewick's Plusia. A splendid name for a nice moth. 

A completely new moth for us, let alone for the garden. I could easily have missed it.......

Dewick's Plusia Macdunnoughia confusa   Norfolk status Immigrant and suspected resident. Less than 400 nationally (Butterfly Conservation) Recent high number of records suggest a breeding population in Norfolk. Mostly occurs as an immigrant in coastal areas in the south and east of England, although has been seen as far north as the Shetland Islands.

Just For A Change - Snettisham

Saturday September 25

High tide was posted as being at 9.20; we left home at 6.45 on  a very  dark and dull morning. The drive there was excellent, hardly any traffic - and we went straight through on green on all of North Walsham's traffic lights. The only bird worth noting on the way was a Red Kite. 

We were on site by 8.15, finding The Wash awash already. The apparently empty water gently lapping the shore. Not even a Shelduck in sight. No other birders either, a much bigger surprise. If we'd arrived much earlier, the light would have been non existent or even worse than it was now. It meant that we'd missed the balletic swoops of the morphing birding masses making their way off the Wash, as the tide encroached their feeding grounds.We drove to the first hide.

 Despite the 7.1 metre high tide, there was still enough sea-free land on the Lincolnshire west coast of the inlet. The lagoon islets were nearly empty of waders, although I did count at least 128 Cormorants silhouetting the far islands. Where were the 40 thousand plus birds? Here, on the west shore, Lincolnshire's trees visible in the background. What looks dark is the bird mass.

 

Whilst waiting for the tide to drop, I scoped the masses, much frustration. Too distant and appalling light. Small groups of Linnets and Meadow Pipits flew through, Pied Wagtails and juvenile Ringed Plovers chased along the shingle bank. Four Reed Buntings flitted through the bushes, a family party? A lone, probably injured, first Brent Goose of the autumn, preened and stretched on the shore, a small party of 'wink, winking', Pink-footed Geese  flew high overhead. Also my first of the season. Pam had a flock fly over the house this morning.

As the Samphire banks became exposed, the first restless waders took flight. before landing on the first of the exposed mud banks.

 

 

 

 

I was able to identify, Bar and Black-tailed Godwits, Knot, Grey Plover, a biggish flock of Golden Plover,  hundreds of Redshank, Dunlin, Turnstone and Sanderling.

Time to drive to the gate end, where the water enters first and leaves last. A lone canoeist allowed the ebbing tide in the main creek, parallelling the shore, to carry him fast right, his paddle held clear of the outrushing water. I did have a photo, my machine destroyed it.

As the birds landed, the first thing that they did was to preen, and then, promptly go to sleep. A small flock of diminutive Sanderling did precisely that.

 

 

 

Alerted by their raucous call, I found a few remaining Sandwich Terns and a lone Common Tern on the shoreline.

As the non optic toting dog walkers began to arrive, we drove straight home, after a soul satisfying few hours with waders at the peerless Snettisham Reserve.

 

 

 

Bugs and Iolo

 Thursday September 23

We were meeting friend Pauline after moths at Cley Later than usual, we were there when Uolo Williams came off the rserve and walked up to the car park.Excitement had spread earlier, when news of his presence came through. Ian had noticed that Euan's vehicle - a Mull wildlife guide - was in the car park. Iolo was part of that group. I am not a celebrity chaser, but I like and admire Iolo. And he's Welsh. He loitered in the car park for a while, allowing a small group of admirers which included Pauline and Pam, to take his photograph from the terrace. Iolo went off to the picnic tables to eat with his group. We continued to chat.

A few of Pam's photos

 

We park in the disabled space nearest to the centre. Making our farewells to Pauline, I strapped up, looking up to see Iolo and a man walking towards us. The rubbish bins were next to the car. As they debated what was recycling or not, I said ' Prynhawn da Iolo', through my already open window. He greeted me back, asking how I was. Having responded to this, I left him in peace and we drove off. They get enough unwanted attention from the public. He called a farewell as we drove away. Nice man. 

Very little in the moth traps at home, apart from a couple of small insects.

 

Ant Damsel Bug

Pimpla Rufipes Black Slip Wasp

Profile Change

Wednesday September 22 

Would we both be able to? 

After opening the meagre moth traps - there was a Wren in one of them - we drove to Titchwell, on a lovely, sunny first day of Autumn. To-day is the Autumn Equinox. Hardly any leaf colour change as yet, plenty of deep red haws in the hedges. A twenty five minute temporary traffic lights hold up at Little Snoring made us even later.

Would Choseley Barns have any birds ? No. Since the son took over, he has stopped spreading grain in  the yard, and indeed, is reputed to hate birdwatchers. Anyway, no Corn Buntings, let alone any other birds at all.

It wasn't a wasted journey. As we drove down the hill towards the main road, a Hobby scythed across the road at windscreen level, not far in front of the bonnet. My best view ever. I even saw its underparts well as it banked over the hedge.

Oh no. The ''car park full'' notices were displayed at the entrance to the reserve The disabled parking spots are an uncomfortable walking distance away from the Centre. I would like them swapped for the staff car park. For years, we have parked in the fishermen's car park, a well shaded, small and treed space near the centre. There was room for us.

Not only a first Titchwell path outing for my cross country Rollator, but our first visit this year. Making use of all the seats available, we got as far as the one near Island Hide. It was occupied by two sunbathing women whose partners had gone off birding. We perched ourselves on one side of the seat, an older gentleman and his companion set up their folding seats on the other. From here, one has a pretty good, if distant, view of the freshmarsh pool and its islands.

So many birds. Several flocks of Lapwings, an island full of Greylag, another of now drab Golden Plover. The water was strewn with sleeping ducks, all in eclipse plumage. Starlings had made another small island their own. Time to scope. I didn't count them, but there were Ruff scattered about, all feeding avidly, 

 

 

several Redshank, one Greenshank, one Grey Plover. At least five Avocet kept appearing and disappearing.The marsh has many more islands than on previous visits, one of them heaped high with lumpy bare soil. I had read that work to improve the habitat was taking place, the only evidence we saw - apart from this marsh - was two pieces of machinery in constant use between the centre and Patsy's pool. Only the top half was visible, I don't know what they were doing exactly.

Then, a Grey Heron flew in, soon followed by a Great Egret, the latter landing on a, comparatively, close, small, mud island  Can any bird look more lugubrious than those of the heron family?

This photo is an unedited photo of the Great Egret and the freshmarsh as taken, using my 400 mm lens, from my seat. 

 

These are greatly cropped.

 

 

Pam, using my scope, thought that she'd seen one earlier, but couldn't re-locate it. With  a general direction from another birder, we saw a lone Little Stint in front of Parrinder Hide. The Pectoral Sandpiper was not visible from our position.

Tired and happy, we negotiated the coast road traffic through Stiffkey, before turning inland and home.

Carniverous Hornets

Tuesday September 21

Our moth traps are active places for insects other than moths, most of the time, especially at the moment. Craneflies, beetles, ladybirds,caddis lacewings, ants, wasps and hornets. Most of the wasps and hornets are dead. The mainly Sexton beetles and a host of black beetles, ranging in size from 4mm to the giant Silver Water Beetle, are very active, using the bottom of the round Robinson trap as a grand prix circuit. We had 30 of the larger variety one day at the weekend. I am the catcher and re-positioner, ( a toss onto the lawn). Big mistake last week, a red and black striped Sexton beetle crawled up my trouser leg. Horror. Fortunately, it wasn't carrying any mites. Or should it have been horror that it wasn't, because this is a rare occurrence, and they may have jumped ship. It shouldn't have found any carrion anyway.

Wasps, hornets and ants are responsible for the wings and heads found in the trap detritus, moth destroyers. I haven't actually seen this happen.

What I did see yesterday, was a curled up Hornet astride an upturned Sexton beetle, apparently feeding on its underside flesh, mites still present. Gruesome. Not the best of photos, but the best I managed before emptying the trap. 

 The various flies and midges are left unidentified, however much I'd like to name all of them.

I am hoping that we can fit in some birding this coming week - especially if the  birding conditions improve.

Short Outing

 Tuesday September 14

Neil Diamond is singing ''September Morn'' in the background, the rain is bucketing down - and the moth trap was uninteresting. Best was a pristine Heath Rustic, a moth we do not catch every year.

 

This morning's three traps at Natural Surroundings weren't brilliant either. The season's first Brown-spot Pinion and Brindled Green the highlights. At least NS doesn't have the number of Hornets and beetles present in our traps at home. The beetles are an interesting nuisance, the Hornets not good news for the moths, usually leaving a detritus of wings and heads in the bottom of the trap. I have to remove the egg boxes very carefully.

Yesterday , we had our second Speckled Bush-cricket.

 

We have one Hazel tree in the border hedge, a reminder of my scavenging youth. This year, it produced 20 hazel nuts, twice as many as last year. Perfectly ripe and untouched by squirrels.

Yesterday, after Andrea had left, we went to Hickling, just to get out and about really.   Pam made the obligatory call at reception to ask for permission  to drive down to Whiteslea Lodge, taking the opportunity to ask about moth trapping here. 

If a volunteer is available, at least one trap is opened on a Wednesday morning at about 11.30 - apart from this week. We intend going next week, the moths here are usually reedbed specialities, worth looking at. 

A five-bar gate en route had a cloud of small slim dragonflies flying around, up to ten at once landing on the top bar. Pretty ordinary shots from the car, I had fun trying. Probably Common Darters.

 

Little else was seen. Greylag and Canada Geese, Grey Heron and a Reed Bunting. One needs to walk the reserve at a more propitious time of year.

Garden Update

 Friday September 10

Missing good birds which would be lifers is still painful. I accept it - I have to - but the sense of loss remains. This time, Norfolk's second Sykes Warbler at Halfway House, Blakeney Point. A one day bird. Walking three miles on loose shingle, there and back, would have been a chore ten years ago. Now, an impossibility.

The same goes for a lovely Camberwell Beauty butterfly at Burnham, another long walk. I raised three of these butterflies from cocoons a few years ago, thinking that it was my only chance of seeing one. It probably was.

There has been a larger number than before of Clifden Nonpareil and various Red Underwings in North Norfolk. Several delighted members of our moth group have trapped their first ever Clifdens. A real Waw moth, heart-stopping when viewed in your own garden.  We haven't been lucky so far this year, but yesterday we had a Red Underwing, another large and beautiful species.

 

Autumn moth-ing brings a storm of the bat food favourite, Large Yellow Underwing. Their fat bodies make a good meal. 

 

Even more prolific this year are Setaceous Hebrew Characters.

Neither of them the prettiest of moths, yet a very important part of the pollination and food chain.

Less common and very lovely, is Centre-barred Sallow. and Frosted Orange.

We are now getting mating Craneflies in the trap. Daddy very Longlegs

 

It's usual to see up to 22 species of bird a day in our garden, including five species of Tit, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Collared and Stock Doves, Magpie, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw. Mid morning. the young Buzzards, fledged from the nest in the woods at the bottom of the garden, rise on the thermals, calling for food from their parents. The second brood of House Martins never stop their food chatter from the eaves nest, huddled in the opening, looking for their parents' return. Who said that the countryside was quiet? Pam heard a Chiffchaff early in the week and a Tawny Owl last night. I must spend more time outdoors.

The car's in for a service and its MOT to-day so we are stuck at home.Adrian is mowing the lawn, the sun is out and I'm about to do some cooking for the freezer.

 

'Marvellous Moths' at Strumpshaw Fen

Saturday September 4

The RSPB event at Strumpshaw was advertised as a moth trap opening event. Having spent two previous successful sessions there - before Covid - with our Butterfly Conservation group, Pam and I signed up. And paid up. Up at 6 a.m. for an 8 o'clock start, we arrived in good time, waiting outside the Centre as asked. Two very pleasant men, Adrian and Sam, arrived, introducing themselves as temporary, volunteer, assistant wardens. I'd expected the session to be led by warden Ben, who is a keen and knowledgeable moth-er.

Only nine of us present plus the two leaders. No-one else had any experience of moth-ing at all.

We were led to the outdoor aducation area, where two Robinson traps were set up separately, one under the yurt, one in the open. After a short introduction, the group divided into two. a leader plus at each trap..It soon became obvious that the leaders' knowledge was slim, using a phone and Obsidentify for many of the moths in the trap. 

A Gypsy Moth, Gold Spot, 

 

Coronet, and an Old Lady 

 

 were the best of the catch.

We took a Vapourer, trapped at home, along with us to share with the group.

It as all very pleasant, we enjoyed the unquenchable enthusiasm of the others. They loved it. They all took part in taking out the egg boxes, using their phones to photograph the moths, and then releasing the moths into the bushes.

BUT. It should have been advertised as a group for beginners.

An interesting bug in one of the traps, we later identified as an Ichneumon wasp, probably a Black-tipped Darwin Wasp, with iridescent wings.

Sunday September 5

An eventful morning at home. First of all, an extremely worn Convolvulus Hawkmoth in the Actinic trap. We could identify it by the red marks, which barely show, at the back of the head. At least the eggbox photo shows this. My decent photo doesn't. 

This is how a fresh specimen looks.

Whilst Pam was answering the phone, a Wren appeared in the doorway, jumped onto the edge of the moth box, saw me and went just as quickly. 

A short while later, two Wood Pigeons bathing in the pond, attracted our attention to a Green Woodpecker, feeding on the edge of the surrounding stones. Ants I guess. A Pigeon saw it off before I could take a photo.

 

Garden Lifer

 Thursday September 2

We were late opening the overnight moth traps  We'd spent the morning at Cley Centre, witnessing the opening of the three moth traps put out there. We'd then made several calls before getting home, including petrol and  Lidl, it was mid afternoon when we opened the traps. As usual, the traps had been left in the cool of the utility room, with several ice blocks wrapped in a towel on the lid. Imagine my delight, when half way down the first trap, a Gypsy Moth appeared, well nestled into an egg box.I immediately recognised it as I have long wanted to see one. A male, as the females are almost flightless. Apart from a worn pate, it was in good condition.

Norfolk status
Rare immigrant, rare resident.

Several recent records (2020+) suggest it may be becoming established in the county once again.

In the early part of the 19th century, this was a common species in East Anglia but by about 1900 had become extinct as a breeding species.

Since 1995 the species has been established in small numbers in a few sites in southern England and is cropping up in a number of different areas in the south-east and south-west.
The Rev. T. H. Marsh however records its existence further west, at Cawston, not uncommonly, till 1861. Since that date it has apparently never been seen in Norfoik ; and except in most rare and casual instances not within the British Isles.

First modern-day record of a male trapped at North Creake VC28 in 2016 (A. Culshaw)

Total Records 22

Total Specimens 22

Earliest Adult on Jul 31 (2020)

Latest Adult on Sep 1 (2021)

Norfolk Moths website 

We also had a new intruder. Curculio Glandium, the Acorn Weevil.

 

It's September

 Wednesday September 1

Maybe the sun will shine again, not to-day. Still a good day, we were out birding. As high tide was not until mid afternoon, we opened the moth traps before going. Large in number, 54 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 34 Large yellow Underwings (bat fodder) with fewer species.The best were Coronet and a micro, Metalampra italica.

 

First recorded in the UK in 2003 in Devon, the species had not previously been recorded outside Italy. Subsequently recorded in several southern counties and is assumed to be breeding in southern Britain and likely Norfolk.

New for Norfolk in 2014 when two adult moths were trapped. Provisionally recorded at RSPB Titchwell VC28 (29/07/14) and a confirmed female recorded at Bawdeswell VC27 (D. Appleton, 01/08/14 gen. det. J. Clifton) . Norfolk Moths website

Last time we visited Sculthorpe Mill, the car park was fenced off, and the building covered in scaffolding. A new sign near the entrance encouraged us to explore. Back to normal, with the addition of many green metal tables and chairs overlooking the water.

A splash of colour in a distant field turned out to be sunflowers. We are yet to find out the name of the glaucous leaved, white flowered, crop in the adjoining plot.

 

 

No Swifts in the usual villages, a few Swallows and House Martins remain. Our House Martins are feeding a second brood, which is good news.

Should we try Valley Farm Lane? No sign of any Tree Sparrows during the last two visits, nor to-day either. They do disperse, which is part of the population problem. If they stayed where they are well fed, they'd be more successful. That is the theory mooted by the owner of Vane Farm in Lincolnshire, organic grower, seller, and feeder of bird seed. It makes sense to me.

Our drive up the lane was hampered by dozens of Red-legged Partridges scurrying along in front of us. Newly released, they have little fear of vehicles and humans. A few of these remaining.

 Barry, our farm worker friend, was busy chatting to someone on the way up. He hailed us with the usual beaming smile and kind words as we returned. I asked him how many Partridges had been released. Thousands, he replied, turning his mouth down, 'I think it's cruel', he went on to say. I totally agree. Killing for fun.

He soon offered us some carrots and potatoes, brought home from his wife's organic farm, where she works. They are the cast offs, knobbly or crooked carrots for example, which are not saleable. They look fine to me. Maybe the potatoes are on the gigantic side!

 

He'd newly returned from delivering some to the Old People's Home. I guess we fitted into that category.

Snettisham never lets us down. Large numbers, and a good variety, of waders, are almost guaranteed for us car bound birders. It was forecast to be a pretty low high tide, we knew that the mud would not be covered nor the waders provide the great spectacle of tide influenced smoke flights. We spent a couple of hours enjoying sorting through the feeding and loafing waders. Knot and Oystercatchers the majority, good numbers of Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank and Dunlin, a few Ringed Plovers and Curlew, Grey Plover and Spotted Redshank. A lone Little Stint looked dwarfed in comparison with the Dunlin.

Not many Heron species to-day, this Little Egret, the other side of the last pool, did not stay long.

 

 

A large flock of Common and Sandwich Terns formed their own enclave. I gave up counting them as they, for no apparent reason, rose as one into the sky, circled and settled again. That also made looking for other species difficult. I did  succeed in identifying a few moulting adult Mediterranean Gulls.. I was hoping for Little Tern, they are usually here.

A quick look at North Point Pools from the car park added Ruff and a Snipe to the day list. I wish that Snettisham was nearer home, but the spectacle is worth the journey.