Three Elephants

Yesterday, I had a chance to have a walk which was grabbed quickly late on, though it meant I was without my binoculars or camera and I felt naked.  I did manage to find another 13 species of plant in flower, these being Common Bent, Creeping Bent, Hedge Bindweed, Short-fruited Willowherb, Russian-vine, Purple Toadflax, Common Toadflax, Self-heal, Wild Mignonette, Bramble, Common Ragwort and Tufted Vetch.

The small line of trees by the railway station has already held Common Whitethroat and Willow Warbler in 2011, and today a Chiffchaff was calling from here. I pass this stretch most days and this is the first time I've heard one here this year so I have to assume it is a late bird passing through. The path up to the station produced a surprising number of butterflies probably as it was as it was sheltered and catching the sun. Small, Large and Green-veined White, Peacock,  Wall, Speckled Wood and Common Blue were all seen.

I put the moth tap out overnight, the temperature dropping to only 11.0C. This resulted in another 11 new species for the year out of a total of 61 moths of 23 species. The new ones were Grey Pine Carpet, Common Carpet, Middle-barred Minor, Pale-shouldered Brocade, 3 Elephant Hawkmoths, Snout, Flame Shoulder plus micro moths Ectoedemia albifasciella, Crambus lathoniellus, Scoparia ambigualis and a Marbled Orchard Tortrix.

Elephant Hawkmoth above and below - 2 of three caught overnight.

Plus another White-pinion Spotted (a good year for this species) and 24 Heart and Dart..
A Cuckoo was calling in the distance as I emptied the trap and a Great-spotted Woodpecker flew over.

Flame-Shoulder new for the year

OFFH List this year

Flowering plants - 245
Birds - 104
Butterflies - 13
Moths - 93