Bit of lamping

The moth trap on Saturday morning produced virtually the same as Thursday with the exception of a Chestnut, my first of the year. Five species of Orthosia and a few Early Grey completed the trap.

Early Grey

 I then went into the woods and onto the fell for a very quick look for an early Chiffchaff.  No joy unfortunately but I released the moths so I could have another go last night.  Several queen Large Red-tailed Bumblebees were looking for suitable nest-sites.
Much of the Blackthorn and Goat Willow is in flower now and the entrance to Hermitage Woods held some super patches of flowering Colts-foot.

Colts-foot

The first Common Forget-me-not were just coming into flower on the road as I headed back.

Common Forget-me-not

With so much willow in flower I had a go at lamping for moths last night. Everything was on the willow. The Blackthorn was devoid of moths but they were gorging themselves on the catkins of the willow.

This one willow bush had 6 species of moth on it last night

Nothing new but the final count was probably the same as if I put my trap out. Six Twin-spotted Quaker and 8 Small Quaker were good counts for me.

Twin-spotted Quaker

Clouded Drab 

Still no Chiffchaffs today as I checked at dawn this morning but the dawn chorus was very good with our resident birds, the three species of thrushes in particular putting on an excellent chorus backed by 3, possibly 4 Tawny Owls. A female Early Mining Bee (Andreana haemorrhoa) by the side of the path was my first here for several years. This is the earliest of the mining bees (hence the name of course), with a foxy-brown thorax, near black abdomen and a ginger rear. She didn't hang about so I failed to get a photograph because she was off as I adjusted the camera in the half-light.