I mentioned the the day about that moth. It was a small white Acleris moth, one of the micro-moths and I really wasn’t sure at all as to what it was. Anyway it turned out that after its bits were examined by the county recorder it was identified as Acleris logiana and the first for County Durham (VC66).
231. Acleris logiana (Grey Birch Button)
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| That moth - Here she is (its a girl) A. logiana aka Black-headed Birch Leaffolder Moth or Grey Birch Button |
The moth trap overnight produced three new moth species for the year in the way of
232. Perigrapha munda (Twin-spotted Quaker)
233. Alsophila aescularia (March Moth )
234. Achlya flavicornis (Yellow-horned Moth)
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| Twin-spotted Quaker |
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| March Moth |
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| Yellow-horned |
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| Here's the Yellow-horned head on showing his antennae 'horns' |
Otherwise I went off-piste on an outing with the Durham Wildlife Trust Botany Group to Gainford in the south of the county today. The aim, which was successful, was to see Gagea lutea (Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem) in one of it’s few county sites. A nice day out with 70-odd species including much of the early spring woodland plants in flower.
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| Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem |
Returning, I walked from the A167 into the square and in one of the fields I picked up a Curlew feeding. Not a year tick but the first that wasn’t just flying over. Better still and only metres away from it were two Oystercatcher. Tick #235. I only had my macro lens with me so here is a very distant shot of them.
235. Haematopus ostralegus (Oystercatcher)
Just realised your blog is active again, amazing start and already I'm suffering severe square-envy! Can't believe how far advanced the season is down there, only just about getting budburst up here (apart from Elder which was in leaf weeks ago, but it's a crazy plant anyway) and windchill is keeping the temperatures below zero. Moths? Yeah I think I remember what those things look like. Gonna be following your exploits with interest.
ReplyDeleteSevere square-envy! I doubt that Seth, especially as you are on double what I am. The season is if anything about a week behind - Had a bit of snow yesterday. Flora-wise, I have't seen much in flower its been nearly all identified vegetatively. The Vegetative Key to the British Flora by John Poland is brilliant for that. I need some invert action as they say.
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