Moths!

Mothing ~ 19/20th July 2015 ~ 

I have very kindly been lent a moth trap and so last night the forecast looked pretty good - low wind, no rain and fairly warm, so I decided to put the trap out in my garden and see what happened!

This morning (20th) I got up at 6am to go and cover the trap so that any moths in the trap couldn't escape and then I went back to bed for a few hours before getting up again to go through the trap.

To my surprise there were quite a few moths in the trap and there seemed to be quite a variety of species too which is always good! I also noticed that there were some Elephant Hawkmoths in the trap which was awesome as they are a species I've really wanted to see for quite a while and they really do not disappoint!

Anyway, I won't bore you with any more writing, so here are some pictures of the moth I caught. Many thanks to all who helped me with id'ing them yesterday - I very much appreciate it!!

Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata)
Common Footman (Eilema lurideola)
Scarce Footman (Eilema complana)
The Flame (Axylia putris)
Mottled Beauty (Alcis repandata)
Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata)
Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina)
Dot Moth (Melanchra persicariae)
Crambus pascuella
September Thorn (Ennomos erosaria)
Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthina)
Double Square-spot (Xestia triangulum)
Euzophera pinguis
Elephant Hawkmoth (Deilephila elpenor)
Blastobasis adustella 
Eudonia mercurella
Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 
Beautiful Hook-tip (Laspeyria flexula)

Chrysoteuchia culmella (Garden Grass Veneer)
Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides) 
Celypha striana
Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata)
Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha)
Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lutea)
Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) 
Endotrichia flammealis
Least Carpet (Idaea rusticata) 
Ancylis achatana
Scoparia ambigualis
Scalloped Oak (Crocallis elinguaria) 
Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)
Scallop Shell (Hydria undulata)

Skomer Island ~ 4th - 11th July 2015 ~

09/07/2015

I'm having a super time on Skomer Island and I can't believe tomorrow is my last full day!!

Last night (1.30am this morning - 9/07/15) I ringed 10 Manx Shearwaters and my first ever Puffin. I then got up at 4am to help with CES. 

After CES I had an awesome time scaling the cliffs in search of auk chicks (found and ringed 2 Razorbill chicks) and I've just got in from a session of sticking my arm down burrows and finding and ringing Puffins!!! 

I did a number of chicks and got to colour ring an adult too which was tricky but really cool! 

All in all a tiring but absolutely awesome day and tomorrow we go in search of more Lesser Black-backed Gulls!

Juvenile Puffin (Fratercula arctica)

Stunning sunrise

Beautiful scenery

Juvenile Razorbill (Alca torda)

Stunning scenery and steep cliffs!

Just fantastic!

Puffling!!!! 

Puffling

Adult Puffin (Fratercula arctia)

Loads of Puffins!!