Like busses!

Change of scene with a long weekend ahead, trapping in my Weymouth garden last night produced two new "in-trap" moths for me, finally a Striped Hawkmoth and Crescent Dart, might put two on tonight! (Left the moth camera at work 🤦‍♂️)

Jersey Mocha the best from the Abbotsbury traps last night, first here for a few years. Numbers considerably down on previous nights.

Caspian Tern just flown over the Swannery grounds, quite purposefully north @swannerysteve.bsky.social

Gem the pick of last nights migrants at the Swannery, also Small Marbled, 72 Small Mottled Willow, 20 Rusty-dot Pearl, 4 Diamond-back + Rush Veneer, 3 Silver-y, Willow Ermines up to 92 but they do occasionally breed here. First Radford's showing up the last two nights

Many-lined the pick of the bunch at the Swannery last night - although chasing it half way across the site to pot it was not ideal! Also Small Marbled, 18 Small Mottled Willow, 5 Rusty-dot Pearl, 2 each Diamond-back Rush Veneer and a Pearly Underwing + loads of yearticks in 110+ species.

Doube Kidney was a new moth for me last night at Abbotsbury, along with a few migrants, 2 Vestal, 4 Small Mottled Willow and 3 Diamond-back. This tiny and aberrant looking Clouded Border had me in a blind panic reaching for. Pot!

Early start to do the traps before a long day off site. Sadly the storms did nothing for the Abb traps other than filling them with beetles + hoverflies! A Blackneck however was a very nice addition to the yearlist, just my second ever + another Splendid Brocade amongst a big haul of commoner moths

Last night definitely up there with the best ever mothing at the Swannery - a whopping 136 species including Splendid Brocade, 4 Tufted Oak Knot-horn, 19 Rusty-dot Pearl, 16 Diamond-back, Dark Sword-grass, incredible 5 new for site, best being a Bulrush Down Moth and 2 Wax Moth.

Sorrel Cap - Opostega salaciella from the Swannery last night. Too much to list/photograph but for a few goodies, more tonight please!

Small Marbled, 3 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Diamond-back, 2 Rusty-dot Pearl + Delicate at the Swannery last night, also the 3rd pinivorana of the year, 8 Species of Wainscot including a good emergance of Southern and Obscure. Interesting that the exposed actinic in grassland was by far the best trap!

Particularly dire trapping conditions did not inspire more than one trap at the Swannery last night, it did however contain an Ancylis myrtillana - Billberry Hook-wing. Presumably a wanderer from Hardy's Monument where Bilberry occurs. A Lime Hawkmoth was also of note.

Mullein caterpillar demolishing a stand of Water Figwort at the Swannery today. I spotted the frass and stripped leaves before finding the larva, bigger poo than a mouse!

A modest catch last night including some lovely fresh specimens; Small Dusty Wave, Piniphila bifasciana, Caloptillia stigmatella and a better marked Cnephasia sp. than the norm her.

Lesser Cream Wave potted off the wall as I was packing away - it had been hiding in plain sight! New for the Swannery so all was not loast last night!

More of a year-ticks and pretty things kind of night at the Swannery with Udea olivalis, Scoparia pyralella, Zeiraphera isertana and Bactra furfurana among the more routine additions like Large Yellow Underwing and Vine's Rustics!

Chief prize from the Swannery traps this morning was this Aethes deaurana, although I've found larval signs on Portland I've never actually seen the adults so very pleasing capture. Also 3rd site record of Lesser Wax Moth and 2nd Mompha subbistrigella

Less migrant activity at the Swannery last night but signs of dispersal from inland with a few new additions to the list including this Little Thorn

Bursting traps they were not, however a Euchromius ocellea was a nice highlight from the Swannery traps last night, loads of yearticks, plus backup cast of migrants Inc 16 Small Mottled Willow, 10 Diamond-back and a Rusty-dot Pearl @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

The Bonaparte's Gull did the decent thing this afternoon and showed up at the 4pm feed, sumptuous views of a mighty fine looking gull. It was only a matter of time before myself or @swannerysteve.bsky.social turned one up, a much deserved find for a dedicated patch watcher!

Thanks for the prompt to go look for my own!

I can't recall ever seeing a Curlew Sandpiper in such finery in Britain, So I was very pleased this morning to find @swannerysteve.bsky.social bird still present this morning.

Suddenly remembered I'd seen a big flock of Pale-bellied Brent Geese last year from the Chesil. I nearly spat my tea out when I saw they were on exactly the same date! More than a coincidence perhaps?!

Anyone ever seen a pair of Victory SF do this? They got a little bit warm in the car, haven't got them wet in months?!

Nice to walk out from home today while I had a bit of free time. The two Bonaparte's Gulls were showing really well at Lynch Cove. The 3cy bird was a new plumage for me. Very instructive in flight too.

My biggest self-found blocker has fallen! Hoopoe just flown NE through Radipole RSPB. Picked it up over houses at Westham! Has just kept on going, true active migrant!

Moth traps ticking over at the Swannery, most of the expected early season species encountered so far with just a couple of exceptions. This morning saw quite an increase in Common Quaker, also the years first Pine Beauty which somehow already looks a little dishevelled!

Small Mottled Willow to light at Abbotsbury last night, part of a whopping 95 of 15 including another Red Sword-grass, 2nd Oak Nycteoline of the week and a Brimstone @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

A bit chilly last night but that didn't deter two Red Sword-grass! A new species for the Swannery, also Oak Beauty and Small Quaker added for the year amongst another 45 of 13

60 of 17 at Abbotsbury last night, no migrants to speak of but a whole host of lovely fresh moths new for the year including this Early Thron