Two Devonshire Wainscots were the highlight of an evening mothing on The Lizard but a gargantuan Striped Hawk-moth elicited the gasps (all the ones I have trapped in the Med have been teeny). Also Square-spot Dart, Hoary Footman, Agonopterix bipunctuosa. Thanks Nick, @windmillfarm.bsky.social, Paul

Wilson’s Stormies bookended the day, which was splendid. And followed by mothing a new place - tonight, The Lizard - which is always exciting. Hurry up, nightfall!

Neither are particulary rare but I bet not many people have seen Gypsy Moth (Norwich garden trap at dawn) and half a dozen Cory’s Shearwaters (Pendeen, this evening) in the same day…

Although I found a rare bird at Breydon Water on Friday evening, the real star there was the sunset. This image is almost straight off the camera - just a little sharpening but otherwise nothing altered.

Norwich garden mothing: hoped last night’s heavy rain (repeat: heavy. rain.) might drop some interest. In the event, despite four traps, everything good was on the outside of the MV: Jersey tiger nfg (not unexpected), saltmarsh plume (2fg), clay triple-lines, Palpita, rush veneer, 5 silver y, 2db.

Norwich garden #mothing. I am starting to think that Marbled Cliver now breeds in my garden: these seven caught over the past two nights, following several in the previous week. Cydia amplana (nfg only last week!) must also have colonised a nearby big oak: here are 8 of the 9 in the past 3 nights

Some decent moths among last night’s Norwich garden trap, inc 3 Cydia amplana (new for garden only last week), another couple of Marbled Clover (surely breeding close to Norwich now, rather than dispersing from Brecks/coast) and an extrovert male Gypsy Moth. #MuchAdoAbourMothing #mothing

BOC grabs of 2 of the 3 species new for me at home last night. The black one is either Monochroa terebrella (wd be new for 10k sq) or Oxypteryx unicolorella (wd be new for E Nfk vc) tbc. The other is Scythris limbella (3rd for E Nfk). Not pictured were 2 Psoricoroptera gibbosella. Phew! #mothing

Raspberry Clearwing was new for the Norwich garden yesterday. Given westerlies, it may have originated from raspberries in a nearby allotment.

Mothy highlights from Norwich last night were two Marbled Clover (different to the one caught 23/7, also pictured) and Cydia amplana (2nd for garden, after the 1st yesterday). These, 5 Silver Y & 2 Diamond-bk suggested some dispersal if not immigration #mothing Yesterday also candidate Saltern Ear.

Norwich garden #mothing 20/7. Some dispersal (and possibly immigration) evident with Small Mottled Willow, 2 Beet Moth, 5 Silver Y and Marbled Clover, plus Dewick’s Plusia.

A brace of Light Crimson Underwings from Norwich (Norfolk’s 8th record), courtesy of @ipterodroma. The hypothesis is that these are locally bred, the species spreading north from southern England.

Bangin’ pix of Kri-kri (Wild goat ssp. cretica) in northern Crete today. (I have again been taking lessons from @cliffsmith23.bsky.social) Eleonora’s falcons swarming overhead. Nuts!

Seen some surprisingly cool things today - but these emerging cicada possibly pip a flock of Eleonora’s falconing at dusk over the hotel.

An intriguingly fresh Antigastra catalaunalis caught by Christine Steen/Dave Holman in Bowthorpe, Norfolk, on Tue. This week has seen modest immigrants at best so I am wondering whether this species’ larvae can also feed on purple toadflax - and whether this is progeny of the 2025 influx?

With 654/122 across just two garden #moth traps in Norwich, I am regretting not running four! Kent Black Arches was an overdue NFG, given its recent rapid expansion, while 10 Latticed Heath broke the garden record set only last week. #mothing #MuchAdoAboutMothing

Delighted to have the cover feature in the July 2026 issue of BBC Wildlife magazine. Buy a copy to read how this bird puts the poo in hoopoe - and to learn bout the chances of it colonising the UK. #BirdingUK

Painted Lady grabbing a bit of evening shut-eye in our Norwich garden. Never had so many garden records.

NEW BLOG: What the pug? Covering Scarce Pug and Lesser Emperor in Norfolk www.jameslowen.com/blog-28-jun-...

Norwich garden #mothing produced 585/119. The lepistar was a Dark Crimson Underwing (first for 2 or 3 summers) but this was eclipsed by an entirely unanticipated orthopteran garden tick: House Cricket!

A rubbish mobile phone pic of a glorious minimoth: Chrysoclista linneella (Lime Flame), a specialist of mature lime trees, was one of two species new for the Norwich garden last night, and one of (I think) a record 134 species trapped.

Have some Lesser Emperors from the Trinity Broads (Norfolk) yesterday. I have seen many LEs over 28 years (it was my 'Ur-dragonfly - the species that got me into Odonata in 1998, when it was about the 3rd UK record: thanks @wildlifeprecey.bsky.social), but never photographed it until this summer.

Surveying in the Norfolk Broads today: Lesser Emperors everywhere (14+ so far, inc ovipositing pairs) and a surprise ‘potential disturbance event’ when a male European Honey-buzzard flew over. BOC shots for now…. #ukbirding #dragonflies #norfolk #broads

After an unsuccessful Marsh Carpet survey on the R Wensum in Old Costessey the previous night, #mothing back home in Norwich last night. Crescent Plume was ace but 6 Evergestis limbata (doubling the garden record set last week) illustrate the revolution in its status: from rarity to common!

Heady garden moth trap in Norwich - with 593 moths of 123 species. A worn Aethes tesserana was new for the garden (900 species in sight?), while Marbled Clover and Festoon indicated local dispersal. A few Diamond-backs aside, no immigrants, though. #mothing

Only the third Rosy Marbled i have seen was a new-for-garden surprise in Norwich this morning. Although regular in the Brecks, this is only the sixth location in Norfolk’s eastern vice-county. #mothing #MuchAdoAboutMothing

NEW BLOG: Elation/frustration. On finding (or not) Caspian Tern in Norfolk yesterday. www.jameslowen.com/blog-15-jun-... @lowestoftlizards.bsky.social

Just found this adult Caspian Tern at Brendan’s Marsh, Hickling, Norfolk. Presumably yesterday’s Breydon bird relocating. After putting the news out I learn that someone else found it 90mins earlier. From elation to frustration in ten minutes! #ukbirding

NEW BLOG: Reefer. www.jameslowen.com/blog-8-jun-2... Britain's first Western Reef Heron, preceded by a tale about historical encounters with the boys in blue. #UKBirding With thanks to Paul Nobbs, @mcbuckland.bsky.social @jimlaw.bsky.social

And breathe…