Something different

At 02.54 hrs (or some time close?) Bev and I were awoken by the rumbling, and associated ground vibration and ornaments bouncing along bedroom cabinets, caused by an earthquake. In my younger days I might have quipped "did the ground moved for you darling" - but not last night. It was all rather surreal - but never frightening, we went back to sleep without much problem once the lack of sirens had been noted - if that had been an explosion someone would have been in serious shit! The only real sign that something out of the ordinary had ever occurred was the noisy protests, by the local Herring Gulls, as they flew about the darkened skies in a blind panic.

The graphical display of "our" earthquake. As an experience - it was a "lifer" for Bev and myself!

But they soon settled back down and Dumpton returned to a sleepy backwater, within Thanet's hustle and bustle. It was only when I had got up, to go to work, that I became aware of the actual facts of the situation. A weird experience all round!
Because the conditions looked so favourable, I'd fired up the Milton Mk VII 125w MV moth trap for only the second time this year. My resultant, overnight, catch was all to predictable, the only geometer was a Brimstone! However, it wasn't a wasted effort due to the fact that we've got Emily staying with us for the next two nights and she will always gain great experience from encounters with even the most common moth species. When I started mothing, back in the summer of 1994, my guidance came from various individuals who were, at that time, closely linked to Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory. My reference material was of very limited stock, Bernard Skinner's masterpiece plus the twin volumes of South, whilst micros - read Pyralids - were covered by the excellent Barry Goater effort.


A White Point - in 2015 a resident breeding species around the Dumpton area.
My original copy of Skinner describes the moth as a "suspected immigrant"

Great times of new discoveries - the Sandwich Bay crowd were a vibrant, heady, mix of seriously talented, yet eccentric, individuals, who took great pleasure in assisting my personal journey of discovery. I'm no longer in contact with Paul A Brown, Wes Attridge or Andy Johnson  but, they played a huge part in my personal development. That Tony Harman - yes the Tony Harman! - was also prepared to assist my efforts speaks volumes to the generosity of the Obs and all the folk who were, at that time, associated with the place. I've done moths - if it wasn't for the fact that I have nephews and grandchildren, I'd probably no longer bother with this particular avenue. But I do, and I still am enthused by the turning of an egg box. This morning it was a "White Point" that brought this all into focus. When I started mothing, even in East Kent, this was an irregular migrant/immigrant which was always a good indicator of the potential for a "rare". How times have changed?

A Shuttle-shaped Dart - as not depicted in the majority of fieldguides!
Seen from the top - they're a gimme, from the side, I'm not so sure?

I also played around with my macro gear and produced an image of a Shuttle-shaped Dart that is almost unrecognisable, due to the unfamiliar angle that I've used.

Surely one day I'll find myself in a position to grab a few images of Common Swift -
until then - this is the best I made of the situation in the garden, yesterday.

Yesterday was to deliver yet another "avian" year tick as a Hobby came speeding low across the rooftops of Vine Close. I saw it, or another, this afternoon, suggesting that the local breeding territory is being used again in 2015 ?