Garden moffs - evening update

 The garden MV trap has continued to attract a nice, yet fairly predictable, variety of moths. The numbers of micro species has been drastically affected, however, by the brisk overnight winds. Migrants have been very much at a premium with just a scattering of Silver Y's, Dark Sword-grass and Diamond-backs. The odd Delicate being recorded is just as likely to be of local origins than from further afield so the one stand out moth has to be a Scarce Bordered Straw which turned up last Thursday night?

I'm still having plenty of fun with the camera gear and obtaining images of very common species is a good way to experiment with various camera/lens combinations and settings. 

Satin Grass Veneer

Maple Button

Quite a good morning, today, as a Little Egret flew over the garden whilst I was examining the contents of the trap. This is only the third patch, and second garden, record of this increasingly common species. Best of all was getting the opportunity to grab a few shots of a Humming-bird Hawk-moth which was nectaring on the Red Valerian at the front of the bungalow. Even at 1/1250th sec, I couldn't avoid the wings appearing blurred, such is the manic energy used by these fabulous insects.

THE EVENING UPDATE

There I was saying how predictable the contents of the Robinson Trap were and then this happens. I'd potted it up because I wasn't too sure that I recognised it. Very lively, so into the fridge it went, along with a couple of others, to be examined later in the day. A worn Dun-bar and a very fresh Pale Mottled Willow were quickly dealt with, so left me to head scratch over the id of this rather plain looking noctuid. My conclusion is that it is a Crescent Striped, although am very happy to be corrected, and, as such, new for me and the garden.

Crescent Striped