As I’ve ended up as Billy no mates this weekend I decided to go out in the wee humid hours of this morning lamping for moths. Well it beats trawling for customers. For the uninitiated this entails searching with a bright light and a net so armed to the teeth with lamps, batteries and pots yours truly could be found in the undergrowth of some of the county roads in the Grandborough valley and it turned out to be quiet a successful adventure with 18 species identified from the 66 moths caught. Best of the catch was a Knot Grass from my session along the county road between Woolscott and Sawbridge, Smoky Wainscot between Sawbridge and the Grand Union canal near Flecknoe and just before dawn I netted a Phoenix between Grandborough and Bunkers Hill. Naturally all this nocturnal activity produced other sights and sounds including 2 Badger, 2 Foxes along with a good count of Barn Owl with at least 5 seen, a couple of large bats and a Muntjac heard.
The humidity finally gave way to showers and as I the approached the Basealy smallholding along the Flecknoe Rd a Quail casually wandered across the road followed 25 minutes later by a 2 Grey Partridge but no further sightings of the Quail.
Draycote Water was tranquil and despite the conditions I had a very enjoyable visit before the joggers arrived with Common Sandpiper on the shoreline of the wind surfing area, female/immature Goosander near the valve tower which has been here a couple of days, Little Ringed Plover, Sedge Warbler, Great-spotted Woodpecker and 2 Teal all in toft bay and at 7am a Black-tailed Godwit flew over heading towards biggen bay.
Single-dotted Wave
Once home and a change of clothes my moth trap took awhile to clear down with the best catch since 4th July. Over 200 moths of 55 species with Dwarf Cream Wave a garden tick and also a couple of micros to add.
Richard
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