Heat Wave

Temperatures were around 30 C today with a warm easterly airflow. As it was Monday I planned to be in the field as much as I could.

I started off doing the moths which unsurprisingly was a good catch in the hot conditions with 90 species of over 200 individuals and 38 year ticks in one night!. Now on 255 for the garden year and 649 all time so two all time garden ticks too. 

I put four pheromone lures out today, the Ni-lure overnight and I then swapped it for the Lunar Hornet Moth at dawn, then the Red-belted Clearwing lure and later the Currant Clearwing lure. I had Silver-Y to Ni, Lunar Hornet and Red-belted Clearwings to their respective lures but sadly no Currant Clearwings. 

After the school run I did a bit of invert and plant recording in the garden. Now on 256 species HERE

Before it got too hot I then checked out Ferry, Long Pool, the Tramway and Mill Lane , HERE with highlights including the autumn's first returning Green Sandpiper on Mill Lane, the chick fest on Ferry Pool, a Red Kite over and good numbers of post-breeding waders in the harbour.

After a break from the heat, I then went to Church Norton on the rising tide where the highlights were the pair of Roseate Terns and another chick fest of flegling gulls and Sandwich Terns HERE.

The heat wave is set to last for the rest of the week so will be interesting what else turns up in the moth trap. Unfortunately I'm in London tomorrow working but should have time in the morning to go through the moth traps to at least look for anything obvious. 

Avocets (above) of all shapes on sizes on Ferry. At least 30 young and over 25 adults in an amazing breeding success story following the recent re-landscaping works

Little Ringed Plovers of different shapes and sizes (above and below). A fully fledged juvenile (above) and an adult and very young chicks below.

Green Sandpiper- it's official autumn migration has commenced

The Roseate Tern pair at Church Norton (above in a Sandwich tern sandwich and below)

Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit. Nearly 40 Curlews, 100 Redshanks and 18 Lapwings out in the harbour today. Things are certainly beginning to move in. 

An interesting primary pattern on this presumed Common Tern showing dark streaks on the outer webs similar to a Forster's Tern. Presumably related to worn outer webs. 

Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker in the garden

Marbled White- plenty of butterflies around Pagham Harbour today including Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns, Gatekeeper, Small/Essex Skipper, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Small White, Green-viened White and Painted Lady

The most interesting moth was this Pempelia sp- either Gorse or Heather Knot-horn. Waiting for confirmation from the CMR but Obsidentify says Heather Knot-horn which will be a lifer

Holly says she keeps loosing the children in the garden meadow