Autumn maturing

Spent this morning at the farmlands. With Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers calling from the bushes and Sedge and Reed Warblers calling from the rank vegetation, Swallows moving south in groups, Yellow Wagtails bouncing over calling , a single Swift flying round, wildfowl numbers rising, Green Sandpipers calling, juvenile Hobbys chasing Starlings (as there are no Swifts left) and Buzzards kettling- it's all feeling very mid-autumn. Together with more autumn leaf mimic moths appearing, migrant Hawkers hawking and Common Darters flying high it really is an evocative time of year with anticipation rising of the potential for some big fall and flight days and dreaming of finding an autumn vagrant. Basically September is here!

 Reed Warbler- counted 9 around the lakes this morning with 3 Sedge Warbler. As usual this time of the year the birds get in the Sweet Clover (Melilot) and other ground vegetation. 

 Sallow (a classic autumn leaf mimic moth) and Angle Shades 

 A close up of the Sallow with Lee's macro lens that I've currently got on trial 

 Orange Sallow

 Oak Nycteoline 

 Straw Underwing- another classic mid-autumn moth. Up to 15 Vine's Rustics in recent evenings, Brimstone, Square-spot Rustics, Bright-line Brown-eyes, Large Yellow Underwings etc  

 Aberrant Pale Mottled Willow? It's a Turnip Moth (note the two daggers)- cheers Billy! 

 Close up of Catoptria Falsella - I reckon I should be able to get better results than this with the macro- will try again tomorrow 

Close up of Box Tree Moth- getting double figures of these in recent evenings- a real invasive, with the first record only two or three years ago locally

Autumn Sallow moth collection from Beddington Farmlands