Oxfordshire weekend, Waterstock Mill, The Old Vicarage and Wolburn Safari Park

Another action packed weekend. Highlight was an overnight at Waterstock Mill moth trapping and night recording. Thanks very much for landowner Henry inviting us. A fantastic night.  A couple of moth lifers , Barn Owl over the campervan, Kingfishers up and down the river and good to know Otters and Polecats nearby. Looking forward to exploring more of this recently designated LWS , just across the fields from us. 

Waterstock Mill, Local Wildlife Site 

MV trap site on the meadow by the River Thame 

Actinic Heath Trap in the woodland glade 

It was a relatively cool night but still got 43 species of moth including a couple of ones I don't see often such as Shaded Broad Bar (above) and Pheonix (below) 

I went for Dark Brocade on this one - more like a dark Straw Underwing- thanks Edward 

First time I've seen this form of Nut-tree Tussock, f.avenella

Elachista maculicerusella I think 

Pyrausta purpuralis- I don't get these very often (unlike the similar Mint Moth which I get very often)

The Old Vicarage

Highlights this long weekend included a few bits in the moth trap (although trap numbers relatively low with the night temperatures proportionally low to the day temperatures), a Willow Warbler half singing this morning and a Common Darter (found by Jacob). 

There's certainly enough food now in the garden for us to live off- we harvested the first lot of potatoes this weekend. 

Gypsy Moth- they are following us from London! 

Purple Thorn- second generation type 

Harvest time at the Old Vicarage, Pumpkins coming on well too (below) 

Wolburn Safari Park 

I'm still on a mission to find a rarity on a family day trip to one of these family hamster wheel sites/ tourist traps. Spurred on by the Black-throated Thrush at Whipsnade this winter HERE a lot of these places have good possibilities. I was imaging a Roller or Bee-eater circling the Wildebeest yesterday or a Black-winged Stilt feeding on the edge of the Elephant pools- home from home.  

Best I could muster up today was a Spotted Flycatcher.