Old Vic Autumn Moths

Spent the day with the family while waiting for the wind to switch to the south east and then I headed off to the south coast to look for migrant moths. I'm currently campervaning on the Selsey Peninsula with an actinic up on the beach. I really should have the MV trap out but I was too tight to buy a generator yet. The migrant lepidoptera facebook group have called this wind the 'Canary Islands Corridor' with warmish southerlies sweeping up across the Atlantic and over Iberia with migrants expected over the next day or two. I'm also hoping it might bring in the odd Pallid Swift or other Iberian/ North African bird vagrant so will be on the look out for that too. 

I've missed the odd blog post recently because a lot been going on. I did Beddington on Saturday morning- not too much but a bit of vis mig. Ebird list HERE. 

The MV at the Old Vic last night was quite interesting with my first appearance of 'winter moths', presumably November moths and after my first Merveille du Jour last week, there were three of the beauties this morning. Also a nice selection of other classic autumn leaf coloured moths including Sallow, Barred Sallow, Brick, Beaded Chestnut, Chestnut and Yellow-lined Quakers. 

November moth (agg) - winter is coming! 

Merveille du Jour- took years to get my first one and now four in one week 

Brick (above), Yellow-lined Quaker (below) and Chestnut (below that). A nice comparison of relatively similar looking autumn moths. 

Heath trap out on the beach. I hope it doesn't get blown over- it's pretty blustery tonight