The fifth wave waning

Cooler conditions are forecasted for tomorrow and there is plenty of rain in the forecast for next week. What with all the DFLs on the Peninsula at the moment. in the hot weather. the traffic is awful so it was a good excuse to spend the day at home and make the most of the rest of this heat wave. The best one for moth migrants so far.  

The moths traps were even more busy last night with 113 species of around 450 individuals with a few potential new for sites and NFYs. Now potentially on 703 for the garden and 505 for the year.  The traps were also full of by-catch, mainly beetles and bugs. Latest pan-species observations HERE. 

The garden oasis is working well with lots of butterflies and insects taking refuge here. Today there were single Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers, 15 Small Whites, 3 Large White, 3-4 Red Admirals, 2 Peacocks, 2 Common Blue, 1 Brown Argus, 2 Meadow Browns, 1 Comma, 1 Small Copper and the second Clouded Yellow for the garden in the meadow. There were also Yellow Belles, Rush Veneers, Blood Veins and Vestals in the grass too so the meadow is excelling. What with the Clouded Buff in the meadow recently it really has been pretty incredible for a one acre plot in the middle of what is now a desert.

There were lots of hirundines over head too with approx 250 Sand Martin, 80 Swallow and 30 House Martin and the Hobby was on the hunt again. Also a couple of Yellow Wagtails over and a Willow Warbler was in the raised bed briefly. A pair of Ravens were circling for a while calling and the family of Buzzards were up for most of the day. Garden log from today HERE. 

I had to drag myself away from the garden to have a quick check of Church Norton but I timed the tides wrong. There were another 100 Sand Martins over there with a Hobby hunting there too. Elsewhere on the Peninsula today there were about 20 Wheatears, the autumns first Whinchat, a Spot Fly and more Willow Warblers with a Pied Fly yesterday and a small influx of Pied Flys in the county today too. I'm looking forward to have a full day in the field on Monday. 

Hobby hunting Sand Martins over the garden

Sand Martins (above) and mixed hirundines (below) around the garden 

Raven over- one of two

The local Buzzard family were enjoying the thermals today. This juvenile was soaring fairly low.

Juvenile Song Thrush- the local passerines are remaining very elusive at the moment 

Clouded Yellow

Barred Rivulet- one of two, the first for site and a lifer

Three Small Marbleds last night - from a garden mega to quite a regular moth recently. Also had another Striped Hawkmoth and good numbers of common migrants including 80 Small Mottled Willows, 22 Portland Ribbon Wave, 25 Rush Veneer and a good selection of the other expected migrants.  

Golden Twin-spot- a first for the year

Cosmopolitan- the second this year

Dark bordered Pearl- one of two

Scarce Oak Knot-horn (tumidana)

The apps say Phyllonrycter trifasciella - retained

The apps say Sycamore-seed Pygmy, Etania decentella. Retained. 

The apps say Glasswort Case-bearer, Coleophora salicorninae. Retained. 

The front garden aka the Sidlesham oasis

Instead of eating them I let the artichokes flower to enjoy this spectacle which the bees love

Meanwhile outside the oasis, this is what everywhere else looks like- Kyle's sheep in the field next to our garden and St. Wilfred's graveyard at Church Norton (below). Fingers crossed for some substantial rain next week as it's a bit nervous for everyone living in a nationwide tinderbox.