Brindled Beauty update

Just a quick update on the Brindled Beauty moth I caught last Wednesday (6th, see below). It has now been confirmed as just the 6th record ever in Lancashire and the first in the county since 2007! Just goes to show what might be flying around your back yard!

Purple Saxifrage - Ingleborough

We set out for Ingleborough in North Yorkshire, half expecting to find that we were too early in the month for the flowering of Purple Saxifrage, but in the end we only just made it, with most flowers almost spent. Still it was a lovely day and a great walk, and we also saw about 10 Emperor moths on the moorland just below Ingleborough, but nowhere near close enough or still enough to photograph!

Hilbre Island

The forecast of south easterly winds convinced me that it was time for a long overdue visit to Hilbre, only my second visit this year. I was on the island at 6:30, when it was barely light, and was treated to a magnificent sunrise. It soon became obvious that there had been a mini fall over night, with several Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers flitting about, many of which were caught and ringed. Highlight of the day was a male Redstart, and other migrants included a decent passage of Lesser Redpolls, a couple of Siskin, Grasshopper Warbler (not seen by me), a trickle of White Wagtails, Blackcap, Wheatears and a few Swallows and Sand Martins. It was also a day for picking up a few Hilbre scarcities, including Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Magpie and Woodpigeon.
Photos: Redstart, Lesser Redpoll, Blackcap, Danish Scurvygrass and sunrise.

Brindled Beauty - second for St Helens

My first night moth trapping this year produced 9 moths, one of which was this Brindled Beauty, only the second for St Helens and the first for six years. Lets hope it's the start of a good year!

Eccleston Mere

2 Swallows 50 Sand Martins 1 Blackcap singing 1 Willow Warbler singing 1 Shoveler female 12 Tufted Ducks 1 Kingfisher 2 Treecreepers 1 Willow Tit

Eccleston Mere

1 Blackcap singing, 2 Willow Warblers singing and 5 Chiffchaffs singing. Also 1+ Kingfisher, 2 Buzzards and 3 Sparrowhawks displaying (1m, 2ff).

Catchdale Moss - Green Lane

2 Wheatears, 5 Tree Sparrows