The Mothing Year Has Begun

(birders don't worry, there is bird news in this post - just bear with me!)

So, as I said in my last post, Wednesday night the front garden looked like this...

The Robinson is out - and still working I'm pleased to report!

Thursday morning, I had myself six moths to look at - YEAH! These six included a new species for the garden, two of them...

Dotted Border

As this was my first catch of the year, I'm sorry but I got a little snappy-happy! I also had three of these...

Common Quaker

And the sixth was a fairly early...

Early Grey; a nice pinkie one too

I even snapped the bumblebee that was in amongst the egg cartons in the trap...

A big 'un it was too!

Moth enthusiasts - don't switch off just yet! I put the trap out again last night in the back garden, and guess what... DOUBLE FIGURES!!! I didn't get this until 9th April last year - so a result and a half!

This catch of 11 moths included another new species for the garden...

Early Moth - exciting yeah!??

The other ten moths were: 7 Common Quaker, 2 Hebrew Characters and another Dotted Border. I am so looking forward to the mothing year ahead!

OK birders, despair no more!

I've had a few looks along the Estuary today, the weather conditions have been pretty good for 'gulling'. The best I could muster though (so far anyway!) were two Med Gulls, including presumably the same first-winter as the other day...

Which photo is more exciting - this one of the one of the Early Moth above!???

Have also noted c200 Common and 26 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (one or two looking quite black-backed, but also one very pale second-winter bird).