Portland Bird Observatory - wildlife diary

24th December	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 1 *Plutella xylostella*.
19th December	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 1 *Udea ferrugalis*.
Mottled Umber - 13th December 2003 © Martin Cade
13th December	Moth interest has dwindled lately, with Epiphyas postvittana being the only species attracted to the Obs garden moth-traps in recent nights; Winter Moths and a lone Mottled Umber have been seen on the windows of the Obs lounge after dark, whilst Bloxworth Snouts have been found indoors on several occasions in recent days.
3rd December	A lone Red Admiral was again on the wing in the Obs garden. Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 2 White-speck.
2nd December	A Hummingbird Hawk-moth was on the wing at Easton and a Red Admiral was seen in the Obs garden.
27th November	A Red Admiral and a Clouded Yellow were on the wing at Church Ope Cove and another Red Admiral was seen at the Bill.
26th November	A Red Admiral was on the wing at the Bill today. Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 1 Nomophila noctuella.
22nd November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 5 White-speck, 5 *Udea ferrugalis, 3 Silver Y, 2 Nomophila noctuella, 1 Dark Sword Grass* and 1 Plutella xylostella.
21st November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 11 *Udea ferrugalis, 7 Dark Sword Grass, 6 White-speck, 5 Pearly Underwing, 4 Nomophila noctuella, 2 Gem* and 1 Silver Y.
20th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 7 White-speck, 5 *Udea ferrugalis, 2 Pearly* Underwing and 1 Silver Y.
19th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 5 White-speck and 3 *Udea ferrugalis*.
18th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 6 White-speck, 5 *Udea ferrugalis, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Plutella xylostella* and 1 Nomophila noctuella.
17th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 6 White-speck, 3 Nomophila noctuella, 1 *Udea ferrugalis, 1 Plutella xylostella* and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
16th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 12 *Udea ferrugalis, 8 Nomophila noctuella, 6 White-speck, 3 Plutella xylostella* and 2 Silver Y.
15th November	The selection of lepidoptera on the wing today included 2 Clouded Yellows at Pennsylvania Castle, a Hummingbird Hawk at Southwell and a Red Admiral at the Bill.
13th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 12 Nomophila noctuella, 6 *Udea ferrugalis, 5 Plutella xylostella, 2 White-speck* and 2 Gem.
12th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 17 *Udea ferrugalis, 14 Nomophila noctuella, 2 White-speck, 2 Plutella xylostella, 2 Pearly Underwing, 2 Dark Sword Grass* and 2 Silver Y.
11th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 8 *Udea ferrugalis, 3 White-speck, 2 Plutella xylostella* and 1 *Nomophila noctuella*.
10th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 6 *Udea ferrugalis, 3 Nomophila noctuella, 1 White-speck, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Plutella xylostella* and 1 Silver Y.
7th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 6 White-speck, 4 *Nomophila noctuella, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Plutella xylostella* and 1 Gem.
6th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 8 *Nomophila noctuella, 6 White-speck, 4 Silver Y, 3 Udea ferrugalis, 2 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Plutella xylostella, 1 Gem* and 1 White-point.
5th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 9 White-speck, 2 *Udea ferrugalis, 1 Pearly Underwing, and 1 Dark Sword Grass*.
4th November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 4 White-speck, 1 *Udea ferrugalis* and 1 Plutella xylostella.
2nd November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 1 Dark Sword Grass and 1 *Udea ferrugalis*.
1st November	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 1 Silver Y, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 White-speck and 1 Pearly Underwing.
31st October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 2 White-speck.
30th October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 4 Nomophila noctuella and 1 *Plutella xylostella*.
29th October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 16 *Nomophila noctuella, 2 Plutella xylostella, 1 Dark Sword Grass* and 1 White-speck.
27th October	A single Hummingbird Hawk-moth was seen in the Obs garden this afternoon. Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 1 White-speck.
20th October	Clouded Yellows, Red Admirals and Painted Ladies continue to be be seen in small numbers at many sites around the island. Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 2 Nomophila noctuella, 1 Pearly Underwing and 1 Scarce Bordered Straw.
Dryad's Saddle - 19th October 2003 © Charlie Moores www.wbkenglish.com
19th October	The fungus Dryad's Saddle was found on sycamore trees at Pennsylvania Castle today; this species is often common on deciduous trees, particularly sycamores, but there are evidently no previous Portland records. Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 5 Nomophila noctuella, 2 Pearly Underwing, 1 White-speck and 1 *Udea ferrugalis*.
18th October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 5 Nomophila noctuella, 1 Silver Y, 4 Udea ferrugalis and 1 Pearly Underwing.
17th October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 5 *Nomophila noctuella* and 1 Silver Y.
16th October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 15 Nomophila noctuella, 2 Silver Y, 1 *Udea ferrugalis* and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
Hedgehog - 15th October 2003 © James Lees
15th October	Hedgehogs are being seen frequently in the Obs garden at the moment. Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 5 Nomophila noctuella, 1 White-speck, 1 Udea ferrugalis and 1 *Plutella xylostella*.
Gems - 14th October 2003 © Martin Cade
14th October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 114 Nomophila noctuella, 7 Silver Y, 6 White-speck, 3 *Udea ferrugalis, 3 Pearly Underwing, 2 Scarce Bordered Straw, 2 Gem* and 1 *Plutella xylostella*.
13th October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 13 Nomophila noctuella, 3 White-speck, 2 Silver Y, 1 *Udea ferrugalis, 1 Pearly Underwing* and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
12th October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 7 Nomophila noctuella, 5 White-speck, 2 *Udea ferrugalis, 1 Pearly Underwing* and 1 Convolvulus Hawk-moth.
11th October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 63 Nomophila noctuella, 11 White-speck, 5 *Udea ferrugalis, 4 Pearly Underwing, 1 Dark Sword Grass* and 1 Silver Y.
Bloxworth Snout - 9th October 2003 © Martin Cade
9th October	Ten species of butterfly were still on the wing at the Bill today. Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 8 White-speck, 3 *Nomophila noctuella* and 1 Dark Sword Grass; additionally, several Bloxworth Snouts were discovered roosting in a storage cellar under the Obs patio.
4th October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 21 Nomophila noctuella, 11 White-speck, 11 Pearly Underwing, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Silver Y, 1 *Plutella xylostella* and 1 Pink-barred Sallow.
3rd October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 109 Nomophila noctuella, 24 White-speck, 13 Pearly Underwing, 8 *Udea ferrugalis, 5 Scarce Bordered Straw, 4 Silver Y, 4 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Plutella xylostella* and 1 White-point.
2nd October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 20 Nomophila noctuella, 16 White-speck, 3 Pearly Underwing, 3 Scarce Bordered Straw, 2 *Udea ferrugalis, 2 Silver Y* and 1 Small Mottled Willow.
1st October	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 155 Nomophila noctuella, 11 White-speck, 4 *Udea ferrugalis, 3 Dark Sword Grass, 3 Scarce Bordered Straw, 2 Silver Y, 2 Pearly Underwing, 2 Vestal, 1 Plutella xylostella* and 1 Convolvulus Hawk-moth.