Portland Bird Observatory - wildlife diary - November and December 2002

28th December	No sign of the Minke Whale anywhere in Portland Harbour today.
27th December	A small whale - reported to be a young Minke Whale - was stranded in Portland Harbour this morning. According to the local press it was successfully returned to the water but was in a distressed state in the Portland Port area during the afternoon and may have to be destroyed.
25th December	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 1 Pearly Underwing.
23rd December	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 1 *Plutella xylostella* and 1 Pearly Underwing.
13th December	No immigrant moths were attracted to the Obs garden moth-traps last night (the first night the traps have been run since 4th December); the only resident species caught were singles of *Epiphyas postvittana* and *Crocidosema plebejana*.
6th December	A Red Admiral was seen at Barleycrates Lane today.
4th December	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 5 Plutella xylostella, 3 White-speck, 3 Udea ferrugalis, 3 Pearly Underwing and 2 Silver Y; resident species still on the wing included Large Yellow Underwing, Angle Shades, Black Rustic, Beaded Chestnut, Double-striped Pug, *Scrobipalpa costella, Acleris hastiana, Epiphyas postvittana* and *Crocidosema plebejana*.
1st December	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 3 Plutella xylostella, 1 White-speck, 1 *Udea ferrugalis* and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
30th November	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 8 White-speck, 4 Plutella xylostella, 2 Udea ferrugalis, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Pearly Underwing and 1 *Nomophila noctuella*.
29th November	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 4 Plutella xylostella, 3 White-speck, 1 Gem and 1 Silver Y.
26th November	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 15 Plutella xylostella, 10 Udea ferrugalis, 5 White-speck, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Pearly Underwing and 1 Silver Y.
25th November	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 12 Plutella xylostella, 7 Udea ferrugalis, 7 White-speck, 1 Gem and 1 Silver Y; resident species still on the wing included Angle Shades, Large Yellow Underwing, Turnip and Double-striped Pug.
17th November	Clouded Yellows were seen today at the Bill and Church Ope Cove. After dark, 5 Udea ferrugalis were settled on the lit windows of the Obs lounge (the moth-traps have not been operated for several nights due to poor weather conditions).
16th November	A Painted Lady and a Red Admiral were seen at the Bill today.
10th November	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 6 Udea ferrugalis, 3 Plutella xylostella, 1 White-speck, 1 Pearly Underwing and 1 Silver Y.
Painted Lady - 9th November 2002 © Martin Cade
9th November	A lone Bottle-nosed Dolphin was in Portland Harbour during the afternoon. Red Admirals and Painted Ladies were again on the wing at several sites around the island today.
7th November	Red Admirals and at least 2 Clouded Yellows were still on the wing today.
6th November	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 4 Udea ferrugalis, 1 *Nomophila noctuella, 1 Plutella xylostella* and 1 Silver Y.
5th November	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 4 Udea ferrugalis, 2 *Nomophila noctuella, 3 White-speck, 1 Plutella xylostella* and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
4th November	Late butterflies on the wing today included Clouded Yellow, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Speckled Wood.
3rd November	Click here to visit Portland arachnologist Ian Pembroke's new website devoted to the Spiders of Portland. A Speckled Bush-cricket at the Obs was the latest ever recorded there.
2nd November	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 30 Udea ferrugalis, 18 *Nomophila noctuella, 9 Plutella xylostella, 7 Gem, 5 White-speck, 5 Pearly Underwing, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Silver Y, 1 Delicate* and 1 Small Mottled Willow.
Scarce Bordered Straw - 1st November 2002 © Martin Cade
1st November	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 64 *Nomophila noctuella, 48 Udea ferrugalis, 36 Plutella xylostella, 12 White-speck, 10 Pearly Underwing, 9 Gem, 8 Silver Y, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw* and 2 Delicate.