Portland Bird Observatory - wildlife diary

31st July	A Red-veined Darter was seen briefly near the Obs during the morning, and Clouded Yellows continue to be seen in small numbers throughout the island. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 13 *Plutella xylostella, 2 Silver Y* and 2 Dark Sword Grass; also 1 True Lovers Knot and 1 Brown-veined Wainscot.
*Pyrausta nigrata* - 30th July 2002 © Martin Cade
30th July	The highlights in the Obs garden moth-traps were two *Pyrausta nigrata* - a new moth for the island. Other immigrant moths there were: 18 *Plutella xylostella, 14 Silver Y, 8 Nomophila noctuella, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Small Mottled Willow, 1 Evergestis extimalis* and 1 Udea ferrugalis; also 1 True Lovers Knot and 1 Brown-veined Wainscot.
29th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 28 *Plutella xylostella, 5 Silver Y, 3 Nomophila noctuella, 2 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Dark Sword Grass* and 1 Udea ferrugalis; also 2 True Lovers Knot.
28th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 26 *Plutella xylostella, 19 Silver Y, 3 Udea ferrugalis* and 3 Dark Sword Grass.
Jersey Tiger - 27th July 2002 © Martin Cade
27th July	A Jersey Tiger was found on a window at the Obs during the afternoon. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 4 Plutella xylostella; also a single Grey Arches (only the fourth recent Portland record).
26th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 6 *Plutella xylostella, 4 Silver Y* and 2 Udea ferrugalis.
Great Green Bush-cricket - 25th July 2002 © Martin Cade
25th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 22 *Plutella xylostella, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Nomophila noctuella* and 1 Silver Y.
24th July	Several Clouded Yellows were seen around the Bill area. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 15 *Plutella xylostella* and 1 Silver Y; also a single Miller, which constituted only the second island record of this species.
23rd July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 38 Plutella xylostella, 5 Silver Y and 1 *Nomophila noctuella*.
22nd July	A Clouded Yellow - the first seen for several weeks - was at the Bill in the afternoon. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 95 *Plutella xylostella* and 8 Silver Y.
21st July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 94 *Plutella xylostella, 3 Dark Sword Grass, 2 Nomophila noctuella* and 2 Silver Y; also a single Zeiraphera *isertana*.
20th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 128 *Plutella xylostella, 1 Nomophila noctuella* and 1 Silver Y; also a Barred Red and a Bulrush Wainscot
19th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 3 Plutella xylostella and 2 Silver Y.
18th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 2 Plutella xylostella and 2 Nomophila noctuella; also a single Tawny-barred Angle.
17th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 4 *Plutella xylostella, 3 Silver Y, 2 Udea ferrugalis* and 1 Dark Sword Grass; also a very unseasonable Feathered Brindle.
16th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 6 *Plutella xylostella, 1 Silver Y* and 2 Dark Sword Grass.
15th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 2 Silver Y, 2 Dark Sword Grass and 2 Plutella xylostella; also 1 Dark Spectacle and 1 *Zeiraphera* *isertana*.
14th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 5 Silver Y, 1 Dark Sword Grass and 1 *Plutella xylostella*.
*Nemophora cupriacella* - 13th July 2002 © Martin Cade
13th July	A new moth for the island - *Nemophora cupriacella* - was found on teasel heads in the Obs garden this morning. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 6 Silver Y, 2 Dark Sword Grass and 1 *Plutella xylostella*.
12th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 *Plutella xylostella* and 1 Silver Y.
*Pyrausta cingulata* - July 2002 © Paul Harris
11th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 Dark Sword Grass and 1 Silver Y.
9th July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 4 Plutella xylostella, 1 Pearly Underwing and 1 *Udea ferrugalis; also single Dark Spectacle, Elephant* Hawk-moth and Buff Arches (the latter two species are less than annual at the Bill).
Large, Small and Lulworth Skippers - 6th July 2002 © Martin Cade
6th July	Lulworth Skippers are now on the wing in some numbers in the rough field between the Obs and the Pulpit Inn at the Bill, and a lone male Red-veined Darter made several visits to the Obs pond. Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 3 *Plutella xylostella* and 1 *Udea ferrugalis; also a single Cream-bordered Green Pea*.
1st July	Immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 1 Plutella xylostella.