Portland Bird Observatory - wildlife diary - September to December 2004

11th December	A Silver Y and a *Plutella xylostella* were attracted to the Obs garden moth-traps overnight.
9th December	A single *Udea ferrugalis* was the only moth attracted to the Obs garden traps overnight.
8th December	A few immigrant moths linger on at the Obs, where the traps produced 2 *Udea ferrugalis, 1 Silver Y* and 1 *Plutella xylostella* last night.
28th November	Three Bottle-nosed Dolphins were off the Bill during the morning. A handful of late immigrants continue to show up in the Obs garden moth-traps, with 3 Pearly Underwing, 2 *Udea ferrugalis* and 1 Silver Y trapped overnight.
27th November	A slightly milder night than of late produced 4 Pearly Underwing, 2 Silver Y and 1 *Udea ferrugalis* in the Obs garden moth-traps.
26th November	Two *Udea ferrugalis* and a very late Lesser Yellow Underwing were the only moths trapped at the Obs overnight.
25th November	A single Red Admiral was on the wing at Southwell. Another disappointing night in the Obs garden moth-traps with 5 *Udea ferrugalis* and 1 Silver Y the only immigrants caught.
24th November	Nine *Udea ferrugalis* and 4 Silver Y were caught in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight; resident species still on the wing included Cypress Carpet, Feathered Thorn, Lunar Underwing, Beaded Chestnut, Yellow-line Quaker and Feathered Ranunculus. During the day a Hummingbird Hawk-moth was on the wing at Weston.
23rd November	A single Silver Y was the only immigrant in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning.
22nd November	A stiff westerly breeze that sprung up at dusk spoilt what otherwise looked likely to be a promisingly mild night and immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps were restricted to just 3 Silver Y and a single *Udea ferrugalis. During the afternoon 2 Hummingbird Hawk-moths* were seen at Weston.
16th November	Two Pearly Underwings were caught overnight in the Obs garden moth-traps.
15th November	Three Pearly Underwings were the only immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning. At least 7 Bottle-nosed Dolphins were off the Bill and a Grey Seal was in Portland Harbour.
13th November	In cold and breezy conditions the only immigrants caught overnight in the Obs garden moth-traps were 3 Silver Y, 1Udea ferrugalis and 1 Pearly Underwing.
Radford's Flame Shoulder and *Eudonia lineola* (with Eudonia angustea) - 12th November 2004 © Martin Cade
12th November	After several chilly, moth-less nights there was another flurry of immigrants in milder conditions last night, with the Obs garden traps producing 15 *Udea ferrugalis, 6 Pearly Underwing, 4 Silver Y, 2 Plutella xylostella, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw* and 1 Radford's Flame Shoulder; also caught was a very unseasonable specimen of *Eudonia lineola* (another was caught on 7th November).
11th November	At least 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins were off the Bill again today. Insects still on the wing included a Clouded Yellow at Church Ope Cove, a Common Darter in the Obs garden and a scatter of Red Admirals everywhere.
10th November	The lingering group of Bottle-nosed Dolphins (that had increased to at least 7) were off the Bill all day.
9th November	The party of 3 Bottle-nosed Dolphins remained off the East Cliffs at the Bill all morning. Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning included 7 Pearly Underwing, 6 Silver Y, 2 White-speck, 2 *Udea ferrugalis, 2 Cosmopolitan, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw* and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
all four recent Red-headed Chestnuts - 8th November 2004 © Martin Cade
8th November	A party of 3 Bottle-nosed Dolphins have been lingering off the Bill for several days. Yet another Red-headed Chestnut was attracted to the Obs garden moth-traps overnight, along with 15 Pearly Underwing, 6 Silver Y, 5 White-speck, 4 *Udea ferrugalis, 2 Cosmopolitan, 2 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Delicate* and 1 *Plutella xylostella. Red Admirals* remain on the wing at several sites around the island.
Red-headed Chestnut - 7th November 2004 © Martin Cade
7th November	Another Red-headed Chestnut was the pick of the immigrants in the Obs garden traps this morning; numbers of more routine species also remained quite respectable: 15 Pearly Underwing, 5 White-speck, 3 *Udea ferrugalis, 2 Cosmopolitan, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw* and 1 Silver Y.
6th November	Despite the wind remaining in the north-west it was quite mild and the Obs garden moth-traps produced totals of 22 Pearly Underwing, 9 Silver Y, 4 White-speck, 1 *Udea ferrugalis, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw* and 1 Cosmopolitan.
4th November	Another reasonable sprinkle of immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps this morning: 7 *Udea ferrugalis, 6 White-speck, 4 Silver Y, 4 Pearly Underwing, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Cosmopolitan* and 1 Delicate. Four hours moth-trapping at the Obs from dusk (by which time it felt very chilly and there was a stiff north wind blowing) produced just a few common resident species and 1 Pearly Underwing.
Red-headed Chestnuts - 3rd November 2004 © Martin Cade
3rd November	A nice southerly airflow did the trick again and there was a decent flurry of immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps overnight: 7 Silver Y, 4 Scarce Bordered Straw, 3 White-speck, 2 Red-headed Chestnut, 2 Pearly Underwing, 1 *Udea ferrugalis, 1 Nomophila noctuella* and 1 *Palpita vitrealis*.
2nd November	Still a few immigrant moths on the wing, with 5 Scarce Bordered Straw, 3 Pearly Underwing, 2 *Udea ferrugalis, 2 Cosmopolitan, 1 Silver Y* and 1 Gem in the Obs garden traps this morning.
1st November	Another calm but cool night produced 5 *Udea ferrugalis, 1 Silver Y, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw* and 1 Pearly Underwing in the Obs garden moth-traps.
31st October	The recent period of stormy but very mild weather (when it was not possible to operate moth-traps) clearly produced an influx of immigrants; a calm but cool and moonlit night last night provided totals of 11 Silver Y, 5 *Udea ferrugalis, 4 Scarce Bordered Straw, 3 Cosmopolitan, 3 Pearly Underwing, 2 Plutella xylostella, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 White-speck* and 1 Delicate in the Obs garden moth-traps.
27th October	Inclement weather conditions continue to spoil moth-trapping at the Obs; the only immigrants caught overnight were 2 *Udea ferrugalis, 1 White-speck* and 1 Silver Y.
21st October	The mild weather continued but the arrival of much stronger winds knocked moth numbers on the head and the only immigrants caught in the Obs garden traps were 11 *Udea ferrugalis, 1 Pearly Underwing* and 1 Silver Y.
20th October	The long-awaited arrival of milder air brought with it a decent flurry of immigrant moths: 70 *Udea ferrugalis, 6 Pearly Underwing, 4 Nomophila noctuella, 2 White-speck, 2 Delicate, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Dark Sword Grass* and 1 Silver Y were attracted to the Obs garden moth-traps overnight.
19th October	Three Pearly Underwings and a White-speck were caught in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight.
15th October	A party of around 5 Bottle-nosed Dolphins were off the East Cliffs at the Bill during the morning.
14th October	Three Bottle-nosed Dolphins were off the East Cliffs at the Bill at midday. A single Delicate was the only immigrant caught in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight.
8th October	Two Silver Y were the only immigrants caught in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight.
Porter's Rustic larva - 5th October 2004 © Martin Cade
5th October	A calmer but quite chilly night produced just a handful of immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps: 2 Pearly Underwing, 1 Silver Y and 1 *Nephopterix angustella. Of further interest, the first larvae of Porter's Rustic* - bred from eggs laid by the two moths caught at the Obs on 29th August - have started to pupate (the first eggs hatched on 8th September and the larvae have been fed on dandelion and bramble and kept at warm room-temperature throughout).
1st October	A few more immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning, including 7 Pearly Underwing, 4 Dark Sword Grass, 3 Silver Y, 2 Udea ferrugalis, 2 *Nomophila noctuella, 1 Convolvulus Hawk-moth, 1 Delicate, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw* and 1 Straw Dot.
30th September	Busy moth-traps at the Obs this morning after a very mild night although the only immigrants recorded were 4 Pearly Underwing, 1 *Cydia amplana, 1 Convolvulus Hawk-moth, 1 Udea ferrugalis* and 1 Silver Y.
29th September	A still, mild night produced surprisingly little in the way of immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps: 1 Pearly Underwing, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Silver Y and 1 Red Admiral butterfly.
28th September	More of the same in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 7 Pearly Underwing, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 White-speck, 1 White-point and 1 *Udea ferrugalis*.
27th September	Small numbers of immigrant moths remain around, with 17 Pearly Underwing, 3 Dark Sword Grass and 1 Silver Y in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning
26th September	A shade more interest in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning with the list of immigrants including 14 Pearly Underwing, 3 Dark Sword Grass, 3 Silver Y, 2 *Nomophila noctuella, 2 Delicate, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw* and 1 White-speck.
25th September	A Brown Hare was seen on Chesil Beach at Ferrybridge this afternoon. In recent days there have been small numbers of Clouded Yellows and Hummingbird Hawk-moths reported from sites throughout the island. Today's immigrant tally in the Obs garden moth-traps was 8 Pearly Underwing, 3 Silver Y, 2 Dark Sword Grass and 1 Delicate.
24th September	Despite a chilly night and stiff northerly winds there were good numbers of moths in the Obs garden traps this morning although the only immigrants recorded were 12 Pearly Underwing and a Silver Y.
23rd September	Two Pearly Underwing and a Silver Y were the only immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning.
19th September	Still extremely quiet in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning with 2 Pearly Underwing and 1 Silver Y the only immigrants recorded.
18th September	The only immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning were 1 Pearly Underwing, 1 Nomophila noctuella and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
Bottle-nosed Dolphins - 17th September 2004 © Martin Cade
17th September	A party of at least 5 Bottle-nosed Dolphins lingered off the East Cliffs at the Bill through the middle of the day. Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning included 4 Pearly Underwing, 3 *Nomophila noctuella, 2 Silver Y, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Udea ferrugalis* and 1 Vestal.
16th September	The first still-ish night for a while saw the Obs garden traps run for the first time for four nights; immigrants caught included 12 Silver Y, 11 Pearly Underwing, 8 Dark Sword Grass, 6 *Nomophila noctuella, 2 Delicate* and 1 *Plutella xylostella*.
12th September	A single Dark Sword Grass was the only immigrant in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning.
11th September	A very windy night produced nothing more than 5 Silver Y, 3 Pearly Underwing, 2 *Plutella xylostella* and 1 *Nomophila noctuella* in the Obs garden moth-traps.
*Margaritia sticticalis* - 10th September 2004 © Martin Cade
10th September	The arrival of still, muggy, thundery weather late in the night produced a minor flurry of immigrant moths in the Obs garden traps: 60 Silver Y, 12 Dark Sword Grass, 2 *Udea ferrugalis, 1 Plutella xylostella, 1 Margaritia sticticalis* and 1 Pearly Underwing.
9th September	The Obs garden moth-traps produced totals of 5 Silver Y, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 *Plutella xylostella, 1 Udea ferrugalis* and 1 Pearly Underwing this morning.
8th September	Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning included 7 Silver Y, 2 Pearly Underwing, 1 Udea ferrugalis, 1 Latticed Heath and 1 Langmaid's Yellow Underwing (another specimen of the latter species was caught on 6th September but it had languished in the fridge until today when the identification was confirmed).
7th September	The only immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning were 14 Silver Y, 2 Dark Sword Grass 1 *Udea ferrugalis* and 1 Pearly Underwing.
6th September	Still no sign of new immigrants arriving in the Obs garden moth-traps, with 19 Silver Y, 9 Dark Sword Grass 8 *Udea ferrugalis* and 1 Delicate the best on offer there this morning.
5th September	A still and warm night saw plenty of moths on the wing but the array of immigrants attracted to the Obs garden moth-traps remained distinctly limited: 29 Silver Y, 18 Udea ferrugalis, 14 Dark Sword Grass, 2 Pearly Underwing, 1 Nomophila noctuella and 1 Delicate.
4th September	Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning included 18 Silver Y, 17 Udea ferrugalis, 10 Dark Sword Grass, 2 *Nomophila noctuella, 1 Delicate* and 1 Pearly Underwing.
*Nothris congressariella* - 3rd September 2004 © Martin Cade
3rd September	Highlight in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning was a specimen of *Nothris congressariella* - a new species for both the island and Dorset; other immigrants recorded were 27 Silver Y, 23 Udea ferrugalis, 15 Dark Sword Grass, 1 *Nomophila noctuella, 2 Delicate, 1 Cydia amplana, 1 White-speck* and 1 Pearly Underwing. At midday a large party of Bottle-nosed Dolphins - perhaps numbering as many as 15 individuals - were seen moving south off the East Cliffs at the Bill; this sighting came just as news was received of the Red-backed Shrike at Southwell so an accurate count was not made!
2nd September	Painted Ladies and Clouded Yellows were much more conspicuous than of late around the island today and a Pale or Berger's Clouded Yellow was seen briefly at Suckthumb Quarry. The recent run of rarities seems to have ground to a halt in the Obs garden moth-traps; the best of the immigrants there today were 30 Udea ferrugalis, 23 Silver Y, 18 Dark Sword Grass, 3 *Nomophila noctuella, 1 Convolvulus Hawk-moth, 1 Delicate* and 1 *Plutella xylostella*.
1st September	Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning included 12 Udea ferrugalis, 12 Silver Y, 7 Dark Sword Grass, 1 *Nomophila noctuella, 1 Convolvulus Hawk-moth, 1 Delicate, 1 Plutella xylostella, 1 White-speck, 1 Cosmopolitan* and 1 Pearly Underwing.