Running Out Of Vaguely Humorous Moth Puns

So I'll just post some pictures of some of the new stuff trapped between 13-17th June. The catches are getting bigger and the micros have appeared so time spent on identification is increasing, with mixed results. Were it not for the patient help of the likes of Tom Tams and Tim Barker the two north east recorders as well as Stewart, I'd be drowning in pugs and Argiresthia sp.

It hasn't been all moths, I managed to spend 14 hours in the field on Thursday much of it on the eastern side of Wark Forest, followed by a spell on Plenmeller and a couple of hours in Slaley Forest. Lots of juvenile Crossbills roaming about in feeding parties, a day count of 25+ 'Northumbrian' Honey Buzzards. Great views of a female Merlin hunting from a fence line, good numbers of Tree Pipit and a brief, loud. close and extremely frustrating 30 second burst of churring from a Nightjar that slipped away unseen into the  night.

Castle Island was quiet on Friday after which I spent a happy hour working through a 200 strong flock of Herring Gulls feeding on sand eels trapped in a beach pool trying to turn any of them into something more interesting than argenteus.

 Shaded Broad-bar

 Magpie Moth

 Clouded Border

 Figure of Eighty

 'Northumbrian' Honey Buzzard (aka Common Buzzard)

 A decent vantage

 Straw Dot

 Barred Yellow

 Shoulder-striped Wainscot

 Burnished Brass