Moths galore!

Lade - humid, light airs, drizzle - The high overnight temperatures did the trick as the garden MV was stuffed full of moths this morning, the best catch of the year so far, with 22 species of macros. The highlights being, the first White Spots, Mullein Waves, Foxglove Pugs, Brown Silver-line, Puss Moth and Cream Spot Tiger.

                  White Spots - a Red Data book species, common here on the shingle

                               Brown Silver-line - nationally widespread, scarce here

                                Cream-spot Tiger - locally common and first for the year

Dungeness - 0700hrs - A stroll down to the Patch delivered the `resident` 2nd year Iceland Gull still present feeding along the scum line. Over the boil, 20 Common Terns amongst the gulls. On the land a singing Black Redstart on the power station, plus Wheatear, Mipit, Stonechat and Skylark on the beach opposite Jarman`s was about it. Very quiet on the bird reserve too where the highlights were a pair of Avocets on Burrows, five Hobbies over Dengemarsh and flight views of a Bittern on ARC.

                                Marsh Frog, Dipping Pond

  Leaving the allotment I was surprised to see a pair of Red-legged Partidges in a silage field by Lydd wood, my first of the year, if only I was keeping such a list...
  Was good to see a few House Martins nest building on the housing estate adjacent to the allotment, and more along the Coast Road at Littlestone this afternoon where the temperature reached a dizzy 21C.