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A little late with this post, however this was my third session of Garden mothing. Again Steve came round and did the hard work.... cheers Steve. My garden is turning out to be quite a catch, this session brought a couple of rarities.

Acrolepiopsis assectella Leek Moth. This is only the second Cheshire record.

Agriphila geniculea was only the third record for this part of Cheshire, the other two were recorded in 1997 & 2008.


Full nights list:

Code	Taxon	Vernacular	Quantity
364	Phyllonorycter geniculella		1
411	Argyresthia goedartella		2
453	Ypsolopha dentella	Honeysuckle Moth	2
779	Bryotropha affinis		1
873	Blastobasis adustella		2
882	Mompha locupletella		1
969	Pandemis corylana	Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix	2
1038	Acleris laterana		2
1041	Acleris sparsana		1
1048	Acleris variegana	Garden Rose Tortrix	1
1111	Bactra lancealana		1
1260	Cydia splendana		1
1305	Agriphila tristella		1
1309	Agriphila geniculea		1
1497	Amblyptilia acanthadactyla		1
1722	Xanthorhoe designata	Flame Carpet	1
1764	Chloroclysta truncata	Common Marbled Carpet	4
2092	Agrotis puta	Shuttle-shaped Dart	1
2102	Ochropleura plecta	Flame Shoulder	1
2107	Noctua pronuba	Large Yellow Underwing	128
2109	Noctua comes	Lesser Yellow Underwing	23
2111	Noctua janthe	Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing	4
2126	Xestia c-nigrum	Setaceous Hebrew Character	2
2134	Xestia xanthographa	Square-spot Rustic	4
2269	Atethmia centrago	Centre-barred Sallow	1
2274	Xanthia icteritia	Sallow	1
2298	Amphipyra berbera	Svensson's Copper Underwing	4
2306	Phlogophora meticulosa	Angle Shades	1
2318	Cosmia trapezina	Dun-bar	1
2321	Apamea monoglypha	Dark Arches	1
2474	Rivula sericealis	Straw Dot	1
2343x	Mesapamea secalis agg.	Common Rustic agg.	1
	Acrolepiopsis asectella	Leek Moth	1

As the quantities testify the Large Yellow Underwing was far and away the most abundant. They feed on grass roots and as I have a large lawn I guess they are in their element......

and some of the others...............

Well kind of!

A little logistical preparation for a few birds that were over on the east coast. Also calculating a slight detour to visit a reserve that would be new to me and hopefully also a new bird.

The main focus would be on the Spurn birds, especially as news was out of a few species that would interest me. Common Rosefinch, Red Backed Shrike, Wryneck and Tawny Pipit, with Pectoral Sandpipers in Nottingham on the way back........

A very early start for my trip to Spurn, good progress got me there at 07.00hrs. Here is where some things started to go  a little wrong. I found myself making a choice between initially going it alone and speaking to other birders in the area of what's about, looking at the sightings boards in the Visitor centre or joining (at a cost) a day package of ranger walks and talks.......I took the latter option. While the small group waited for me to park up and get prepared  news was filtering of an early sighting of Common Rosefinch, by the time we had set off on our walk it came across that it was actually back where we had started the walk..... I ummed and arred and decided to continue the walk as "it would be there when we get back.... wouldn't it" The walk was splendid, lovely views, good weather (not for scarce birds dropping in though) and we were seeing some lovely species, in the back of my mind I was thinking should have I done the sensible thing and gone for the Common Rosefinch, the walk continued.

No problems though, news through that the Red Backed Shrike is in our direction ..... scope views soon ensued, not a life bird but a new UK bird and species No 230. Three hours later I left the group and immediately headed off for better and closer views of the Shrike.... a little belter!

Kirstenbosch & Boulders Beach

A family and friends picnic had been arranged for the day at Kirstenbosch Gardens, it was going to be a winter long-shot due to the unpredictable weather as of course the weather won..... it didn't stop us getting to the gardens for a few hours though.

For 13 years the Spotted Eagle Owls have bred in the gardens and is believed to be the most photographed Owl in Africa, there was no way I was going to miss out here.

An early start to get a new bird...... it is rewarding to drive, see and return home before most of the UK have risen. A juvenile Dotterel had been on the Great Orme See what the Great Orme is for a few days so it was a little risky to travel the 100miles and expect to find it, but the thrill of the chase won out...

A second lap of the headland looking for the correct track to the cairn eventually brought us to a small car park, a few hundred meter walk to the summit and a couple of Twitchers were already on to the bird.