Mark Edgeller

Black Rustic & Barred Sallow. A couple of autumn classics.

Swallowtail. 1st garden record in October.

1st trap in the Southampton garden for a month produced 30:19. Standard seasonal stuff, but incl the 1st October Swallowtail. #MothsMatter

Nice catch, Andy!

Pearly Underwing the best of the moths so far.

Great to be back on @skokholmisland.bsky.social after far too long. A Sab's gull on the boat over was great start. Plenty of birds on the move this morning & it feels rare.

Beautiful Hook-tip

1st trapping session in the Southampton garden since 25th Aug was predictably modest with just 43:18. Cypress Pug NFY & Rusty Dot Pearl the only migrant. 4 L-album Wainscots were also quite noteworthy.

I've only had 4 Box Moths in Southampton this year, Steve. Numbers dropped sharply in 2023 so (hopefully?) You'll see a similar sharp decline in the next few years.

Standard fare in the Southampton trap this morning with a modest 78:31. The exception was this pristine Scarce Bordered Straw - only the 2nd garden record. #mothsmatter @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Back on the Brownwich patch for the 1st time this autumn. Precious few signs of migration but some loafing Meds produced 7 colour rings read. Beast of the day was a Stoat zipping across in front of me. #HantsBirds

Likewise. Just about long enough to prop on your knees if you didn't have a tripod.

Small Heath added to the Southampton garden list taking it to 22 species.

A couple of caterpillars found by @EdgellerGilly in the garden today. Bright-line Brown-eye taking liberties with the tomatoes & Toadfax Brocade.

Dark Sword Grass

White Point

Broad-Bordered Yellow Underwing. Quite scarce this year.

Another modest haul from the Southampton trap with 86:38. Several NFYs incl Dark Sword Grass, White Point & N. molliculana. Also 7 Crossbills flying over. #teammoth

Surprisingly modest in Southampton too with only 64:33. Cabbage & Hawthorn were NFY with nothing else of note.

Old Lady. Disappeared into the house & will hopefully reappear tonight.

A few of the Jersey Tigers.

229:72 in the Southampton trap this morning incl 29 Jersey Tigers. Ethmia quadrillella NFG & several nfy incl Old Lady and E. foenella. 1 each of Silver Y, Diamondback & Rusty Dot Pearl the only migrants.

131:70 in Southampton this morning. 4-spotted Footman & a pair of Ears probably the pick of the bunch.

119:51 in Southampton overnight. NFYs included Copper Underwing, Ruby Tiger & Tree-lichen Beauty.

A very fresh Large Emerald

Scorched Carpet - a rare garden visitor.

275:83 in the Soton trap this morning. 7 nfy incl Large Emerald & Scorched Carpet (rare here). 1 each of Silver Y, Rush Veneer & Diamondback the only migrants.

Hopefully our time will come.

Largest garden catch of the year with 205:79 in Southampton. Hollyhock Seed Moth nfg & a dozen nfy including this Eyed Hawk. No sign of any migrants. #TeamMoth

Moderate.... hmm...

My 11 year old ELs went back to Swarovski in March and came back good as new in 5 weeks. All done under warranty so no charge.

96:33 after a cool and blustery night in Southampton. 7 NFYs including Black Arches & Swallowtail Moth.

Poster with details of the 2025 West Coast Pelagics on it

Just one pelagic trip to the Celtic Deep with places remaining this year. Surely 14th September gives us the best chance of large shearwaters, if recent years are anything to go by? #BirdingWales

Scarlet Tiger

Bulrush Veneer.

Best night of the year in Southampton with 167:55. 3 nfg including Bulrush Veneer. A few 'scarce for here' spp incl Scarlet Tiger, Peach Blossom & Festoon.

Looking east from Winspit.

Bee Orchid

Six-spotted Burnet & Large Skipper

A relaxing few days in Dorset with @edgellergilly.bsky.social produced some quality mid-summer wildlife. Meadow Browns on the wing along with the 1st Marbled Whites. A raft of 70 Guillemots & singing Corn Buntings the best of the birds. Pyramidal Orchids & 1 splendid Bee Orchid.

Portland Ribbon Wave

79:43 in the Southampton trap this morning including 2 new for the garden. Portland Ribbon Wave presumably wandering from the south and Grass Rivulet perhaps from the downs to the north. Its food plant is Yellow Rattle, which grows in abundance in our lawn, so perhaps it'll breed. 🤞🏼

@selseybirder.bsky.social
3 l/p Arctic Skuas east at the Bill at 07:46 this morning.

L-Album Wainscot

Brussels Lace

122:53 from the Southampton trap this morning. NFYs included the 3rd garden record of Brussels Lace.

Small Eggar caterpillars from Martin Down, Hants yesterday. #teammoth

Pale Tussock a late addition to the list.

Poplar Hawk Moth

56:13 from the Southampton trap this morning with Poplar Hawk, Rustic Shoulder Knot & Epinotia bilunana new for the year.