Last Week

The morning after publishing the last post there was one new moth in the trap. A micro. Which of course needed a name. And, shining harshly now, upon both that little moth and my rash, soap-box words of the previous night, was the cold light of day. A pitiless, searching beacon.

It's not often that I've wished I could unwrite stuff, but it happens. I shall leave the post as it is though, a slightly toe-curling reminder to think a little harder in future before pressing 'publish'.

Staring up at me from that morning's moth scribbles were A. coronata, Pandemis corylana, A. tristella, A. geniculea, B. adustella, and this...

Eudonia pallida - a new one for the NQS moth list

Yes, a few scientific names have already found tenuous lodging in my mothy lexicon. And, tellingly, I do not know the vernacular names of at least a couple. I would need to look them up.

So that's it then. Like the countless moth-ers who have gone before, I shall just have to knuckle down and learn the scientific names. I'm hoping that captioning the photos will help. We'll see.

Meanwhile, birding efforts have been a bit feeble. One highlight of the week was an after-work circuit of Beer Head...

Not sure I've previously seen Curlew at Beer Head. These two heading W.

Not too much had changed since my last visit (a year ago?) except that the old Look-out is now a fancy holiday let, rather than a tired relic.

My newly-attuned mothy eyes noticed loads of migrant Rush Veneers in the lee of the clifftop hedges...

...and many pretty little Pseudargyrotoza conwagana (Yellow-spot Tortrix).

Three Yellow Wags with cattle.

Lyme Bay Blue. Oh, and Wheatear.

Cogden and West Bexington haven't been particularly generous this week, but a few bits...

A handful of Whinchats at least.

In the field I thought this was probably a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Not a particularly dark example, but nearby Herring Gulls were significantly paler. However, something prompted me to take photos, and viewing them on the laptop screen I began to have doubts. Too dark for Yellow-legged Gull though, surely? Final verdict? Er... I'm really not that great at gulls.

Whinchat, Whitethroat, static caravans and Golden Cap. West Dorset birding in late August.

Mostly though, it's been all about the moths. And many of them are blessed with those tongue-twisty names that I am simply going to have to get on and learn...

The rather lovely Rosy Rustic

Dusky Thorn - a regular sight just now

Square-spot Rustic - another common one at the moment

A subtle job, which looks much better through a hand lens.

Frosted Orange. This is one of those moths that you see in the book and think: ' Ooh, that looks smart. I hope I get one of those one day.' And then - when you do - it is even better than imagined. Just gorgeous.

Six-striped Rustic. Had a handful of this lovely moth now.

Our second one of these, and miles bigger than the previous example. The size variation of some species is incredible.

Common Marbled Carpet. This rather variable moth was a regular when we first started back in June, then none for ages, but one or two again recently. Presumably second-generation individuals.

Had a few of these...

...and these.

Quite common, but stunning colours.

Possibly the 'rarest' moth recently. No other Bridport area records on Living Record yet, at least. National status listed as 'local'.

Light Emerald, another fairly common but lovely moth.

I rather like these 'flat-body' moths. And that is exactly what they are. Flat.

Pinion-streaked Snout, our second. A real tiddler, and looks for all the world like a micro, but isn't.

So there we are. Up to date. Words eaten, gulls given up on, and other humiliations.

Onwards and upwards...