@alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social
Wildlife travels around Britain and Ireland - birds, moths, plants, bryophytes and other things when I find the time; occasional trips abroad looking for obscure birds nobody has heard of!
Black-faced Bunting @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
early morning - the second two images probably give a better indication of true colour - another first for Dorset in a remarkable year for this species in Western Europe:
early morning - the second two images probably give a better indication of true colour - another first for Dorset in a remarkable year for this species in Western Europe:
November 6, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Black-faced Bunting @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
early morning - the second two images probably give a better indication of true colour - another first for Dorset in a remarkable year for this species in Western Europe:
early morning - the second two images probably give a better indication of true colour - another first for Dorset in a remarkable year for this species in Western Europe:
The Pallid Swift @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
showed incredible well on over the Top Fields with 3 Swallows at lunchtime.
showed incredible well on over the Top Fields with 3 Swallows at lunchtime.
November 6, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The Pallid Swift @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
showed incredible well on over the Top Fields with 3 Swallows at lunchtime.
showed incredible well on over the Top Fields with 3 Swallows at lunchtime.
A few moths from Freshwater Bay @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
on Saturday night - Flame Brocade (locally common here) , Feathered Ranunculus (very common) and Rusty-dot Pearl (3 seen):
on Saturday night - Flame Brocade (locally common here) , Feathered Ranunculus (very common) and Rusty-dot Pearl (3 seen):
November 3, 2025 at 7:41 PM
A few moths from Freshwater Bay @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
on Saturday night - Flame Brocade (locally common here) , Feathered Ranunculus (very common) and Rusty-dot Pearl (3 seen):
on Saturday night - Flame Brocade (locally common here) , Feathered Ranunculus (very common) and Rusty-dot Pearl (3 seen):
Boat-tailed Grackle, Calshot, Hampshire today! This seems to be identical to white-eyed Boat-taileds from North Carolina, so not Great-tailed as previously thought. The first British record of this unlikely vagrant:
November 2, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Boat-tailed Grackle, Calshot, Hampshire today! This seems to be identical to white-eyed Boat-taileds from North Carolina, so not Great-tailed as previously thought. The first British record of this unlikely vagrant:
Great -tailed Grackle perched on my car at Calshot, Hampshire this evening. Undoubtedly a wild bird, but, having presumably hitched a ride on a ship, is currently disqualified from the Cat A of the British List. Eastern Towhee still clinging on by its claws to Cat A though!
November 2, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Great -tailed Grackle perched on my car at Calshot, Hampshire this evening. Undoubtedly a wild bird, but, having presumably hitched a ride on a ship, is currently disqualified from the Cat A of the British List. Eastern Towhee still clinging on by its claws to Cat A though!
Pallas's (Leaf) Warbler at Avalanche Road, @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
today - I've had a relatively poor autumn for birds, with limited time, so this little jewel may be the highlight:
today - I've had a relatively poor autumn for birds, with limited time, so this little jewel may be the highlight:
November 2, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Pallas's (Leaf) Warbler at Avalanche Road, @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
today - I've had a relatively poor autumn for birds, with limited time, so this little jewel may be the highlight:
today - I've had a relatively poor autumn for birds, with limited time, so this little jewel may be the highlight:
I've failed to trap Ni Moth this year, despite some effort at south coast locations, so many thanks to @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social for keeping this one until Saturday afternoon! Running traps overnight at Freshwater Bay in poor weather gave 3 RDP, Turnip and few resident spp.
November 2, 2025 at 9:34 PM
I've failed to trap Ni Moth this year, despite some effort at south coast locations, so many thanks to @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social for keeping this one until Saturday afternoon! Running traps overnight at Freshwater Bay in poor weather gave 3 RDP, Turnip and few resident spp.
Firecrest @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social on Saturday - I didn't even have to stand up while sea-watching from the patio to snap this little stunner! I managed to avoid the main scarce birds over the weekend, but did see a Sooty Shearwater, 1 Whimbrel and good numbers of Goldcrests:
October 19, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Firecrest @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social on Saturday - I didn't even have to stand up while sea-watching from the patio to snap this little stunner! I managed to avoid the main scarce birds over the weekend, but did see a Sooty Shearwater, 1 Whimbrel and good numbers of Goldcrests:
Death's-head hawkmoth, thanks to @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social on Saturday - the highlight of the weekend when trapping for migrant moths wasn't generally as productive as hoped. Last phone image just posted to show how white antennae tips stand out when active, prior to release:
October 19, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Death's-head hawkmoth, thanks to @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social on Saturday - the highlight of the weekend when trapping for migrant moths wasn't generally as productive as hoped. Last phone image just posted to show how white antennae tips stand out when active, prior to release:
Long-tailed Skuas at Pendeen on Sat 4th October - dark and light juvs, at least 4-5 picked out from 136+ Arctic Skuas, also 3 Poms (1 adult with full spoons) and precisely 100 Bonxies. Despite much effort, we drew a blank on South Polar Skuas!
October 6, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Long-tailed Skuas at Pendeen on Sat 4th October - dark and light juvs, at least 4-5 picked out from 136+ Arctic Skuas, also 3 Poms (1 adult with full spoons) and precisely 100 Bonxies. Despite much effort, we drew a blank on South Polar Skuas!
Sabine's Gulls at Pendeen, Cornwall on Sat 4th October - a superb seawatch with non-stop action all day, including about 35 of these stunning gulls, almost all juvs with just 2 adults seen. That's the 'right rock' in the first image:
October 6, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Sabine's Gulls at Pendeen, Cornwall on Sat 4th October - a superb seawatch with non-stop action all day, including about 35 of these stunning gulls, almost all juvs with just 2 adults seen. That's the 'right rock' in the first image:
Long-tailed Skua, Pendeen, Sunday 5th October - after the excellent seawatch of the previous day, today was always likely to be a quieter and so it proved; highlights for me 7am-10.30 am were 2 juv Long-tailed Skuas (both along the rocks), 1 Leach's Petrel and 1 Sab's Gull:
October 5, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Long-tailed Skua, Pendeen, Sunday 5th October - after the excellent seawatch of the previous day, today was always likely to be a quieter and so it proved; highlights for me 7am-10.30 am were 2 juv Long-tailed Skuas (both along the rocks), 1 Leach's Petrel and 1 Sab's Gull:
Silver-striped Hawkmoth @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social on Friday night, photographed en route to Cornwall! Many thanks to Martin for his help and to Matthew D for pointing out the news - I need to use BSky more often.
October 5, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Silver-striped Hawkmoth @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social on Friday night, photographed en route to Cornwall! Many thanks to Martin for his help and to Matthew D for pointing out the news - I need to use BSky more often.
Excellent overnight trapping at Folkestone last night with
@dartfordtrapper.bsky.social
produced the Passenger (what a year!), Migrant Sable (D. ramburalis) and both Pink-barred Sallow and The Sallow; further migrants inc. P. vitrealis (20+ -15 in / around one trap) @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
@dartfordtrapper.bsky.social
produced the Passenger (what a year!), Migrant Sable (D. ramburalis) and both Pink-barred Sallow and The Sallow; further migrants inc. P. vitrealis (20+ -15 in / around one trap) @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
September 20, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Excellent overnight trapping at Folkestone last night with
@dartfordtrapper.bsky.social
produced the Passenger (what a year!), Migrant Sable (D. ramburalis) and both Pink-barred Sallow and The Sallow; further migrants inc. P. vitrealis (20+ -15 in / around one trap) @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
@dartfordtrapper.bsky.social
produced the Passenger (what a year!), Migrant Sable (D. ramburalis) and both Pink-barred Sallow and The Sallow; further migrants inc. P. vitrealis (20+ -15 in / around one trap) @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Other migrants last night at Freshwater Bay were 3 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Bordered Straw, 2 P. vitrealis and 5 Silver-Y; Ni Moth still proving elusive..
August 26, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Other migrants last night at Freshwater Bay were 3 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Bordered Straw, 2 P. vitrealis and 5 Silver-Y; Ni Moth still proving elusive..
It's not been a great year so far for Convolvulus Hawk-moth, so very pleasing when this appeared next to the trap at Freshwater Bay, Portland, but no Striped Hawk-moth for me!
August 26, 2025 at 6:08 PM
It's not been a great year so far for Convolvulus Hawk-moth, so very pleasing when this appeared next to the trap at Freshwater Bay, Portland, but no Striped Hawk-moth for me!
Passenger from Freshwater Bay, Portland last night; actually the fourth of the recent run here and perhaps this suggests local breeding? @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
August 26, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Passenger from Freshwater Bay, Portland last night; actually the fourth of the recent run here and perhaps this suggests local breeding? @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
A few more moths from Scotland: Plain Clay (terrible name for a stunning moth!), Goldenrod Brindle, Anomalous and Dark Marbled Carpet
August 25, 2025 at 12:23 PM
A few more moths from Scotland: Plain Clay (terrible name for a stunning moth!), Goldenrod Brindle, Anomalous and Dark Marbled Carpet
I've trapped very little in northern Britain, or in the Autumn, so was pleased with a nice selection of moths in Scotland over the weekend, here Angle-striped Sallow, 'The' Sallow (2 examples to show variation) and Dotted Carpet.
August 25, 2025 at 12:21 PM
I've trapped very little in northern Britain, or in the Autumn, so was pleased with a nice selection of moths in Scotland over the weekend, here Angle-striped Sallow, 'The' Sallow (2 examples to show variation) and Dotted Carpet.
Moth trapping at Folkstone on 12/8 produced a number of well-marked Cryptic Ferns, best migrants were 3 Palpita vitrealis (but no 3-Humped Prominent or Ni Moth!); other residents included Straw Belle and Hemp Agrimony Plume (but no SA Wave):
August 13, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Moth trapping at Folkstone on 12/8 produced a number of well-marked Cryptic Ferns, best migrants were 3 Palpita vitrealis (but no 3-Humped Prominent or Ni Moth!); other residents included Straw Belle and Hemp Agrimony Plume (but no SA Wave):
Lyme Grass, Southwold, Suffolk - after failing last week, I managed to trap two of this very local coastal species on Tuesday night, 8/7/25, despite cooler conditions:
July 11, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Lyme Grass, Southwold, Suffolk - after failing last week, I managed to trap two of this very local coastal species on Tuesday night, 8/7/25, despite cooler conditions:
A short evening session in coastal Suffolk on Tuesday produced good numbers of Shore Wainscot, Archer's Dart and Sand Dart but not the hoped for Lyme Grass:
July 4, 2025 at 7:21 PM
A short evening session in coastal Suffolk on Tuesday produced good numbers of Shore Wainscot, Archer's Dart and Sand Dart but not the hoped for Lyme Grass:
Four scarce micros with Southwold on Tuesday evening: Sandhill Knot-horn (A. lotella), Agate Knot-horn (N. lineana), Moss Groundling (C. distinctella) and Sandhill Double-spot (L. zelleri)
July 4, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Four scarce micros with Southwold on Tuesday evening: Sandhill Knot-horn (A. lotella), Agate Knot-horn (N. lineana), Moss Groundling (C. distinctella) and Sandhill Double-spot (L. zelleri)
Portland is great for micro moths and here are a few of the highlights this weekend: Tufted Knot-horn (scarce migrant), Marbled Knot-horn, Beautiful Knot-horn and the very local Sea Spurge Tortrix; the latter was trapped at Freshwater Bay, close to colonies of the foodplant:
June 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Portland is great for micro moths and here are a few of the highlights this weekend: Tufted Knot-horn (scarce migrant), Marbled Knot-horn, Beautiful Knot-horn and the very local Sea Spurge Tortrix; the latter was trapped at Freshwater Bay, close to colonies of the foodplant:
Striped Hawk-moth: A really nice individual of this scarce migrant this weekend, courtesy of @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social:
June 30, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Striped Hawk-moth: A really nice individual of this scarce migrant this weekend, courtesy of @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social: