Simon Davies
@ramblinbirder.bsky.social
Birder, butterflies, moths.
Somerset : mostly local (TA4 VC5) and Steart and the Quantocks. More images : flickr.com and my WordPress blog: (simonvyvyandavies/thenovicebirder)
Somerset : mostly local (TA4 VC5) and Steart and the Quantocks. More images : flickr.com and my WordPress blog: (simonvyvyandavies/thenovicebirder)
This autumn, trapping once or twice a week every trap has been markedly different from that preceding it: same last night in VC5 nr Taunton with 48/14 inc. garden records of 7 U. ferrugalis, 7 Feathered thorn. NFG A. sparsana, and only my 2nd Cypress carpet. And a "cross" spider (see ALT). #teammoth
November 6, 2025 at 9:34 PM
This autumn, trapping once or twice a week every trap has been markedly different from that preceding it: same last night in VC5 nr Taunton with 48/14 inc. garden records of 7 U. ferrugalis, 7 Feathered thorn. NFG A. sparsana, and only my 2nd Cypress carpet. And a "cross" spider (see ALT). #teammoth
Late wheatear at Cheddar Res. this morning (thanks AR). Nothing else noteworthy today, despite the large numbers of duck and gulls. #somersetbirding
November 4, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Late wheatear at Cheddar Res. this morning (thanks AR). Nothing else noteworthy today, despite the large numbers of duck and gulls. #somersetbirding
Decent 36/19 overnight despite only 7/7 having arrived by 2230. Baldrick (image) and ferrugalis welcome refugees from the gale. 2 FMcT 🪶🪶crashing about the trap in typical 'coo fashion (image). Micros included a neat looking consimilana. And Merv called in but had left by morning. #teammoth
November 4, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Decent 36/19 overnight despite only 7/7 having arrived by 2230. Baldrick (image) and ferrugalis welcome refugees from the gale. 2 FMcT 🪶🪶crashing about the trap in typical 'coo fashion (image). Micros included a neat looking consimilana. And Merv called in but had left by morning. #teammoth
Great pic of the Dec moth , and somehow reminiscent of portraits of Mary Queen of Scots..
November 4, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Great pic of the Dec moth , and somehow reminiscent of portraits of Mary Queen of Scots..
1/2 Final scores on the doors from last night's traps (MV and multi LED actinic, VC5) were 76/26 contingent on one micro. identification (image below ?Adoxophyes orana ). A 2nd pearly underwing with ferrugalis 2, noctuella and white-point all hinting at migration on the southerly airs. #teammoth
October 29, 2025 at 9:18 PM
1/2 Final scores on the doors from last night's traps (MV and multi LED actinic, VC5) were 76/26 contingent on one micro. identification (image below ?Adoxophyes orana ). A 2nd pearly underwing with ferrugalis 2, noctuella and white-point all hinting at migration on the southerly airs. #teammoth
Turns out I was near enough the S coast to get some migrant moths after all: NFY pearly underwing looked well-travelled, White-point, noctuella and 2 ferrugalis made up the numbers. Good night overall with a record 7 MdeJ and lots more potted plus photos to go through later. Birds next! #teammoth
October 29, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Turns out I was near enough the S coast to get some migrant moths after all: NFY pearly underwing looked well-travelled, White-point, noctuella and 2 ferrugalis made up the numbers. Good night overall with a record 7 MdeJ and lots more potted plus photos to go through later. Birds next! #teammoth
(Contd.) Hints of migration with a very late NFY Four-spotted footman and 2 more White-points (3rd/4th for garden). And best of the intrinsics: a garden record 3 Merveille de Jour! #teammoth
October 20, 2025 at 3:27 PM
(Contd.) Hints of migration with a very late NFY Four-spotted footman and 2 more White-points (3rd/4th for garden). And best of the intrinsics: a garden record 3 Merveille de Jour! #teammoth
1/2 Well worth a couple of soakings to pull in 52 moths of 26 species, here in VC5. Only 9 species in common with 6 days earlier, and 10 NFY included red and yellow line Quakers, Dark Chestnut, Feathered Thorn, Blair's shoulder-knot, Figure of Eight (NFG!). (contd) #teammoth
October 20, 2025 at 3:27 PM
1/2 Well worth a couple of soakings to pull in 52 moths of 26 species, here in VC5. Only 9 species in common with 6 days earlier, and 10 NFY included red and yellow line Quakers, Dark Chestnut, Feathered Thorn, Blair's shoulder-knot, Figure of Eight (NFG!). (contd) #teammoth
A good night as for many elsewhere, with 78/25 in and around the MV trap while temperatures held up and cloud thickened. MdeJ (NFY) an early attendee. White-point (2nd ever) noctuella and Small mottled willow: poss migrants? Brindled green, consimilana, lacticolella all NFY. And 23 Vine's! #teammoth
October 14, 2025 at 8:30 PM
A good night as for many elsewhere, with 78/25 in and around the MV trap while temperatures held up and cloud thickened. MdeJ (NFY) an early attendee. White-point (2nd ever) noctuella and Small mottled willow: poss migrants? Brindled green, consimilana, lacticolella all NFY. And 23 Vine's! #teammoth
Clearly squadrons of Mervs silently circling above our heads tonight: "mine"on the (MV, VC5) trap by 2230. Cue a flick through the trap and it's busier than for some time with : Brindled green 2, Clepsis consimilana, Setaceous Hebrew Character 2,
Vine's 5, LYU, LBBYU, Beaded chestnut #teammoth
Vine's 5, LYU, LBBYU, Beaded chestnut #teammoth
October 13, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Clearly squadrons of Mervs silently circling above our heads tonight: "mine"on the (MV, VC5) trap by 2230. Cue a flick through the trap and it's busier than for some time with : Brindled green 2, Clepsis consimilana, Setaceous Hebrew Character 2,
Vine's 5, LYU, LBBYU, Beaded chestnut #teammoth
Vine's 5, LYU, LBBYU, Beaded chestnut #teammoth
Following the lead of @mattames6.bsky.social et al., out with the headtorch last night and lo and behold Pink-barred sallow, Barred sallow and a sparkling will o' the wisp of a NFY Palpita vitrealis. Anyone with ideas as to night photography with the iPhone, gratefully received. #teammoth
October 10, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Following the lead of @mattames6.bsky.social et al., out with the headtorch last night and lo and behold Pink-barred sallow, Barred sallow and a sparkling will o' the wisp of a NFY Palpita vitrealis. Anyone with ideas as to night photography with the iPhone, gratefully received. #teammoth
Apart from a golden night 11th Oct '23 when several migrants and a Clifden nonpareil came in among 44/22 (after days of very mild weather and southerlies), I usually see few moths in mid to late October. So 5/4 overnight but 2 lovely catch-up NFY : Black rustic and Green-brindled crescent. #teammoth
October 8, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Apart from a golden night 11th Oct '23 when several migrants and a Clifden nonpareil came in among 44/22 (after days of very mild weather and southerlies), I usually see few moths in mid to late October. So 5/4 overnight but 2 lovely catch-up NFY : Black rustic and Green-brindled crescent. #teammoth
Well, my prayer to the apple god was answered, and Tel'l not be troubling me, mercifully...
October 7, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Well, my prayer to the apple god was answered, and Tel'l not be troubling me, mercifully...
Pink-barred sallow and Spruce carpet new moths to me trapping at a local mire on Friday evening. Plan to repeat these traps periodically, should be interesting. Meanwhile home LED actinic trap dominated by 34 Lunar underwing (in 67/12). Nomophila noctuella. Otherwise standard fare. #teammoth
September 28, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Pink-barred sallow and Spruce carpet new moths to me trapping at a local mire on Friday evening. Plan to repeat these traps periodically, should be interesting. Meanwhile home LED actinic trap dominated by 34 Lunar underwing (in 67/12). Nomophila noctuella. Otherwise standard fare. #teammoth
Ninja campsite mothing turned up an interesting crambid tonight : pretty sure this is Evergestis limbata. I've emailed Bucks. county recorder. Anyone else know this moth? New to me (and not seen in Somerset I don't think). #teammoth
September 17, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Ninja campsite mothing turned up an interesting crambid tonight : pretty sure this is Evergestis limbata. I've emailed Bucks. county recorder. Anyone else know this moth? New to me (and not seen in Somerset I don't think). #teammoth
One of a pair of Hummingbird Hawk-moths seen nectaring on the kaleidoscope of salvias at Kingston Lacy NT garden yesterday, near Wareham, Dorset. OM-1/PanaLeica 100-400, ISO1000, f6.3 1/2000 sec #teammoth
September 11, 2025 at 8:00 PM
One of a pair of Hummingbird Hawk-moths seen nectaring on the kaleidoscope of salvias at Kingston Lacy NT garden yesterday, near Wareham, Dorset. OM-1/PanaLeica 100-400, ISO1000, f6.3 1/2000 sec #teammoth
A bevy of Beauties in last nights trap included a NFG Lilac Beauty that took my breath away. The migrants were mainly imagined whistling overhead in the southerly, heading for Minehead it seems. ECB, ferrugalis and a tired (?retrapped) Vestal consoled. Next, a camping (&ninja #teammoth ing!) break.
September 7, 2025 at 10:24 PM
A bevy of Beauties in last nights trap included a NFG Lilac Beauty that took my breath away. The migrants were mainly imagined whistling overhead in the southerly, heading for Minehead it seems. ECB, ferrugalis and a tired (?retrapped) Vestal consoled. Next, a camping (&ninja #teammoth ing!) break.
Some of the 2500+ shelduck at Stert Point in the strong westerly over high tide earlier this evening. A single Manx shearwater in the channel between the north end of Stert Island and the Point was a Somerset first for me. 4 Wheatears between North breach and Stert point. #somersetbirds
September 4, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Some of the 2500+ shelduck at Stert Point in the strong westerly over high tide earlier this evening. A single Manx shearwater in the channel between the north end of Stert Island and the Point was a Somerset first for me. 4 Wheatears between North breach and Stert point. #somersetbirds
1/2 Trapped 2130-0400 TA4 VC5 Somerset and missed most of the showers. Temp down to 12degC, however. Trickle of migrants with 5 N. noctuella, 1 U. ferrugalis and a Vestal . Autumnal colours with Frosted Orange (NFY), Barred and Centre-barred sallow and some tired hornets. (contd .) #teammoth
September 2, 2025 at 8:59 PM
1/2 Trapped 2130-0400 TA4 VC5 Somerset and missed most of the showers. Temp down to 12degC, however. Trickle of migrants with 5 N. noctuella, 1 U. ferrugalis and a Vestal . Autumnal colours with Frosted Orange (NFY), Barred and Centre-barred sallow and some tired hornets. (contd .) #teammoth
This afternoon's Osprey at Noah's, Shapwick. Fishing in a very shallow Noah's Lake. Seems it's been here a few days. #somersetbirding
September 1, 2025 at 2:24 PM
This afternoon's Osprey at Noah's, Shapwick. Fishing in a very shallow Noah's Lake. Seems it's been here a few days. #somersetbirding
Migrants continued to appear on 25/8 (TA4 VC5 Somerset) with my first Scarce Bordered Straw of the year (NB green eyes!), 6 EC Borer and N. noctuella. A nepticule could be a locally scarce beet moth (taking advice). Among the NFY, Bordered Beauty and Centre-Barred Sallow also stood out. #teammoth
August 27, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Migrants continued to appear on 25/8 (TA4 VC5 Somerset) with my first Scarce Bordered Straw of the year (NB green eyes!), 6 EC Borer and N. noctuella. A nepticule could be a locally scarce beet moth (taking advice). Among the NFY, Bordered Beauty and Centre-Barred Sallow also stood out. #teammoth
The fragile but crucial balance between animal and plant. At Langford Heathfield local nature reserve today. #WorldPhotographyDay #succisapratensis #devilsbitscabious #pierisnapi #greenveinedwhitebutterfly
#somersetwildlifetrust
#somersetwildlifetrust
August 26, 2025 at 7:04 PM
The fragile but crucial balance between animal and plant. At Langford Heathfield local nature reserve today. #WorldPhotographyDay #succisapratensis #devilsbitscabious #pierisnapi #greenveinedwhitebutterfly
#somersetwildlifetrust
#somersetwildlifetrust
adapter for running at 5V off a 30000 mAh (or bigger) power bank. I've tried this on both Robinson and Skinner and with a little DiY acrylic fixing works nicely with both. (ML-M recommends combining the "bulb" I have with a green/white combo "bulb" for highest yields).
August 24, 2025 at 3:15 PM
adapter for running at 5V off a 30000 mAh (or bigger) power bank. I've tried this on both Robinson and Skinner and with a little DiY acrylic fixing works nicely with both. (ML-M recommends combining the "bulb" I have with a green/white combo "bulb" for highest yields).
Full night with two LED traps brought 82/37 with 5 NFY including Small blood-vein and Six-striped rustic and a trio of migrants: my freshest Vestal of the year, same for ECB and a U. ferrugalis, the last moth I found on my second look through all the trays and equipment. #teammoth
August 23, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Full night with two LED traps brought 82/37 with 5 NFY including Small blood-vein and Six-striped rustic and a trio of migrants: my freshest Vestal of the year, same for ECB and a U. ferrugalis, the last moth I found on my second look through all the trays and equipment. #teammoth