Friday May 11

After a rather cool night where temperature dropped to about 11 degrees I was not too surprised to find the moth trap empty. However, just as I was starting to pack it away I spotted one small moth on the old shower curtain I had spread on the ground beneath the trap.

Oak Tree Pug

It's either a Brindled Pug or an Oak Tree Pug. I thought the latter, but I am waiting for JS to verify one way or another.

I then decided to head for Ipsley Alders hoping to add a new bird to my local year-list. It took a while, but eventually I heard the scratchy song of my target species, a Common Whitethroat. Shortly after this mini-triumph I spotted a distant raptor which turned out to be a Red Kite. Perhaps it was the bird I saw a couple of days ago over the paper shop.

This time I had my binoculars and camera.

Not the big find it used to be, but nice to see all the same.

PS: John has replied urging caution regarding the Pug, and saying I could be correct that its an Oak Tree Pug although he was assuming I had measured it. Oak Tree Pug forewing should be in the range 8mm - 11mm, while the larger Brindled was 10mm to 12mm.

I hadn't measured it. But luckily it was still on the wall of the house where it flew to after I made an unsuccessful attempt to put it in a pot. So I've been outside with my tape measure and was relieved to find that the forewing came in at 9mm (just outside the range for Brindled Pug).