Dairy Farm Road to Old Coach Road

I did a lap of the Rainford Mosslands again this afternoon starting at Dairy Farm Road to the Old Coach Road, and then back past Clare's Moss Plantation and Inglenook Farm.
Four of the five yellow wagtail were in the same potato field as when I went two weeks ago, the other one was in the field with the cows between Inglenook Farm and Dairy Farm Road. There were a few yellow wagtails flying over the potato field as well but I'm not sure if they were the same birds.
Four of the five kestrel were all together over Clare's Wood, all chasing each other. And the five oystercatcher were flying together making lots of noise from the direction of Bunker Hill. I must have missed a whitethroat somewhere - only four of them!

Yellow Wagtail 5 (3f, 2m) (photo from two weeks ago, I couldn't improve on it today)
Oystercatcher 5
Kestrel 5
Skylark 20+
Mistle Thrush 6
Common Whithethroat 4
Chiffchaff 2
Buzzard 1
Tree Sparrow 1
Lots of House Martins and Swallows catching flies over the fields

Brown Hare 5

Damian P

 

 

Moth species?

I disturbed this moth while digging up the garden this afternoon. It looks to me like it's only just emerged from the pupae as it's wings haven't fully pumped out yet. I put it under my shed, I hope it's ok. It was around 1 inch in size...

 

 

Damian P

Moth trapping at home

 A good night with 241 moths of 66 species recorded, the highlights being:
 
Scallop Shell 1 (only the 2nd one I've caught at home, and 21st record for St Helens)
Elephant Hawkmoth 1
Poplar Hawkmoth
White Satin Moth 1
Crassa unitella 1 (only second one I've caught at home, and 6th record for St Helens)
Cnephasia incertana 1 (37th record for St Helens)
Gypsonoma dealbana 1 (31st record for St Helens)
 
RayB

Out and about

 I had a walk round Bold Moss, Leg-o-Mutton Dam and Eccleston Mere this afternoon looking for Dragonflies and Butterflies. On Bold Moss I had 5 species of butterflies and 6 species of dragonflies, the best being Emperor Dragonfly and Large Skipper. On Leg-o-Mutton Dam I had at least 20+ Red-eyed Damselfly, plus lots of Blue-tailed Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly, also a Water Ladybird. On Eccleston Mere I had 2 Emperor's and 2 Black-tailed Skimmers with lots of Blue-tailed and Common Blue Damselfly present, and Speckled Wood and Large Skipper also noted. In total I saw 5 species of Butterfly and 8 species of Dragonfly. The Mere also had 2 adult Mute Swans with 5 cygnets.
 
RayB

Moth trapping at home

 Not as productive last night but still not bad with 148 moths of 40 species recorded, best of which were:
 
Argyresthia cupressella 5
Aphelia paleana 1
Phlyctaenia coronata 1
Flame Carpet 1
July Highflyer 1
Small Rivulet 1
Turnip Moth 1
Shoulder-striped Wainscot 1
Knot Grass 1
 
RayB

moth records

 Hi Dave?
 
Regarding your moth records that you mentioned in your reply to my post, your record of Puss Moth would be the 11th record for St Helens, assuming your in the St Helens area
 
Cheers RayB

Moth trapping at home

 Another good night with 230 moths of 56 species trapped. Including the Shark, Purple Clay and Elephant Hawkmoth. Also the following highlights.
 
Shark 1 (28th record)
Purple Clay 1 only my 3rd record
Elephant Hawkmoth 1
Small Angle Shades 1
Green Pug 7
Heart and Dart 85
Burnished Brass 2
Dipleurina lacustrata 1 (36th record)
Teleiodes vulgella 1
 
RayB

Inglenook Farm to Old Coach Road

We did a lap of the Rainford Mosslands today starting and finishing at Inglenook Farm. There were lots of birds around, the highlights being...

Yellow Wagtail (2m,1f) in the potato field here - http://binged.it/1slvVvs
Corn Bunting 1 singing just north west of Inglenook Farm
Oystercatcher 4
Skylark 30+
Kestrel 2 (m+f)
Yellowhammer 1 heard
Buzzard 1
Lots of lapwing about

Brown Hare 1

Also tree sparrow, linnet, meadow pipit, whitethroat, blackcap, chiffchaff, mistle thrush all seen/heard along the way.

Damian P

Moth trapping at home

 A good night last night, with 126 moths of 41 species, the best of which was a Red-necked Footman. A migrant species and as far as I am aware, the first record for St Helens. Other highlights include.

Dipleurina lacustrata 1 (35th record for StHelens)
Bee Moth 6
Figure of Eighty 1
Swallowtail Moth 1
Turnip Moth 1
Double Square pot 1
Poplar Grey 1
Knot Grass 1

RayB

Red-necked Footman.

Dipleurina lacustrata

Mountain Farm, Billinge

Male yellow wagtail present this afternoon at the same location as previous years, plenty of tree sparrows too and goldfinches. Im presuming this is just a variant male yellow wag rather than a subspecies or say a citrine wagtail

? Im led to believe the citrine species has a black collar which this bird doesn't have.
 Disappointed the mutant blackbird, which I saw earlier this year and last ,with a white upper chest and neck wasn't present!

Moth trapping at home

 A much better trapping session last night with 125 moths of 43 species caught to many to list, but the highlights of which are.
 
Elephant Hawkmoth 1
Blood-vein 1
Turnip Moth 1
Grey Pine Carpet 1
Pseudargyrotoza conwagana 1
Nemapogon cloacella (Cork Moth) 1
 
You can see pictures of these moths at UK Moths website
 
RayB

Red-eyed Damselflies, Leg O'Mutton Dam

Red-eyed Damselflies are now flying at Leg O'Mutton dam. I counted 20 today.

Eccleston Mere

Mandarin 1 female with chick