Paul's Blog - All comments and views are my own,

MOTHS Last night I put the moth trap to use for the last time in the garden before I move back to South Wales, there was little return but a Poplar Hawk Moth was a nice find. Odd specimens included Brimstone Moth with several Burnished Brass moths along with Heart and Dart moths made up most of the small capture. Brimstone Moth Poplar Hawk Moth

News of a Pectoral Sandpiper at WWT Slimbridge yesterday was the decider in what to do this morning, especially with a dodgy weather forecast. This North American/North East Siberia breeding bird is one of the regular "American vagrants" to reach the UK although this is an unusual date. The bird was on the South Lake, there were a few birders in the hide when I arrived but the bird was out of sight, Martin the senior warden popped in to say that the bird was viewable from another hide which led to a mass exodus leaving just myself and two others watching from the South Lake hide. After about 10 mins sure enough the Pec' San' appeared giving great views. The photographs are with my mobile attached to my telescope and I am still trying to get the idea of the dark art of "digi-scoping", when the object is too far away its had to get really crisp photos... There were other birds present including Black tailed Godwits, Redshank, Lapwing, and Ruff. P

Managed to fit in a quick visit to Slimbridge this morning, as is usual at this time of year it was quiet on the bird front with the best of the pick being a tatty male Ruff with the remnants of what may have been a stunning white "ruff". There were at least 25 Redshank and a Common Sandpiper to be seen on South Lake, lots of ducklings around as well as around 60 Avocets of various ages. A few plants caught my eye including the invasive and tenacious Japanese Knotweed and Hemp-agrimony. Hemp-Argimony, yes it does look like the plant you can but shouldn't smoke! Japanese Knotweed!!!!!!!!!!!

Being so busy packing means having to fit in any natural history when I can, today I popped along for an early visit to Slimbridge WWT. Five Green Sandpipers on the Rushy are a sure sign that in the natural world the year is moving on as these birds will be returning south from the breeding grounds in the Artic, sadly because I forget the adaptor to use my phone on the telescope no decent pictures trying to hold the phone steady didn't really work for these birds. At the Robbie Garnett hide a Little Egret was a better target so despite no adaptor and therefore too much light getting into the phone a half decent result. Little Egret There were plenty of Orchids in flower with this  Common Spotted Orchid being just one of the species on show

Four Ravens over the garden again this morning, then an adult HOBBY through the garden this evening.

Been quite busy with other stuff today so just a quick update from the garden. Even though the garden flowers are "going over" there are still some nectar and pollen rich flowers to be found by any intrepid insect, here's a selection. Mullein moth caterpillar shedding its old (on the left)skin   This beetle is  remarkable look at those thighs!! its called ???noblis   This is a Brown Carder Bee   This a "fly" doing its best to look like a bumble bee, but since all my books are packed away I am unable to give it a name Something different these fossils were found in the gravel delivered by "Huntsmans" quarries the three on the left are a type of gastropod, while the other two are a type of Belemite?

Last night (15th) I set the moth trap in the garden, the first time this year! After a nice warm day and the first evening when it had been warm enough to sit outside until 10pm it seemed like I would have a decent capture. Well there were not loads, but the variety was great, The highlights were four species of "hawkmoth" this family are perhaps the largest moths we have in the UK and they are spectacular. The usual plain looking moths can themselves be quite smart when viewed closely, The species I caught last night were: Scorched wing: Spectacle: Flame: Heart and Dart: Small Elephant Hawk moth: Elephant Hawk moth: Eyed Hawk moth: Striped Hawk moth: Peppered: Magpie: Common Wainscot: Buff Ermine: White Ermine: Hebrew character: Buff Tip: Grey Arches: Bright Line Brown eye: Some fantastic names don't you think. Here are some photographs, apologies for the quality the flash on my phone camera kept coming on it was quite glum at 5am!!! Buff Tip Moth, look