Storm petrels are still present...

Storm petrels are still present off shore with another seen flying west in a short seawatch this morning. Also flying west were 30 fulmar, 6 gannet, and 2 great crested grebe, also a sandwich tern flew east.

Short sea-watches throughout...

Short sea-watches throughout the day during breaks in the rain produced 7 european storm petrels flying west.

Just three moths in...

Just three moths in the trap this morning but two were migrants, a diamond-back moth and a silver y. The other was a puss moth.


Diamond-back moth.


Puss moth.

This reed dagger was...

This reed dagger was in the roof-top moth trap this morning. It is most probably a migrant or a wanderer from the nearest confirmed breeding areas in Rye Bay and Dungeness. The specimen was pretty worn which is typical of migrants.


Reed dagger.

Very little else, only a mullein shark, a couple of common quaker and a shuttle-shaped dart. Also another marbled beauty larva was present on the roof tile lichens.


Mullein shark.

No visible migration at sea or overhead.

A record moth night...

A record moth night with just one common quaker in the trap this morning!

No sign of passage at sea or overhead.

Still no migrant moths...

Still no migrant moths coming to the moth light but a slight increase in the number of species in the trap this morning with red twin-spot carpet, dwarf pug, brimstone moth and mullein moth all new for the year.


Brimstone moth.

The poor visibility at sea prevented any serious seawatching.

The number of moths...

The number of moths coming to the moth light is still very low compared to the end of April even though the night time temperatures are higher, the bright moon must be affecting catches. No migrants and only 2 common quaker, a shuttle-shaped dart and a flame shoulder in the trap this morning.

Still very little visible migration at sea with only a small number of sandwich tern feeding close inshore.

There was a small passage...

There was a small passage of woodpigeon first thing this morning when 120 flew east. Still very little sea passage, only a small group of sandwich terns flew slowly west feeding.

Also still very few moths coming to the moth light with no migrants and only a brindled pug, shuttle-shaped dart (photo) and 3 common quaker in the trap.


Shuttle-shaped dart.

Only three moths in...

Only three moths in the moth trap this morning, a double striped pug, a brindled pug and a hebrew character. Hopefully things will pick up soon.


Hebrew character.

In a short seawatch...

In a short seawatch yesterday morning 3 pomarine skuas, an arctic skua, a great skua, 35 common scoter, 7 whimbrel, and a bar-tailed godwit flew east amongst a trickle of eastward bound sandwich terns, common terns, arctic terns and little terns.