Marsh Lane and Garden Moths

I visited Marsh Lane NR last Thursday afternoon for a couple of hours - a beautiful walk in really warm sunshine. I was hoping to see some butterflies but only spotted two at such a distance I was unable to identify them. Near Railway Hide a small copse was just full of clouds of white blossom.

A small flock of Long-tailed Tits were foraging in the hedgerow near Railway Hide and I managed to get a record shot of one of them.

A pair of Great Crested Grebes were seen from one of the screens overlooking car park pool. I was hoping to seem some signs of Courtship display but had to make do with one of the pair catching and swallowing a rather large fish!!

Great Crested Grebe

I did spot a small brown mammal (unfortunately only from the corner of my eye) running along the side of a small brook near Oak Hide. My initial reaction was oh my goodness its a water vole but to be honest I think it was too small and was probably a bank vole. I shall be keeping an eye on this section of the reserve though and will be looking out for any signs of vole activity.

I added four species to my 2014 bird list - Tree Creeper, Redshank, Green Woodpecker and Oystercatcher - the list now stands at 59. Treecreeper and Redshank were also new species for my list of birds seen at the reserve (54 now in total)




Garden Moths


With all the mild, dry weather we have been experiencing I have been leaving the moth trap on every night.



Monday 10th March

Minimum Temp 3.1 degrees Centigrade 15w Actinic Skinner Trap


Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) x 2 (NFY)

Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) x 6

Hebrew Character

Tuesday 11th March

Min Temp 2.7 degrees Centigrade 15w Actinic Skinner Trap


Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) x 2

Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) x 1 (NFY) and (NFG)

Emmelina monodactyla x 1


Twin-spotted Quaker

Wednesday, 12th March

Min Temp 0.8 degrees C 15w Actinic Skinner Trap

Moths 0


Thursday, 13th March

Min Temp 0.3

Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) x 1


Friday 14th March - GMS Week 3

Min Temp 7.7 degrees C 15w Actinic Skinner Trap


Emmelina monadactyla x 1

Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) x 2

Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) x 2 (NFY)

Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) x 1



Emmelina monodactlya. I love this little moth and really like the name "Emmelina". In fact, if I had been mothing when my daughter was born I really think she would have been called Emmelina rather than Emily!!

Clouded Drab

I am pretty sure this is a worn Clouded Drab

Saturday 15th March

Min Temp 7.3 degrees C 15w Actinic Skinner Trap


Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria) x 1

Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) x 5

Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) x 2 (NFY)

Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) x 2

Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) x 1 (NFY)

Amblyptilia acanthatdactyla x 1 (NFY)


This photo shows the difference in size and markings of Common Quaker on the left and Small Quaker on the right

Early Grey

Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

Sunday 16th March

Min Temp 8.7 degrees C 15w Actinic Skinner Trap

Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) x 1

Emmelina monodactyla x 1



Please let me know if any of the above identifications are incorrect.


We've had several species of butterfly in the garden over the last week - Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Small White and the number of moth species seen this year is now up to 13.



Common frogs have been moving around in the pond for the last week or so but it was only today that frogspawn started to appear. I only spotted it tonight but if the frogs are still active tomorrow I will try and get some photos.



Finally, a photo of the echinops I bought from the Botanical Gardens - in the background is a beautiful pelargonium bought at the same time.