Out surveying Nightjar, last night, there were a few moths flying around at dusk, including dozens of Neofaculta ericetella and a Common Heath around the heather, plus around seven Fox Moths zig-zagging over the forestry clear-fell. Later, while walking back from the survey, I netted a Water Carpet, which was one of the few moths (or any insects) I saw flying around. On the whole, considering that the temperatures at 23:30 were still around 12 C, the number of moths flying about was still very disappointing.
I'm going out with the skinner, tonight and with the minimum temperature forecast to stay within double figures (just) I hope things won't be too bad and as the sky is determined to stay clear, I'll have the bonus of a fly-over of the ISS and later by a bright Iridium flare.
Any luck with the Nightjars Mark?
ReplyDeleteYes, I had two on top of Mynydd Gethin (SO0402), an actively churring and clapping male at Gwaun Helen, above Cefnpennar (where we had Cloaked Pug), then later, while watching for noctilucent cloud, I had one at Graig-y-Llyn.
ReplyDeleteThe there were no insects flying at all up on Mynydd Gethin and although there was a male churring fitfully on the Merthyr side of the summit, the only one I saw was another male, which flew across my path, heading down into the Cynon valley, to shelter from the breeze and a more reliable source of food. I've put the records on MapMate.
Excellent news. Thanks Mark.
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