These days with the advancement of digital photography you appear to need photographic evidence when you record something different or interesting. On Wednesday I was walking along the old railway between Steadsburn and Felton lane looking for plants and butterflies. I noticed what looked like 2 insects coupled in flight above the trackside flora was actually one of those Longhorn type moths. It landed on a Willow twig. By the time I took the lens cap off the camera it moved further up the tree out of reach for my camera to get a record shot but by stepping back I got a good view through my binoculars. I wasted no more time trying to get a photo and got my notebook out. I'm no artist but I occasionally sketch mainly fungi and seeds of plants, a rough sketch (all my sketches are rough) and scribble down a few features.It may make a big difference and my rough sketch and a few details were enough for the county moth recorder to be happy with this record of a scarce county species. It is probably under recorded but these backwaters like Felton lane are perfect places to explore for such species. Coincidentally the above record was almost at the very same spot as me and Stewart saw a Lunar Hornet moth back in the 90's.
Butterflies were quite numerous but despite walking the length of the old railway sidings there were no Dingy Skippers but the foodplant is plentiful. There were 10 Wall Browns, 7 Orange tip and an amazing 32 Speckled Woods between the brickworks and the former refuse tip.
3 Garden warblers were behind the old pit heap and a Lesser Whitethroat was singing form scrub at Felton lane my first record here for 5 years.
4 comments:
Well done on the Adela fibulella sighting :)
I often sketch species caught in the moth trap I don't immediately recognise. When I do eventually id them it helps the salient features stick in my mind :)
Brilliant Nigel I'm pleased to see the book out. The title of the post confused me for a second mind you ;)I'll need to check the website for that moth's status, its not one I'm familiar with.
Nice record Nigel! Only the 6th county record...
Thanks for the comments. It is not often I will be posting images from my notebook as there are some quality drawings out there. I like to take notes though and its not every time I'm able to get a photo so a rough sketch has to do.
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