The rewards of mothing

This magnificent Puss Moth was sitting just outside the trap went I went up at dawn this morning to check the trap following a warm night. There were other nice moths in the trap like Small Angle Shades, Common Swift and Clouded Silver. The Puss moth would have made a nice breakfast for the birds feeding young in the garden had I checked the trap any later. 

Mothing is also a part of my social life as me, Heather and my daughter Amber were having a drink in the summer house last night watching the first moths flitting around the light. Amber commented on her friends dads who like football and beer and its embarrassing when they ask 'what does your dad do in his spare time'?

No matter which path I have taken in life it has always been unsociable hours from dog walking before school, long hours working at opencast coal sites, shift work at hospitals, early rising children, birding/ringing/twitching, Badger and Bat watching and now Mothing to add to the 'baggy eyed' list of hobbies. Only Wild Flowers and Butterflies like 'sensible hours'. This morning was rewarding not only for the quality species of moths that were attracted to the trap but the beautiful morning that dawned over Morpeth. many birds feeding young, Fox running along the path, Grey lag Geese and Cormorants flying overhead. A nice group of young recently fledged Great spotted Woodpeckers waiting to be fed by their parents. No human voices or the noise of motor traffic just bird song. The first hour after dawn is undoubtedly the finest hour of the day no matter where you are in the country.