I love it when a plan comes together - even if it's someone else's plan!!
So, Sunday saw an early morning jaunt up the A3 to Selborne for a check through the previous nights moth traps. The weather was excellent but surprisingly chilly at 7:00 am.
Greeted on arrival by CS/DB and a picnic table covered in moth pots which is always a good sign. A Red Kite was just overhead looking down at us, later the odd Swift or two rocketed over and a Roe Deer was feeding in the grass just 100 yards away for most of the session. Other birds were pretty thin on the ground and, apart from the bees from the hives on bramble flower, other insects were scarce.
But back to the moths. I didn't keep a list but there were certainly upwards of 40 species the best being Clouded Buff and Beautiful Silver Y two species I'd not seen before plus other nice moths :- Privet HM, Pale Tussock, Lobster, Scorched Wing, Brimstone, Scorched Carpet, Barred Yellow, Common Swift, Peach Blossom and so on.
Later looking for orchids failed to find any Greater Butterfly in the very long grass but there were several White Helleborine tucked away in the shade.
And finally a nice Sausage Sandwich and coffee to offset the early start.
