Paul Bowyer

5000th of a second shutter speed was used to take this Hummingbird Hawkmoth on Sand Point this AM @wildlife_uk

@MartineFenn @bristolbirding Yes.

@pabs2 @bristolbirding Are they 7-spots Paul? Only we’ve had amazingly high numbers in our garden in Gloucestershire these last couple of days.

Thousands of ladybirds in Weston-super-Mare today, similar numbers to 1995. Westerly movement over the garden currently, too many to count.

@Severnsidebirds @bristolbirding I was finding loads of larvae during the spring so wondered if this might happen.

@pabs2 @bristolbirding Similar here in Severn Beach, a thick cloud of them at one time a few hundred metres long and 100 feet high, millions! Where have they all come from?

M4 not M5

Nightingale singing in Reading Services, M5 westbound at 5am this morning.

2 Waxwings in Weston-super-Mare in trees at the entrance to Hutton Moor Sports Centre @bristolbirding

@Gowermoss @LondonMoths @BritishMoths Have a look at Gelechia senticetella and Psoricoptera gibbosella

Not sure what these are if anyone can help? I was contemplating Gelechia sabinellus for the first one? @LondonMoths @BritishMoths

Surrey suburbs mothing is SO different to here in Swansea. My highlights from 81 spp at my sisters yesterday included Jersey Tigers (16), Fulvous Pearl, Oak Processionary (2), Gypsy Moth (4) and Vagrant Piercer @LondonMoths

@MikeFRobinson Found some this morning in my local park. I believe they are Byturus ochraceus

We think there is something quite heartwarming about these tiny wee critters, snuggled up inside Buttercup flowers (can't remember whether Bulbous or Creeping), getting on with their lives in Lesnes Abbey Park: we wish them well...

@MWeites Yes, seen a couple of reports late October. Apparently there is a third generation southern europe/ North Africa so perhaps a migrant or just an odd emergence.

@pabs2 Crazy date!

Holly Blue today at Sand Point (12/11/22) plus a couple of Painted Lady.

@CubanMule Hi Graham, sorry for late reply. Looks like Privet Hawkmoth.

@pabs2 hi Paul, what's this bad boy plse?

Sand Point vismig by 9:30am: 510 Mipit, 230 Goldfinch, 40 Linnet, 11 alba wagtail, 140 Woodpigeon, 2 Stock dove + 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Wheatear, 1 Sand Martin

Male Wheatear at east end of Middle Hope this afternoon.

Sand Point: 2 Sand Martin off St Thomas's Head, 7 Chiffchaff (5 singing). Vismig 68 Mipit, 4 Grey Wag, 9 Goldfinch, 8 Chaffinch, 17 alba wag @somersetbirds

@FlyinginFordham @MothIDUK @dgcountryside @MigrantMothUK @davenevitt Thanks Ben. Seems quite obvious now but it's taken nearly a month to get to Autophila (thanks to an iNaturalist member).

@pabs2 @MothIDUK @dgcountryside @MigrantMothUK @davenevitt New for Britain then! Must be the earliest (By month) recent new for Britain. Yes it's Autophila and most likely anaphanes, although I've never seen the other one.

Photographed at Brean Down, Somerset on 26th January appears to be Autophila anaphanes or cataphanes but also Large Tabby suggested. Wonder what twitter people think? @MothIDUK @dgcountryside @MigrantMothUK @davenevitt

@davidjgibbs6 @MothIDUK @dgcountryside @MigrantMothUK @davenevitt That's interesting thanks Dave. Several have been named in iNaturalist so could be possible to do to some degree without dissection.

@pabs2 @MothIDUK @dgcountryside @MigrantMothUK @davenevitt Leraut 2019 says "similar externally (but costal streaks definitely more distinct [in anaphanes])", and then separates on range.

@davenevitt @MothIDUK @dgcountryside @MigrantMothUK Great thanks Dave.

@pabs2 @MothIDUK @dgcountryside @MigrantMothUK If it is one of that pair, Leraut says they are only separable by gen det😥. From his distribution maps, cataphanes would seem to be much more likely.

1w Little Gull in Sand Bay on shoreline with BHGs @bristolbirding