NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

Mothing away from the back garden was limited to my Dungeness excursions and one splendid day spent on the Wiltshire chalk downs. As much as 'lifers' are not the be-all-and-end-all of recording, they are undoubtably welcome, and all featured here (bar the Death's-head) were exactly that. Death's-head Hawk-moth - Dungeness, Kent, May. Found resting on the wall of a beach dwelling Purple Cloud - Dungeness, Kent, May. Trapped by Bob Arnfield at the Long Pits. Cistus Forester - Pewsey Downs, Wiltshire, June. Quite a few on the wing Red-headed Chestnut, Dungeness, Kent, October. In the same MV as a Cosmopolitan. Spoladea recurvalis, Littlestone, Kent, October. A rather smart migrant pyralid. Sword-grass, New Romney, Kent, October. The first Kent record since the 1960s

This Death's-head Hawk-moth was found at rest on the outside wall of one of the beach dwellings at Dungeness. It was the second that I have seen there. It posed perfectly for photographers, and was released unharmed to carry on its nocturnal foraging - a shame that all such moths do not get to do so... I was more than chuffed when Bob Arnfield appeared one morning to show us this Purple Cloud, trapped at the Dungeness Long Pits. Only the c30th for the UK and a species that I have long dreamed of seeing. Rest Harrow has only recently been found to breed at Dungeness. Known up the coast at Kingsdown and Sandwich Bay (where I have previously seen them), this species does, on the rare occasion, turn up elsewhere.

The weather for the next three days here at Dungeness looks very promising indeed for the appearance of an overshoot - whether that be a bird or a moth - I may have to stay until Friday evening! The observatory MV has been switched on each night, but the number of migrants recorded has been low. The instances of 'nearby' successes has been frustrating, but they are also fuel for optimism. This morning the trap was once again disappointing, but when south-London lepidopterist Bod Arnfield dropped in with a Purple Cloud, all that was forgotten. He had been trapping at the northern end of the recording area. Photos will follow in a few days time. My past two May DBO visits have coincided with a Dusky Hook-tip and Ni Moth, so this continues a most satisfying run. So, a final push before I return home (most probably on Friday). If I were being greedy I'd like a Red-footed Falcon or an Alpine Swift please. Either would do... or both. I'm not fussy.