NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

The birding may have been mundane, but the moths have started to show, with the past two nights resulting in four Spring Usher (above) and a single Agonopterix heracliana. Over at Priest Hill are several clumps of Mistletoe, low down enough to be able to almost touch. Illustrated above are the profusion of berries, plus some soon to open flower-buds. With February coming up on Monday, and the daylight stretching out into the evening, there is definitely a feel of Spring. For me, it will be welcome like no other.

The MV went out into the garden last night for its first outing of the year. A hazy cloud cover kept the moon at bay and it was very mild, an overnight low of 7C being suggested. When I inspected the trap it was empty, although sitting on the wall above it, and being the first garden moth of 2012, was this Spring Usher. I will keep a back garden moth year list for 2012. It will be interesting to compare it to those from 1987-1996 (when I stopped year listing my moths). I'll keep you posted. 2012 GARDEN MOTH TOTAL: 1 (Macro: 1 Micro: 0)