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October

October 8th and the weather is now definitely autumnal, having become much colder with some wind and rain. The grass is beginning to recover after the lack of water throughout the summer and the leaves are turning. There seem to be more birds at the feeders and yesterday we saw two bullfinches in the ornamental crab apple tree feeding on the ripening fruits, I cannot recall having seen bullfinches for several years so was delighted to be able to get a quick photograph.

I continue to discover more moths since my eyes have been opened to the variety that there is. The night before last I found this Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata on the back wall, (picture on the left). It is interesting to compare this with one of the same kind found on the church wall w/c September 14th. The UK moth website shows the variation in this particular moth. To the right is The Mallow Larentia clavaria which appeared a couple of nights earlier.

Yesterday afternoon as I was going out I noticed this beautiful little moth almost hidden in the branches of a skimmia in a pot by the front door. It is a Pink-barred Sallow Xanthia togata. The side view of it shows its mane and what looks like a little pink nose.

Finally today this caddisfly appeared, at least I am fairly confident that is what it is although as you know I have before mistaken one of these for a moth. Then this afternoon the long-tailed tits were back in the garden, they are such pretty birds I do hope that they keep returning.

Wednesday, 15th October, and again it is catch-up time. There has been nothing exceptional in the garden recently although on the 10th October there was another new moth the Lunar Underwing Omphaloscelis lunosa, this is pictured to the left and then there was this small moth which appeared on the next evening.I believe that this is Eudonia angustea.

Friday, 17th October, and past the middle of the month. The weather continues sunny and dry but it is much colder and the berries are well ripened so the birdlife has increased while the moths seem to have diminished, having said which there are always one or two about. The birds are becoming bolder and are feeding from new feeders placed nearer the house, even the nuthatch although I was not quite quick enough with the camera. However here is a picture of one of the many bluetits which I couldn't resist.

Last night and for the past few nights there have been up to three of the moths to the left on the back wall. I believe that they are November Moth Epirrita dilutata although I could be mistaken as they are difficult to distinguish from a couple of other autumnal moths without examining their genitalia and as I would not know where to start I will leave it at that. The one to the right is I believe a Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana.

18th October, and the sky is not quite as blue as it has been and the forecast is for more cloudy, rain and colder, we will see.

Last night there was another new moth, the Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria, which I gather can be seen from September through November.

19th October and the weather is definitely changing, it is getting progressively colder and the skies are now grey. There are more birds in the garden and a greater variety. The fornamental crab apple provides cover for many of the birds prior to their arriving at our bird tables and the bullfinches actually eat the fruit which is obviously ripe from the pictures of their eating it, clicking on the two pictures furthest left will give a clearer view.

The jay has also returned to the garden to feed and came once again almost to the patio doors.

October 21st and the month is simply flying by. Some rain has fallen as promised but very little and we are now getting frosts at night. However new moths continue to appear and today's was the Juniper Carpet Thera juniperata, according to Ian Kimber's UK moths site this is a scarce species.

From the 21st to 31st I had a lack of photo opportunities for one reason or another and there were very few things to note with the exception of the fact that I have joined the Essex moths group and subsequently been informed that the there are just six recent (post-1990) sites for the juniper carpet moth in Essex. Also we saw for the first time in our garden a green woodpecker, unfortuntely the picture taken was through secondary double glazing which in all honesty probably needed cleaning!