Lizard, Cornwall pt. 4 - Thurs 14th and Fri 15th Oct

A morning's birdwatching walk via Pistil and Lizard Point marked a small change in vis-mig - in the fields above Pistil whilst still full of meadow pipit - the white wagtails had been replaced overnight by pied wagtails - and scanning through the flock, not a white wagtail was to be seen.

Pistil itself produced a small flock of 6 Greenfinch. Although the birds were assumed to be resident rather than vis-mig - for me it was a notable sight and my diary entry reads: "I can't remember the last time I saw a flock of Greenfinch? - Just lovely!".

Taking breakfast at Polpeor Cafe, we were joined by another resident species, the local House sparrows whose brazen behaviour suggested that they were well used to tit-bits from the Cafe tables.

Later that evening, a short walk to Housel Point produced grey wagtail, and several Chiffchaff.

The last moth trap of the holiday was by far the most productive - helped no end by the mild temperatures and cloud overnight. The trap was also returned to the front garden as weak southerlies brought migrant promise. We were not to be disappointed.

Angle shades

Delicate

Radford's Flame shoulder

Sorting

Gem

Lunar underwing (36)
Feathered ranunculus (11)
Black rustic (3)
Rusty dot pearl (12)
Common marbled carpet (3)
Large yellow underwing (3)
Silver Y (1)
Feathered brindle (2)
Light brown apple moth (2)
Angle shades (2)
Delicate (1)
Red-line quaker (1)
Setaceous Hebrew character (2)
Radford's Flame shoulder (1)
Double-striped pug (1)
Bloxworth snout (1)
Gem (1)

By coincidence the first migrant bird of the week had been a fem/juv type Black redstart which flew from Barnside Cottage garden to the neighbour's roof. As we said goodbye to T on the drive of Pen Cairn, a male Black redstart flew from his roof to Barnside Cottage.

Black redstart (fem/juv) Oct 9th

Lizard, Cornwall pt 3. - Moth Trapping and Vis-Mig - Tues 12th and Wed 13th Oct

Birding Tues 12th AM

Chiffchaff (2), Blackcap (1m) - Housel willows
3 Jay and a single Chough flyover
Goldcrest (1), Chiffchaff (1) - Bass Point
Bullfinch and willow warbler

Later en-route to Ruan Holy Well - a merlin, and sparrowhawk were noted both harassed by corvids; Chiffchaff and a single Willow Warbler were in the hedgerows.

Ruan (St Grades) Holy Well

Moth Trap Tues 12th

The trap was moved from the front garden to the back garden.

Lunar underwing (19)
Feathered ranunculus (8)
Large yellow underwing (1)
Silver Y (1)
Common marbled carpet (3)
Green brindled crescent (1)
Setaceous Hebrew character (1)
Light brown apple moth (1)
Rusty dot pearl (3)
Angle shades (1)
Tachystola acroxantha (1)

However, the star of the day was undoubtedly the Brindled ochre - caught overnight by MV trap, at Pen Cairn.

Brindled ochre

Birding Wed 13th Oct AM 

Short walk to Caerthillian

Chiffchaff (Num)
Song Thrush
Blackcap
Siskin
White wagtail

The back garden now boasting up to 6 Chiffchaff, with Chaffinch, Goldfinch, and Blue tit moving through in a large mixed flock.

Moth Trap Wed 13th

The trap remained overnight in the back garden.

Lunar underwing (41)
Feathered ranunculus (6)
Rusty dot pearl (2)
Snout (1)
Black rustic (2)

Black rustic

Common marbled carpet (2)
Setaceous Hebrew character (1)
Feathered brindle (1)
Mallow* (1)

Both the latter two moths were new for me. Having read that Mallow "Comes to light in small numbers, otherwise seldom seen." (Waring, P., Townsend, M., Lewington, R., 2017), I felt chuffed to get this moth in the trap, although it was somewhat drab in comparison to the rather strikingly marked Feathered brindle.

Mallow

Feathered brindle

The Pen Cairn trap had produced another stunner overnight - a Radford's Flame Shoulder! A covetted moth for sure .. in fact having seen it for the first time, my simple response was "I want one!".

Radford's Flame Shoulder

Addendum

December 2021. Having finally submitted my Lizard moth records to Leon Truscott, Cornwall's, County Moth Recorder - I received a very interesting reply regarding the Mallow record, confirming that: "The rarest moth (for Cornwall) on the list is the Mallow with only 12 previous records here. The last record for Cornwall (mainland) was in 2012. This year, Mick Scott recorded one from Scilly on 11 Oct! (only the 2nd for Scilly, the previous being in 2006)." (Pers comm Truscott, L., 20th Dec 2021).

Reference

Waring, P.; Townsend, M.; Lewington, R.; (2017) (3rd Edition) Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland Bloomsbury, London