Upper Thames Moths: Garden beats Chalk Grassland

Last night I joined Martin Albertini and Marc Botham trapping on National Trust land at Bradenham, Bucks. We drew the short straw when it came to the weather, with drizzle for most of the three hours we were there and then heavier rain as we finished packing up. Between six lights we managed about 80 species with nothing exceptional amongst them apart from first sightings of Feathered Gothic and Centre-barred Sallow, chalk grassland specialists being noticeable by their absence. During the gaps between moth arrivals we were kept amused by the chattering Glis glis in the hedgerows and this time, unusually, a youngster decided to show itself and was captured for posterity on Marc's phone camera:

Edible Dormouse, Bradenham 29th August

In contrast, back home at Westcott, Bucks there was no rain at all until I went out to secure the moths at 5am. The catch was a reasonable 55 species, of which Epinotia demarniana, Feathered Gothic, Centre-barred Sallow & Gold Spot were new for the garden year list. Unfortunately the only Hawk-moth present was a second-brood Elephant, but as a consolation prize I got my second Ni Moth of the month (that being the only migrant trapped apart from a couple of Silver Ys).