Westcott, Bucks

The chances are that I won't be adding many more species to the garden list before the end of the month, but the current total (58) has already equalled last year's achievement and is at the high end of what can be expected here during the first quarter of the year thanks to the good weather of the last week or two.  The last few additions have comprised Early Tooth-striped, Double-striped Pug, Brindled Beauty & Tawny Pinion (all 26th) and Mompha epilobiella, Alucita hexadactyla, Chinese Character & Red Chestnut (all 28th).

Alucita hexadactyla, Westcott 28th March

Chinese Character, Westcott 28th March

Tawny Pinion, Westcott 26th March

The Alucita hexadactyla above is not in its usual resting pose which might cause identification problems for some!  The Chinese Character is the earliest I've ever seen the species by just under two weeks and in fact two turned up last night, one to the actinic trap and the other to the front door light.  The very welcome Tawny Pinion is the first spring record in the garden since 2010, the few sightings I get here being mostly in the autumn.

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks