First pup of the year

 

I took a boat trip around the Farne Islands today, in an attempt to see the seal pups.  The first birth date can be as early as September, and maybe as late as end of October.  We were lucky to see the one pup which has been born 7 days ago, but there were several hundred heavily pregnant females drawn out on the rocks and shingle birthing banks. 

The number of birds was pretty poor, and I can imagine the empty cliffs being draped with thousands of breeding seabirds in the breeding season.  Sounds like a visit required in May and June is on the cards.....

Variation in Green-brindled Crescent

The first trapping night for a couple of weeks, and spent 5 hours or so at Pilmoor woods.  70 or so moths, mainly November Moth agg. (I'll save their identification for another time...), usual Red-line Quakers, Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Dark Chestnut etc, but the highlight was both types of Green-brindled Crescent.

Green-brindled Crescent [ab. capucina] (Allophyes oxyacanthae ab. capucina) on the left, with the regular form on the right.