Checking Pines in the cold!

So the excellent week of sunshine ended rather abruptly come the start of the weekend. Though that doesn't mean to say it was unproductive.

A mild night ensured a decent moth haul overnight Friday at Tophill Low NR, East Yorkshire, and emptying on Saturday morning turned up nearly 100 moths in 3 traps.

Highlights included the first Early Thorn, Red Green Carpet and Brindled Pug of the year, while a Pine Beauty was the second we've trapped in 2012.

The highlight though was the first Ocnerostoma friesei for the site at the south end, photographed after potting by Doug Fairweather.

In fact, a good search of the Pines on the site only turned up one specimen of the moth, however, another addition to the site list was Larch Ladybird at the north end, again only a single specimen encountered.

And the Pine search also yielded another new tick for the site, which will be the 285th fungi species - I'll post when news is available.

Birding turned up a few Blackcaps, numerous Chiffchaffs and a 3 Sand Martins - regular end of March early spring fare... the best of it is still yet to come.