Moth to the Flame - Thunder

 With +8°C on the gauge (again) just before swinging into the hammock last night 15/01/2022, it was thought worthy of flashing up the home-side Moths Traps, but seems the Insects had other ideas! Otherwise, in the Wider World, and thought a long time coming, we have added

LONG-TAILED TIT

DUNNOCK

GOLDFINCH

and

after some deliberation
REED BUNTING

to the Year List.

Further to that and via our friend Dave Foot, very exciting news from Weymouth but more particularly Dr Phil Sterling, author and M.D. of Butterfly Conservation read. With closer examination of an odd looking Nycteoline species of Moth from mid-December this turned out to be a first for UK! It's called Nycteola columbana and with the honour of being able to assign a vernacular name to it he thinks it might be called

CORK OAK NYCTEOLINE

 in recognition of its food plant.

In an unguarded moment from right Phil himself, brother Mike and former apprentice Chloe, now a new Mum!

Finally, it was also thought worthy to pay the loan

WHOOPER SWAN
still being recorded 'distantly' at Hampreston Water Meadows

hence having to reach into the archive once again to illustrate.