All 3 November Moth aggregates

This Brick was new for the year on 20th October.

Brick, North Elmham, 20th October

Othe rmoths that night were Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 8 November Moths, another unidentified Epirrita sp., 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker, 2 Yellow-line Quakers and 2 Beaded Chestnuts.

The following night produced Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 4 November Moths, 3 Feathered Thorns, Black Rustic, Green-brindled Crescent, Yellow-line Quaker and Lunar Underwing.  Also a Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg.

A visit to the coast on 22nd produced this Muntjac at Brancaster and a big gathering of 30+ Harlequin Ladybirds on sycamores in Burnham Deepdale churchyard - that count wasn't a very careful one so the true figure was undoubtedly very much higher.

Muntjac, Brancaster, 22nd October

That night the moth trap at home produced 3 November Moths, another unidentified Epirrita sp., Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker and Yellow-line Quaker.

The following night delivered my first Sprawler of the year, along with 3 November Moths, 4 Feathered Thorns, 2 Black Rustics, 3 Green-brindled Crescents and 2 Yellow-line Quakers.

Sprawler, North Elmham, 23rd October

My first Autumnal Moth of the year appeared on 24th.  This is very much the scarcer of the 3 Epirrita species here with just 2 in 2014 and none in 2015 (cf. 95 November Moths and 26 Pale November Moths in 2014-15).

Autumnal Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th October

Also that night were 3 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, 3 Black Rustics, Green-brindled Crescent, Yellow-line Quaker and Beaded Chestnut. See how similar the first of these November Moths is to the Autumnal Moth - I wonder if anyone would have been brave enough to call these without checking their abdominal features...

November Moths (males, 8th sternite det), North Elmham, 24th October

25th produced 3 November Moths, Merveille du Jour and Beaded Chestnut.

Merveille du Jour, North Elmham, 25th October

This Weasel was lying dead in the middle of the coastal footpath at Stiffkey Greens on 26th.

dead Weasel, Stiffkey Greens, 26th October

Later that day I visited Wiveton Down LNR for the first time.  This leafhopper landed on my car as I got out of it - a Fagocyba sp. I think.  The options appear to be Facogyba cruenta and Fagocyba carri.  Seems that the former is commoner but mainly associated with Beech whereas the latter is associated with Oak - I recall seeing Oak there but don't remember any Beech.

Fagocyba sp., Wiveton Down LNR, 26th October

I suspected these fungi might be Sulphur Tufts, but James tells me they aren't - some kind of Rustgill Gymnopilus sp. apparently.

Rustgills sp., Wiveton Down LNR, 26th October

I finished the day at Friary Hills (Blakeney) where another mushroom initially defied identification attempts.  In the end I settled on Yellowleg Bonnet although the stem wasn't as vivid yellow as one of my books suggested. Again James has put me right - not Yellowleg Bennet (clearly quite different from the examples he photographed recently) but unfortunately not clear what it is from these photos.

unidentified mushroom, Friary Hills, Blakeney, 26th October

An Epirrita sp. was seen at Friary Hills too, but it landed too high up to reach so couldn't get a firm ID on it.  At home that night there were 4 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut and 2 Beaded Chestnuts.

2 Pale November Moths on 27th were my first of the year and it was the best night for variety for a while including a couple species that I had thought were done for the year (Shuttle-shaped Dart and 2 Snouts).  The others were Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, 6 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Merveille du Jour, 3 Yellow-line Quakers and 3 Beaded Chestnuts.

Pale November Moth (male, 8th sternite det), North Elmham, 27th October

Also a Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg. and another Pinalitus cervinus.

Pinalitus cervinus, North Elmham, 27th October

The following night there were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 6 November Moths, another Pale November Moth, Feathered Thorn, Green-brindled Crescent, 2 Yellow-line Quakers and Beaded Chestnut.