Pale November Moth and confusing fungi

Dave and I had seen one or two moths briefly at Caister on 26th which we didn't determine but which we suspected might have been Vapourers.  Next day I saw another at Burnham Overy and this time got a good enough look at it to confirm - it was indeed a Vapourer.

The fungi at Burnham Overy were interesting, but again showed up my inability to identify mushrooms.  I'd heard that Collared Earthstars are in the dunes and thought I might have found some, but they didn't seem to show much of a collar.  Are they Collared?  The ones in the books look more collared than these, but does the collar develop later, or are these something else?  Well thanks to James I now know that they are indeed Collared Earthstar - a new one for me.

Collared Earthstars, Burnham Overy, 27th October

Even more intriguing was this thing which having thumbed through my fungi guides I could only suggest Black Morel.  I realised that was unlikely as it's supposed to fruit in spring and the habitat was wrong, but couldn't find any better matches.  Well I should have trusted my initial instinct as Stinkhorn crossed my mind when I first saw it, but it looks so different from the Stinkhorns in my books.  Thanks to James I now know it is Dune Stinkhorn - I presume that's the same as Sand Stinkhorn Phallus hadriani.  In my defence only two of my four fungus ID books feature that species and only one illustrates it - an example with a far longer stem and shorter cap (the other book does describe it more helpfully, but only as a footnote under the commoner Stinkhorn species).

Dune Stinkhorn, Burnham Overy, 27th October

Moths that night included no less than 5 Sprawlers.  Also Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 2 Red-green Carpets, November Moth agg. and Mottled Umber.

Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella, North Elmham, 27th October

Mottled Umber, North Elmham, 27th October

The next night was rubbish - just 2 Sprawlers.

The night of 29th brought my first Pale November Moth of the autumn.  Also Common Marbled Carpet, 3 Feathered Thorns, 3 Sprawlers, Green-brindled Crescent, Yellow-line Quaker and Beaded Chestnut.

Pale November Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 29th October

Quiet start to September

September started quite poorly, which is pretty much how it was for most of the month so far as moths are concerned.  A Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana was new for the garden year list on 1st but apart from that not a lot else: 2 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Maiden's Blush, Single-dotted Wave, 2 Brimstone Moths, Light Emerald, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 3 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Square-spotted Clay, Six-striped Rustic, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 16 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, 2 Straw Dots and Snout.

Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana, North Elmham 1st September

The next night was even worse: 4 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Single-dotted Wave, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, Currant Pug, Treble-bar, Common Wave, Light Emerald, 5 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, 2 Square-spot Rustics, Angle Shades, 2 Flounced Rustics, 2 Vine's Rustics, Burnished Brass, Spectacle and Straw Dot.

Angle Shades, North Elmham 2nd September

Common Wave, North Elmham 2nd September

Currant Pug, North Elmham 2nd September

Centre-barred Sallow was new for the year on 3rd.

Centre-barred Sallow, North Elmham 3rd September

Other stuff was Woundwort Case-bearer Coleophora lineolea, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 4 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 3 Orange Swifts, Currant Pug, 2 Brimstone Moths, Canary-shouldered Thorn, 2 Turnip Moths, 24 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 3 Small Square-spots, Square-spot Rustic, 2 Flounced Rustics, Silver Y and Spectacle.

The 4th only produced 3 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, 2 Treble-bars, 2 Brimstone Moths, 6 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Square-spot Rustics, Common Wainscot, Centre-barred Sallow and Copper Underwing.

Copper Underwing (male, gen det), North Elmham 4th September

5th September was a similar story: Dark-triangle Button Acleris laterana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 2 Green Carpets, 4 Brimstone Moths, Light Emerald, 14 Large Yellow Underwings, 8 Lesser Yellow Underwings, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 4 Square-spot Rustics, Centre-barred Sallow, 8 Flounced Rustics and Spectacle.

On 6th September Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella was new for the year.

 Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella, North Elmham 6th September

Other moths that night were Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, 2 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneers Agriphila geniculea, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Garden Carpet, 3 Green Carpets, 9 Large Yellow Underwings, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Square-spot Rustics, 9 Flounced Rustics and Vine's Rustic.