First standardised observation of the "Autumn"!

The morning period was rather busy as I tried checking the moth trap very early in order to conduct the first standardised observation of the "autumn" from sunrise!

As it turns out the northeasterly wind produced the largest catch of the year to date with 176 moths of 60 species! Highlights included several firsts for the year in the form of: Bedstraw Hawkmoth (Snerresværmer, Hyles gallii), Silver-ground Carpet (Bakkebladmåler, Xanthorhoe montanata), Clouded-bordered Brindle (Rustugle, Apamea crenata), Dotted Fan-foot (Græs-Snudeugle, Macrochilo cribrumalis), Barred Straw (Citrongul Havemåler, Eulithis pyraliata), Donacaula mucronella, Glyphipterix thrasonella, and Archips podana.

Bedstraw Hawkmoth (Snerresværmer, Hyles gallii)

Glyphipterix thrasonella

As alluded to earlier, immediately after checking the moth trap I headed down to the coast to conduct the first standardised observation of the "autumn", a favourable north easterly breeze greeted me and resulted in a fairly productive start to the season. Highlights included a single Little Ringed Plover (Lille Præstekrave, Charadrius dubius) flying north, 40 Red-breasted Merganser (Toppet Skallesluger, Mergus serrator), and a huge gathering of gulls stretching all the way from the Blåvand Horses in the south to well into the military area in the north.

See the link below for a full account of this morning's sightings.

https://dofbasen.dk/search/result.php?design=table&soeg=soeg&periode=dato&dato=01-07-2021&omraade=lokalitet&hiddenlok=555209&obstype=observationer&species=alle&summering=yes&sortering=dato

The most unusual sighting of the day goes to a fully leucistic or albino Common Scoter (Sortand, Melanitta nigra) which flew south with a flock of 60 normal Common Scoters! Follow the link for a bit of shaky phone-scope fottage).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9Q_Le7JZKM

A fully leucistic or albino Common Scoter (Sortand, Melanitta nigra) with a flock of normal Common Scoter

Personnel: Bent and Samuel.