Moth Update - Dark Spectacle and more wonderful Moths :)

We have had some great moths over the past Couple months between Dave's and My Garden, with the Highlight being Dark Spectacle in my garden one I was not expecting I was so excited it was better than xmas day :) The first record for a few years for Warwickshire, such a stunning moth.
Also had lots of Lifers at Dave's Garden and at Mine, Small angle shades, Bordered White, Scarce Silver-lines, September Thorn, Early Thorn, Buff Footman, Rosy Minor, The Dun-bar Twin-spotted Wainscot, Maiden's Blush, Rosy Rustic, Orange Sallow and two other lifers which I was over the moon with Canary-shouldered Thorn and Leopard Moth both stunners and both ones I had been waiting for the Leopard Moth is so striking :)
Also had lot's of new for the year Moths, Orange Swifts, Flounced Rustics, Vines Rustic, Centre-barred Sallow, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Brindled Green :) Had loads of Dusky Thorns this year.
And another massive Highlight was a few weeks ago in Dave's garden was a male Vapourer Moth in the trap I had only ever seen them in flight so to see one up close was amazing such beautiful moths.

Dark Spectacle

Dark Spectacle

Small Angle Shades

September Thorn

Scarce Silver-lines

The Dun-bar

The Dun-bar

Buff Footman

Bordered White

Canary-shouldered Thorn

Dingy Footman-Straminella

Leopard Moth

Rosy Minor

Maiden's Blush

Twin-spotted Wainscot

Vapourer Moth

Centre-barred Sallow

Orange Swift

Vine's Rustic

Pale Mottled Willow

Orange Sallow

Setaceous Hebrew Character 

Rosy Rustic

Brindled Green

Also had some Lovely micro's from My garden and Dave's, a nice surprise Last night in Dave's Garden was a Rusty Dot Pearl a migrant and one we had both wanted to see :)  I do love my micros can be so tricky but fun, love all Moths, going to be abit lost in the colder months but will still put the trap out there is still Moths just thin on the ground but you have to try to succeed :)      

Bud Moth - Spilonota ocellana

Catoptria falsella (Chequered Grass-veneer)

Eucosma Cana (Hoary Bell)

Notocelia uddmanniana (Bramble shoot Moth)

Agapeta hamana

Zeiraphera isertana

Acrobasis consociella

Orchard Ermine

Gold Triangle

Ypsolopha dentella

Ptycholomoides aeriferana

Cydia splendana

Acleris forsskaleana

Agriphila straminella

Small China-mark

Agriphila geniculea

Agriphila tristella

Caloptilia alchimiella

Eudonia angustea

Epinotia nisella

Euzophera pinguis

Garden Rose Tortrix

Rusty Dot Pearl

Shag and Ringed Plover- Draycote Water

Headed over to Draycote Water in the hope the Shag would still be there and we were in luck it was such a pretty bird I think still from a distant I would think it was a Cormorant but does look slightly different closer up.
A Warwickshire tick for me and got some record shots but it started to rain spoiling the photos but nice to see him and my first ever photos of one :)
Also had a lovely showy Juvenile Ringed Plover such a stunner he got more and more use to us, he was so cute.
Also saw two Red-legged Partridges and a Green Woodpecker and Ravens so they were all added bonuses :)

Ruff- Shustoke

Stayed local and did Shustoke with me moaning that we wouldn't find anything lol but then Dave proved me wrong, he found a Ruff, beautiful birds got a few photos but Dave had left camera in the car so we decided to go back to Dave's and have dinner then try again later.
We headed back later but lighting was rubbish for my camera and the Ruff was hard work, i'm not very good with the skills needed to get photos of birds lol but still got some nice photos and Dave got some stunners :) Was lovely seeing the Ruff it had gone by the next day.

Gannet - Marsh Lane, Warwickshire

We were at Middleton Lakes when news came through that there was a Gannet at Marsh Lane so we headed straight there, and luckily it was still there, distant but still lovely to see, and a Warwickshire tick, and this was Marsh Lanes 200 bird species :)
It was worrying though because Marsh Lane is not deep enough for a Gannet and if it tried Diving it would bang its head on the bottom of the water :( Which would kill it, we were just praying it would fly off.
It had gone by the evening which was good news but then news came through of a Gannet in Leicstershire photos confirmed it was the same bird, it stayed there for awhile and on photos he wasn't looking good, then about a week later news came through that he had been found dead, Poor thing its such a shame someone couldn't of rescued him and took him back to the sea, heartbreaking that his died breaks my heart when things like this happen.
Gannets are so beautiful there like china looking, his at peace now and in my thoughts forever. R.I.P
Also had my best views of Stock Dove today :)