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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Presumed Great Black-backed X Herring just now at the Swannery, any opinion greatly recieved, these things are beyond me!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

3 Glossy Ibis over Weymouth Harbour while i'm having a pint!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Tidying up a net ride when I became aware of some crunching behind me, astonished to find a Lesser Emperor devouring a Migrant Hawker just a meter from my head!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Black-winged Kites from Manche, Normandy last week. The absolute highlight of my morning walks, I'd pinned a site that I thought I might see one, never in a million years did I think I'd see as many as 6 in one morning! They were an everyday feature seemingly everywhere I birded within a 20km radius

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

After ringing just two birds today I decided to pack up at 2pm, I was very pleased to then flush this Tebenna micalis - Beautiful Twitcher from under my feet! A new moth for me and the Swannery.

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

A short visit to Domaine de Beauguillot on our way it was quiet, although quickly enlivened by a beautiful 1cy Hen Harrier just a short stroll from the parking area one of two seen today. Homeward bound now to join in the seemingly non-existent autumn birding around Weymouth and Portland!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Pointe de Brévands again for an an hour with the family this morning, quieter but for a Tawny Pipit over which must be, like the UK a half decent bird in these parts now. A juv Little Gull flew past point blank for some great pics!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Morning mooch around Pointe de Brévands, has the feel of a proper migration hotspot if a little quiet today, several Bluethroat, Wryneck, Corn Bunting, flock of Terns, 2 Curlew Sand etc. Really nice!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Today has just had it all, glorious morning, Black-shouldered Kites all over the show, a vide grenier and some tremendous food and wine!

Yours truly displeased at yet another stall of rubbish

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Just having a spot of lunch in Carentan on the Cherbourg peninsula, 2 White Stork over, a Short-toed Treecreeper next to our Chalet, juv Honey Buzzard last night. It's never bad being in France!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Some unknown larva found demolishing our nicotiana plants a few weeks ago were suspected to be Golden Twin-spot, I fed a few up before pupation and yesterday a pristine GTS emerged!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Nice to get the Autumn Caspian Gull tally started this afternoon with this absolute monster 1cy bird, the first of many hopefully! @swannerysteve.bsky.social

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

How times have changed, 7 Small Marbled in the Swannery traps last night and I barely blinked! Also Tufted Oak Knot-horn (tumidana), 3 Vestal, 2 Delicate and the regulars all present. Dark-Bordered Pearl (limbata) was new for the site the previous night.

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Glossy Ibis east over the Swannery. May have landed but lost behind trees @swannerysteve.bsky.social

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Sublime views of today's juv Black Tern at the Swannery, reappearing at 4:30 It showed superbly well around the tern rails, although just about annual lately they never show this well @swannerysteve.bsky.social

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

2 Small Marbled were the first for a while, along with 35 Rush Veneer, 25 Small Mottled Willow, 5 Turnip, 3 Silver-Y, 2 Dark Sword-grass and singles Diamond-back, vitrealis and Pearly Underwing. Very blowy for the most part so I wasn't too disappointed!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Poor returns trapping in Weymouth last night, although 5 Vitrealis were the first of the weekend, Campion something I see very infrequently, another Striped Hawk and the other routine migrants so all was not entirely lost

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Change of scene with a long weekend ahead, trapping in my Weymouth garden last night produced two new "in-trap" moths for me, finally a Striped Hawkmoth and Crescent Dart, might put two on tonight! (Left the moth camera at work 🤦‍♂️)

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Jersey Mocha the best from the Abbotsbury traps last night, first here for a few years. Numbers considerably down on previous nights.

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Caspian Tern just flown over the Swannery grounds, quite purposefully north @swannerysteve.bsky.social

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Gem the pick of last nights migrants at the Swannery, also Small Marbled, 72 Small Mottled Willow, 20 Rusty-dot Pearl, 4 Diamond-back + Rush Veneer, 3 Silver-y, Willow Ermines up to 92 but they do occasionally breed here. First Radford's showing up the last two nights

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Many-lined the pick of the bunch at the Swannery last night - although chasing it half way across the site to pot it was not ideal! Also Small Marbled, 18 Small Mottled Willow, 5 Rusty-dot Pearl, 2 each Diamond-back Rush Veneer and a Pearly Underwing + loads of yearticks in 110+ species.

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

First Clouded Yellow of the year flying about the Swannery meadows just now

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Doube Kidney was a new moth for me last night at Abbotsbury, along with a few migrants, 2 Vestal, 4 Small Mottled Willow and 3 Diamond-back. This tiny and aberrant looking Clouded Border had me in a blind panic reaching for. Pot!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Early start to do the traps before a long day off site. Sadly the storms did nothing for the Abb traps other than filling them with beetles + hoverflies! A Blackneck however was a very nice addition to the yearlist, just my second ever + another Splendid Brocade amongst a big haul of commoner moths

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Last night definitely up there with the best ever mothing at the Swannery - a whopping 136 species including Splendid Brocade, 4 Tufted Oak Knot-horn, 19 Rusty-dot Pearl, 16 Diamond-back, Dark Sword-grass, incredible 5 new for site, best being a Bulrush Down Moth and 2 Wax Moth.

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Sorrel Cap - Opostega salaciella from the Swannery last night. Too much to list/photograph but for a few goodies, more tonight please!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Small Marbled, 3 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Diamond-back, 2 Rusty-dot Pearl + Delicate at the Swannery last night, also the 3rd pinivorana of the year, 8 Species of Wainscot including a good emergance of Southern and Obscure. Interesting that the exposed actinic in grassland was by far the best trap!

Rhyacionia pinivorana - Spotted-shoot Moth

Southern Wainscot with distinctive (and diagnostic) head pattern

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Particularly dire trapping conditions did not inspire more than one trap at the Swannery last night, it did however contain an Ancylis myrtillana - Billberry Hook-wing. Presumably a wanderer from Hardy's Monument where Bilberry occurs. A Lime Hawkmoth was also of note.

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Mullein caterpillar demolishing a stand of Water Figwort at the Swannery today. I spotted the frass and stripped leaves before finding the larva, bigger poo than a mouse!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

A modest catch last night including some lovely fresh specimens; Small Dusty Wave, Piniphila bifasciana, Caloptillia stigmatella and a better marked Cnephasia sp. than the norm her.

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Lesser Cream Wave potted off the wall as I was packing away - it had been hiding in plain sight! New for the Swannery so all was not loast last night!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Abject disappointment after doing my 3 Swannery traps this morning. 19 Small Mottled Willow, 10 Rusty-dot Pearl, 3 Diamond-back and a Dark Sword-grass the only migrants. Bugger!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

More of a year-ticks and pretty things kind of night at the Swannery with Udea olivalis, Scoparia pyralella, Zeiraphera isertana and Bactra furfurana among the more routine additions like Large Yellow Underwing and Vine's Rustics!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Chief prize from the Swannery traps this morning was this Aethes deaurana, although I've found larval signs on Portland I've never actually seen the adults so very pleasing capture. Also 3rd site record of Lesser Wax Moth and 2nd Mompha subbistrigella

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Less migrant activity at the Swannery last night but signs of dispersal from inland with a few new additions to the list including this Little Thorn

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

Bursting traps they were not, however a Euchromius ocellea was a nice highlight from the Swannery traps last night, loads of yearticks, plus backup cast of migrants Inc 16 Small Mottled Willow, 10 Diamond-back and a Rusty-dot Pearl @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

21 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Rusty-dot Pearl and a Diamond-back from the Swannery traps last night @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

The Bonaparte's Gull did the decent thing this afternoon and showed up at the 4pm feed, sumptuous views of a mighty fine looking gull. It was only a matter of time before myself or @swannerysteve.bsky.social turned one up, a much deserved find for a dedicated patch watcher!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

I can't recall ever seeing a Curlew Sandpiper in such finery in Britain, So I was very pleased this morning to find @swannerysteve.bsky.social bird still present this morning.

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

Brief look out of the velux and a huge flock of waders heading east, 60+ of what looked to be Whimbrel!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Red Kite SE twds Portland, nearly missed it behind me!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Pomarine Skua east past Chesil 06:23

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Bitterly cold NE wind on the Chesil this morning but a good watch nonetheless. Little Ringed Plover, Merlin, 64 Whimbrel, 23 Barwit, Arctic Skua, Mute Swan on the sea, Swift + Hirundines arriving, lots of WW and some Wheatear in off. Too cold to continue past 9:15, more clothes needed tomorrow!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

7 Wheatear, 3 Barwit and a White Wag at Martleves. Would have been decent this morning, probably!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Suddenly remembered I'd seen a big flock of Pale-bellied Brent Geese last year from the Chesil. I nearly spat my tea out when I saw they were on exactly the same date! More than a coincidence perhaps?!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

25 Pale-bellied Brent West over the beach road and Ferrybridge as I was driving home!

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Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Anyone ever seen a pair of Victory SF do this? They got a little bit warm in the car, haven't got them wet in months?!

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