Topsy-turvy weather seriously hampering Mothing!

June and July have been rather busy on the publishing front. First of all, I spent a lot of time compiling the Micro-moth Field Tips book for Ben Smart and got it printed and published on time (not my day job!) and then it was onto completing my sections of the Lancashire Bird Report for 2016. Fortunately, both have gone well - the micro book has been widely lauded (and is available through NHBS), the Bird Report is in the editing phase so now I've started on the "Non-avian Vertebrate Fauna of Lancashire". I think I need to retire to get all these things done!

Summer is clearly the time for the largest volume of moths in the year but the weather is fine one day and tipping it down/cold the next. If you've followed the Open golf just lately, you'll see what I mean as that's only a few miles from me.

However I've had some goodies but mainly moorland species that have paid me a visit (so they must have traveled at least a couple of miles as the moth flies). A rather bedragled Marbled White Spot and today's pristine Scarce Silver Y have been highlights for me.

Scarce Silver Y

Birding has been interesting as it's been the turn of the terns. An Elegant Tern on the south coast in June gave Bernie and I an ideal excuse for a weekend away around Chichester. A splendid bird which remained distant but we got good views. There was a supporting cast of Red-footed Falcon, Woodlark, Goshawk, Dartford Warbler and several Red Kites in the South Downs and New Forest. Then it was a Caspian Tern that turned up at the unlikeliest spot - a reservoir on the moors - but then departed to be picked up again at Leighton Moss. That was a Lancashire first for me!

Elegant Tern - Pagham Harbour

We've also managed to squeeze in a trip to see our son in Munich and angst over several wedding cakes in the making! All in all non-stop in the Bickerton household but so glad I'm working four days a week. I need that time!