A couple of quick confirmations (or not!)

[Miss Caretaker]

Hi, I'm pretty sure on these two but just to be certain I'd like the input of the more knowledgable!
The first is a small magpie (99.9% sure)


The second is (I believe) a flame shoulder


Perhaps I should look into making a trap? Standing outside with the light on, camera in hand, isn't the best method... They don't stay still for one thing!

[Jason Claxton]

Hi Jo

I agree with both of those.

[JennyS]

Standing outside with the light on, camera in hand, isn't the best method... They don't stay still for one thing!

Agreed - though its an amazing feeling to be standing there in a mad dance of whirling moth-wings! Most do seem to settle eventually, even if its on top of the camera or on my head .........

[Miss Caretaker]

Thanks Jason, I know they were pretty easy I.Ds but I had to make sure!

Jenny, you must get more moths than me as I was out in my garden for almost an hour last night and saw 4, 2 of which escaped my camera (not hard to do!

Jo

[JennyS]

My outside light is quite sheltered and the wall gives the moths somewhere to settle but its done my sleep patterns in as the best time is between 1 and 4am!

I don't get anywhere near the quantities that a trap would yield (will get one when I can afford it) but on a wet, windy night they seem to come into the shelter and there is something very special about being in the midst of them all.

Can be a bit frustrating, last night there was a Garden Tiger that would only stay still when sitting on the top of my camera ........

[Miss Caretaker]

I must admit that I'm not a night owl and I was out between 10.30 and 11.30pm so a bit too early for most moths (I need my sleep as the dogs get me up early!). Also, our outside light is one of the cheap floodlight types so not the best for attracting moths . Perhaps if I pop a white sheet over it it wouldn't be quite so glaring...