Moth trapping at home: May 2017

Did only a couple of moth trapping sessions at home in May.

27/28 May
2 Orange Footman Eilema sororcula
1 Yellow-barred Brindle Acasis viretata
2 Figure of Eighty Tethea ocularis
1 Rustic Shoulder-knot Apamea sordens
1 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana
1 Olive Pearl Udea olivalis
2 Pale Oak Beauty Hypomecis punctinalis
4 Light Brocade Lacanobia w-latinum
1 Maiden's Blush Cyclophora punctaria
1 Clouded Border Lomaspilis marginata
1 Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana
1 Vine's Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua
2 Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica
2 Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma truncata
2 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda
2 Common Wave Cabera exanthemata
2 Small Magpie Anania hortulata
1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
1f Bee Moth Aphomia sociella
1m Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta
5 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta
4 Light Emerald Campaea margaritaria
7 Heart & Dart Agrotis exclamationis
13 (12m, 1f) Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria
1 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
1 Freyer's Pug Eupithecia intricata
1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
2 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata
1f Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana
1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
3 Marbled Minor agg. Oligia strigilis agg.

Also attracted to the MV was 1 Common Cockchafer Melolontha melolontha.

Yellow-barred Brindle Acasis viretata, 28 May 2017

Orange Footman Eilema sororcula, 28 May 2017

Freyer's Pug Eupithecia intricata, 28 May 2017

Male Pale Oak Beauty Hypomecis punctinalis, 28 May 2017

Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 28 May 2017

Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 28 May 2017

Moth trapping at home: April 2017

Last month I started using the new MV light for the first time. Fortunately our garden is not overlooked and I think I have found a couple of places where the light doesn't disturb the neighbours too much. So how does the MV rate against the actinic? No contest!

After a warm March, winds switched round to northerlies for much of April and temperatures plummeted, especially for last week where nighttime temperatures dropped to just above freezing! Very few moths turned up at the light, but as I don't usually start trapping until later in the year and so nine species were new for the garden list.

Many thanks to Douglas Boyes, Billy Dykes, Steve Gale‏, Richard Lewington, Alan Martin and Stewart Sexton for help with the identification of some of these.

1 April
1 Frosted Green Polyploca ridens (first garden record)

7 April
1 Oak-tree Pug Eupithecia dodoneata (first garden record)

13 April
1 The Seraphim Lobophora halterata (first garden record)
1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta
1f Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

15 April
1 Oak Nycteoline Nycteola revayana (first garden record)
1 Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea

20 April
1 Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli (first garden record)
3 Least Black Arches Nola confusalis (first garden record)
1 Narrow-winged Pug Eupithecia nanata (first garden record)
1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata (amazingly, the first garden record)
1 Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana (first garden record)
3 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta
2 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

Frosted Green Polyploca ridens, Worcester Park, 2 April 2017

The Seraphim Lobophora halterata, Worcester Park, 14 April 2017. Usually flying in May and June, it seems a few species are flying
a few weeks earlier than usual this year.

Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli, Worcester Park, 21 April 2017 - the first record for the garden

Least Black Arches Nola confusalis, Worcester Park, 21 Aprl 2017 - the first record for the garden

Narrow-winged Pug Eupithecia nanata. Worcester Park, 21 April 2017 - a heathland and moorland species, so what it's doing in
Worcester Park is anyone's guess?

Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata, Worecester Park, 21 April 2017. Note the tiny discal spot, weak cross-lines with a double angle in the
post median band, the slight ochreous ground colour, white tornal spot and white sub-terminal line, that all together distinguish from
White-spotted Pug Eupithecia tripunctaria.

Oak-tree Pug Eupithecia dodoneata, Worcester Park, 14 April 2017 - slowly getting my head around the tricky identification of Oak-tree
and Brindled Pugs - not easy!

Oak-tree Pug Eupithecia dodoneata, Worcester Park, 21 April 2017 - fairly worn but note the prominent discal spot and pale area
immediately behind.

Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Worcester Park, 21 April 2017

Female Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Worcester Park, 14 April 2017 - the patterning on the females is very varied

Thursley NNR: 10 April

Spent a few hours at Thursley Common this afternoon to try out a recently purchased pheromone lure for Emperor Moths Saturnia pavonia. The lure worked incredibly well. I tried two areas at the north end of Thursley Common and at the first site 2 male Emperors showed up within seconds of opening the lure (in fact moths were flying around me before I had even got the lure out of my bag, seemingly attracted to the lure before I had opened it!). Unfortunately it was quite breezy and none of the moths would settle, so no photos today.

Times:
Site A: SU905418
Set up lure: 15:21
First arrival: 15:21 (15:26 confirmed)
Total: 2m

Site B: SU908419
Set up lure: 16:04
First arrival: 16:06
Total: 1m

Site A: SU905418
Set up lure: 16:36
First arrival: 16:44
Total: 1m

Birds noted include: 7+ Barn Swallow, 2-3 Dartford Warbler (including 1m singing), 5 (2m 3f) Common Stonechat, several Linnet, 1 prob Woodlark and 2 Greylag Geese.

Narrow-winged Grey: 24 October

Found this Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, a late flying species, at the porch light last night. More common on the coast where it is found in sand dunes, this is the first record for the garden. Does it warrant its own post? Of course it doesn't, but there's bugger all else wildlife-wise going on in this neck of the woods this autumn so I'll take what I can get!

Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Worcester Park, 24 October 2016

Staines Moor: 24 September

Another dull as hell day trudging around the moor seeing very few birds - birding in Surrey is so exciting! 'Highlights' were: 1 Whinchat (NW corner), 3+m Stonechat (1 NW corner, 2 east side), 2 (1m, 1f) Yellow Wagtail (NW corner), 14 Meadow Pipit, 2 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff (inc. 6 Bonehead Woodland), 5 Common Snipe, 1 Goldcrest (Bonehead Woodland), 5 Skylark, 1-2 Little Egret, 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrel and 2H Cetti's Warbler. Passage overhead amounted to 83 House Martin SW and 21 Barn Swallow (mainly S). Also 1 Red Kite and 3 more Common Buzzard were seen at distance over Wraysbury Reservoir.

First Parasol Mushroom Macrolepiota procera of the autumn noted today and a few Snowy Inkcap Coprinopsis nivea, and only 7 Red Admirals were seen on Staines Moor today - an amazing 530+ were present just 16 days ago!

Snowy Inkcap Coprinopsis nivea, on dung, Staines Moor, 24 September 2016 - a few of these tiny delicate mushrooms today

Parasol Mushroom Macrolepiota procera, Staines Moor, 24 September 2016

A Speckled Wood in the garden on the 14th was one of very few records for the garden.

Staines Moor: 8 September

A little better for migrants at Staines Moor today with 2 Whinchat, 6 Yellow Wagtail (around the livestock), 2 Sand Martin S, 118 Barn Swallow S (then W from mid afternoon) noted, and 2 Common Whitethroat and 1H Lesser Whitethroat in the hawthorns (which could be local birds). Also noted were 1-2 Hobby, 1 Red Kite, 4+ Skylark, 8 Meadow Pipit, 3 Reed Bunting, c50 Goldfinch (including many juveniles feeding on the thistles) and c100 Eurasian Starling (mainly around the livestock).

Red Admiral butterflies once again stole the show, with an amazing 530+ counted around the blackberries in the NW corner, west side, along the old railway, and in the NE corner, amounting to a spectacular sight. Their origin is a bit of mystery. They are very fresh and so presumably hatched fairly locally, and I suppose they are heading south stopping to feed on the abundance of blackberries currently on the moor. In addition another 24 Red Admirals were seen along the Colne Valley Way through Stanwell Moor in the morning.

Other butterflies on Staines Moor today include 1 Painted Lady (feeding with Red Admirals), 4 Small Copper, 9 Small Heath, 3 Comma and 2 Speckled Wood. Several Migrant Hawkers Aeshna mixta were also noted.

On Stanwell Moor 3 (2H) Chiffchaff were also noted.

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui feeding on blackberries with about 20 Red Admirals Vanessa atalanta in the NW corner of Staines
Moor today. Heading north or south I wonder?

Red Admirals Vanessa atalanta feeding on blackberries, Staines Moor, 8 September 2016

Red Admiral invasion at Staines Moor: 3 September

My first visit to the patch this afternoon since May. A few migrants noted. A trickle of hirundines heading south-southwest amounted to 51 House Martin, 24 Sand Martin and 51 Barn Swallow, and 1 Whinchat around the swamp and a Northern Wheatear along the Colne were probably bought down by the persistent rain from mid afternoon. 1-2 Hobby, 1-2 Common Buzzard (including nice views of 1 perched on a snag along Bonehead Ditch), 33 (1H) Linnet, 3 Kestrel (including 1m and 1f), 1 Skylark, 7+ Meadow Pipit and 1 Little Egret along the Colne were the best of the other birds noted. 2 imm. Mallard and an imm. Moorhen on the Colne are noteworthy as signs of successful breeding.

Highlight of the day came in the form of an incredible number of Red Admiral butterflies present on site. Despite the windy and overcast conditions and rain setting in from mid afternoon, I counted a minimum of 196 in the NW corner alone, most feeding on blackberries. Most looked very fresh so presumably these are broods from this year's migrants? At one point I took shelter from the wind and rain next to a hawthorn and 20+ shot out at once! I estimate there must have been at least double this number at Staines Moor today.

Other inverts noted on Staines Moor include 2 Small Heath, 3 Meadow Brown, 1 Comma, 2 Green-veined White, and 3 (2m, 1f) Banded Demoiselle. No grassland fungi fruiting yet - probably too dry.

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta, Staines Moor, 3 September 2016 - 1 of at least 196 on site today

Red Admirals Vanessa atalanta, Staines Moor, 3 September 2016 - 8 feeding on blackberries in this pic (click to enlarge)

At home this morning, found a White Point Mythimna albipuncta in the house - a long overdue addition to the garden moth list.

White-point Mythimna albipuncta, Worcester Park, 3 September 2016 - an immigrant species found mainly in coastal counties in
south-east England but spreading northwards

Still quiet for moths: 30/31 August

Still very quiet for moths at home in Worcester Park despite the weather remaining warm, humid and calm. Last night there was a southerly wind so I put the moth light on, but the temperature dropped rapidly. No immigrants but a few nice common species though:

1 Small Blood-vein Scopula imitaria
1 Old Lady Mormo maura - very worn
1 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta
2 Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata
2 Pale Mottled Willow Caradrina clavipalpis
4 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua fimbriata - very worn
3 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria
1 Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana

Small Blood-vein Scopula imitaria, Worcester Park, 31 August 2016

Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Worcester Park, 31 August 2016

REGUA meet up at the London Wetland Centre: 29 August

Rachel and I met up with our good friends Nicholas and Raquel Locke of REGUA at the London Wetland Centre yesterday, to see how some of the wetland habitats and infrastructure created at this excellent reserve might be adapted for the REGUA wetland in Brazil.

This was the first time Nicholas and Raquel had been to the London Wetland Centre but in just a few hours we managed to sketch out several ideas for REGUA, including a new air-conditioned viewing tower, a new hide, boardwalks, islands with muddy edges for rails and waders, new reedbeds and maybe even creating some wet grassland at REGUA.

We also managed to squeeze in a little birding. Avian highlights were 1 Hobby hunting over the Grazing Marsh, 2 Common Sandpiper on the Wader Scrape, several Sand Martin, and good numbers of Common Teal, Northern Shoveler and Northern Lapwing. A fantastic female Wasp Spider near the Peacock Tower was my first ever sighting of this Continental species - first recorded in England in the 1920’s and spreading across southern England.

Female Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi, London Wetland Centre, 29 August 2016

Got home late evening after a four hour meal, where we were joined by another good friend Andrew Proudfoot, to find a superb Vestal Rhodometra sacraria in the living room (photographed this afternoon) - fantastic!

The Vestal Rhodometra sacraria, Worcester Park, 30 August 2016 - the first record for the garden of this immigrant species

Late summer moths at home: 25/26 August

With warm temperatures and high humidity over the last few days I decided to put the moth light on at home last night. Had some good species but overall things were quiet:

1m Oak Processionary Thaumetopoea processionea - the first record for the garden. Males are strong fliers and so this could be either an immigrant or originate from the introduced population around west London. According to the Forestry Commission website, adult moths are not required to be reported. The caterpillars have tiny hairs that can cause skin and eye irritations, sore throats and breathing difficulties in humans and animals. In Britain it is illegal to knowingly keep, store or sell this species.
1 Waved Black Parascotia fuliginaria
1 July Highflyer Hydriomena furcata
4 Silver Y Autographa gamma (including 1 in the garden today)
1 Jersey Tiger Euplagia quadripunctaria
1 Dun-bar Cosmia trapezina
1 Marbled Beauty Bryophila domestica
1 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba
1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua janthe
2m Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria
2 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
2 Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata
1 Pale Mottled Willow Caradrina clavipalpis
1 Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis
1 Mint Moth Pyrausta aurata
10 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana
1 Ruddy Streak Tachystola acroxantha
1 Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella
1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla
1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella
Several Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella

Male Oak Processionary Thaumetopoea processionea, 26 August 2016

A worn Waved Black Parascotia fuliginaria, 26 August 2016 - a Nationally Scarce B species with adults flying between June and August

July Highflyer Hydriomena furcata, 26 August 2016 - adults fly from July to August

Marbled Beauty Bryophila domestica, 26 August 2015

Weather conditions for immigrant moths are looking good over the next few days, with high pressure systems over western continental Europe bringing south-easterly winds on Saturday. Might be worth another mothing session.

Austral winter mothing at REGUA, Brazil: 3-16 July

The austral winter months are characterised by much cooler, less humid and drier weather than the summer and so far fewer moths are flying at this time of year. Despite the mainly cool conditions during our trip earlier this month, and the moth wall being very quiet, we managed to make a little progress with our inventory of the moths at REGUA and photographed a few species to add to the growing REGUA moth list.

Hapigia annulata, lodge garden, REGUA, 14 July 2016 (right-click and open link in new tab to enlarge)

Lophocampa modesta, lodge garden, REGUA, 14 July 2016

Hemerophila orinympha, lodge garden, REGUA, 14 July 2016

Lots of familiar species were recorded, including.

Ormetica rosenbergi, lodge garden, REGUA, 15 July 2016

Calonotos angustipennis, lodge garden, REGUA, 15 July 2016

Male Erinnyis alope alope, lodge garden, REGUA, 12 July 2016 (right-click and open link in new tab to
enlarge)

Adhemarius daphne daphne, lodge garden, REGUA, 12 July 2016 (right-click and open link in new tab to enlarge)

Male Enyo ocypete, lodge garden, REGUA, 14 July 2016

Female Cocytius duponchel, lodge garden, REGUA, 15 July 2016 (right-click and open
link in new tab to enlarge)

Mothing at home: 23/24 July

Had the moth light on at home last night, but despite the very warm temperature and seemingly every other moth trap in the country overflowing with moths, the haul in Worcester Park was pitiful to say the least:

1 Silver Y Autographa gamma
1 Least Carpet Idaea rusticata
2m Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria
1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
3 Riband Wave Idaea aversata, 1 typical form and 2 ab. remutata
1m Gypsy Moth Lymantria dispar
1 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella
1 Apple Leaf Miner Lyonetia clerkella
1 Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata
1 Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis
5 Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis
1 Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella
1 Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella
1 Blastobasis adustella
Lots of Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella

Silver Y Autographa gamma, Worcester Park, 24 July 2016

REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 15 July

Another day working on the Portuguese REGUA website. Spent a couple of hours in the lodge garden this morning where I managed some nice shots of a Rufous-tailed Jacamar that was taking out the moths leaving the moth wall, along with 2 Southern House Wren. 2 Giant Cowbirds perched in the eucalyptus on the edge of the lodge garden are my first record at the lodge, and 1m Purple-throated Euphonia visiting the feeders with 2 (1m, 1f) Blue Dacnis was the best of the other birds present.

Photographed some interesting moths at the moth wall, including some potential new additions to the REGUA moth list, but more on this is a later post.

Male Rufous-tailed Jacamar Galbula ruficauda, lodge garden, REGUA, 15 July 2016

Record of 1 of 2 Giant Cowbirds Molothrus oryzivorus together in the lodge garden, 15 July 2016

A few hours spotlighting around the wetland this evening produced an excellent but yet another frustrating avian find. While photographing tree frogs at the wetland (by post 650 of the Wetland Trail) a Stygian Owl started calling (approximately by post 850). I quickly moved towards it and got quite close before it moved across the lake to the roughly where the tapir pen is being built. Despite the bird calling for over 10 minutes it didn't respond to playback (although I didn't have speakers with me and so the playback was very quiet) and I didn't see it - the theme for this year it seems - finding good birds by sound only. This is only the 3rd record for Rio de Janeiro State and the 2nd for REGUA, following 1 seen well on 31 July 2011 at the REGUA wetland (just a few day after I flew home from a two week trip, grrrr).

Anyway, found 5 Hypsiboas semilineatus tree frogs in the vegetation around the edge of the water, showing an incredible diversity of colouration and size - check out the individuals below seen this evening and compare to the one in the lodge garden on 8 July.

Hypsiboas semilineatus, REGUA wetland, 15 July 2016

Hypsiboas semilineatus, REGUA wetland, 15 July 2016

Also noted while spot-lighting were 4 (2m, 1f, 1) Pauraque, 3H Tawny-browed Owl, 12 Broad-snouted Caiman, several Capybara, lots of Neotropical Cichlid Geophagus brasiliensis fishes, and 2 roosting Ghost Yellow Eurema albula sinoe butterflies (many thanks to Jorge Bizarro for the identification).

Ghost Yellow Eurema albula sinoe, REGUA wetland, 15 July 2016

REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 10 July

A quiet but still very good morning at the 'Waldenoor' area of the reserve, situated up valley from the tiny settlement of Estrieto. A Red-cowled Cardinal from the truck in the village of Matumbo on route got the day started, before walking the Waldenoor Trail which produced 1m Frilled Coquette and 1 Pale-browed Treehunter (both at 'Waldenoor's house'), 1 Planalto Woodcreeper, 1 Scaled Woodcreeper, 4 (1H) Star-throated Antwren, 2 (1m, 1f) Surucua Trogon, 2 Cliff Flycatcher, 2 (1m, 1f) Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, 1 Grey-hooded Attila and 1H Grey-fronted Dove.

A walk along the Lower Veludo Trail down to the now legendary 'machete shop' produced 2+m White-shouldered Fire-eye and several f Black-goggled Tanagers around an ant swarm, 1m Spot-breasted Antvireo (and 1 prob. f glimpst), 1 Streak-capped Antwren, 1 Blond-crested Woodpecker, 2-3 Yellow-green Grosbeak, 2 Sepia-capped Flycatcher, 3 (1 ad. m, 1 imm. m, 1f) Blue Manakin, 1 Green-headed Tanager, 1m Chestnut-vented Conebill, 1m Violet-capped Woodnymph, 1 Yellow-eared Woodpecker, 1 Olivaceous Woodcreeper, 1 Golden-crowned Warbler, 1H White-throated Woodcreeper, 1H Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, and 1 prob. 2 Swainson's Flycatcher were in trees by the shop.

Checked out the derelict house at Waldenoor and found 2 Black Myotis Myotis nigricans bats roosting inside and a particularly 'interesting' spider.

2 Black Myotis Myotis nigricans, derelict house at Waldenoor, REGUA, 10 July 2016

Red Underwing caterpillar: 30 June

A short notebook entry. Found a fantastic Red Underwing Catocala nupta caterpillar on the willow in the garden today. Check out the defence pose and spots on the underside. What a beast!

São Miguel, Azores: 9-13 June

Arrived on São Miguel in the Azores late on the 8th June for a few days chilling before joining An Introduction to the Natural History of the Azores tour, run by an Azores Nature. Spent the first three days pottering in and around the city of Ponta Delgada, the capital of the Azores, visiting the tourist sites and making numerous coffee and caipirinha stops, as well as squeezing in a little birding.

The pre-tour avian highlight was a Common Cuckoo heard singing in misty conditions for about a minute or two at the east end of Rua João de Lemos, just west of Relva, on 11th. Apparently only the 11th record for the Azores and the 1st for São Miguel, this made the fact that Sue Healey and I only heard it, and couldn't locate it in an hour and a half of searching, very frustrating.

Also caught up with many of the Azorean endemic subspecies - Chaffinch, Eurasian Blackcap, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Common Quail, Common Starling, Grey Wagtail, Common Buzzard and Yellow-legged Gull. Although not currently considered a subspecies, the local European Robins look more different than some of the other subspecies.

The tour itself started on the 12th with a visit to native laurel forest (Laurissilva) on the east side of the island in search of the Azores Bullfinch. Saw at least 13 birds and heard another (although this is a very conservative count and we probably saw a lot more than this), with a nice flock of 7+ birds feeding together at close range in the mist near Pico do Canário.

Azores Bullfinch Pyrrhula murina, near Pico do Canário, 12 June 2016. This bird was feeding on the seeds of the introduced Pink
Knotweed Persicaria capitata.

Azores Bullfinch Pyrrhula murina, near Pico do Canário, 12 June 2016. This bird was feeding on the seeds of the introduced Pink
Knotweed Persicaria capitata.

The Azores Bullfinch was once so common that it was considered a pest by fruit growers, and along with several other bird species, the government placed a bounty on the head of every bullfinch during the 19th century. But since the 1920s both their numbers and range have reduced to a tiny remnant population of approximately 1000 birds today. Collection for museums has been a significant contributor to their decline. However, the main cause has been the removal of the native floral habitat for pasture and agriculture, as well as the planting of non-native plants, particularly Japanese Cedar Cryptomeria japonica (used for boxes to export oranges), Sweet Pittosporum Pittosporum undulatum (which is now covering 49% of the forested area in the Azores) and Kahli Ginger Lily Hedychium gardnerianum, that together form a vegetation cover far too dense for the Azores Bullfinch feeding habits.

Conservation efforts are concentrating on removing non-native invasive plants along with growing and replanting native species to restore the native laurel forest, although some non-invasive non-native plants that the bullfinches feed on, such as Pink Knotweed Persicaria capitata are allowed to persist. After seeing several bullfinches along the road, we an area within the Pico da Vara/Ribeira do Guilherme Special Protection Area (SPA) and saw how the Laurissilva is slowly being restored by the Sustainable Laurassilva Project specifically for the Azores Bullfinch (and funded by the European Commission LIFE fund I might add - money well spent if you ask me). There's an interesting paper on the history of the Azores Bullfinch here.

Also here we I managed to find a few Azorean Smaller Orchid Platanthera micrantha - an indicator that the natural vegetation is recovering.

Azorean Smaller Orchid Platanthera micrantha, 12 June 2016

On the 13th we took a tour to find out about the geology of the Azores, visiting a number of dramatic geological features including the Caldeira das Sete Cidades, the Gruta do Carvão lava tube in Ponta Delgada, the excavated fountain at Ribeira Grande and the hot springs at Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande.

Male Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs of Azorean subspecies moreletti, at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul), 13 June 2016

Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, of Azorean subspecies gularis, José do Canto Botanical Garden, 10 June 2016

European Robin Erithacus rubecula, just west of Relva, 11 June 2016. Robins on the Azores are not considered a
subspecies but I've no idea why - for starters, note the lack of blueish border to the side of the red breast.

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus, Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul), 12 June 2016 - a vagrant to the Azores

Iberian Water Frog Pelophylax perezi, José do Canto Botanical Garden, 10 June 2016 - introduced to the Azores

Clouded Yellow Colias croceus, Sete Cidades (Lagoa Azul), São Miguel, 13 June 2016

Notebook entries

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus: 1 at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul) on 13th.
Common Moorhen: 3 at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul) on 13th.
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra: 2-3 at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul) on 13th.
Common (Azores) Quail Coturnix coturnix conturbans: 2m seen in flight (and about another 3 heard) over fields at the east end of Rua João de Lemos, just west of Relva on 11th, 2H by the picnic area along Rua João de Lemos, just west of Relva on 12th.
Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea borealis: Thousands in rafts offshore just west of Relva in the evening of 12th.
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis atlantis: Seen daily. Several around Ponta Delgada harbour on 9th, 2ad. at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul) on 13th.
Common Tern Sterna hirundo: 2+ in Ponta Delgada harbour on 9th.
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii: 3+ at a breeding site with many Common Tern on 12th.
Azores Bullfinch Pyrrhula murina: c. 14(1H) on 12th, including 7-9 watched and photographed feeding together in misty conditions along the road near Pico do Canário.
Grey Heron: 1 beside the road near Ponta Delgada on 12th, 2 over Caldeira das Sete Cidades on 13th.
Goldcrest Regulus regulus azoricus: 1+ seen briefly at the Sustainable Laurassilva Project site on 12th, and another seen briefly near Planalto dos Graminhais on 12th.
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo rothschildi: 1 over José do Canto Botanical Garden on 10th, 1 along Rua João de Lemos, just west of Relva on 11th, 2 along track to Rocha da Relva on 11th, 1 Rua João de Lemos, just west of Relva on 12th, 3+ at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul) on 13th, 1 very pale bird S over King's View (Vista do Rei) on 13th.
Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus: 1m heard singing in misty conditions for about a minute or two at the east end of Rua João de Lemos, just west of Relva, on 11th (looked for again on 12th but no sign).
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus azorica: 1 at José do Canto Botanical Garden, Ponta Delgada on 10th, 1 at Beco Jardim António Borges, Ponta Delgada on 10th, a few along the track to Rocha da Relva on 11th.
Feral Pigeon Columba livia: Common. Many around Ponta Delgada on 9th, many on the cliffs near Rocha da Relva on 11th.
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea patriciae: 1m at José do Canto Botanical Garden, Ponta Delgada on 10th, 1m near a nest near Planalto dos Graminhais on 12th.
Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla gularis: Common with singing males even in small isolated bottlebrush trees along the sea front in Ponta Delgada. Several males seen very well at José do Canto Botanical Garden on 10th, where also the only female of the trip was seen.
Blackbird Turdus merula azorensis: Common. 1f feeding a recently fledged juvenile at the University of the Azores Ponta Delgada campus on 10th, several males and a female at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul) on 13th (including one possibly nesting under the decking outside the cafe).
European Robin Erithacus rubecula: 3 at José do Canto Botanical Garden on 10th, 1 at Beco Jardim António Borges, Ponta Delgada on 10th, 2 just west of Relva on 11th, 1 juv. along track to Rocha da Relva on 11th, 1 at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul) on 13th.
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs moreletti: Common (except in towns). 2(1H) at José do Canto Botanical Garden, Ponta Delgada on 9th, 1 just west of Relva on 11th, 1m at the Furnas viewpoint just west of the M521/M1042 junction on 12th, and several along the M1042 from the M521 to the bullfinch site near Pico do Canário on 12th. Many very tame birds (both sexes) at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul) on 13th.
Atlantic Canary Serinus canaria: An abundant Macronesian endemic. Good views of 3m and 1f at José do Canto Botanical Garden on 10th, lots just west of Relva on 11th.
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis: 1H along track to Rocha da Relva on 11th, 2 along the EN9-1A about midway between Sete Cidades and the King's View (Vista do Rei) on 13th.
House Sparrow Passer domesticus: Abundant. Everywhere in Ponta Delgada and seen daily. Also lots around the cliffs along track to Rocha da Relva on 11th. Amazing that they were only introduced (to Terceira) in 1960-61!
Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild: 1 at the Sustainable Laurassilva Project site on 12th, 2 at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul) on 13th.
Azores Grayling Hipparchia azorina: 1 of the São Miguel subspecies miguelensis seen and photographed near Planalto dos Graminhais on 12th.
Clouded Yellow Colias croceus: Fairly common. Several at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul) on 13th.
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta: 1 beside track near Rocha da Relva on 11th.
Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombii: Several at Lagoa das Sete Cidades (Lagos Azul) on 13th.
Iberian Water Frog Pelophylax perezi: 4+ at José do Canto Botanical Garden, Ponta Delgada on 10th.
Madeira Wall Lizard Teira dugesii: An abundant introduction. Good numbers on stone walls along the track to Rocha da Relva on 11th.
Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus: 4+ scoped heading west just offshore just west of Relva on 12th.
Azorean Smaller Orchid Platanthera micrantha: Several at the Sustainable Laurassilva Project site on 12th.