Whilst birdwatching some large pivot fields near Tabuk I flushed a small moth that fortunately landed some distance away. I took a few photos of it and was able with the help of Phil Roberts identify it as a Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella. They have a nearly cosmopolitan distribution across Europe, North Africa, Arabia, Central Asia, Pakistan and North America. They are regularly seen in alfalfa fields where they are known as pests, so the location of the sighting fits in with its distribution elsewhere. When at rest, this moth has a very elongated and narrow shape, which makes it easily recognisable.
