An afternoon walk over the Cemy.

Thursday 27th August 2026.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

The Jays put in a strong appearance today.

I really fancied taking the dogs for a walk around Highland Road Cemetery this afternoon and so at 4pm, we made our way to my local patch here in the centre of Southsea. The weather was just perfect, with this morning’s humidity gone due a breezy south-westerly wind that kept the temperature just right. It was a bit overcast and at times, it looked like a possibility of a shower was on the horizon, but it didn’t appear and so we had a nice ramble around the site.

Above, some new grass was shooting up through all that yellow. We need so much more rain to replenish the grass here and maybe it is on its way over the next few days? Below, one of the two Jays that showed very well today.

At this time of year, there is always a chance of something unusual like a Pied Flycatcher or a Wryneck (I have never seen the latter in the Cemy) and it kicked off with a brief view of a calling Willow Warbler flying out of a bush and then back in again only to disappear out of view. Seconds later, a Jay grabbed my attention as it politely landed on a gravestone, but when your dogs are tugging on their lead and you are trying to take a sharp photo, you can guess the outcome! The good news is that they showed very well later on our walk.

Above, there were a few plants in flower including the most numerous, the Yarrow. Below, one of the Horse Chestnut trees that was losing its leaves due to the dry weather this summer.

The Victorious Festival starts today, and I could hear distant music as I walked along the footpath. I’ll begin with the bird sightings; as mentioned, the Jays showed very well today. Two birds performed nicely, posing on the gravestones and the nearly dry grass while searching for insects.

Above, this Holly Blue butterfly was unexpected nectaring on Yarrow and below, a Red Admiral sunning itself.

It was when I was walking up to the Mausoleum, I quietly told my dogs to stop as I found the juvenile Green Woodpecker perched on one of the graves. Fearing the bird would be spooked by my presence, I carefully and slowly raised my camera to grab some excellent shots of this shy bird. In fact, shy was most certainly it wasn’t as it posed there for at least five minutes before hopping off in search of an Ants nest by the graves. Its moments like this in birding that becomes memorable. This bird has been seen or heard several times now over the past few months, but I have never seen it this close.

Above, this Blue Tit would not sit still and so I was lucky to get this photo and below, a female Common Blue butterfly sunning itself on a grave.

Sadly, there were no further Warbler sightings and no Flycatchers lurking around. Apart from the usual Crows and Wood Pigeons in the Cemy, and Herring Gulls passing overhead, there were few other birds about. I did come across a small flock of Blue Tits in the south-east corner, but they were very difficult to photograph.

Above, the Jay was hopping about in search of something to eat and below, the juvenile Green Woodpecker showing very well standing on one of the graves.

Walking around some of the grassy areas with the dogs, good numbers of Common Blue butterflies were around along with a single Holly Blue; though I wonder what they were feeding on as there wasn’t too many flowering plants around. I did find a Clouded Yellow flying around in the south-east corner, but it would not settle and soon disappeared heading north. At least two Red Admiral butterflies were seen, and one posed perfectly on a grave.

Above, I have noticed that there were a lot of berries on both the Holly Trees and the Pyracantha bushes in my garden and also a lot of berries in the Cemetery. Below, I was underneath this Plane tree when I took this photo.

Other insects noted this afternoon included a Migrant Hawker dragonfly that was flitting about the bushes in the south-east corner and on the way back home, I found my first Wasp Plumehorn (Volucella inanis) of the year sat on someone’s front wall in my road! As the old saying goes, expect the unexpected.

Above, another photo of the juvenile Green Woodpecker, blinking this time! Below, a Wasp Plumehorn that was perched on a wall within my road. 

I read in this months Birdwatch Magazine about the plight of the Collared Dove in the UK. It claims that this species is declining in numbers and while I think about it, I have noticed a sharp decline in this species in the Cemetery. In the winter, they do like roosting here and flocks of around 20 birds would be the norm, but now, you are lucky to see any at all here or simply the odd one flying over. Sad times indeed.

After the rain showers this morning, I new the Moths would disperse in my garden and this afternoon,  I found this Portland Ribbon Wave moth perched on the fence opposite my Moth Box.

In Hampshire today:

This superb photo of a Whinchat at Hook-with-Warsash was taken recently by Rob Porter.

I think Pennington Marshes was the place to be today with a variety of waders present that included a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and a Ruff along with a few Whinchat, Wheatears and Yellow Wagtails. There was a juvenile Black Tern off Hill Head briefly this afternoon and a huge flock of Gulls off Cowes, Isle of Wight that could hold something interesting. Nearby Dorset had a Franklin’s Gull on Stanpit Marshes and was most likely the Isle of Wight bird seen recently.

 

Another good Moth total in humid conditions.

Wednesday 27^th August 2026.

It wasn't really light this morning till around 6.45am with very heavy cloud overhead that brought in some heavy rain showers.

The rain finally arrived overnight with a brief shower (the only one I heard), but a few heavy showers after I had checked the Moth Box could be a prelude of things to come today. As well as the showers, it is very humid with temperatures around 19 degrees and I was soaked with sweat after walking the dogs!

A reasonable number of Moths were present this morning with a variety of Moths again including a several species of migrants.

 

My Moth Box:

A rather late Riband Wave was in the garden this morning.

A total of at least 88 moths of 24 species were recorded this morning, but it was starting to rain and so I had to hurry in checking both the Moth Box and the surrounding area before the first downpour. The most numerous Moth species was the Pale Mottled Willows with up to 22 recorded. SEVEN Golden Twin-spots was notable, and a Clancy’s Rustic was a good find too. A very late Riband Wave was perched on the Box and I quickly potted it to double-check it wasn’t something a little rarer.

Above, a Clancy's Rustic was most welcome and below, my first Pale-backed Detritus Moth of the month was in one of the egg trays within the Box.

Up to seven Golden Twin-spots were recorded this morning.

The Pale-backed Detritus Moth was new for the month. Micro moth numbers were also notable, with 8 Box Tree Moths and 9 Rusty-dot Pearls recorded. I also checked the area around the Moth Box, as moths often settle away from the box itself and can perch almost anywhere. The rain is likely to disperse many of them, so I may well find a few more later today. The moths recorded this morning included the following:

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Golden Twin-spot x7	Box Tree Moth x8
Riband Wave x1	Common Plume x2
Pale Mottled Willow x22	Light Brown Apple Moth x4
Setaceous Hebrew Character x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x9
Lime-speck Pug x1	Mint Moth x1
Double-striped Pug x3	Apple Leaf Miner x3
Bright-line Brown-eye x1	Chevron Grass-moth x3
Small Dusty Wave x5	Common Grass-moth x1
Angle Shades x1	Pale-backed Detritus Moth x1
Willow Beauty x2
Shuttle-shaped Dart x1
Clancy’s Rustic x1
Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing x2
L-album Wainscot x7
Vine’s Rustic x1

 

This big Buff-tailed Bumblebee took refuge in my Moth Box overnight.

Also present in and around the Moth Box were several Lacewing, a Harlequin Ladybird and a big Buff-tailed Bumblebee that was sitting on one of the egg trays within the Box. Sadly, no migrant birds were heard flying overhead this morning.

Another excellent haul of Moths this morning.

 Tuesday 26th August 2026

A close up of a Copper Underwing in my garden this morning. Notice the pale 'palps' on this individual.

The thunderstorms predicted for last night never materialised (surprise, surprise!) and so I must do a lot of watering today, but despite the lack of rain, last nights humid conditions certainly brought in the Moths. The temperature was mild again this morning with next to very little wind and apart from a few small clouds overhead, it was bright.

Yesterday late afternoon, I had a new mammal ‘tick’ for the garden: a Grey Squirrel that first climbed up our washing line, then raced to the back of the garden and leapt into our neighbour’s Holly tree. My dogs rushed out to see what the commotion was about, but the squirrel had already gone. I also found the first Giant House Spider of the season in the house. Rather than putting it outside, I let it disappear somewhere indoors. I wish people were kinder to them, as they feed on many unwanted insect pests.

My Moth Box:

My first Wax Moth of the year.

This morning I recorded an excellent total of 98 moths from 37 species, far more than expected. Among them was my first Wax Moth of the year. Although not the most glamorous species, it is an interesting one: it enters beehives, where its larvae feed on the honeycomb.

Above, a slightly worn Copper Underwing and below, a European Corn-borer moth.

Two Copper Underwings was exceptional and although I got a good close up of the ‘palps’ and most certainly are pale throughout, signalling a Copper Underwing rather than the very similar Svenssons Copper Underwing, the true easier way is the underwing, but that would most likely mean euthanising the insect of which I will not do.

Above, the micro moth Cherrybark Tortrix and below, one of four Golden Twin-spots from this morning.

Migrant Moths today included 4 Golden Twin-spot, Portland Ribbon Wave, White-point, Small Mottled Willow, Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis), European Corn-borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) and Olive-tree Pearl (Palpita vitrealis).

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Copper Underwing x2	Rusty-dot Pearl x8
Golden Twin-spot x4	Wax Moth * x1
Portland Ribbon Wave x1	Box Tree Moth x6
Setaceous Hebrew Character x1	Common Plume x1
Pale Mottled Willow x9	Beautiful Plume x1
White-point x1	Chevron Grass-moth x7
White Ermine x1	Common Grass-moth x2
Lime-speck Pug x2	Dark Moss-moth x4
Double-striped Pug x2	Ruddy Streak x2
Small Mottled Willow x1	Horse-chestnut Leafminer x2
Small Dusty Wave x2	Light Brown Apple Moth x1
Square-spot Rustic x2	European Corn-borer x1
Cabbage Moth x1	Apple Leaf Miner x3
Angle Shades x1	Cherrybark Tortrix x2
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing x2	Tree-mallow Tortrix x3
L-album Wainscot x10	Blushed Knot-horn x3
Willow Beauty x1	Olive-tree Pearl x2
Bright-line Brown-eye x3	Long-horned Flat-body x1
Vine’s Rustic x1

 

A Lacewing inside the Moth Box.

The Moth Box also attracted at least one Lacewing and a Harlequin Ladybird. Overhead, while checking the Moth Box, at least two Yellow Wagtails flew heard. They can be a bugger to see as most fly so high.

This afternoon, I found this Southern Oak Bush-cricket by a building entrance.

Rest in Peace, Dolly x

Less Moths but a good variety.

Monday 24^th August 2026.

My third Ni Moth of the year.

A cool start to another bright morning here in Southsea and after a superb weekend, I was now wondering what the Moths were going to be like this morning? It was only 14 degrees centigrade at 6am as I went about checking the Moth Box. Once again, there was a nice variety, but nowhere near the numbers I have been getting during the heatwaves. It was going to be getting a bit warmer today and stay dry too, though rain and possibly storms are on their way to the south coast later this week.

My Moth Box:

This gorgeous Oak Hook-tip was on the guttering. 

There were just 41 moths of 20 species recorded this morning though there were a few interesting Moths among them that included yet another Ni Moth, my third of the season. They really do look a bit like Silver Y’s but flatter and greyer. A Vestal was by the light bulb and an Oak Hook-tip perched on our guttering was a surprise.

Always a pleasure to find a Vestal by the Moth Box and below, a Plumed Fan-foot was unexpected.

Other notable moths included an Angle Shades, Plumed Fan-foot, Golden Twin-spot and later this afternoon, I found a Portland Ribbon Wave perched on the white board behind the Box! Among the micro’s, a House Moss-moth (Bryotropha domestica) was notable, and I found a Chevron Grass-moth (Agriphila geniculea) in our kitchen late this afternoon and so carefully released it back in the garden. The following Moths were recorded this morning:

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Ni Moth x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x5
Vestal x1	Common Plume x1
Angle Shades x1	Meal Moth x1
Plumed Fan-foot x1	Ruddy Streak x1
Oak Hook-tip x1	Dark Moss-moth x1
Small Dusty Wave x4	Box Tree Moth x3
Vine’s Rustic x3	House Moss-moth x1
L-album Wainscot x4	Chestnut Tortrix x1
Large Yellow Underwing x1	Chevron Grass-moth x1
Bright-line Brown-eye x2
Pale Mottled Willow x7
Golden Twin-spot x1
Portland Ribbon Wave x1

 

This Batman Hoverfly was inside the Moth Box.

Within the Moth Box, the only other insect that was attracted to the light was a Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea). While checking the Moth Box, a pair of Yellow Wagtails was heard and then seen flying high south and so Autumn ‘vis-mig’ has begun.

A Portland Ribbon Wave was found late in the afternoon by the Moth Box.

Yesterday, despite driving nearly 200 miles back home, Matt Parkes took his wife Emma over to Hook with Warsash area for a late bit of birding and found a flock of Yellow Wagtails around the Tender Loving Care Horse Paddocks. Meanwhile, birding pal Geoff Farwell paid a visit to Farlington Marshes today and recorded the following sightings: 8 Common Whitethroats, 2 singing Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Cetti’s Warbler, 3 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 25 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Sand Martin, 7 Swift, 2 Ruff, Avocet, 2 Greenshank, Raven and a Sparrowhawk.

Above and below, Yellow Wagtails at Hook with Warsash. Photos by Emma Parkes.