Red-barred Tortrix moth saved the morning.

 Thursday 4th June 2026.

The Red-barred Tortrix micro moth was the only new moth for the year this morning.

I never had the Moth Box on Tuesday evening as the weather was very poor with strong winds and heavy rain showers, however, I took a gamble last night, despite the windy and wet conditions, which seem to be the theme this week here in the south. The strong westerly winds show no sign of abating just yet though tomorrow looks more promising. There was plenty of sunshine this morning, but also some heavy showers around.

Above and below, while walking the dogs early this morning, I took these photos from my mobile phone passing Highland Road Cemetery.

The dogs got their early morning walk today and it was back to Pembroke Road this morning for another check on the wildlife there. This morning, on the BBC Southern news, it highlighted the broken Sluice gate down at Farlington Marshes again. Despite supposedly having been mended, it broke yet again and the sea water from Langstone Harbour broke through and now the Lake area is flooded once more. All they mentioned was the many millions to repair the seawall itself and nothing about the Sluice gate. Typically crap journalism!

My Moth Box:

A Light Brown Apple Moth (top) and a Diamondback Moth within one of the egg trays.

There were just 19 moths of 13 species recorded this morning, which was very disappointing for this time of year, but last night's poor weather didn't help either. I was in the garden at 5.30am this morning and I was glad I did as a male House Sparrow was searching for the Moths around my Moth Box and probably snatched a few too! I have had trouble with the Sparrows over the years, but their numbers have decimated here in our back gardens and I was really surprised to see this male bird in my garden.

One of two Heart & Dart moths.

The only new moth for the year was the micro moth Red-barred Tortrix (Ditula angustiorana); an annual species I get in my Moth Box several times a year. Migrant moths included a very worn Turnip Moth and two Diamondback Moths. The Moths present this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Garden Carpet x1	Common Plume x1
White Ermine x3	Red-barred Tortrix * x1
Turnip Moth x1	Diamondback Moth x2
Vine’s Rustic x2
Heart & Dart x2
Shuttle-shaped Dart x1
L-album Wainscot x1
Riband Wave x1
Large Yellow Underwing x1

This Marmalade Hoverfly was sat inside the Box.

Other wildlife attracted to my Moth Box overnight included a Marmalade Hoverfly and a Crane Fly; both of which were in the Box itself. A Greenhouse Slug was making its way up the side of the Moth Box. There are between 40 to 46 species of Slug in the UK and this Greenhouse Slug is one I have never seen before!

A Greenhouse Slug was trying to get inside the Moth Box (no chance!). My first sighting of this species.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Another blustery morning here in Old Portsmouth with the occasional shower coming in on the back of that strong westerly wind. The pair of Pied Wagtails were on the Bowling Green once again and the best of the 12 bird species seen or heard this morning was the Jay, which flew low over my head and flew off over the rooftops. The Blue Tits were going back and forth to their nest hole in a nearby tree and I could hear the youngsters calling from across the road.    

A few photos from our last day at Chittlehampton.

Tuesday 2nd June 2026.

The Nuthatch within the Silver Birch tree in the garden.

I still had some photos left over from last week and just before we left Chittlehampton, I had time to take a few photos of some of the birds early in the morning once I had finished checking my Moths. This included a fine Nuthatch showing well high up in a Silver Birch tree and even the Spotted Flycatcher even put in a brief appearance in the Ash tree. A Robin perched on the wooden railings at the back of the garden, just a few feet from where I was sitting and a Jackdaw was on the neighbouring Chimney to round off a pleasant week. 

Above, some of the birds that showed well in the garden after I checked the Moth Box. From top to bottom: Robin, Nuthatch, Common Buzzard, Jackdaw, Nuthatch and Spotted Flycatcher.

Heavy rain showers here in Southsea, but the Moths still arrive.

 Tuesday 2nd June 2026.

One of three L-album Wainscot moths this morning. My first of the year.

There was heavy rain overnight (woke me up a few times!), but no thunder that was predicted by the weather forecasters. I was very lucky that a break in the rain was just about time to check my Moth Box at 5.30am this morning, but only just as another large batch of rain came in. With so many migrant moths coming through, I thought I would take a gamble and try my luck again and it paid off with a few migrant moths and another ‘macro’ moth to add to my year list.

The weather started off fairly OK when I got to Pembroke Road, but the heavens opened from around 8.20am onwards and a good soaking was had arriving at the school including my good self! Haroo! However, I still managed to notch up 14 species of birds during that wet hour.

The wind was from the west again and it was fairly mild too, ranging from about 15 degrees centigrade. More showers are predicted this afternoon, however and so my wet weather gear will be put on after it has dried out this morning!

My Moth Box:

My first Rufous Tortrix of the year.

The race for the highest moth total for the day goes on and on with a whopping 61 moths of 31 species this morning, despite the poor weather. Migrant Moths included another Small Mottled Willow (easily the highest total of this species I have seen in one year), Silver Y, Diamondback Moth and Rusty-dot Pearl. Moths that were new for the year included up to 3 L-album Wainscot and the micro moth, Rufous Tortrix (Clepsis consimilana).

Above, yet another Small Mottled Willow was present this morning and below, the first Common Plume for June.

My first Common Marbled Carpet for the year in my garden was in one of the egg trays and a good total of both Dark Arches and Heart & Darts this morning. A Treble Brown Spot was my second for the year. Sadly, no other insects, bar a small Ladybird, were in the Moth Box today. The Moths present this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Garden Carpet x1	Rufous Tortrix * x1
Willow Beauty x3	Box Tree Moth x2
Riband Wave x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x4
Green Pug x2	Apple Leaf Miner x2
Common Pug x1	Beautiful Plume x1
Pale Mottled Willow x3	Common Plume x1
Small Mottled Willow x	Diamondback Moth x1
White Ermine x4	Bramble Shoot Moth x1
Brimstone Moth x1	Large Pale Masoner x1
Vine’s Rustic x1
Common Marbled Carpet x1
Shuttle-shaped Dart x3
Yellow-barred Brindle x1
L-album Wainscot * x3
Heart & Dart x6
Large Yellow Underwing x1
Treble-lines x4
Marbled Minor agg x2
Dark Arches x6
Silver Y x1
Treble Brown Spot x1

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Some of the flowering plants that are attracting the insects in Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth, currently.

As mentioned, the weather turned poor this morning as heavy rain fell for around 15 minutes, soaking all those poor parents and kids on their way to school. Despite the rain, a Cormorant flew over as I notched up 14 bird species in all and that included a pair of Pied Wagtails on the Bowling Green and a pair of Blue Tits going to and fro to their nest hole in one of the nearby trees. More rain is to follow later today it seems from around 4pm onwards. Hopefully, I will miss it?!

The Bowling Green early this morning. This afternoon, the Bowlers had to abandon their game due to the heavy rain coming down. The Pied Wagtails enjoyed it this morning.

But sadly I didn't, although I missed the worst of it as thunder and lightning passed overhead during my second shift! Thank goodness I had my wet weather gear for the shift. But despite the weather, the Blue Tits were going back and forth to their nest hole and a few high flying Herring Gulls sailed overhead below the very dark clouds. The rain eventually fizzled out as the dark clouds headed off west.

In Hampshire today:

This lovely photo of a Tawney Owl in the New Forest was taken by Pete Appleton recently.

A Bluethroat was reported today in a Southampton garden (re-identified by photographs), but apparently flew off and not seen again, though very little reported today on the various Social Media sites for Hampshire.

More migrant moths in my garden.

 Monday 1st June 2026.

My first Small Marbled moth of the year was an excellent moth in my garden today.

A fairly bright start to the week with high clouds and a bit of sunshine, though rain is forecast later this afternoon with a light southerly wind. Though there were fewer moths than yesterday, the variety was enormous and it included 4 new species for the year and an insect species that was also new for this year. 

I was back at Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth, again this morning and the week here kicked off with a good species total, with a few unexpected species thrown in too. The rain never materialised this afternoon, but was a pleasant afternoon instead. As I write this up tonight, it certainly has gotten darker due to the clouds and thunderstorms that are predicted this evening. I might put the Moth Box on tonight, but not so many egg trays outside the Box. It was a bit cooler today with temperatures around 18 degrees centigrade.

My Moth Box:

Small Mottled Willow moths have been reported in many places in the UK and in huge numbers in the south and south-west area of the UK. This was the one in my Moth Box this morning.

The rare moths theme continued this morning with my first and only my second ever Small Marbled moth. This particular species could be considered a ‘micro’ moth for being so small, but it is considered to be a ‘macro’ moth for one reason or another. Other migrant moths present included another Small Mottled Willow, Silver Y (which was flying around the flowers) and a Diamondback Moth. 

Above, a Cherrybark Tortrix and below, the Common Slender micro moths.

My first Box Tree Moth of the year.

Moths that were also new for the year included a dark form of Box Tree Moth, the tiny Common Slender (Gracilliaria syringella) and a Cherrybark Tortrix (Enarmonia formorsana). Other notable moths included a differently marked Golden Twin-spot and my first Garden Straw for the garden this year. A good total of 42 moths of 33 species were recorded this morning. The following Moths were seen today:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Small Marbled * x1	White-shouldered House Moth x1
Silver Y x1	Box Tree Moth * x1
Willow Beauty x2	Cypress Tip Moth x1
Yellow-barred Brindle x1	Common Slender * x1
Shuttle-shaped Dart x1	Apple Leaf Miner x1
Golden Twin-spot x1	Blushed Knot-horn x3
Green Pug x1	Cherrybark Tortrix * x1
Marbled Minor agg x1	Bee Moth x2
Riband Wave x4	Mallow Seed Moth x1
Heart & Dart x1	Garden Straw x1
White-point x1	Large Pale Masoner x1
Garden Carpet x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x2
Pale Mottled Willow x1	Diamondback Moth x1
Buff Ermine x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x1
Small Dusty Wave 1	Ruddy Streak x1
	Bramble Shoot Moth x1

Other insects attracted to the Moth Box overnight included a Black Vine Weevil, which was my first one I have seen this year.

The Black Vine Weevil. Plants beware!

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

The Echium plant is getting a lot taller since I had a week off!

I think the parents and some of the kids were happy to see me back in Pembroke Road this morning as the quiet spell between 8 and 8.20am proved quite fruitful when I notched up at least 15 species this morning. The surprise species was an Oystercatcher heard calling somewhere near the Curtain Moat and no, I do not have ‘bionic’ hearing, but at my age, I couldn't be more happier with my hearing!

Another notable bird was a Coal Tit heard calling somewhere in the Holm Oak trees, a species I think I have only ever encountered once in the three years I have been working here. A Jay flying into the footpath between the Bowling Green and Governor’s Green was also unexpected; but at this time of year, no doubt it is after eggs or chicks of other birds. Grumble! Three species of Gull were seen: Great Black-backed, Herring and Black-headed Gull, but no Med Gulls today.

Away from birds, the Echium plants growing in Pembroke Close are getting very tall now and enticing many Bumblebees to their flowers. One of the plants was probably twice my height! No butterflies were seen here today, but plenty of Buff-tailed Bumblebees around the front gardens and, of course, the Echium plants.

During the afternoon, I was driving through Milton, when I saw a big female Peregrine flying low over the road heading south. As I missed all the Springwatch episodes last week as my wife wanted to watch the awful ‘Soaps’, I managed to watch one episode of last week's Springwatch where a Pine Martin was killing the Robin chicks. I still cannot believe that this predator has been released in various areas of the UK. Our UK birds are disappearing at an alarming rate and some idiots decide to make it more difficult for the birds to survive. We are losing important habitats for birds and then throw in a vicious predator to make things worse. I just cannot understand the logic of it and there is Springwatch praising the re-introduction of this species. Mink got a bad name for destroying Water Voles and water birds; so why does the Pine Martin get a hand clap? ‘Makes me seethe, I could throw the phone down!!’

In Hampshire today:

Fairly quiet in Hampshire today, though a Quail was heard calling on Martin Down again along with two singing Tree Pipits. A late Wheatear was on Farlington Marshes early this morning, a species I have still not seen this year and probably will not now until the Autumn! One of the ‘Lazee Birders’ saw a singing Great Reed Warbler over at the Little Deeps last night on Thorney Island! No report of it today though.