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.

Sadly, no Dippers, but a couple of nice Cornish locations.

Sunday 23^rd August 2026.

Idless Wood, nr Truro:

The very tall Scotts Pine trees within Idless Woods.

After a cracking local pub meal and a few nice beers, we all went to bed early last night for the long trip home, but the plan was to hopefully find a Dipper at two fairly reliable sites; Idless Wood near Truro and if that failed, then the village of Lostwitheal by the River Fowey where the guys saw one seven years ago.

The Firecrest by the car park.

Another lovely day with bright sunshine and very little wind to first try Idless Wood where we parked up and took the lower path to find the river. A Firecrest was heard and then seen calling in the trees close to the car park and it didn’t take long to find the bird of which at times, it was quite showy. Both Goldcrest and Coal Tit was abundant within the woodland and within the car park, a Siskin was heard flying over.

Above, a showy Clouded Yellow butterfly and below, a Red Admiral within the woodland.

Above, a Meadow Brown butterfly was sunning itself by the footpath.

Sadly, the water level was very low, and what should have been a river was now more like a stream. After walking about a mile and seeing that it was not getting any deeper or wider, we turned back to the car and decided to try the River Fowey instead. Even so, it was a lovely wood, with good views of several tits, including a Marsh Tit. We also saw a couple of Spotted Flycatchers using bare branches to catch passing flies. A Bullfinch, Nuthatch and Treecreeper were all heard but did not appear, and a flock of about seven Goldfinches flew overhead.

One of the two Spotted Flycatchers high up in the trees by the footpath.

Butterflies were abundant too, with Meadow Brown, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper and best of all, a very showy Clouded Yellow that perched nicely for us in the sunshine. The only sad thing within this lovely wood was the amount of dog poo bags just dumped in piles in certain areas along the footpath. Maybe it is in protest of the new parking charges here?

The River Fowey, Lostwithiel:

Sadly, again, no sign whatsoever of any Dippers here and most likely due to the many people in the river itself! We took a walk along the river to see if we could locate one but there was no sign at all, and again, the water level was very low and all we could find was a few Mallards resting on the shoreline and a Common Buzzard soaring very high in the distance. Good numbers of Small White butterflies were by the river along with a Red Admiral passing through and even a Clouded Yellow flew over us too while we ate some lunch from a nearby Co-operative. A male Common Darter dragonfly was over the river but sadly, very little else and so we made the long journey back home, reflecting over a very entertaining weekend.

My second Pelagic trip from Falmouth.

 Saturday 22^nd August 2026.

One of the many Common Dolphins we saw today.

This weekend, I travelled to Falmouth with Emma and Matt Parkes for another pelagic trip with AK Wildlife Cruises aboard Spirit of Our Seas, hoping to see cetaceans and seabirds. Led by Captain Keith Leeves and his crew, our eight-hour trip produced an excellent list of seabirds and dolphins, which Emma had booked for us earlier in the year. This time, she had also arranged a two-night Airbnb near Falmouth, so Matt did not have to drive home immediately after a long day at sea.

To round off our trip to Cornwall, on Sunday morning, we stopped off at both Idless Woods, some two miles north of Truro and then to the village of Lostwithiel in search for Dippers. Sadly, none were seen. After the mammoth 7hr journey down to Falmouth Friday afternoon due to the closure of the A31 through the New Forest due to the van fire, it was a lot easier on the back as the A31 had been re-opened. Phew!

The weather was looking good for the whole of the weekend although an easterly wind blowing through the English Channel didn’t produce the many birds we were after; but the Captain Keith did try and I did see one ‘Lifer’ when we out at sea.

 

 The Falmouth Pelagic:

A large gathering of Shags were on the rocks as we left Falmouth Harbour.

We had to be at the marina in Falmouth by at least 10am, and though we were running a little late, we soon parked up and joined the 9 other guys present to go onboard the boat. It was a long walk along the boardwalk, but the water was so clear that we could easily see the fish fry and even several Mullet swimming in the water below us. After a few security and safety checks we were away by 10.45am and headed off down harbour and out into the English Channel for some serious sea watching! I did take long with me my fleece and a wet coat just in case, though I never needed the coat in the end.

Above, Dodman Point and below, adult and immature Shags on the rocky shoreline.

As we exited the harbour, good numbers of Shags were on the rocks, buoys or even on the sea while both Herring and Black-headed Gulls flew overhead. A Whimbrel flew out in front of us and headed southbound and a few Swallows were flying low over the harbour. Our first notable seabird didn’t take long to materialise when a flock of six Gannets flew west over the sea and many more were seen throughout the day including good numbers of juveniles. The tell-tale sign of diving Gannets was evident which meant there were fish around to attract the seabirds and the captain kept us fully informed should he see a feeding flock of birds or the splashing of Tuna.

Above, Matt, Emma and myself ready for our Pelagic. Below, a flock of six Gannets flying east offshore.

Shortly after the flock of Gannets flew past, we were soon on to our first Manx Shearwater of the trip, which was a ‘year-tick’ for me. Many more were seen throughout our trip, but it was late into the afternoon when bigger flocks were seen as we were making our way back to the harbour. Sadly, I could not find any other Shearwaters although one did look good for a Sooty Shearwater but was hard to tell on the rocking boat.

Above, a Bonxie greeted us on our way back to shore. Photo by Emma Parkes. Below, a juvenile Herring Gull with an Oystercatcher on the rocks as we made our way out of the harbour.

Our trip took us close to the coastline and up to Dodman Point where we had sightings of Ravens, Kestrels and a lone Common Buzzard and also sightings of Small White, Painted Lady and even a Clouded Yellow butterfly! By the time we got to Dodman Point, we then headed off ten miles offshore to hopefully join some Trawlers way offshore. The captain told us that because of the recent heatwaves, it has seriously affected the temperature of the sea and therefore the seabirds that feed on the fish have become scarcer. A good number of Wilson’s Petrels have been seen on recent boat trips, but the big Shearwaters have been lacking due to the easterly winds.

Above, a Common Dolphin breaching the sea and below, a White-beaked Dolphin breaking the surface. Both photos by Emma Parkes.

Above, another photo of the White-beaked Dolphins and below, this Common Dolphin swam close to the boat.

Above, Risso's Dolphins and below, film footage of the Common Dolphins swimming by the boat. Film footage by Matt Parkes.

Nevertheless, we continued well out to sea in the hope of finding interesting birds and cetaceans. In the end, it was the cetaceans—especially the dolphins—that stole the show. Several pods of Common Dolphins appeared, with some staying alongside the boat for a while and giving fantastic views, just as they had on my previous trip. Even better were the sightings of three Risso’s Dolphins, including a calf, and the rarer White-beaked Dolphin. I am no dolphin expert, and without Keith’s keen eye and knowledge of the species, I would probably have dismissed it as a Risso’s. However, this animal showed a white ring around the eye, a white beak, and was much larger than a Common Dolphin. It was a lifer for all of us, and the captain shared some fascinating details about the species, including that it has the thickest blubber of any dolphin and is usually found much farther north in UK waters.

Above, the only half decent photo I got of the Storm Petrel and below, a Manx Shearwater gliding over the sea.

Another species that climbed onboard my year list was the Storm Petrel. At least 8 birds were reported, and all were quite distant, hence my poor photo of one. Trust me, it was damn difficult at times to get any photos as the boat listed and rocked so heavily at times, it was dangerous not to hold onto one of the rails while photographing! One of the Petrels I saw didn’t look quite right for a Storm Petrel and leaned towards a Wilson’s Petrel, but it was too quick to be 100% sure and then easily lost below the waves.

Above, Manx Shearwaters over the sea and below, a sub-adult Gannet heading east over the sea.

As we were travelling out to sea, the shout went up ‘SKUA’ from the captain and we all clambered over to the starboard side to view a Great Skua flying away from us. Fortunately, another was seen on the way back as we neared the harbour and Emma managed to grab a few good photos of the bird. Another species added to my year list. When travelling some ten miles offshore, we saw a few Tuna splashes an even put out a line of fish oil to attract more Petrels, but we drew a blank and so though we saw many more Manx Shearwaters, time was against us and so slowly made our way back to Falmouth harbour.

Above, another photo of the sub-adult Gannet passing by the boat and below, an adult Gannet on the sea.

Above, my first Guillemot of the year and below, several flocks of Herring Gulls were making their way southbound over the sea.

Many more Manx Shearwaters were seen and flocks of Herring Gulls flying south out to sea. A Mediterranean Gull was seen along with at least two Kittiwakes and a Sandwich Tern, but little else. As we were watching another pod of Common Dolphins, the shout went up there was a Guillemot close to the boat. This was my fourth species added to my year list as I struggled to get a decent phot of the bird, which rounded off an enjoyable trip out at sea off Falmouth.

Above, and adult and calf Common Dolphin not too far from the harbour entrance and below, the harbour entrance with St. Anthony Lighthouse on the left.

The captain could only apologise about the lack of bigger Shearwaters, but as Emma and Matt agreed, nothing is ever guaranteed on these Pelagic trips out at sea and we are at the mercy of the winds, tide and the supply of fish offshore. Yes, it was a bit cold at times and the rocking about on the sea can be a bit frustrating at times, but watching seabirds and the Dolphins so close to the boat is simply fantastic and well worth the money and time to do. Should you be reading this, please go on the AK Wildlife Cruises website and see for yourself some of the sightings they have had of late, and it can only get better too. Though I will say, take something soft to sit on, because my bum was sore afterwards!

A trio of migrant Moths new for the year.

 Friday 21^st August 2026.

My first Scarce Bordered Straw of the year which completes the trio of Bordered Straw moth species.

A bright, almost cloudless morning marked a noticeable change in the weather. At around 6am, when I began checking the moth box, the temperature in the garden was only about 10°C. I had also hoped for some bird passage overhead, and I was rewarded with a pair of Tree Pipits flying north, calling as they went.

The moths were the real highlight of the morning. I added three excellent autumnal species to my year list, alongside a strong supporting cast of other notable moths.

 

My Moth Box:

My first Pearly Underwing of the year.

The standout moth of the morning was my second-ever Scarce Bordered Straw. With Bordered Straw and Eastern Bordered Straw already recorded in the garden this year, this completed an excellent Bordered Straw trio.

My first Delicate moth of the year.

The sequence felt remarkable and was perhaps one of the upsides of the five heatwaves the UK has experienced this year, which appear to have helped bring an impressive number of migrant moths into the country.

The Poplar Hawk-moth was back for a second day.

Two further migrant moths were added to the year list: Pearly Underwing and Delicate. Both are virtually annual visitors to the garden, but they remain highly sought-after species and were very welcome additions. Other notable migrant Moths include four Golden Twin-spots, 4 Rush Veneer and 2 Rusty-dot Pearl.

One of three Small Ranunculus moths this today.

Yesterday’s Poplar Hawk-moth was most likely back in the moth box this morning, while up to three Small Ranunculus were also notable. A Yellow-barred Brindle was found resting on the fence panel, and yesterday’s Dusky Thorn was still settled near the light bulb. The most numerous moth of the morning was Pale Mottled Beauty, with at least eleven individuals recorded. There is some speculation that this species may be migratory, so it is possible that some of these individuals were migrants. The Moths recorded this morning were as follows:

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Scarce Bordered Straw * x1	Box Tree Moth x6
Pearly Underwing * x1	Common Plume x2
Delicate * x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x2
Poplar Hawk-moth x1	Rush Veneer x4
Small Ranunculus x3	Rusty-dot Pearl x2
Pale Mottled Willow x11	Brown House Moth x1
L-album Wainscot x5	Chevron Grass-moth x3
Common Rustic x1	Apple Leaf Miner x5
Square-spot Rustic x1	Gold Triangle x1
Vine’s Rustic x4	Rusty-dot Pearl x3
Cabbage Moth x7	Mint Moth x1
Double-striped Pug x1	Chestnut Tortrix x1
Golden Twin-spot x4
Dusky Thorn x1
Yellow-barred Brindle x1
Bright-line Brown-eye x1
Small Dusty Wave x2
Garden Carpet x1
Lime-speck Pug x1
Willow Beauty x1