Thursday 7th May 2026.
This dog Fox showed well in the late afternoon sunshine at Highland Road Cemetery.
Possibly the warmest day of the week and although a little nippy first thing this morning (especially when I was checking out my Moth Box at 6am this morning), it certainly warmed up this afternoon, especially when I walked the dogs around Highland Road Cemetery after my second shift. A pristine Blair’s Mocha moth was by my Moth Box this morning and I couldn't resist putting a photo of it on the Lazee Birders Whatsapp site. It just might encourage more of the ‘Lazee’s’ to take up Moth-ing?
My Moth Box:
My first Blair's Mocha moth of the year.
My highest total of moths for the year, 27 moths of 16 species, were recorded this morning, which was surprising due to the fact it was quite cold this morning. One of them, Blair's Mocha, was my first of the year and a very smart individual too. I do regularly get them throughout the year, but not often in the Spring. Two Oak-tree Pugs was a good record too for my garden and 3 Angle Shades was also notable. Only my second Small Dusty Wave for the year was present and I found another one on someone's front porch when I was walking the dogs this afternoon.
One of two Oak-tree Pugs today.
The Moths present this morning included the following:
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
The three Giant Tree Echium plants growing in Pembroke Close this afternoon.
Within both shifts within Pembroke Road, a total of 14 bird species were recorded in very pleasant weather; especially this afternoon. Though all the birds seen or heard, the only bird really of note was a Goldfinch flying overhead this afternoon. The first Robin this week showed this afternoon flying over the road and perching up in a tree by the Bowling Green and then briefly sang. The male Pied Wagtail put in an appearance on the Bowling Green this morning. Isn't it amazing how fast they can actually run to catch a fly?
A very sunny and warm afternoon in Pembroke Road.
The winds are shifting to south-easterly tomorrow and there is supposed to be some light rain in the early hours of tomorrow morning which could bring some interesting birds (and moths) here on the south coast. The weekend forecast looks interesting too, but I am still not sure where to go on Saturday.
Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:
A familiar sight in Spring, this flowering Blackthorn bush looked amazing in the sunshine and attracted a lot of insects too.
After a well-earned cup of tea, I took the dogs for a good walk (and run) over the Cemetery again and seeing it was such a beautiful afternoon, it made photography so much easier. There were a few notable sightings this afternoon, especially when a dog Fox popped out of nowhere and stayed motionless long enough for me to grab a few photos before he slipped into nearby bushes. This was the first Fox I have seen here this year.
Above, the dog Fox standing there staring at me and the dogs before slinking off into the bushes (below).
As it is No-Mow May, the 'grasscutters' have been still cutting the grass in a lot of the areas within the Cemy, but left the strimming around the gravestones to be done another time. If only they would leave the Cemy alone and not destroy all the flowering so-called weeds alone. Below, one of three Speckled Wood butterflies showing well this afternoon. I particularly liked this photo with the insect's shadow in the background.
A singing Dunnock was unexpected and again, stayed long enough for a few photos. Though I have heard them occasionally here, to see one here is a good record for the site. There was no sign of any female though, but she could possibly be on eggs? I heard the Chiffchaff singing again, but remained elusive again and was most likely to be the tail-less bird. In fact, I heard him singing this morning when I walked the dogs earlier this morning.
Above, possibly the most common of large Hoverflies? This Batman Hoverfly showed well briefly on a Horse Chestnut leaf. I have got quite a few in my garden most days now. Below, I just looked up into the canopy of this Horse Chestnut tree. Not that I was looking for anything, but marvelling on how this large tree can support so many insects and possibly birds.
Above, the glossy plumage of this male Blackbird stood out well in the afternoon sun and below, a Cats-ear plant; a familiar plant within the summer in the coming months.
A few insects were also on the wing that included at least three separate Speckled Wood butterflies around the Horse Chestnut trees and a few Batman Hoverflies were seen by the same trees as well. Birds, Butterflies and Bees, what's not to love? That's why I love coming here as there is always something to see.
Above, this 'not so common' Dunnock was singing in the Cemy and below, I came across quite a few clumps of Ox-eye Daisies growing on the site.
Above, another common plant was this Common Vetch and below, a few sprigs of Meadow Buttercup were growing. All these plants would have been lost if it wasn't for 'No Mow May'.
Above, my dogs enjoying a run over the back of the Cemy and below, the tall grass can support a wealth of insects and plants to help the local birdlife.
When I got home with the dogs, one of the Swifts was screeching from inside one of the Swift Boxes, which I assume the female is possibly on eggs already? My wife and I watched a pair mating on the wing yesterday evening from the back garden; something she has never seen before.
In Hampshire today:
There were TWO Mayflies within our downstairs loo in my house this afternoon!
Up to three Arctic Skua’s passed Sandy Point, Hayling Island, at 7am this morning consisting of two pale-phased and dark-phased birds. And a dark-phased bird Arctic Skua flew into the Solent at Cut Bridge as well as two Red-throated Divers. Incredibly, nothing else was reported on Lazee's Whatsapp site today. Four Common Sandpipers were on the Weston Shore, Southampton and a Kittiwake was out in the Solent from Hill Head and two Little Gulls were offshore again from Hill Head within a large flock of Gulls.
The great man, David Attenborough turns 100 years old tomorrow. I have never had the pleasure of meeting him, but when you have the darkness of Trump, Putin and a few other horrible creatures in the world, with Mr Attenborough around, doesn't the world seem a little brighter?
