Speckled Bush Cricket at The Oaks.

Wednesday 10th November 2021.

The Speckled Bush Cricket I found at The Oaks Crematorium today. 

Though mostly overcast the last few days, it has been exceptionally mild with midday temperatures around 15 degrees, though the gloom and doom merchants from the Met Office have us to believe a nasty cold snap is imminent! We shall see. I have been putting my moth box out again overnight and this morning's catch revealed a few moths: 2 Double-striped Pugs, 4 Light Brown Apple Moths and just the one Common Plume. It is back on tonight, so I just might catch something more unusual I hope.

Yesterday, while driving about during my work time, I had a few notable sightings including a pair of female Sparrowhawks flying together over the M275 heading east towards Tipner Lake. The usual two Common Buzzards were perched on the lamp posts on the same stretch of road and a Kestrel was seen briefly flying over the top of Portsdown Hill. While working over The Oaks Crematorium, a small flock of 4 Mistle Thrushes flew out of the woodland beside the car park and then headed off north and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling loudly in the neighbouring woodland and seen all too briefly.

One of two Double-striped Pug moths seen by my moth box today.

Today, I was working over The Oaks Crematorium again and at least two very high flying Song Thrushes were seen heading north, which were probably migrant birds. A flock of 8 Goldfinch were seen flying over the car park and in both woodlands beside the car park, there was a Nuthatch in each wood calling loudly. Though there were no moths around the Book of Remembrance building, I did find a very late Speckled Bush Cricket perched on the main glass door of the Crematorium.

Though Andy did not have his moth box on at Cowplain Marsh last Saturday, this White-shouldered House Moth was perched on the wall inside his kitchen! 

The only other notable sighting today was of a Grey Wagtail flying over the road and buildings in the village of Denmead. There are now up to 7 Snow Buntings at Gunner Point, Hayling Island; the largest total for this species in Hampshire for many a year. A Black Redstart has been seen in Buckland, Portsmouth this week and a Slavonian Grebe was on the calm waters of the Solent seen from Hill Head. I had a report from a friend of mine that a Short-eared Owl was seen at dusk at Milton Lakes earlier this week. Might be worth a visit one evening.