A busy midweek update.

Wednesday 23rd March 2022.

I finally got my first Early Grey moth of the year by my moth box.

We have reached midweek already and although I am back at work, it has been a bit tough with getting over Covid over the past ten days. I cannot believe how many people have actually got it and the chances of getting it again is pretty high as well. I am still feeling the effects of it and have what seems like a ‘head cold’, but I am putting up with it and hope to get much better soon. The southern half of the UK has been basking in a bit of sunshine of late with today's temperatures climbing up to around 18 degrees, though it is quite cold overnight. This has encouraged me to put on my moth box again and finally, I got my first ‘noctuid’ moth of the year!  

Above, a Beautiful Plume I found at Portchester Crematorium yesterday. Below, also by my moth box this morning were several Lacewings.

 

Kicking off with Mondays sightings, both male and female Sparrowhawks were seen while out on the road, both in different locations too: a female over the M275 as we were traveling northbound and a male bird over Portsdown Hill around 20 minutes later. Traveling along the Whichers Gate road (Rowlands Castle) leading to The Oaks, I spotted a Nuthatch flying adjacent to the vehicle we were in and then it landed in a tree. At the Oaks Crematorium, a flock of 8 Mediterranean Gulls flew over, all heading northbound and calling as they passed high overhead. I must have spotted at least a dozen Brimstone butterflies on the wing at various locations, including quite a few over Portsdown Hill. A spot of fine weather in March will bring this pretty butterfly out on the wing. Finally, up to four Common Buzzards were seen with two birds soaring over the woodland behind the Oaks Crematorium.

This drake Garganey was on Testwood Lakes today, one of several seen in the County. Photo by Andy Tew.

Monday also produced a phenomenal number of Garganey passing the south coast. Up to 30 in total passed Sandy Point at Hayling Island, with other sightings including 5 on Posbrook FLoods, 2 on Avington Lake plus a flock of 11 Ruff and 5 Little Gulls past Hil Head! 

This Water Pipit was on Pennington Marshes today. Photo by Andy Tew. 

Yesterday, the drive over Portsdown Hill produced up to 5 Kestrels hunting along the road and a single Common Buzzard that drifted south low over the road. Again, Brimstone butterflies seem to be everywhere with many seen along the top of Portsdown Hill, but also a few fluttering about around Portchester Crematorium. Also at this location, a Chiffchaff was heard singing in the trees down by the car park. The showy Fox put in an appearance down in the car park and only just avoided a moving car that did not notice the animal. This individual does not seem to bother with the humans passing by and walks past you sometimes within arms reach! I checked for moths at Portchester Crematorium and came across singles of Double-striped Pug, Beautiful Plume and Common Plume.

Ruff at Pennington Marshes. Photo by Andy Tew.

Today kicked off with a check of my moth box and at last, some decent to look at. There was an Early Grey moth sitting nicely on my white sheet behind the moth box first thing this morning, while nearby, up to 9 Common Plumes and a Light Brown Apple Moth were counted. I only worked the morning as I was to attend the funeral of my friend, John Langmaid at The Oaks Crematorium. There was a very good ‘turn out’ for his funeral and managing to get a seat, I listened to the kind words spoken about him by his friends and also enjoyed looking at the bird feeders outside the Crematorium through the window. I learnt a lot about John’s life, the vast majority of it, which was totally new to me and took me by surprise.

This Little Ringed Plover was photographed at Pennington Marshes. Photo by Andy Tew.

While listening to the service, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker flew down to feed on the fatballs, joining the many Great, Blue and Coal Tits also feeding on the bird food. Even a few Mediterranean Gulls flew past and nearby, a pair of Small Tortoiseshell butterflies danced about by the woodland edge. Even the Reverend who was taking the service, was a lifelong friend of John and got quite emotional talking about John's life, which brought a lump to my throat! I am glad I knew the man, who taught me so much about moths, but not only that, he was so kind with it and always welcomed me when I would bring round some micro moths for him to identify. 

This Common Quaker moth was found by Andy at the back of his house last week. 

Back over in West Sussex, Chichester Gravel Pits offered some really decent birds which included a Bonaparte's Gull (for its second day!), a pair of Red-crested Pochard and a drake Garganey, while a flock of 8 Garganey flew past Selsey Bill early in the morning. A singing Sedge Warbler was present at Titchfield Haven early this morning, the first of this species reported in Hampshire this year. I wonder when I shall see my first.  

The last word goes to this lovely man. You will be missed John.