A Willow Warbler in my garden.

Monday 18th April 2022.

The micro moth, Psychoides filicivora. A tiny, yet common day-flying moth I regularly get in my garden. 

I did not go birding anywhere as such today, but I did have a relaxing hour in the garden this afternoon, enjoying a lovely Willow Warbler and other birds in and over the garden in the warm sunshine. I was up stupidly early this morning, one of those situations where I could not fall back to sleep but I eventually got up and made my way downstairs to put the kettle on at 5am! Thankfully, I had my moth box on overnight and although it wasn't that unusual, I did have one micro moth (though it was nearly dead!) to add to my year list.

The Brimstone Moth. Another common moth, but attractive moth, that I see most weeks.

Another clear night produced just 12 moths and even though I had sorted out the egg trays yesterday afternoon, it did not encourage many moths to go inside the box. The best moth on display was a micro moth, Psychoides filicivora, which was sat on top of the roof of the box, but it did not look too healthy and most certainly on its way out of this world. The following moths were present this morning:

• 1 Brimstone moth
• 4 Double-striped Pug
• 4 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 2 Common Plume
• 1 Psychoides filicivora

While checking the moth box, a Green Woodpecker called loudly somewhere in the gardens behind me and most likely the Highland Road Cemetery bird, but better still, was the song from a Willow Warbler coming from a neighbours garden. One of my neighbours has a tall Silver Birch within it and I had to crane my neck to try to get a view of the bird, but it was nowhere to be seen. I had to wait until the afternoon to get a good view of it and I most certainly did.

Another common micro moth in my moth trap, Tachystola acroxantha.

After taking a trip to Waterlooville with my wife to test drive a new car, where I had sightings of a Jay over the A3M and a pair of Mediterranean Gulls in a field near Asda in Waterlooville; we got home and had a bit of lunch. Afterwards, I grabbed a chair from inside the house and sat outside in the sun, armed with my binoculars. I regretted not taking my camera as both the Willow Warbler and a pair of Goldfinches showed very well in my garden. The former came out of hiding (it was now uttering its song very quietly as it went about my neighbours overhanging tree), in search of small insects and eventually popped right out in the open. 

Above, from top to bottom, Cuckoo, a male Dartford Warbler and a male Redstart all photographed by John Manley at Thursley Common today. 

The Goldfinches came down to feed on my bird feeders and after having their fill, off they went as a Starling came in to feed on the food pellets. Once again, Starlings are using the Swift Box opposite my house, but the young will most likely fledge before the Swifts reclaim their nesting site. Back in my garden, a pair of Holly Blue butterflies were chasing each other and occasionally settled briefly on the Buddleia plant. Another butterfly, the Small White, also belted through the garden briefly, a flash of white in the bright sunshine. Sadly, no raptors were seen flying over, but with a White-tailed Eagle soaring over Pagham Harbour reported today, it was always worth checking the sky.

Locally in Hampshire, Whiteley Pastures are currently hosting at least 4 Nightingales and a Yellow Wagtail, a species that nested commonly on the south coast, including Farlington Marshes, when I was a teenager, dropped onto the fields by the Canal Path, Titchfield Haven, that also hosted 50+ House Martins and a Lesser Whitethroat. I have my last day off tomorrow and I expect I will probably go to the Canal Path or see what drops around the South Coast.