Chiffchaff & Moths.

Sunday 18th September 2022.

The majority of the moths within the egg trays this morning from my moth box. 

It was back to the moths in my Southsea garden this morning, which meant another 6.30am start. Dawn started with a cloudless sky and a cool temperature of 10 degrees Centigrade, but very still and quiet, until a Chiffchaff was heard ‘hooeeet-ing’ in the trees behind me. I did see it a few times, but only as a silhouette, then minutes later, a small flock of 3 Meadow Pipits were seen flying high over the rooftops, heading north.

Above, a Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing was under the white sheet. Below, the micro moth Acleris notana / ferrugana. This species can only be reliably identified by dissection. 

There was nothing new for the year within the moth box this morning. There were 30 moths of 10 species recorded with Square-spot Rustics being the most numerous moths. It will not be long now before the typical late Autumn moths arrive and there is still time for a nice migrant or two, especially if the wind changes to the south.

Another selection of the moths present this morning. From left to right: Square-spot Rustic, Lesser Yellow Underwing, L-album Wainscot, Large Yellow Underwing and another Square-spot Rustic.

Moths present this morning included the following:

• 4 Willow Beauty
• 4 L-album Wainscot
• 2 Double-striped Pug
• 8 Square-spot Rustic
• 6 Lesser Yellow Underwing
• 2 Large Yellow Underwing
• 1 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 2 Acleris notana \ ferrugana
• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Anania coronata

This afternoon, the back bedroom, always with the window open overnight, had attracted a few moths resting on the wall, which included an Anania coronata and also an L-album Wainscot. Quite often I would pull back the curtains and out pops a moth or two. In my back garden, at least two Chiffchaffs were present most of the day, around the garden, which are always a delight to see. I can say there were plenty of insects around in the warm afternoon sunshine.

Birding pal, Geoff Farwell, texted me to say that he spent the day down Farlington Marshes and notched up the following: Peregrine, 54 Knot, 11 Greenshank, 320 Wigeon, Kingfisher, 3 Blackcap and 3 Chiffchaff. Ten Great White Egrets were on Fishlake Meadows today, which goes to show that this species is most certainly on the increase in the county. A Facebook post today showed a superb photo of the White-winged Black Tern on Longham Lakes today. I checked right through the App on Birdguides, but could not find it on there? Was it there today or not?