First moth of the year.

Thursday January 2023.

The walk I took through Creech Wood. Just a shame that the birds would not show!

I popped over to my fathers early this morning for a catch-up and finally managed to drop off his main Xmas present that got delayed in the post. On the way back home, I decided to take a drive back through the countryside and I fancied a walk through Creech Wood, in Denmead. Though the weather was overcast, it was dry and mild, which was a bonus. The only downside was the amount of dog-walkers present; professional and non-professional dog-walkers. I was kind of surprised at how many there were walking the dogs and the woods were full of dogs barking. Not my idea of a quiet walk.

Turkey-tail Fungus growing on a dead tree along the main footpath in Creech Wood.

To be honest, hardly anything of note was seen bar one Coal Tit, as I strolled slowly up to the big clearing where we saw the Nightjars last year. There were plenty of interesting birds to be heard, which could have gone on my year list including Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Treecreeper, but none of these were visible. Can't win them all.

A species of Bracket fungus growing on one of the trees within Creech Wood. Sadly, I should have taken a photo of the underside to get a firmer identification. 

I was a bit more lucky when I took a drive through Southwick village where I spotted a Red Kite flying overhead; my first of the year. Driving up the B2177 to the top of Portsdown Hill, I spotted another Red Kite sailing slowly over the main road and heading south. Driving west along the top of the Hill, I used to keep an eye out for Red-legged Partridge in the arable fields adjacent to the main road, but no such luck today. However, I finally saw my first Common Buzzard of the year, sailing high over Fort Nelson heading west. This was my 84th species for the year, still some way behind Mr Fisher, but he had a day off today, though needing just 4 more species for the magic 100 species for the year. 

When I got home, I decided to fill up the bird feeders and picking up the Sunflower heart feeder, I found a moth fluttering inside the feeder! On closer inspection, it was a Bloxworth Snout and constituted my first moth of 2023. I carefully placed it in one of my moth pots and managed to grab a few photos of this ‘not so common’ moth and released it back into my garden. I normally get a few of these moths each year.

My first moth of 2023, a Bloxworth Snout.

In Hampshire today, some of the ‘Lazee’s’ were back down by the Lifeboat Station at Sandy Point where a Long-tailed Duck was showing very well close in. Earlier there, a Great Northern Diver, Little Gull and a Kittiwake were seen. The Great Grey Shrike was still in the Pig Bush area, which I hope lingers a little longer.