A new moth for the year while at Work!

Monday 22nd May 2023.

My first Carnation Tortrix moth of the year, which was totally unexpected. 

This morning while I was working in the Old Portsmouth area on my first shift, it was an overcast start to the day and while checking the sky overhead, I noticed a total of at least a dozen Swifts flying in one large swirling flock, which is always good to see. I've been meaning to get a few more Swift boxes put up down my road, but it's finding time to ask people in my street if they are happy to do so on their properties. We shall see. I might try tonight.

Above, a Yellow Belle moth in the New Forest last weekend. Photo by Emma Parkes. Below, a Green Hairstreak butterfly, which was also in the New Forest. Photo by Andy Dickety. 

Also while working, I noticed a few birds flitting around the area that included at least two Robins, Blackbird, a male Pied Wagtail on the Bowling Green and a pair of Blue Tits searching for insects around the houses. However, a small moth caught my attention and fortunately for me, it landed on a plant close to where I stood. I thought it was a Light Brown Apple Moth at first, but it seemed a bit darker and had a different pattern on its upperparts. It turned out to be my first Carnation Tortrix of the year, of which I was very pleased about. I even checked it with my App, Obsidentify, but they do make mistakes with Tortrix moths and so I double-checked on Hants Moths which confirmed the ID.

Above, a Yellow Shell moth from the New Forest yesterday. Photo by Andy Dickety. Below, a Batman Hoverfly, which unfortunately, had passed away, was found on my kitchen floor this morning. 

Some nice insect photos on the Lazee Birders Whatsapp site and so I wanted to put a few on there today. Birding pal, Andy Fisher, claimed another two species for his Hampshire list yesterday when he visited Farlington Marshes and saw both Lesser Whitethroat and a Little Tern. He even sent me some film footage from his mobile phone of a female Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly in the Bushes area. Today, both Temminck's Stint and a drake Garganey were reported early in the morning on Pennington Marshes.  

A cracking photo of a Little Tern at Pennington Marshes recently. Photo by Andy Tew.