Poor sea-watch though better with the moths.

Friday 5th May 2023.

Brimstone Moth. One of two this morning.

I knew there was going to be some overnight rain last night, but I took a gamble instead and was rewarded with a small selection of moths again this morning. My first two Brimstone Moths to the garden were right by the box early this morning along with an Early Grey and at least two Double-striped Pugs. Oddly, there was hardly anything in the box except a few micro moths that included both Light Brown Apple Moth and Tachystola acroxantha. Yesterday’s Angle Shades moth was still present in exactly the same place as yesterday near the moth box. There was a smart looking Ichneumon Wasp species in the moth box, which looks good for a Short-tailed Ichneumon Wasp, however, they are extremely difficult to tell apart even with photos. The morning moth total included the following:

• 1 Early Grey
• 2 Brimstone moth
• 1 Angle Shades
• 2 Double-striped Pug
• 7 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 3 Tachystola acroxantha

Above, one of two Double-striped Pugs and below, the micro moth, Tachystola acroxantha.

A light phase Pomarine Skua went past Gilkicker watch point just after 8am this morning and up to four also went past Selsey Bill and a Serin flew in at the same site, which motivated me to do another ‘sea-watch’ from my Southsea shelter overlooking the Solent at around 9am. It was virtually a near waste of time. Despite favourable conditions, the best I could muster were around 7 Sandwich Terns, one adult Shag and a couple of Oystercatchers! Whoopee doo! That is the gamble of ‘sea-watching’. You have to take the good with the bad and today was poor. If you are into Gulls in a big way, then you were in your element as there were plenty of those out there including a large raft of them near Horse Sands Fort. At least 200+ Gulls must have found a ‘Sprat movement’ going through, though I could not see anything other than Gulls out there.

A probable Short-tailed Ichneumon Wasp in my moth box today.

Fellow ‘Lazee’, Gary Fennemore, found three Wood Sandpipers on a flooded field at Pennington Marshes along with a Curlew Sandpiper that was going into summer plumage. A superb find. As I write this update on my blog just before midday, an Osprey was reported catching a fish at Fishlake Meadows and then hurried off north.