Three more moths added to year list.

Thursday 18th May 2023.

My first Turnip Moth of the year.

I had a feeling that there was going to be a good haul of moths this morning after last nights weather conditions looked promising. As I have not had the moth box on for a few evenings due to retrapping the same moths, I was in a bit of a panic this morning, despite getting up earlier than normal (5.30am), for the local House Sparrows were also taking a liking to my moth box also; so how many they gobbled up is anyone’s guess.

Above, Oak-tree Pug and below, one of two Vine's Rustics this morning. Both were also new for the year.

There were at least three new species for my year list this morning (NFY) that included an Oak-tree Pug, Turnip Moth and 2 Vine’s Rustics, plus my second Cabbage Moth (a really fresh individual) and a probable migrant moth, a Turnip Moth which was also present. Micro moths were most certainly abundant overnight with at least 22 Light Brown Apple Moths present. There was also a micro moth that remained unidentifiable that was either a Monopsis leavigella or Monopsis weaverella, but was too worn for a proper identification. Shame, for I do not think I have ever seen the former moth. 

The micro moth Monopsis leavigella or weaverella.

Moths present this morning included the following:

• 3 Garden Carpet
• 1 Turnip Moth (NFY)
• 1 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 1 Oak-tree Pug (NFY)
• 1 Freyer’s Pug
• 3 Double-striped Pug
• 2 Vine’s Rustic (NFY)
• 1 Cabbage Moth
• 1 Pale Mottled Willow
• 1 Silver Y
• 1 Angle Shades
• 1 Eudonia angustea
• 1 Monopsis leavigella / weaverella
• 10 Tachystola acroxantha
• 22 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 3 Bryotropha affinis

My second Cabbage Moth of the year.

Back in the birding world, two drake Garganey were on Pennington Marshes this morning but no sign of any of the Temmincks Stints. There was also another drake Garganey on the South Scrape at Titchfield Haven. Yesterday, Andy Fisher managed to see one of the Spotted Flycatchers at the Paddocks at Northney. Well done that man. This morning, there was a nice flock of 5 Swifts chasing one another over Old Portsmouth that kept me entertained for 5 minutes or so. Sad news arrived today on a serious outbreak of Bird Flu on Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve. The Government body of DEFRA confirmed that 274 dead Black-headed Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 2 Common Terns were collected and taken away for incineration. Terrible news. I just hope the likes of the Gull/Tern colonies at both Langstone Harbour and Hayling Oysterbeds are free from the disease. Tern Island in Pagham Harbour was near empty yesterday as reported on the Birds of the Selsey Peninsula Blog, which is worrying.

My second Freyer's Pug of the year.