Common Blue butterflies on the wing in the Cemy.

Monday 17th July 2023.

Though a large dark cloud passed to the north, it was a bright, sunny afternoon with a breezy westerly.

There was no birding for me over the weekend as it was my wife's Birthday yesterday and thankfully, all my planning and decoration for her Party went according to plan. While everyone was sitting outside in our garden, birding pal Andy Fisher and myself, spotted a Hummingbird Hawk-moth whizzing through my garden, though it didn't hang around long and disappeared over into the next door's garden. That was arguably the best wildlife sighting I had all weekend.

Above, Common Field Grasshoppers were calling their one note sound throughout the Cemy. Below, Swifts flew over every now and then with the Gulls.

Apparently, there was a ‘sea-watch’ off Milford Shelter on Saturday morning and all ‘Lazee Birders’ were welcome, but I had other arrangements I’m afraid. However, the best they could notch up in those 50mph westerly winds was a couple of Arctic Skua going through, so I really didn't miss too much, despite a Storm Petrel being seen going past Hengistbury Head. Birding pal Geoff Farwell went to Oxenbourne Down in the afternoon. Birds seen included a pair of Buzzards, Raven, several Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. Butterflies seen included 2 Brown Argus, Small Copper and 12 other species.

Above, Red Admiral butterflies were easily the most numerous butterflies within the Cemy this afternoon. I saw several in pairs or threes chasing one another around the Buddleia bushes. Below, the heavy dark cloud passed peacefully to the north of the Cemy. The yellow grass in the foreground is the result of weedkillers put out by the Council workers.

This morning, my first shift down at Old Portsmouth produced a few sightings that included several Swifts, at least 6 Mediterranean Gulls and a pair of Goldfinches. On the insect front, a Hornet-mimic Hoverfly passed me by and settled on the brickwork on the front of a house. However, it flew off before I could get a photo of it. Buff-tailed Bumblebees were abundant on the nearby Lavender plants and a few Marmalade Hoverflies took a liking to the big plant behind me. Then a large dark cloud came in from the blustery west and a good soaking was had! Oh joy!

Above, Drone Flies were just as abundant among the many Hoverflies seen today and below, at least three Peacock butterflies were counted.

The weather was looking good after my second shift and so I grabbed my camera once I was back home and took a walk to Highland Road Cemetery. As I was walking down my road, my first Southern Hawker dragonfly of the year flew past me and south down the road. I thought it had settled somewhere, but there was no sign of the insect, sadly.

Above, Mediterranean Gulls streamed overhead with other Gull species. Below, this juvenile House Sparrow was joined by another searching for food among the graves.

Though again it was relatively quiet within the Cemetery, there was a fairly large Gull movement overhead and involved good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls along with Herring, Great Black-backed and many Black-headed Gulls. The latter species had a lot of calling youngsters following the adults and after the devastation with the Bird Flu that has hit a lot of our local Gulls and Terns, it was good to see some youngsters on the wing. The Green Woodpecker put in a very brief appearance this afternoon as it flew up from the north side of the Cemy among the gravestones and into a nearby tree. This is only the second time I have seen the bird here this year. In total, I had 14 species of birds seen or heard during my hour here:

• Mediterranean Gull
• Black-headed Gull
• Herring Gull
• Great Black-backed Gull
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• House Sparrow
• Starling
• Wren
• Blackbird
• Robin
• Blue Tit
• Goldfinch
• Green Woodpecker

Above, a juvenile Blue Tit busy calling to its parent nearby and below, another Swift zooming over the trees.

Once again, the butterflies came out in force; enjoying the many flowering Buddleia plants on offer that attracted not just the butterflies, but also the Hornet-mimic Hoverflies, Buff-tailed Bumblebees and a variety of Hoverflies including Drone Flies, Marmalade Hoverflies and the very small Thick-legged Hoverfly (Syritta pipiens). On the butterfly front, I was chuffed to see my first Common Blue’s on the wing and came across a pair of them together by one of the graves in the centre of the Cemetery (see photos). Eight species of butterflies were recorded today and included the following: 

• Red Admiral
• Painted Lady
• Meadow Brown
• Peacock
• Holly Blue
• Large White
• Small White

Above, a male Common Blue butterfly and below, the nearby female Common Blue. 

All the usual plants were present today that included Field Poppy, Lady Bedstraw, Ox-eye Daisy, Field Bindweed, Birds-foot Trefoil and Yarrow; all of which were quite abundant throughout the Cemetery. To conclude, it is always exciting to see so many Butterflies on the wing and who knows, we just might get something special to turn up on the Buddleia Bushes. Bird news today included a Little Gull and two Common Sandpipers on Titchfield Haven this morning and a Whinchat (returning bird?) at Lower Test Marshes.

Above, just the one Painted Lady butterfly seen today. Below, you guessed it, another Swift overhead!

Above, one of several Hornet-mimic Hoverflies and below, a Meadow Brown on the Brambles.

This Cuckoo was being fed by its foster parent, a Meadow Pipit and will soon be on its way back to Africa in a few weeks. Photo taken in the New Forest by Pete Appleton.