Moths, Bats and Birds.

Friday 14th July 2023.

My first Langmaid's Yellow Underwing of the year.

Last night, around dusk, I was drawn to the sound of calling Swifts that were so high up, they were practically invisible yet I could still hear them calling to one another in probably a tight flock. They are known to actually sleep on the wing and whether they spend all night flying or perch up under a rooftop somewhere, I am not so sure. Maybe the experts can enlighten me? Much closer to home were the Pipistrelle Bats that were hawking for insects just above my head; travelling from garden to garden then back again in impossible turns and angles in search of flying insects. Most entertaining and far, far better watching this than what my wife was watching on telly at the time!!! (Hate soaps!).

Common Footman. I have not had many this year so far.

Looking at the weather forecast over the next few days did not cheer me up whatsoever. Tomorrow is supposed to be both windy and very wet and Saturday is not looking all that great either. The ‘Lazee Birders’ could be organising a sea-watch from the Milford Shelter near Lymington on Saturday, but I have other plans I’m afraid. Though it does look good for pushing some interesting seabirds in. A Manx Shearwater was seen by a local birder off Hill Head earlier this week; a species I have not seen yet in Hampshire! Sadly, it looks as though the Roller on the Isle of Wight has departed (flown off!), leaving behind a few disgruntled birders who would have liked to catch up with this awesome bird. Maybe its in Hampshire somewhere waiting to be discovered? Yesterday, with returning waders making their mark along the south coast, a Pectoral Sandpiper was on Pennington Marshes.

Clancy's Rustic. This uncommon moth has been seen a few times in my garden this year.

This morning, it was grey and overcast, though hardly any wind and best of all dry first thing when I ventured outside into the garden at 5.10am. Rain was forecast at 6am and so I took a gamble and put the moth box on overnight. However, ten minutes into checking the box, the rain came in, but thankfully it was quite light.

Only my second Dark Sword-grass of the year this morning.

There were at least 46 moths of 28 species recorded today of which two were new for the year. One, a Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing (named after a good friend of mine, the late John Langmaid), after careful scrutiny in one of the moth pots; and the other was a micro that would not settle; a Mother-of-Pearl, which promptly flew off when I approached it. Boo! A few other good moths amongst them included a Least Carpet, Common Footman, Clancy’s Rustic and a Red-barred Tortrix.

The following moths were recorded this morning:

• 1 Common Emerald
• 1 Dark Sword-grass
• 2 Brimstone Moth
• 5 Silver Y   
• 2 Riband Wave
• 1 Common Pug
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 1 Heart & Dart
• 1 Least Carpet
• 2 Lime-speck Pug
• 1 Double-striped Pug
• 3 Lackey
• 1 Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing (NFY)
• 1 Common Footman
• 3 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 1 Clancy’s Rustic
• 1 Large Yellow Underwing
• 1 Mother-of-Pearl (NFY)
• 2 Rosy Tabby
• 1 Dingy Dowd
• 2 Yellow Oak Button
• 1 Elder Pearl
• 2 Garden Grass-veneer
• 5 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Golden-brown Tubic
• 1 Ruddy Streak
• 1 Apple Leaf Miner
• 1 Red-barred Tortrix

Above, the view from my Office window! The Royal Garrison Church standing below a leaden sky that was about to start to rain. It was a wet morning while I did my first shift and this afternoon does not look good either. The field is often used by School children during term time, though a few Gulls and Wood Pigeons currently rest there. There could be something interesting there during Autumn?

Matt Parkes kindly sent me this film footage of a Hummingbird Hawk-moth nectaring on Lavender in Alresford, despite the wet weather.