A strange day!

Monday 11th September 2023.

One of several Willow Warblers in the Cemetery this morning.

Today most certainly had its ups and downs and although I never had my moth box on overnight, I saw some pretty good moths today while at work. I took my dogs over Highland Road Cemetery again this morning and it was virtually the same as yesterday regarding the sightings, but there was always something to look at as usual in one of my favourite sites. The weather was a bit cooler than yesterday as well, which was a bonus, with a nice breeze blowing across the Cemy too, so a better night's sleep tonight I hope.

Mike Wearing, who sadly passed away today.

Unfortunately, the day got off to a sad start when I found out by Mike Wall, on the Hants Moths Facebook page, that birding/ moth-er friend, Mike Wearing, had passed away overnight. I have known Mike since my teenage days when he worked at Queen Elizabeth Country Park and I will never forget when he let me feed a young Badger cub with milk. Mike was a very keen birder / twitcher and I always bumped into him now and then throughout the year and in his latter years, we shared sightings of our various moths including a superb, my one and only, Spurge Hawk-moth in his garden. Another great memory was trapping moths in both his Allotment and on Butser Hill; but sadly, Mike’s eyesight deteriorated badly and both the birds and then moths became impossible to see. He leaves behind his lovely wife, Coraline. Rest in peace my friend.

This Willow Warbler was searching for food in this Sycamore.

On my first shift this morning, a pair of Meadow Pipits were seen flying over and a Grey Wagtail also did the same, but I did not see the bird. During my time in Pembroke Road, a couple of small micro moths eluded me and flew off, but I was a bit more fortunate with a Lesser Yellow Underwing that showed well on top of a bush by the houses. Later in the afternoon, on my second shift, I could not help noticing a huge moth perched on the apex of the corner house. Easily judging by its size, I knew immediately it was going to be a Clifden Nonpareil (Blue Underwing) and fortunately, I had a pair of binoculars in the back of my car and sure enough, I confirmed my sighting. Just a shame it was roughly 30 feet up and near impossible to get a decent photo.

Above, good numbers of Small White butterflies were present this morning. Even where I was working this morning, there were at least three dancing about by the garden plants. Below, a Tapered Drone Fly on Smooth Sow-thistle.

Above, Garden Spiders and their webs were all over the place in the Cemy and below, my first Ivy Bee of the year with several seen on one particular Ivy bush.

A couple of Batman Hoverflies on the Ivy and below, a Hornet-mimic Hoverfly on the same bush.

Above, a Tapered Drone Fly and below, a record shot of the Grey Wagtail passing overhead.

A few Chiffchaffs were present also this morning.

When I got back from my first shift, I grabbed the dogs and took them over to Highland Road Cemetery. It was a bit more hazy with a nice breeze blowing through this morning and this morning's highlights involved one Grey Wagtail flying high overhead, heading east and a mixture of both Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers in various locations within this site. Again, all the usual birds were present and correct and regarding insects, it was the Ivy Plants that were sporting some unusual numbers of Hoverflies nectaring on them including a single Hornet-mimic Hoverfly, Drone Flies and Tapered Drone Flies. Even a few Ivy Bees were present this morning, which was my first of the year. Butterflies included both Large and Small White and just the one Red Admiral.

• Herring Gull
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Blue Tit
  
• Great Tit
• Goldfinch
• Wren
• Robin
• House Sparrow
• Grey Wagtail
• Chiffchaff
• Willow Warbler
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Blackbird     

On our way out of the Cemetery, my dogs and I bumped into a lovely lady called Tracy, who also was interested in the nature of the Cemetery and told me that she lived nearby and also had a Slow Worm in her garden! It has been years since I have seen a Slow Worm and I most certainly didn't expect to see one in my garden. There have been a few interesting birds on the south coast including a superb showy Aquatic Warbler at Upper Beeding in West Sussex. Fellow ‘Lazee’ John Manley went to ‘twitch’ the bird and got some superb shots (see below).

Video footage of a flock of Starlings going into the roost at the Gosport Ferry Terminal last night. Film footage taken by Sinead Townsend.

The Aquatic Warbler at Upper Beeding today. John Manley took the trip to West Sussex to see this very elusive species and which was a 'lifer' for him. Photos by John Manley.