My first Redwings of the season.

Monday 9th October 2023.

A selection of the moth seen this morning in and around my moth box.

Not only was the quality of the moths present this morning very good, but there was a lot of ‘Visible Migration’ overhead which included my first Redwings of the Autumn. It was slightly overcast this morning and fairly mild, but after hearing that a mass invasion of Redwing had hit the east coast yesterday and overnight, they finally arrived on the south coast. Throughout this morning, there were reports of Ring Ouzels among them too and a few Hampshire birds were noted, including one down the Canal Path, at Titchfield Haven.

A Bloxworth Snout moth seen last night by the moth box.

As mentioned, there was a nice variety of moths this morning and although there were none new for the year, it was good to see some nice species for my month total. A Bloxworth Snout was near the moth box last night, but no sign of it this morning. Migrant moths this morning included another Delicate, Silver Y, Turnip Moth and Angle Shades and a large proportion of my total this morning were made up of Light Brown Apple Moths again including one very odd looking one which looks like a Garden Rose Tortrix.

Above, a Meal Moth and below, one of three Angle Shades this morning.

The following moths were present this morning:

• 1 Bloxworth Snout
• 4 Garden Carpet
• 5 Lesser Yellow Underwing
• 3 Feathered Ranunculus
• 1 Black Rustic
• 2 L-album Wainscot
• 1 Delicate
• 3 Silver Y
• 1 Turnip Moth
• 3 Angle Shades
• 1 Meal Moth
• 26 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 4 Ruddy Streak
• 2 Common Plume
• 1 Brown House Moth
• 1 Box Tree Moth
• 1 White-shouldered House Moth
• 1 Garden Rose Tortrix

Visible migration overhead was most evident this morning as my first Redwings flew high overhead with their familiar diagnostic calls. The birds headed west and about ten minutes later, another Redwing was heard and then seen flying south. Meadow Pipits were flying over in numbers and a few ‘alba’ Wagtails also passed over. A Chiffchaff was heard calling in nearby gardens to round off an interesting morning in my garden.

Above, a probable Garden Rose Tortrix and below, a Turnip Moth.

On my first shift this morning, the ‘Vis Mig’ continued and between noisy cars going past in Pembroke Road, the following birds were seen and heard to fly over: a flock of 10 Redwing, Grey Wagtail, 2 Song Thrush, 4 Siskin, Linnet, Meadow Pipit and a Chaffinch flock. An odd ‘Blackbird’ like thrush flew high over and could quite possibly have been a Ring Ouzel, but I could not hear it call because of the noise of the passing traffic.  At least two Chiffchaffs were either heard or seen flitting about the trees opposite.

Above, the male Sparrowhawk flying over the Cemetery heading north. Below, just to emphasise the numbers of Red Admirals around, a lot of gravestones had these butterflies sunning themselves on them.

After my second shift, I took my dogs for a walk around Highland Road Cemetery, seeing the weather was positively balmy and there was always a chance that a Ring Ouzel could be hiding in there! Sadly, the nearest I got was a couple of Blackbirds, but I did see a nice variety of birds again. It was nice to bump into my old neighbour, Claire, who was walking her dog too and I even bumped into my current neighbours too who were walking their dog.

Above, no Ring Ouzels in the Cemy, but a couple of Blackbirds including this immature bird. Below, a Blue Tit showing well near the Mausoleum.

While chatting to them, I pointed out a male Sparrowhawk flying over the Cemetery and also a calling Jay; but it was the many Red Admiral butterflies that we had a long conversation about as simply loads of them were on the move; either flying over the Cemetery or on the flowering Ivy plants. I have been watching these butterflies all day fluttering past over Southsea and have been documented a lot via social media.

After hearing them earlier on my walk with the dogs, I found one of the Jays up in the trees by the Mausoleum.

Sadly, there was no more visible migration going on overhead throughout my hour there, but a few Chiffchaffs were noted and at least 16 species were recorded during my time there. Hampshire had a big movement of Redwing today, with some reports of four figure numbers recorded. After a couple of Ring Ouzels were found and photographed by Mark Francis this morning at the Canal Path by Titchfield Haven, another fellow ‘Lazee’, Ollie Crabbe, had a flyover Ring Ouzel on Portsdown Hill. We had our sightings last year at Butser Hill, so I was surprised that no-one tried there today.   

This male Ring Ouzel was seen and photographed by Mark Francis this morning on the Canal Path, Titchfield Haven.