Moth box on overnight.

Monday 29th January 2024.

A very foggy start to the day in Old Portsmouth with the Garrison Church looking something out of horror movie? There were actually 38 Brent Geese in this field too!

A very foggy start to the morning here in Southsea and the foghorns were at full blast too, especially when I was on my first shift in Old Portsmouth this morning! However, I could see a good gathering of Brent Geese on Governor’s Green and a count of 38 birds was easily my best of the season so far. There were also at least 20 Herring Gulls (and a few Black-headed Gulls among them) and 30+ Wood Pigeons on the same field. A total of just 13 species were recorded this morning, though the foggy weather played a big part in that number I think.

Above, a Light Brown Apple Moth and below, a Beautiful Plume.

I had my moth box on overnight for the first time this year seeing the overnight temperatures were up to around 9 degrees and I was rewarded with two micro moths; a Beautiful Plume and a Light Brown Apple Moth. Yes, two very common moths, but it's always nice to get your first ones of the year and also to get ANY moth here in January is a big bonus.