A few surprises within the Cemy this morning.

Friday 12th April 2024.

The Horse Chestnut trees are now full of leaves and I wonder how much wildlife they might hold within them?

It was back over to Highland Road Cemetery again this morning and the weather was decidedly quite warm. It is supposed to get up to 20 degrees today and with light winds and bright sunshine, I wouldn't be surprised if it got even warmer. The Council were out again in the Cemetery, doing a spot of ‘Strimming’ around the graves in the southern half of the Cemetery and even stopped briefly to give my dogs a good rub! I had the moth box on overnight as the nights are getting milder, so I was hoping for a few more moths than yesterday.

This Brimstone Moth was only one of two moths this morning by my moth box.

The Moth Box:

Despite a very mild night, there were only two moths this morning. My first Brimstone Moth in my garden for the year was present behind the moth box (saw a few in Andy’s house last weekend) and a Light Brown Apple Moth was perched on one of the metal struts. I had to quickly get rid of a spider building his web on my box last night!

Above, this Nursery Spider was my first for the year; found by the entrance gate. Below, a Starling in full song on his territory on the roof of a house in the southern half of the Cemetery.

Above, a pair of Blackbirds searching for food on the recently mown grass and below, the first 'Spikes' I have seen this year growing on one of the Horse Chestnut trees.

Above, a Buff-tailed Bumblebee and below, a Yellow-legged Mining Bee.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

There were a few surprises this morning within the Cemetery and though the noise of the Council ‘Strimmers’ was rather loud, it didn't seem to deter the bird life here in the bright warm sunshine. A Grey Heron was a surprise, though when you hear the alarm call of the local Herring Gulls, it normally means that a large raptor is around and so when I saw the Grey Heron flying low over the nearby St. Margarets Church and adjacent rooftops, I wasn't quite quick enough to grab a decent photo of the Heron as it flew off northbound, hotly pursued by several angry Gulls. There is a regular Grey Heron terrorising the local Goldfish Ponds up where my father lives in Lovedean! A Willow Warbler was seen flitting about low in a bush, but I just could not get any clear photos of the bird as it soon flew off only to be re-found searching for insects in the Oak Tree in the north-east corner of the Cemy. The bird even sang briefly several times; the first time I have heard one singing this year. Beautiful. Linnets are on the move now and I wasn't surprised that one flew over heading west. Finally, on the bird scene here, I watched a pair of Blackbirds copulating on a gravestone. I loved the way the female bird enticed the male by fluffing up her back feathers and lowering her head. Good girl!!!

Above, a Chocolate Mining Bee and below, Ivy-leaved Speedwell growing by one of the graves.

Above, a pair of Collared Doves and below, one of several Robins seen this morning.

Above, this Willow Warbler was found over on the east side of the Cemy and below, my first Speckled Wood butterfly of the year. 

On the insect scene, I finally got to see a butterfly in the Cemetery this morning. Over on the east side, while watching the Willow Warbler, a small dark butterfly flew past and I quickly picked it up and as it settled on the ground, it turned out to be my first Speckled Wood of the year. There were quite a few Bees flying around including a fine Buff-tailed Bumblebee, a Chocolate Mining Bee and my first Yellow-legged Mining Bee of the year. The stonework by the entrance gate held yet another moth! This time, it was a Common Plume moth; though a common species, I do not often find them in the Cemy, so I was pleased with that. As I entered the Cemetery, I had a quick check on the same stonework and nearby, I found my first Nursery Spider of the year. The usual plants were all seen and it was nice to see the first ‘flowering Spikes’ on the Horse Chestnut trees that are now fully in leaf. I also found my first Ivy-leaved Speedwell of the year growing by a grave.   

Above, the female Blackbird shortly after her exploits with her male companion and below, a Wren in full song by the footpath.

Above, the same Wren having a break from all that singing and below, you can just make out the Grey Heron flying off north and being chased by Gulls.

Above, the Common Plume moth by the Cemetery Gates and below, a clump of Bulbous Buttercups.

The birds seen or heard within the Cemetery this morning included the following:

• Herring Gull
• Great Black-backed Gull
• Black-headed Gull
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• House Sparrow
• Starling
• Robin
• Wren
• Linnet
• Goldfinch
• Blackbird
• Grey Heron (1)
• Willow Warbler (1)
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Blue Tit
• Great Tit 

Above, a pair of Blue Tits came down briefly to feed on my Sunflower Hearts in the back of my garden.

Above and below, the Batman Hoverfly.

Above, a Migrant Hoverfly and below the Queen Common Wasp.

Above, the Hoverfly, Early Epistrophe.

My Garden:

This afternoon, seeing it was quite warm and sunny outside, I spent my lunch taking a few photos of the insects and birds within my back garden. There was a good array of insects on the wing including a Holly Blue butterfly briefly, but it was the Hoverflies and Bees that caught my attention. Batman Hoverflies (Myathropa florea) were in good numbers along with Migrant Hoverfly (Eupeodes corollae) and a supporting cast of both male and female Hairy-footed Flower Bee and Early Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans). Even a Queen Common Wasp popped in briefly. A female Sparrowhawk was soaring overhead, but too quick for me to grab a photo as it went into a dive over nearby gardens.