Blackcap briefly in the Cemetery this morning.

Thursday 4th April 2024.

More damn rain hammering down in the Cemetery this morning!

I had the Moth box on overnight and to be honest, after waking up a few times in the night, I could hear the rain falling again and thought that the moth numbers would be very low. But at least there were a few to go through this morning. After breakfast, I took the dogs for a soggy walk around Highland Road Cemetery; but my timing for a dry walk around my local patch was totally off as it ‘bucketed it’ down and if it wasn't for the shelter of one of the larger trees, I would have got a right soaking! Then, of course, as soon as I stepped back indoors, blazing sunshine and a totally blue sky!!!

Above, two Angle Shades moths were present in the moth box and below, up to four Light Brown Apple Moths of various guises were also present this morning.

My Moth Box can sometimes turn up some interesting insects overnight and this morning, this Spring Smoothtail Hoverfly was present on one of the egg trays.

The Moth Box:

The number of moths present in and around the moth box was better than expected with 8 moths of 4 species present, which included the following:

• 2 Angle Shades
• 1 Double-striped Pug
• 1 White-shouldered House Moth
• 4 Light Brown Apple Moth 

OK, nothing new for the year, but it's always good to get some moths here and despite the very wet weather overnight, it wasn’t too bad a haul. I imagine that the Angle Shades were migrant moths from the Continent. I shall have the box on again overnight and hopefully, the weather just might improve a little. One other insect within the box was the Hoverfly, a female Spring Smoothtail (Epistrophe eligans).

Above, an immature Herring Gull was searching for earthworms in the damp grass and below, the beautiful leaves of the Horse Chestnut showing well.

Above, a few Robins were seen this morning although most were heard singing deep within the cover and out of the rain! Below, one of three Black-headed Gulls making their way south high over the Cemy.

Above, I know they are the introduced Spanish variety of Bluebells, but they are a lovely splash of colour. Below, a small flock of Goldfinches braving the rain.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

As mentioned earlier, the weather played its part this morning during my hour here and despite getting a good soaking yet again (getting so fed up with this wet weather!!) I did notch up 18 species of birds here this morning along with a brief sighting of a male Blackcap.  I first heard the Blackcap ‘chacking’ along the footpath we were sheltering from the rain and got a brief glimpse of it flitting about one of the small bushes, but it flew off before I could get a photo of the bird. It was then heard again in another bush, but never revealed itself and never to be seen again. A small group of three Black-headed Gulls flew south (not common here) and a lone Great Black-backed Gull headed west; all while I was sheltering from the rain. Sadly, no other migrant birds could be found and I was getting a bit fed up with the rain and so made my way back home.

Above, the Bloxworth Snout moth by the Cemetery Gates. Below, a female Migrant Hoverfly (Eupeodes corollae). It was reidentified by the experts on the UK Hoverflies Facebook Page. 

As we got near the Cemetery Gates, I found a Bloxworth Snout moth on exactly the same wall I found a Double-striped Pug the last time I was here! I shall be checking this wall more often in the future!  

The birds seen or heard this morning included the following:

• Herring Gull
• Black-headed Gull
• Great Black-backed Gull
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Greenfinch
• Goldfinch
• Great Tit
• Blue Tit
• Blackbird
• Blackcap (male)
• Wren
• Robin
• Starling
• House Sparrow
• Feral Pigeon
• Wood Pigeon
• Collared Dove

Both Matt and Emma Parkes drove back down to Morden Bog in Dorset early this morning and this time, their luck changed for the better. Gorgeous weather greeted them and it didn't take them too long to find the Great Grey Shrike present (see photo) and they even found a Sand Lizard on the heath. Yesterday, they went to Romsey Abbey to photograph the Peregrines there and so I have put on my blog some of her superb photos from their trip there.

Above, the Great Grey Shrike at Morden Bog this morning and below, Matt & Emma discovered a Sand Lizard on the heath too. Photos by Emma Parkes.

Above and below, a Peregrine at Romsey Abbey yesterday. Photos by Emma Parkes.

After successfully seeing the Great Grey Shrike at Morden Bog, Matt & Emma Parkes took the journey back to Arne RSPB Reserve for another attempt for the Forsters Tern at Shipstal Point. This time, they were successful. The Tern is on the right. Plus, they saw the Osprey there too.

The Forsters Tern at Shipstal Point, Arne RSPB Reserve. Photos by Emma Parkes.