Another new moth for the year.

Thursday 23rd May 2024.

My first Diamond-back Moth of the year. 

There was a bright start to the morning with a clear blue sky, though it was a bit cooler of late, first thing this morning. The moth box was on overnight and again, the moths were in double-figures again, with another new moth for the year. On my first shift this morning, I managed a quick walk to the Curtain Moat, while checking the birdlife and other fauna on the way there and back.

White Ermine moth.

The Moth Box:

There were just 15 moths of 9 species present this morning; this time last year, I had double the moth numbers! Pick of the bunch was my first Diamond-back Moth of the year; a common immigrant moth from the Continent that can vary in numbers here on the south coast. But apart from a couple of Brimstone Moths, it was just single figures for the rest of the species seen.

The moths present this morning included the following:

• White Ermine
• Willow Beauty 6
• Brimstone Moth 2
• Pale Mottled Willow
• Bright-line Brown-eye
• Freyer’s Pug
• Lime-speck Pug
• Diamond-back Moth (New for Year)
• Narrow-winged Grey

Above, this Harlequin Ladybird was one of several I saw this morning along the footpath while walking to Curtain Moat, below.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

I got up to 14 species seen during my time there on my first shift and having arrived earlier than expected, I took a walk with my new binoculars down to Curtain Moat; checking the plants and insects on the way and enjoying a total of 5 Pied Wagtails on the Bowling Green and the cacophony of lots of juvenile Starlings chasing their parents to be fed. The purple Mallow flowers were new in bloom along the footpath and the Beaked Hawksbit was still on show by the Moat Wall. I was saddened to see so much garbage within the moat, that included some kids Crabbing line floating on the water. Mute Swans and Cormorant regularly are on the water here now and then and can easily get tangled up in all that crap! At the western end of the Moat, there was a lot of floating litter accumulated and I just might give the Council a ring to see if they could clear it. They have spent millions of taxpayers money on renovating this area and this is how some of the sick public thank them. 

Above, Valerian was growing abundantly along the footpath wall and below, Mallow plants were now in bloom.

On a positive note, the holes along the walls of the Moat are used for nesting purposes for the local Starlings, House Sparrows and Feral Pigeons here. I scanned the Solent several times but nothing of note going past. While in Pembroke Road, a gorgeous Swallow flew low over the road and shortly afterwards, a pair of Swifts belted past. A Great Tit came down to one of the nearby pot plants in search of insects, which was about 20 feet away from me. While enjoying my Salad lunch at home around 1pm, a soaring raptor was seen very high up, but by the time I had grabbed my binoculars from upstairs, it had simply vanished. I am sure it was a Common Buzzard, judging by its size and the shape of the bird. So now, I have put a pair of binoculars on the window sill and hopefully will not be making a mad dash through the house in finding a pair!!

As always, I like to add some excellant photos from my birding pals and above, this Common Tern was seen flying over Pennington Marshes. Photo by Emma Parkes. Below, the pair of Roseate Terns on Normandy Marshes with a Common Tern in the background. Photo by Graeme Loader.