More new moths and a trip around the Cemy.

Friday 7th June 2024.

One of two Swifts seen flying over Highland Road Cemetery.

I honestly thought that setting my alarm for 5am this morning would be ample time to get to my Moth Box before the Sparrows attack my moths; but I was very wrong. I could hear a Sparrow calling outside and when I let the dog out in the garden, at least 6 House Sparrows from around the Moth Box area. The white sheet was empty of moths and there weren't many close to the Moth Box either! So now I have to set my alarm even earlier. Sob!

Above, the Single-dotted Wave and below, the micro moth Barred Marble were both new for the year.

The Moth Box:

Another clear blue sky overhead first thing this morning, but most certainly a chill in the air as I went about trying to find the moths that survived outside the Moth Box. Just 31 moths of 17 species were present today and again, two more species were new for the year that included a fine Single-dotted Wave on one of the windows of which I quickly potted and the micro moth, Barred Marble (Celypha striana); a fairly regular species to my garden annually.

The moth present this morning included the following:

• Brimstone Moth
• Lime-speck Pug 2
• Common Pug
• Pale Mottled Willow 3
• Garden Carpet
• White Ermine 4
• Vine’s Rustic
• L-album Wainscot 2
• Riband Wave
• Bright-line Brown-eye 3
• Heart & Dart 5
• Single-dotted Wave (NEW FOR YEAR)
• Willow Beauty
• Dark Arches 3
• Barred Marble (NFY)
• Ruddy Streak
• Brown House Moth

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

Above, parts of the Cemetery were still overgrown, but for how long? Below, a Collared Dove posed nicely in the morning sunshine.

 

Above, this was the only Robin seen this morning in the Cemy.

Before my walk with the dogs around Highland Road Cemetery, my first shift at Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth, this morning produced just 12 species of birds in all. A lovely start to the morning with bright sunshine with very little wind, but a little chilly in the shadows. A few Swifts flew over and a single Goldfinch also headed west. The Carrion Crow that nested in one of the Holm Oaks by the Bowling Green has two fully fledged juveniles and they showed themselves occasionally. Now that the D-day celebrations are over, the area around Southsea is getting back to normal and all the roads have reopened. 

Above, a Narcissus Bulb Fly nectaring on a Smooth Sow-thistle. Below, a very small species just flew off after nectaring on this Scarlet Pimpernel plant.

Above, Purple Toadflax was growing abundantly around the perimeter of the Cemy.

Just 15 bird species were seen in the Cemetery this morning, which was a little disappointing, but I did see the Green Woodpecker briefly on my walk round. The bird flew up from the grass and flew west over the Cemetery but I failed to find where it actually landed. Unfortunately, I did witness a Carrion Crow take out a juvenile Blackbird, much to the anger of the parent birds that tried to get the Crow to drop the offspring. I know I shouldn't, but I even tried to chase the Crow, but the Crow was having none of it as it flew off with its kill. I later saw it ripping the hapless youngster apart to devour it. Though gruesome, the Carrion Crow probably has young to feed itself and so one has to accept the cruelty of nature now and then.

Above, a Five-spotted Ladybird on Prickly Sow-thistle. Below, an attractive clump of Ox-eye Daisies.

Above, a species of Ichneuman Wasp called Toothed Tiger.

There were plenty of plants on show, but I was very disappointed in the grass being cut again by the Council. However, pockets of long grass, especially by the graves themselves, were left alone (but for how long), which should encourage the insects to be abundant and then plenty of food for the young birds to feed on. Among the plants, Cat’s Ear, Meadow Hawkweed, Purple Toadflax and Scarlet Pimpernel were abundant throughout the Cemetery along with Ox-eye Daisies and Birds-foot Trefoil making it quite a colourful scene despite a lot of the grass being mown (which I find so ugly to look at). Sadly, I expect that some ‘bleeding hearts’ out there like the area to be mown and tidy rather than let nature take its course. Very sad!

Above and below, nature at its most raw. This Carrion Crow had just nabbed a fledgeling Blackbird to quickly devour.

Meadow Hawkweed growing in the Cemetery.

There were some interesting insects found this morning on my walk too with sightings of a Narcissus Bulb Fly, which is a type of Hoverfly which mimics Bees in appearance and also the Ichneumon Wasp called Toothed Tiger (Amblyteles armatorius); a very striking insect indeed. A few Ladybirds were seen and the only butterfly noted was a Speckled Wood, which flew off before I could grab a photo. 

The birds seen in the Cemetery this morning included the following:

• Green Woodpecker
• Herring Gull
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• House Sparrow
• Starling
• Robin
• Wren
• Blue Tit
• Greenfinch
• Goldfinch
• Wood Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Feral Pigeon
• Blackbird

A lovely walk in the Cemetery despite the noise of the Strimmers in the distance, but as always, the ‘grass cutters’ were very polite again. The American Golden Plover was again seen distantly from where we stood yesterday evening, today. Bugger!