A good moth catch this morning & a trip to Calshot.

Tuesday 3rd September 2024.

One of two Angle Shades was present this morning.

Though I have not had the Moth Box on for the past few evenings, I tried my luck again last night seeing it was still quite muggy and with a promise of some migrant moths coming through. A check on the Moth Box last night before retiring for bed revealed a few moths, notably an Old Lady and a Box-tree Moth. While chatting to my father on the phone in the back garden, overhead, a couple of probable Pipistrelle Bats were hunting up and down the gardens.

Above, the dark form of Box-tree Moth and below, my first White Ermine moth for a few months.

This morning, there were 81 moths of 28 species and although there were no new moths for the year, at least there were some numbers and a good variety. The weather was mild again and overcast, but it took till 6.30am for it to be light enough to take photos of the moths. The pick of the moths was probably the Blair’s Mocha that was perched on the Moth Box but soon flew off before I could get a decent photo. Lesser Yellow Underwings, a familiar Autumn moth here, were up in numbers and among the micro moths, pick of the bunch was my second Pale-backed Detritus Moth of the year.

The small micro moth Pale-backed Detritus Moth.

The moths recorded this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS:

• White Ermine
• Angle Shades 2
• Lesser Yellow Underwing 8
• Shuttle-shaped Dart
• Lime-speck Pug 4
• Double-striped Pug 2
• Willow Beauty 5
• Silver Y
• Pale Mottled Willow 11
• Garden Carpet 3
• Brimstone Moth
• Square-spot Rustic
• L-album Wainscot 7
• Small Dusty Wave
• Marbled Beauty
• Large Yellow Underwing 3
• Setaceous Hebrew Character
• Blair’s Mocha
• Vine’s Rustic 8

MICRO MOTHS:

• Box-tree Moth 5
• Ruddy Streak
• Apple Leaf Miner 4
• Light Brown Apple Moth
• Dark Moss-moth 2
• Rusty-dot Pearl 3
• White-shouldered House Moth
• Common Plume
• Pale-backed Detritus Moth

I kept an ear out for any migrants flying overhead and although none were seen or heard, further south of my garden, I could hear a Chiffchaff calling repeatedly. Yesterday, sitting outside in my garden drinking a cup of coffee, a large, very tight flock of House Martins flew north, numbering around 70+. I first heard them calling as I looked up into the overcast sky and then noticed the flock slowly heading north. While I was taking the dogs for their early morning walk, a Tree Pipit was heard to fly over, but no sighting. Also, on the birding scene, everyone was rushing down to Calshot Marshes to see a White-winged Black Tern that was found by our best and underrated birders, Amy Robjohns. Well done Amy. Should it linger today (fat chance!!!),I might take a drive down there. 

The White-winged Black Tern (middle) among Common Terns at Calshot Marshes. Photo by Andy Friend.

Calshot Spit, near Fawley, Hampshire

Though I forgot my actual camera, I took this photo from my mobile phone of the Terns that took off from the Spit. 

The White-winged Black Tern was reported early this morning and so, having done my blog regarding the moths, I took the hour long trip to Calshot Spit car park for a bird I have never seen in Hampshire before. I have seen several of this species, though my last was a long time ago. Considering that I left both my camera and binoculars at home (yet again!!!), luckily I had a spare pair in the car and thankfully, I did bring along my telescope. Phew! The weather wasn't too bad either as the weather forecast this morning didn't look that great with the threat of heavy rain showers moving through.

The view from the Calshot car park overlooking the water towards the spit. A telescope was essential to view the bird.

I arrived at the car park around 11.30am, had an argument with the useless ticket machine that didn't work properly and so made my way to join a few birders still present, hopefully looking at the Tern. However, three chaps came up to me and said they had not seen the bird but admitted they really didn't know what the Tern actually looked like. They did say that 5 Black Terns were present, so I was hoping one of them was the bird. They walked off hoping to get a better view by walking to near the end of the spit, while I checked the Terns through my scope. 

One of the Black Terns on the spit. Up to 11 Black Terns were later seen in late in the afternoon. Photo by Andy Tew.

Going through the Terns thoroughly, I picked out at least one Black Tern and one Little Tern among the many Common and Sandwich Terns. A large flock of Oystercatchers and Turnstone were also on the same spit but further back and a Bar-tailed Godwit joined the Terns. Suddenly, all the Terns and Oystercatchers took flight, but after a few minutes, they settled again and I had another go searching through the birds. They all took off again and on resettling down again, the White-winged Black Tern flew in! Huzzah! It settled comfortably with the Terns and I picked out all the necessary identification features of this rare Tern that ticked all the boxes. This was my 307th species seen in Hampshire and my 195th species seen in Hampshire this year.

Above and below, Andy Tew took a drive down to hopefully see the rare Tern and found this albino Starling with other Starlings. I have only ever been to this site once before and that was when Andy Fisher and myself went to see a juvenile Rose-coloured Starling here many years ago! Photos by Andy Tew.

While I was watching this bird, a dark-phased Arctic Skua was off Hayling Oysterbeds hassling the Terns there then later seen off Southmoor. I should have gone there straight afterwards, but I don't like leaving my dogs for too long. 

Above, the dark-phased Arctic Skua off the Hayling Oysterbeds. Filmed by James Cutting.