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.

Cabbage Moth was new for the year.

Tuesday 21st May 2024

My first Cabbage Moth of the year. The moth was just starting to vibrate its wings when this photo was taken and eventually flew off strongly.

A much cooler day with a slight northerly wind keeping temperatures down below 20 degrees. There is the possibility of heavy showers later today as well, with thunderstorms further north in the UK. The Moth Box was on overnight and so I was up around 5.30am checking out if there was anything new for the year among a small haul of moths present. Old Portsmouth hosted a good number of Swifts on my first shift early this morning too.

The Moth Box:

A total of 21 moths of 13 species were present early this morning of which the Cabbage Moth was the first one of this species for the year. However, it had got caught on some spider's web and so I carefully released it and eventually, it flew off strongly. All the usual species were present this morning including up to 5 Willow Beauties.

• Cabbage Moth (New for Year)
• Brimstone Moth 3
• Pale Mottled Willow
• Willow Beauty 5
• Common Pug 
• Freyer’s Pug 
• Lime-speck Pug
• Shuttle-shaped Dart
• Bright-line Brown-eye 3
• Light Brown Apple Moth
• Ruddy Streak
• Narrow-winged Grey
• White-shouldered House Moth

Freyers Pug. Currently, a regular moth in my garden.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Up to a dozen Swifts were circling and screaming high over Pembroke Road when I arrived at 8am this morning (I counted about 18 birds high over my house later in the morning), which is always a pleasing sight. Again, nothing out of the ordinary in Pembroke Road this morning, but nice to watch all the young Starlings following their respective parents over the rooftops and also on Governor’s Green. Three species of Gull were seen here this morning, which included Black-headed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gull.

Above, a secretive Fox. Photo by Emma Parkes and below, a female Banded Demoiselle damselfly. Photo by Matt Parkes.

Later this morning, while driving up to the Dentists in Waterlooville there was a sighting of a Kestrel hovering some 50 feet up over in a field opposite the London Road. A Turtle Dove was seen by a fellow ‘Lazee Birder’ on Martin Down this morning and over the past weekend, a female type Montegue’s Harrier was seen by a few ‘Lazee’s’ over near Pig Bush and then onto the heath by Shatterford.

The Turtle Dove at Martin Down today. Photo by Andy Tew. Below, young Avocets. Photo by Rob Porter.

Little Owl at South Boarhunt.

Monday 20th May 2024.

The Little Owl finally came out of hiding and showed well in the farm.

Tonight, being such a clear and still evening, I thought I would take a trip to Manor Farm at South Boarhunt for the Little Owl and after ‘dipping’ on the bird earlier in the year and birding pal Andy Fisher catching up with the bird last week,it was time for me to try my luck again. Yes, the weather was good and so leaving my house at around 8pm, I arrived around 8.30pm within the car park by St. Nicholas Church overlooking Manor Farm and then played the waiting game for the next 30 minutes.

Above, one of a pair of Red-legged Partridges that showed well during the time I was there and below, a view of the countryside adjacent to Manor Farm.

In that time, a pair of Red-legged Partridges entertained as they explored the farm and the neighbouring area and made all sorts of noises. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over as did a male Kestrel low over my head and within the farm, a pair of Stock Doves were seen flying in and out of a tall Conifer. A Yellowhammer was heard singing somewhere in the distance and even a Tawny Owl called a couple of times from the trees somewhere behind me. Sadly, a no show from this bird.

Above, this Mayfly was my first for the year, but I did not expect one to be here. Below, another photo of the Little Owl within the farm.

As the light faded, I eventually saw the Little Owl fly across and land in a small tree and after five minutes or so, it flew across and landed on a shed roof and remained there for the next 15 minutes. I watched the bird checking out the area, spinning its head left and right to check out anything that might look like a nice meal. Patience paid off and a fine bird to climb aboard my year list. A Mayfly was buzzing around my car and settled a couple of times on the windscreen while I was waiting for the Owl.