Oystercatcher over my house this morning.

Friday 11th October 2024.

Walking the dogs this morning, I took a photo of Highland Road Cemetery at dawn.

I missed the Northern Lights showing over the UK last night and someone told me they could even see it well from Butser Hill. But good old Southsea was overcast last night and from my garden, there was no chance. An Oystercatcher, today, was a surprise sighting as I was walking up my road here in Southsea. The bird flew high heading eastbound over the houses, though I never heard it call once. This was a good ‘garden tick’ and totally unexpected. Today’s sightings took in both Pembroke Road in Old Portsmouth and my back garden.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

I recorded a total of 15 bird species today; in fact, this morning during my first shift here. It was a bit colder than late, with a cool southerly breeze blowing, but at least it was dry. Among the species, a female Sparrowhawk spooked all the local Wood Pigeons that scattered from the trees opposite and those on Governors Green. In fact, I have been noticing all week the amount of Wood Pigeons on the grass along Duisburg Way with numbers here around 100+. For an ‘Amber’ listed bird, it is surprising how many are in this area of Portsmouth. Other notable birds recorded this morning included a calling Chiffchaff and a Jay. A total of 7 Pied Wagtails were on the Bowling Green this morning. The Large White butterfly caterpillars were now abundant on the Nasturtiums and a few Buff-tailed Bumblebees were enjoying the flowers by the roadside.

The Red Admiral butterfly enjoys the Ivy in my garden.

My back garden, Southsea:

The sun was shining when I got back home around lunchtime and I had to check the Ivy growing in my garden for anything of note. As expected, there was a large number of insects benefiting from the flowering Ivy that included both Drone Flies along with Ivy Bee’s, Common Wasps and many House Flies. Even a Red Admiral butterfly came in to feed and showed well. The birdlife here included a Chiffchaff calling in gardens nearby and overhead, a few Meadow Pipits went by.

Above, one of several Batman Hoverflies in my garden. Below, a few Ivy Bees were present too.

Above, outnumbering all other insects, Drone Flies were abundant in the sunshine.

Another photo of the Red Admiral butterfly

In Hampshire today, a male Hen-harrier flew over Farlington Marshes late this afternoon and earlier, a Pallid / Hen-harrier flew north over Lee-on-Solent; seen earlier flying in over the Solent. A claim of a Brown Booby over Titchfield Haven was soon dismissed as a juvenile Gannet; though there was a Brown Booby seen in East Sussex a few days back. Interesting? Titchfield Haven, however, hosted a Death’s-head Hawk-moth; though I believe it was hatched from a Caterpillar from someone who found the caterpillar on the reserve. A Tree Sparrow was seen again at Barton on sea Golf course again with passerines.

Pearly Underwing now on my Moth year list.

Thursday 10th October 2024.

My first Pearly Underwing moth of the year. This is a common immigrant moth and good to get one in the Moth Box at last.

Another wet morning did not feel me with a lot of enthusiasm, but after taking the dogs for their early morning walk, I took a quick look on the outside of my Moth Box which I had put on last night. The outside egg boxes were damp again due to the rain and water collecting under the Moth Box, but they did hold a few moths. In fact, a few good moths were present, despite the poor weather. The wind was blowing from the north, but it wasn't too cold and the persistent drizzle put paid for me checking the Moth Box early.

The Moth Box:

One of four Jasmine Moths this morning. This was the highest ever count of this species in my garden.

A quick check of the Moth Box, despite the drizzle, revealed up to three Jasmine Moths and a few Light Brown Apple Moths. But it wasn't till I got back from my first shift at Pembroke Road, when I had a good look in the Moth Box. As well as the three Jasmine Moths found this morning, a fourth individual was found within the Moth Box. There were not that many moths, but I did find my first Pearly Underwing of the year. These are annual in my Moth Box and a fairly common immigrant moth to the UK, though predominantly found near the coast. Just 24 moths of 10 species recorded today.

Just the one Feathered Ranunculus moth this morning alongside a Hoverfly.

The Moths present this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS:

• Angle Shades x2
• L-album Wainscot
• Feathered Ranunculus
• Pearly Underwing (New for Year)
• Large Yellow Underwing

MACRO MOTHS:

• Light Brown Apple Moth x9
• Rusty-dot Pearl x2
• Jasmine Moth x4
• Ruddy Streak x2
• Beautiful Plume

 

One of two Angle Shades moth.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

The rain, though light, was persistent throughout my first shift and only 11 species of birds were noted. A Grey Heron flying low over westbound was probably the best sighting this morning. One of the Jays was seen a couple of times going back and forth to the Holm Oaks for an acorn or two. There was just the one Yellow-browed Warbler seen this morning, which was at the bottom end of Seafarers Walk, Hayling Island. 

Horrible weather, but two good moths.

Tuesday 8th October 2024.

I found these Large White butterfly caterpillars munching on Nasturtiam leaves in Pembroke Road yesterday and were still present today despite the heavy rain.

Heavy rain showers persisted overnight and into the morning and of course, I got a good soaking while walking the dogs at 7am this morning. I even put the Moth Box on overnight and I didn't bother looking at the contents till I got home from my first shift in Pembroke Road. It is always strange that when there is a good heavy downpour, the unusual moths turn up and this morning was no exception.

The Moth Box:

My first Black Rustic moth of the year.

Though the moths were very low in numbers, I had two excellent moths that were new for the year that included Delicate (two of) and a Black Rustic; both typical Autumn moths and a long time coming too. A Rush Veneer was perched on the white sheet behind (another was seen on the outside of my house last Sunday) and a total of at least 8 Light Brown Apple Moths of various guises also in the Moth Box. 

The Delicate moth was joined by a second individual.

The moths present this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS:

•  Delicate 2  (New for Year)
• Black Rustic
• Lesser Yellow Underwing

MICRO MOTHS:

• Rush Veneer
• Rusty-dot Pearl
• Light Brown Apple Moth 8

Both the Delicate moths together.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Though this photo was taken yesterday, there were more Rainbows and heavy showers for today!

Though I never expected to get many species here this morning in this awful weather, the Jay was flying over now and then, grabbing acorns from the nearby Holm Oak trees and then flying back west over the houses. A few Pied Wagtails were on Governors Green, but apart from the usual birds, all was pretty quiet.

Yellow-browed Warbler at Sandy Point. Photo by Pete Appleton.

Up to THREE Yellow-browed Warblers were present yesterday on Sandy Point, but only two were heard this morning at the same place.

Will I ever make a good 'togger'?

Sunday 6th October 2024.

Though an early start for a walk around the Cemy, the weather was none too kind as the dogs and I made our way around in gloomy conditions.

The dogs never got their walk yesterday and so I took them for an early morning walk around Highland Road Cemetery this morning. The weather was looking a bit dodgy today with thunderstorms predicted for the south but as I arrived at the Cemetery at 8am, there was a lot of dark cloud overhead and a breezy southerly wind blowing over the site. For photographing birds, it turned out to be a bit of a challenge as it was quite dark and when I found a pair of close Firecrests by the footpath near the Holm Oak Clump; virtually all the photos I took came out dreadful. I believe I had the wrong ISO setting on my camera for it was too low and therefore the photos came out poor.

How about this for a crappy photo? But at least you can see it is a Firecrest.....just!!

Nevertheless, the Firecrests gave good views through my new binoculars as did a couple of Jays and a female Sparrowhawk that showed well in a tree, albeit briefly, before flying off. A few Chiffchaffs were recorded with one showing briefly on the southern end of the Cemy and another heard further north. One of the Jays showed very well, but getting a decent photo was not easy as the bird was constantly on the move. The Green Woodpecker put in a brief appearance too, first heard ‘yaffling’ and then seen flying across the Cemy only to disappear into the trees. 

At least these Jay photos didn't come out too bad, though it was out in the open while planting acorns.

I recorded a total of 17 species here this morning that included a few Meadow Pipits flying over and a small flock of 3 Pied Wagtails heading east. Both Great and Blue Tit were heard. House Sparrows, a species that seemed to be getting scarcer here in Southsea, are getting harder to find. I have not heard or seen one in my garden for some time now and so hearing one calling deep within one of the Bramble bushes in the Cemy this morning was noteworthy to say the least.

A few Blackbirds were noted in the Cemy today.

Today, in Hampshire, both the Yellow-browed Warblers were present in the same areas as yesterday at Sandy Point and another was found today at Hook-with-Warsash. Three Glossy Ibis were on the Bridge Street Floods again. I was too busy today with my family, taking our Isabelle to the Bowling Alley at Gunwharf, Portsmouth with three of her classmates after the walk with my dogs. A wonderful time.