Muslin Moth & migrants in the Cemy .

Friday 11th April 2025.

A male Blackcap was a pleasant surprise in the Cemy this morning.

I decided not to go ‘sea-watching’ this morning at Southsea Seafront and made breakfast for my wife instead. OK, that's not just the reason as I took my dogs for an early morning walk around Highland Road Cemetery and it paid off too with some nice birds seen. I had the Moth Box on overnight and was rewarded with very few moths, but judging by the frost in Highland Road Cemetery this morning, I am not surprised if it only just got above freezing!

The Moth Box:

I think this is only the second Muslin Moth I have ever had in my garden.

Last night, I had rescued a Common Quaker moth from a web near my Moth Box, but though it was flapping about within the web, I quickly potted it and removed all the spider web I could find. Sadly, the Moth must have been bitten by the Spider as it was dead this morning when I went to check. On a positive note, I found a Muslin Moth on the white sheet behind the Moth Box. This is a rare moth to my garden as I have only ever had one before here. The only other moths present were a Common Plume and a Light Brown Apple Moth. A Chiffchaff was heard singing in the gardens behind mine while I checked the Moth Box.

Above, I found this Red Mason Bee in my kitchen last night and gently released it back in the garden. Below, the moribund Common Quaker moth.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

A frosty start in the Cemy this morning but the sun was shining and there were migrant birds in the Cemy, What's not to love?

My walk with the dogs was a pleasant one and when I heard the distinctive song of a Willow Warbler singing somewhere near the edge of the Holm Oak clump, I took a bee-line in that direction for a change. Thankfully, the bird did eventually show, but not easily as it remained high up in one of the Holm Oaks and occasionally in the bushes below. While searching for the Warbler, a male Blackcap popped out of the bushes and showed well enough for a few photos. Then a little later, I heard it singing as I carried on walking around the Cemy with the dogs. At least two, possibly three Willow Warblers were heard singing; so there must have been a fall of this species here on the south coast.

Above, another photo of the male Blackcap and below, the back end of a Willow Warbler high up in one of the Holm Oak trees.

Above, Bluebells are always a welcome bit of colour here and below, the Mallard flying over the houses was not only a surprise but also a 'Patch tick'.

Above, a pair of Med Gulls heading north and below, a Black-headed Gull heading westbound over the Cemy.

Above, a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls also flew over the Cemy.

Above and below, I watched this Wren singing in its territory and even displaying  to a nearby female.

Four species of Gull were seen this morning that included Herring, Black-headed, Great Black-backed and Mediterranean Gull, which isn't a bad record here and I even saw my first ever Mallard at this site flying over the Cemy and then carrying on over the houses in a north-easterly direction. A good ‘patch tick’! No Woodpeckers or Jays this morning, but great views of the Wrens singing their little hearts out.