Another three more moths added to year total.

Wednesday 4th June 2025.

Such a beautiful moth. This Light Emerald was my first of the year.

A much better day today with the weather after yesterday's showery day, with a brisk south-westerly making it much colder than forecast. People I was meeting this morning were commenting on how cold it was as they walked in t-shirts and shorts! The Moth Box was on again last night and produced another low number of moths, but three more species were added to my year list. Pembroke Road was fairly quiet on my first shift for birds, so I hope it will pick up this afternoon.

The Moth Box:

My first Riband Wave for the year. This is a very common moth that I get in large numbers in the summer.

I was up at 5.30am this morning and very bleary-eyed, I went about checking both the outside and inside the Moth Box for anything new. Three more species were added to my year list that included a Green Pug, Riband Wave and a Light Emerald; all three species are regular visitors to my garden at this time of year. Just 26 moths were recorded of 20 species this morning, whereas this time last year, there were 43 moths of 23 species, which I suppose is about average for this time of year. There is talk of a big heatwave on the horizon for the UK and that will most certainly bring the moths into treble figures! My macro moth total for the year has broken the 100+ barrier with 103 species seen so far.

Another moth that was new for the year, a Green Pug.

Other notable moths this morning included my 3rd Large Yellow Underwing & Dark Arches of the year and my second Barred Marble (Celypha striana) of the year. 

The moths present this morning included the following:

Macro moths:

• Large Yellow Underwing x1
• Lime-speck Pug x1
• Bright-line Brown-eye x3
• Heart & Dart x1
• Pale Mottled Willow x1
• Dark Arches x1
• Vine’s Rustic x1
• White Ermine x2
• Green Pug x1
• Riband Wave x1
• Light Emerald x1
• Marbled Minor agg. X2
• Brimstone Moth x1
• Willow Beauty x1
• Double-striped Pug x1

Micro moths:

• Bronze Alder Moth x2
• Barred Marble x1
• Beautiful Plume x1
• Common Plume x2

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Just 12 bird species were seen here in Pembroke Road with the highlight probably going to the two sightings of the same Jay making its way into the trees between Governor’s Green and the Bowling Club and then seen flying west along Pembroke Road shortly afterwards. It was still a bit blowy early this morning and cold at times whereas it was much brighter and warmer in the afternoon as the wind abated. Four Pied Wagtails were on the Bowling Green this morning, the most I have seen there since the Winter.

It was fairly quiet in Hampshire today with the best sighting probably the Osprey seen flying over Lower Test Marshes. It looks like I am not going to see a Spring Osprey this year unless one turns up out of the blue; so I shall look forward to seeing them in the Autumn. National news, a Western Sandpiper is frequenting a place called Maidens in Ayrshire and the 1st winter Eyed-browed Thrush is still on the island of Yell, in the Shetlands.