Fewer moths this morning.

Tuesday 24th June 2025.

My first Single-dotted Wave moth of the year.

I have not had the Moth Box over the past couple of evenings, but last night, I couldn't resist putting it back on despite the windy and overcast conditions. There was a huge change in the weather today with a blustery south-westerly wind blowing and the threat of rain in the air all morning, though thankfully, it didn't happen during my first shift in Pembroke Road this morning. I was pleased that Emma & Matt Parkes had their Moth Box last night and were rewarded with a bumper crop of moths to examine and also got a few I have not seen yet this year. 

The Moth Boxes:

Oak Knot-horn moth was new for the year.

There was a huge dip in the number of moths in my garden this morning as I got up a bit later than usual to check the Moth Box. Just 33 moths of 17 species were present today, though there were three that were new for the year: the macro moth, Single-dotted Wave and two micro moths, Buff Mompha (Mompha epiloiella) and Oak Knot-horn (Phycita roborella).

The Moths recorded this morning included the following:

Macro moths:

• Single-dotted Wave x1 *
• Dark Arches x5
• L-album Wainscot x1
• Garden Carpet x1
• Riband Wave x5
• Bright-line Brown-eye x3
• Common Pug x2

Micro moths:

• Apple Leaf Miner x1
• Ruddy Dart x3
• Common Plume 1
• Light Brown Apple Moth x1
• Barred Marble x2
• Garden Mompha x1
• Buff Mompha x1 *
• Brown House Moth x3
• Oak Knot-horn x1 *
• Pale-backed Detritus Moth x1

Matt & Emma’s Moth Box:

Black Arches.

As mentioned, Matt and Emma were finally rewarded for their vigilance with a nice haul of moths this morning of which they put it down to putting a better light bulb in the trap. At least 13 moths were present including a couple I have not seen yet this year, Black Arches and Festoon.

The Festoon moth.

 The following moths were present in their trap this morning:

Macro moths:

• Varied Coronet x2
• Mottled Beauty x1
• Black Arches x1
• Festoon x1
• Willow Beauty x1
• Knot-grassx1
• Dark Arches x1
• Heart & Dart x1

Micro moths: 

• Garden Grass-veneer X1
• Bird-cherry Ermine x1
• White-banded Grass-veneer x1

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Blustery windy conditions and overcast this morning on my first shift here which produced just 12 species of birds that were either heard or seen. Four species of Gull were seen again with Mediterranean (just the one), Black-headed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls and only one Pied Wagtail on the Bowling Green. Governor’s Green was fairly quiet too with just a few Starlings on it and a male Blackbird was ‘dicing with death’ by flying in between passing cars a couple of times!

Above and below, Harlequin Ladybirds on the 'Lemon and Lime' Bushes.

Yesterday, just 13 species were seen all day, but it was a butterfly that stole the show with a Marbled White butterfly fluttering over the road on my morning shift! A Red Admiral was also seen as it shot off at light speed across the road.

A Small White butterfly on Lavender in my garden today.

This afternoon was much better after the rain that fell between 10 and 11am this morning. It was bright and sunny during my second shift and although no new bird species were seen, there were several Harlequin Ladybirds on the 'Lemon & Lime' bushes which were now in flower. A few Sawflies were on the wing as was a Parasitic Wasp, but none would actually settle long enough for a photo.

The adult Long-tailed Skua off Hill Head this afternoon. Photos by Mark Francis.

Later in the afternoon, a report of an adult Long-tailed Skua was seen flying close off Lepe Beach by one lucky birder who was out for a walk. The bird was then later seen off Hill Head by Mark Francis, also close in offshore and finally seen on the beach off the Solent Breezes area. Sadly, it was flushed off by two idiot 'toggers', much to the anger of those birders rushing to see the bird and it was not seen again. Personally, I have only ever seen one of this species and that was a long, long time ago just south of Hayling Oysterbeds.

The big release at the Cowplain Marsh Pond.

After my second shift, I made my way to Maidenhead Aquatics to purchase some fish for my chum Andy Fisher. He has done a superb job with rebuilding his garden pond and so I thought I would treat him to some Goldfish and so I drove up to 'Cowplain Marsh' for Andy to release them. While we enjoyed a cup of coffee, there was plenty of nature to look at including at least one 'teneral' Blue-tailed Damselfly and overhead, both Greenfinches and Goldfinches flew over. There is always something to look at within 'Cowplain Marsh' including a brief sighting of a Comma butterfly.

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