A good haul of Moths and Swallows on the move.

Wednesday 17th September 2025.

Clancy's Rustic.

I had the Moth Box on overnight and though I knew rain was coming in, I made sure that the outside egg trays were raised and therefore avoided getting a soaking. This actually paid off as not only were the trays dry, but there were plenty of Moths upon them. However, it was still drizzling a little at 6.15am this morning, but not too damp to check out my Moth Box. The forecast today is showery with a breezy south-westerly wind and will remain overcast throughout the day.

My Moth Box:

Above, the Bloxworth Snout and below, one of three Golden Twin-spot moths.

I was quite surprised this morning on how many Moths were here today as I recorded up to 52 moths of 19 species. 12 of these were Large Yellow Underwings, which easily outnumbered any other species. Notable moths this morning included a Clancy’s Rustic, 3 Golden Twin-spots and a Bloxworth Snout and among the micro moths, my first Black-banded Masoner and Tree-mallow Tortrix for September.

This Large Yellow Underwing I had to rescue from a spider web. Below, the Tree-mallow Tortrix.

The Moths recorded this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Large Yellow Underwing x12	Pale-backed Detritus Moth x1
Lesser Yellow Underwing x5	Dark Moss-moth x2
Garden Carpet x1	Ruddy Streak x3
Bloxworth Snout x1	Brown House Moth x1
Golden Twin-spot x3	White-shouldered House Moth x1
Square-spot Rustic x2	Black-banded Masoner x1
L-album Wainscot x6	Tree-mallow Tortrix x1
Clancy’s Rustic x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x3
Double-striped Pug x1	Common Plume x2
Pale Mottled Willow x5	Jasmine Moth x1

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Not the most pleasant of days, with drizzle and a blustery wind blowing down the road, but I did manage to see 10 bird species during my first shift here in Pembroke Road. Two flocks of Swallows were making their way overhead (flocks of 6 and 11 respectively), heading in a south-westerly direction into the wind and my first of the Autumn here at this site. Sadly, very little else of note, but I did hear a Dunnock calling somewhere along the footpath between the Bowling Green and Governor’s Green.

This afternoon, the wet weather had disappeared on my second shift in Pembroke Road, but the wind had increased to near gale force at times. However, I did hear two more bird species with a Blue Tit calling somewhere within the nearby Holm Oaks and a Grey Wagtail somewhere over the rooftops. I had a quick look around my Moth Box this afternoon, for sometimes, a Moth I might of missed this morning and low and behold, I flushed a Jasmine Moth which promptly flew off over to next doors garden.

In Hampshire today:

Easily the best bird in Hampshire seen today was a juvenile Long-tailed Skua off the Milford Shelter, near Lymington. Also seen there were an adult Little Gull and a juvenile Kittiwake. Elsewhere, at Titchfield Haven, there were 2 Ruff, a Curlew Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers. A Black Tern was on Fleet Pond early this afternoon.

Spotted Flycatcher. These birds are also on the move back south. Photo by Pete Appleton.