Moths present in my garden & a Collared Dove over Pembroke Road.

 Monday 13th April 2026.

This Angle Shades Moth was by my Moth Box this morning. This was my second one of this species this year.

It was back to work this morning and Pembroke Road beckoned to do my first shift after the Easter Break. Last night, I put the Moth Box on within my garden and hoped for the best and was pleasantly surprised with a few Moths present. However, the working week didn't start off that well as some idiot's car alarm was going off in the very early hours of the morning. Grrrrr! The weather today looked promising but a few rogue heavy showers were encountered today around midday as temperatures climbed to around 12 degrees with a very light south-westerley wind.

My Moth Box:

My first Pale Mottled Willow of the year.

There were 7 moths of 5 species this morning and among them was my first Pale Mottled Willow of the year and a striking individual it was too. Other ‘macro’ Moths included a Common Quaker, an Angle Shades and two Double-striped Pugs. Two Light Brown Apple Moths were the only ‘micro’ moths recorded today.

A Chequered Hoverfly was also within the Moth Box this morning.

Also within the Moth Box, a Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare) was present, perched on the inside wall of the Moth Box. Overhead, a Linnet and Goldfinch flew over and I also could hear a Mediterranean Gull calling somewhere in the distance.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

A sunny start to the week in Pembroke Road.

Yes, it was back to work here in Old Portsmouth and thankfully, it was pleasant and dry during both my shifts here. A reasonable total of 16 bird species were recorded today and pick of the bunch was actually a Collared Dove! This species is rarely recorded here for one reason or another and it was the first one I have seen here this year. Three species of Gull were seen that included Black-headed Gull (2), Herring Gull and Great Black-backed Gull (2). Sadly, nothing else that exciting today here I'm afraid.

The plants in the garden have grown considerably since I was here two weeks ago.

In Hampshire today:

Though not in Hampshire, this superb Red-spotted Bluethroat was seen in Dorset yesterday. Photo by Emma Parkes.

A good variety of migrant birds recorded throughout Hampshire including Whitethroats, Reed and Garden Warblers, Sand Martins, Tree Pipits, Wheatears, Redstarts and Common Terns to name but a few. A Blue-headed Wagtail was found on Farlington Marshes this morning, but no further sign of yesterday's Bonaparte’s Gull on Fishlake Meadows. 

The Bonaparte's Gull on Fishlake Meadows yesterday. Photo by Andy Tew.