Several butterflies in my garden today.

 

Wednesday 5^th August 2026.

 

This Red Admiral was very confiding in my garden late this afternoon. Another one flew in and it got up and chased it breifly and then settled again close to where I sat. 

I left the moth box off overnight, as I needed a break from recording the same species repeatedly. Today was much cooler, with a blustery south-westerly wind throughout the day and no rain forecast. Most of the rainfall, including some heavy thunderstorms, appears to be north of the border. We could really do with some of that weather down here soon.

A lot of cloud and blustery winds throughout the day here in Southsea.

Little was added to the Hants Birding website today, but over at Woolmer Pond, a Peregrine was seen along with a Hobby by a regular to the site and he also found a male Red-veined Darter by the Pond; a species I have yet to catch up with: though this species is getting more common as the years go on.

The Red Admiral settling down on one of our garden tables.

Over at Titchfield Haven, up to four Spoonbills were present again on the South Scrape and a few waders too that included five Common Sandpipers and a Knot. Closer to home, I didn’t see one Swift today around my house and though I will expect to see some over the coming weeks, the vast majority are now on their way back to Africa.

My garden held a couple of Red Admiral butterflies this afternoon and during the day, both Holly Blue and Small White were seen. A smart Comma was present yesterday, but too quick for me to grab a photo. A Vapourer Moth was fluttering about at the back of the garden but would not settle.

It does make a refreshing change where the temperatures have returned to normal here in the south of England; though there is talk of yet another heatwave on the way. Grumble!

One of my friends sent me this photo of an Oak Eggar moth that was rescued by her husband in their Cowplain garden last week. Photo by Abbie Baker.