Warblers are starting to arrive and a trip to the Cemy.

 Thursday 6th August 2026.

Two of the three Small Ranunculus moths.

As Autumn is officially due very soon, the end of Summer is now upon us, and it is noticeable with the arrival of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs in the back garden and over at Highland Road Cemetery this morning. While I was checking the Moth Box at 5.45am today, I could hear at least three birds calling around the gardens and even saw two of them flitting about in the trees behind my garden. One flew over my garden and westbound over the roof of my house. Yet again, not a single Swift hawking for insects over my house.

Even on the National News, Autumn has come very early to the UK due to the lack of rain, with ripen Blackberries and tree fruit being plentiful, though even the trees look as though their leaves are lacking the necessary water to plump them out. Many areas of the UK have now not had any rain for nearly two months and again there is no sign of any significant rain this week.

My Moth Box:

Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing. 

A respectable 70 moths of 21 species were recorded this morning and although there were no new species for the year, there were plenty of migrants again including a Small Mottled Willow, 4 Golden Twin-spots (I am sure they must be breeding here?) and up to 7 Rusty-dot Pearls

Canary-shouldered Thorn.

Three Small Ranunculus moths is quite exceptional (as I normally only get singles of this species) and a smart Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing looked very fresh. As expected, the Apple Leaf Miner’s (Lyonetia  clerkella) were the most abundant moth species, but nothing unusual among the micro moths today.

Above, a Chestnut Tortrix micro moth and below, the remains of a Poplar Hawk-moth that I found in a Spider's web on the garden fence.

Due to the many Spiders around at this time of the year, some of the Moths are caught by them and this morning, I found the remains of a Poplar Hawk-moth on the garden fence that had succumbed by one such Spider. The following Moths were recorded this morning:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Garden Tiger x1	Apple Leaf Miner x20
Small Ranunculus x3	Box Tree Moth x2
Double-striped Pug x3	Rusty-dot Pearl x7
Small Dusty Wave x1	Ruddy Streak x1
Small Mottled Willow x1	Broom Shoot Moth x1
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x9
Golden Twin-spot x4	Hawthorn Moth x2
Pale Mottled Willow x7	Dark Moss-moth x1
Bright-line Brown-eye x2	Chestnut Tortrix x1
	Codling Moth x1
	Hampshire Dowd x1

I found this White Ermine moth Caterpillar in the garden yesterday.

While checking the Moth Box, as well as the Willow Warblers (one was heard sub-singing quietly in the trees), other birds noted included both Greenfinches and a Pied Wagtail flying high over. Yesterday, a White Ermine moth Caterpillar was found on one of the pot plants; the first one I have ever found in my garden and quite a big caterpillar too.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

The young Fox in the early morning sunshine.

After checking the moth box and having breakfast, I took the dogs for an early morning walk around Highland Road Cemetery, prompted in part by the good number of warblers moving through. Patchy high cloud lingered overhead and, with the recent cooler feel to the mornings, I wore my fleece just in case. The walk proved quite eventful. Alongside the birdlife, a young Fox showed beautifully in the sunshine near the Mausoleum.

Above, patchy high cloud over the Cemetery and below, a preening Blue Tit.

The visit began well when a Painted Lady butterfly flew past at speed before settling on the perimeter wall, where it remained for several minutes. I then continued towards the Lime trees, where the alarm calls of Starlings quickly caught my attention. Moments later, I watched a female Sparrowhawk fly up to the top of the Lime tree directly above me, although the branches prevented a clear view.

Under the shade of the Plane Tree on the east side of the Cemy and below, the juvenile Green Woodpecker.

On reaching the southern end of the cemetery, I checked the gravestones carefully for anything perched on them. Several Magpies were searching for food across the dry, brown grass, but there was little else to note at first. A little later, however, I picked up a distant Jay as it flew up into one of the Lime trees I had passed earlier.

Above and below, some of the Chiffchaffs in the Cemy. They rarely stood still for long and most kept in cover; there was a Sparrowhawk around!

I then followed the path towards the east side of the cemetery. It was quiet at first, until I heard the distinctive call of a Green Woodpecker. Soon afterwards, a juvenile Green Woodpecker flew over the cemetery and, fortunately, settled on a gravestone some distance away. It was still close enough to allow a few reasonable photographs of this lovely bird. This was my first Green Woodpecker here for at least a year, the previous sighting being an adult chased by a Sparrowhawk last spring.

Another photo of the gorgeous Fox and below, this Painted Lady butterfly kicked off proceedings here in the Cemy.

After seeing at least three Willow Warblers this morning by my garden, I wasn’t at all surprised to see several ‘Phylloscs’ here in the Cemetery and I believe most of at least six birds were Chiffchaffs, judging by their shorter call and plumage details and at one stage, there were at least four birds together. I hanged around for a while to check there wasn’t any other Warblers present, but apart from a few Robins, sadly, there were no other Warblers.

It was looking a bit straggly over in the centre of the Cemy, but a Green Woodpecker livened things up. Below, a Wood Pigeon took a liking for the Blackberries.

As I made my way towards the Mausoleum, something caught my attention to the south and there was a very young Fox sitting in a sunny area on the grass. It was not only giving its coat a good lick but also keeping an eye out for the dog walker along the footpath to the south. Squirrels here are abundant, with many seen this morning, but it is always special to see one of our most beautiful animals, especially when they are so close.

The young Fox in the Cemetery this morning.

A gorgeous walk this morning and what with the horrible humidity gone for now, a welcome change. True, we most definitely need a lot more rain here on the south coast to help the flora and fauna, but when will it arrive?

This gorgeous Queen of Spain Fritillary on Mottisfont Down, Isle of Wight. Photo by Andy Friend.