Another nice haul of Moths with no Fox disturbance!

Tuesday 22^nd September 2026.

The high pressure over Southern England continued into today and it looks as though it is going to be as warm as yesterday with a clear blue sky and hardly any wind whatsoever. There was a little bit of visible migration going on overhead although with the clear blue sky, it was hard to locate any of the passerines flying over.

I did hear the Fox outside by my Moth Box in the early hours of this morning (and so did my dogs!), but it looks as though I have thwarted any attempts by the Fox to disrupt my Moth Box by putting a lot more obstacles in the way. Huzzah! So, I didn’t have to get out of bed at 4am to scare it off.

Pembroke Road in Old Portsmouth was quite busy with bird species, and it only took 5 minutes to notch up 10 species! A few surprises were in store too but as Autumn progresses, it should start getting well into double figures.

My Moth Box:

The Langmaid's Yellow Underwing this morning. I did have it in a pot and while flying inside the pot, I could clearly see the underwing pattern that is diagnostic to this species.

A reasonable total of 58 moths of 18 species were recorded this morning and although there were no new moths for the year, a good variety of migrant and Autumn moths present.

Above, a Blair's Mocha and below, an Olive-tree Pearl.There were two each this morning of both species.

This morning’s migrant moths included a Delicate, Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing, Turnip Moth, Olive-tree Pearls (Palpita vitrealis) and Rusty-dot Pearls (Udea ferrugalis). The unexpected highlight was an exceptionally late Barred Yellowneck (Oegoconia deauratella). As this micro-moth closely resembles the Four-spotted Yellowneck (Oegoconia quadripuncta), the two can be distinguished conclusively only by dissection; for now, I will record it as the former species.

Above, my second Feathered Ranunculus this week and below, the probable Barred Yellowneck micro moth that was inside the Moth Box.

There were four species of Yellow Underwing this morning, though numbers are gradually reducing. The following Moths were recorded this morning:

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Blair’s Mocha x2	Olive-tree Pearl x2
Pale Mottled Willow x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x5
Large Yellow Underwing x6	Common Plume x1
Lesser Yellow Underwing x6	Light Brown Apple Moth x13
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing x1	Barred Yellowneck x1
Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing x1
Square-spot Rustic x2
Delicate x1
Clancy’s Rustic x7
Turnip Moth x1
Willow Beauty x1
L-album Wainscot x3
Double-striped Pug x4

 

While checking the Moth Box, I noted several birds migrating overhead: up to two Grey Wagtails, which I heard but did not see, and a Pied Wagtail, which I saw clearly. I also heard Meadow Pipits but, once again, did not see any.

 

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

The clear, calm conditions produced a notable level of bird activity at this site during my first shift. The Jays were showing well this morning, both birds flying back and forth between the Holm Oaks and the Sycamore Trees. I could only just hear the Meadow Pipits flying over, somehow over  the din of the passing traffic and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard for the first time here in a long time; I think the last time was in the Spring. Sadly, there were no sightings of the bird, though I know it landed in one of the Sycamore trees further down the road. The following species were recorded:

• Herring Gull
• Great Black-backed Gull
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Jay (2)
• Starling
• Robin (singing)
• Blue Tit
• Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard calling)
• Meadow Pipit
• Wren (heard singing)
• Chiffchaff (heard calling)

Dusk over Highland Road Cemetery this evening when I walked past with my dogs for their evening walk.