More excellent Moths this morning, though 'Vis Mig' was quieter.

Wednesday 23^rd September 2026.

Another bright start as I walked past Highland Road Cemetery this morning with my dogs.

Yet another clear bright start to the day, although the overnight temperature did drop into single digits. However, the forecast today says its going to be like yesterday with the temperature getting up into the mid 70’s! Once again, extraordinarily little wind blowing over Southsea and so set to be very warm again this afternoon.

My Moth Box:

My second Cypress Pug this year.

Another interesting selection of Moths this morning and although there were no new species for the year, my second Cypress Pug of the year was present (my first was on Cowplain Marsh on the 6^th June) and only my second Yellow Shell in my garden this year.

Above, only my second Yellow Shell in my garden this year and below, up to 3 Small Mottled Willows were unexpected today, which were new for this month.

Migrant moths this morning included up to three Small Mottled Willows (my first for this month), the long staying Delicate (3^rd day), 3 Blair’s Mocha, Golden Twin-spot, 4 Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) and 2 Olive-tree Pearls (Palpita vitrealis).

This morning, I recorded 50 moths from 21 species—about average for this time of year. The following species were present:

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Cypress Pug x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x4
Yellow Shell x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x3
Delicate x1	Common Plume x1
Double Striped Pug x5	Olive-tree Pearl x2
Lesser Yellow Underwing x2
Blair’s Mocha x3
Small Dusty Wave x1
Golden Twin-spot x1
Large Yellow Underwing x4
L-album Wainscot x1
Willow Beauty x2
Plumed Fan-foot x1
Clancy’s Rustic x5
Least Carpet x1
Lunar Underwing x7
Small Mottled Willow x3
Square-spot Rustic x1

 

Also attracted to the Moth Box from overnight was a Southern Oak Bush-cricket that was in one of the Garden Buckets that I was using to block any potential Fox intruders! The only other insect present was just the one Lacewing.

This Southern Oak Bush-cricket was a nice find near the Moth Box.

Visible migration this morning included several Meadow Pipits passing overhead (heard but not seen) and a single Linnet. In nearby gardens, up to two Chiffchaffs were calling, one of which was seen flitting through a tree in a neighbour’s garden.

 

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

These trees do support a lot of birds during my first shift.

The bright sunny start to the morning here in Southsea produced up to 13 spcies on my first shift this morning. Among them, I could hear a Chiffchaff calling in the trees near the Bowling Green and a Meadow Pipit flew low over my head and headed westbound. The two Jays showed well yet again this morning when I watched them fly between the Bowling Green trees to the Sycamore Trees on Pembroke Road.

As well as several Garden Spiders seen between the two Hibiscus Bushes, a Giant House Spider was on the wall above the Bushes; of which it was around 4 inches long.

The following bird species were recorded this morning:

• Herring Gull
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Carrion Crow
• Jay (2)
• Magpie
• Meadow Pipit
• Blue Tit
• Great Tit
• Chiffchaff
• Robin
• Starling
• Wren