Few Moths but plenty of 'Vis Mig' at Cowplain Marsh.

Saturday 31^st October 2026.

Due to a family emergency of which I will not go into, Becky and I made our way back home yesterday from the lovely village of Askerswell a day early. It was a good journey back with not too much traffic to cope with, though very heavy traffic going into Portsmouth as expected around midday.

My Moth Box:

A very late Golden Twin-spot was present in my Box this morning.

I put the Moth Box on last night after giving the Box a good brush up. My garden looked like it needed a good tidy up due to the poor weather earlier this week and I did so early this morning. It was a bright morning with a clear sky overhead and a little bit of cloud going over at 7.30am today. A tad cool first thing with temperatures around 9 degrees, but it did get up to 17 degrees later today! Thankfully, there were some Moths to record this morning, and the vast majority were Rusty-dot Pearls (Udea ferrugalis) with 14 individuals counted.

A Silver Y moth was the other macro moth.

The only macro moths present this morning was a Silver Y and a Golden Twin-spot to round off October’s moths for this year. A final total of 46 species of Moth were recorded this month.

 

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Silver Y x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x14
Golden Twin-spot x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x2

 

While checking the Moth Box, a Wren was ‘churring’ in the back of the garden, and a Blackbird was heard also. Overhead, a Linnet, Greenfinch, Siskin and a Pied Wagtail was heard to fly over with only the latter actually seen heading southbound. Later in the afternoon, I watched a Common Buzzard flying east over towards Highland Road Cemetery from my garden, being harassed by a couple of Crows.

 

Geoff’s Moth Box and Cowplain Marsh (Andy’s garden):

This Feathered Thorn was my second for the week.

The plan today was that Geoff, Andy and myself were going to do some ‘Vis Migging’ from Cowplain Marsh this morning as well as checking the Moth Box. Both Geoff and Andy had other plans later on today and so over several cups of coffee, I spent around 3 hours at Cowplain Marsh enjoying the guy’s company and checking the birds flying over and other wildlife here.

The only other macro Moth at Cowplain Marsh this morning was this Large Yellow Underwing.

It was a bit misty on the way up to Andy’s house as I arrived around 9am with Andy’s Moth Box on tow. The Moth Box didn’t attract many Moths but it did contain a superb Feathered Thorn moth on one of the outside egg trays; my second one of the week after seeing one earlier this week at Askerswell. The only other macro moth was a Large Yellow Underwing.

Above, this Common Masoner was unexpected.

The other moths present were micro moths, a Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) and a Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana); but it was around 30 minutes later that another micro moth landed behind where Andy was sitting, which turned out to be a Common Masoner (Blastobasis adustella) and below this moth, a Common Plume (Emmelina monodactyla) was sat on the garage door. Yes, not many moths this morning, but as November is now just around the corner, Moth numbers will probably drop, but I will carry on throughout November nonetheless.

 

Macro Moths	Micro Moths
Feathered Thorn x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x1
Large Yellow Underwing x1	Light Brown Apple Moth 1
	Common Masoner x1
	Common Plume x1

 

Cowplain Marsh was now on 48 species for the month and Andy was desperate to get to 50 species and this morning, it was achieved. Geoff and I heard a Mistle Thrush flying over, but sadly not seen and a Raven flew high over our heads heading south. Both species were new for the month here and the magic 50 species was achieved. Andy’s Merlin App picked up a couple of Redwing going over, but we never heard them whatsoever, but I did hear at least two Song Thrushes going over.

The female Great Spotted Woodpecker at Cowplain Marsh.

Other species noted here this morning included good numbers of Goldfinch going over and even landing in the nearby trees within the garden. The female Great Spotted Woodpecker came down to the garden to feed on the Nutballs. A flock of 7 Linnets flew over heading east and several Greenfinches were seen and heard overhead. A Nuthatch showed well briefly in one of the Ash trees and then flew off east over the road to the nearby trees.

Above, one of several Goldfinches seen this morning.

A Coal Tit flew into the garden and landed on the fruit trees and then on one of the feeders and a Grey Wagtail was heard calling behind the house, but there was no sighting of the bird unfortunately, however, we were more successful with a Pied Wagtail. Regarding the Raven sighting; a pair of Rooks flew over heading south and then a third Corvid flew behind them seconds later. I, at first, dismissed it as another Rook, but the diamond-shaped tail had me thinking and then when Geoff and Andy said that they heard it ‘cronk’ (I didn’t!), we then all agreed it was a Raven.

The female Great Spotted Woodpecker on the Nutballs.

The sun eventually rose high enough to warm the garden up for my hands were ‘Bill Oddie’ freezing and the battery in my camera run out to make things worse! A Red Admiral butterfly landed on the apex of the Garage to warm itself up. It remained there for at least 15 minutes before flying off. That was my cue to make my way home and so bidding the guys farewell, it was back to Southsea and my wife.

 

This week’s highlights at Cowplain Marsh:

On Tuesday, after the weekends and Monday’s awful weather, it was a lot brighter here at Cowplain Marsh, the female Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the garden feeding on the Nutballs again, while overhead, a Skylark and Linnet were heard only flying over, but two Jays, up to 15 Goldfinches and 4 Pied Wagtails ere seen over. A Hummingbird Hawk-moth was seen in the garden, which was a nice surprise.

A close up of the female Great Spotted Woodpecker.

On Wednesday, there was a lot more activity in and over the garden and mostly witnessed by Geoff. Four species of Titmice were present that included Blue, Great. Coal and Long-tailed Tits and the female Great Spotted Woodpecker was back in the garden on the feeders. Another pair of Great Spotted woodpeckers flew over during the day. Three large flocks of Wood Pigeon went over, and Geoff numbered around 570 birds at least. More passerines were going over during the day included double figures of both Greenfinch and Chaffinch as well as Siskin, Linnet and up to 6 Skylarks. In the afternoon, a pair of Common Buzzards soared overhead, and a Grey Heron headed south. Other birds noted included a Nuthatch, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest, Jay and a flock of 40 Jackdaws were seen at dusk to round off a busy day.

A pair of Goldfinches in the fruit trees this morning.

On Thursday, a flock of 16 Redwing went over as did 2 Siskins, 20+ Goldfinches, a single Meadow Pipit and 2 Grey Wagtails. A Goldcrest was in the garden as was the female Great Spotted Woodpecker on the feeders and to round off Thursday, the Frogs were ‘croaking’ from the Pond!

A male House Sparrow on the Nutballs.

Yesterday, the female Great Spotted Woodpecker was back on the feeders and overhead, a Siskin, Grey Wagtail, Skylark, Redwing and Song Thrush all went over. A Red Admiral butterfly was in the garden in the afternoon.

 

In Hampshire today:

The Shorelark at Hurst Spit today. Photo by Emma Parkes.

The long-staying Shorelark was still at Hurst Spit, near Milford on Sea today as birding pals Matt and Emma Parkes successfully connected with the bird (see photo). This morning, an adult winter Bonaparte’s Gull was seen among a large flock of Black-headed Gulls flying over Fishlake Meadows, but no further sightings during the day. An intriguing report of a dead Long-tailed Skua was found in the tideline at Portchester!

Above, some film footage of the Shorelark at Hurst Spit today by James Cutting.