Sunday 18th October 2026.
Very similar to yesterday, a very cold start to the day with
a cloudless blue sky overhead as I got myself ready to check the Moth Box after
having walked the dogs along their usual route past Highland Road Cemetery. The
temperature was around 8 degrees centigrade, but we didn’t have that breezy
northerly wind from yesterday. Despite the cold conditions, there were a few
Moths to go through and a reasonable selection this morning.
After feeding the dogs, they got another walk this morning over
Highland Road Cemetery where there were a good number of birds seen here this morning
along with several insect species too. Not too many dog-walkers present and
nice to meet Sally (finally got to know her name!) who was walking her small
dog. Sadly, there are a few people who break the law here and do not have their
dogs on a lead and there has been a few dogs reported attacking other dogs due to being off their lead.
My Moth Box:
A better total here this morning than yesterday with 23
moths of 13 species recorded this morning. Again, no new moth species for the
year list, but my second Black Rustic for the year was on one of the egg trays
within the Moth Box. Another good total of 8 Feathered Ranunculus was recorded
and two Golden Twin-spots were notable.
Silver Y, Turnip Moth and White-point rounded off a good
selection of macro moths. Among the micro’s, a White-shouldered House Moth was
my first of the month and up to three Rusty-dot Pearls were in and outside the
Moth Box this morning.
Other notable insects attracted to the Moth Box were two
Marmalade Hoverflies that were sat on the rain guard.
|
MACRO MOTHS |
MICRO MOTHS |
|
|
|
|
Feathered
Ranunculus x8 |
Common Plume
x1 |
|
Golden
Twin-spot x2 |
Tree-mallow
Tortrix x1 |
|
Silver Y x1 |
Light Brown
Apple Moth x1 |
|
L-album
Wainscot x1 |
White-shouldered
House Moth x1 |
|
Double-striped
Pug x1 |
Rusty-dot
Pearl x3 |
|
White-point
x1 |
|
|
Black Rustic
x1 |
|
|
Turnip Moth
x1 |
|
I heard a Redwing as I walked out into the garden first
thing this morning and actually saw the bird perched in the tall tree at the
back of my garden before it flew off north. A flock of 6 Goldfinches went over
and headed off eastbound, and a Meadow Pipit could be heard flying over.
Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:
A total of 18 bird species were recorded this morning here
in Highland Road Cemetery and probably the most notable sighting was of the hundreds
of Wood Pigeons flying high overhead, all heading westbound. This is an annual event
for this time of year and most likely involves Continental birds on the move.
There were quite a few within the Cemetery too, but sadly, I could not find one
Collared Dove. This species has been proved that it is on the decline, and I wonder
if it is Bird Flu that is the cause? I used to get double figure counts of this
species here in the past!
A pair of Jays showed well briefly in the northern end of
the Cemy, one with an Acorn in its bill (see photo). Redwings are coming in
thick and fast in and over Southsea currently and at least two birds, along
with a Song Thrush flew out of a small tree and landed in a nearby bush. A
Chiffchaff, possibly two birds, were heard only somewhere in the bushes and
overhead, there were both Skylark and Meadow Pipit going over, but proved difficult
to see in the bright blue sky!
Regarding the insects, the Ivy plants here are now flowering
and attracting good numbers of Common Wasps and Drone Flies and I also found up
to two Red Admiral butterflies nectaring on the sweet musky scented flowers.
The birds recorded here this morning included the following:
- Wood Pigeon
- Feral Pigeon
- Carrion Crow
- Magpie
- Jay (2)
- Herring Gull
- Black-headed Gull
- Redwing (2)
- Song Thrush
- Great Tit
- Blue Tit
- Skylark
- Meadow Pipit
- Chiffchaff
- Robin
- Wren
- Starling
- Pied Wagtail
In Hampshire today:
This morning, early reports coming in included a Quail that
was accidentally flushed at Gunner Point, Hayling Island, by fellow ‘Lazee
Birder’ Lewis Hooper who also said that there were daily reports of Woodlark
flying over here. There was no sign of yesterday’s Ring Ouzel at Portsdown Hill
this morning, but another fellow ‘Lazee’ Pete Gammage had 220 Redwing
over along with 6 Fieldfare and a Mistle Thrush; all heading north.
Both the Little Gull and Ruddy Duck were still on Ibsley
Water, Blashford Lakes this morning. It looks as though Fieldfare were on the
move with sightings at Hill Head, Fareham and Woolmer Pond. The latter site
also held a Great White Egret, Lesser Redpoll, Brambling and up to 7 Woodlark.
