Just a few Moths this morning but a good productive walk around the Cemy.

Sunday 1^st November 2026.

The leaves are changing colours in the Cemy.

A cold grey start to November with heavy overcast cloud and temperatures around 8 degrees. A very light Northerly was blowing as I then got about checking the Moth box and a little while later, I took the dogs for their early morning walk around Highland Road Cemetery. Now we are in November, the temperature should drop in theory and this should bring us more winter thrushes and other goodies. I read that Waxwings are now coming into the east of the UK due to a poor berry crop in Scandinavia. What with Nutcrackers knocking on the UK door, could it be a bumper November?

My Moth Box:

One of two Golden Twin-spots this morning.

As the year goes on, the Moth numbers are starting to decline and from previous experience, it can be a lot of hit and miss and dependent on how mild it is. This morning had to be the coldest it has been since last winter and so I did expect not many Moths to be present. Five macro moths were found this morning including two Golden Twin-spots and it was the Rusty-dot Pearls (Udea ferrugalis) made up most of the number present.

Feathered Ranunculus.

The following Moths were recorded this morning:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Feathered Ranunculus x1	Rusty-dot Pearl x5
Golden Twin-spot x2	Light Brown Apple Moth x1
Double-striped Pug x1

 

Despite perfect conditions overhead, hardly any visible migration took place between 7am to 7.30am and all that was noted was a Redwing and a Goldfinch, both heard only. South of my garden, I could hear a few House Sparrows calling, which was encouraging for this declining species.

 

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

One of at least four Song Thrushes seen this morning.

I thought it was an excellent mornings walk around the Cemetery with up to 22 bird species recorded this morning as I took the dogs for their early morning walk. There were very few dogwalkers present here this morning as we made our way around the site around 8.15am.

Above, a Grooved Cavalier toadstool and below, Wood Pigeons grouping up in the trees within the Cemy.

There was a good variety of birds seen this morning and nicely kicked off with a female Sparrowhawk seen soaring over the southern half of the Cemy, though being harassed by a Crow. Unfortunately, the bird flew off southbound behind the row of trees and that was the last I saw of it.

Above and below, Swallows circling high over the Cemy was a nice surprise.

The most surprising sighting was of a small flock of 3 Swallows high over the Cemetery and simply circling around for around 5 minutes before moving off east. I have seen Swallows in November before, but still a good bird to see for this time of year. It certainly was good this morning for thrushes as I found three species here today. At least four Song Thrushes were noted and among some of them were at least two Redwing. Though I heard the Redwing call, getting a decent view of them proved challenging and in the end, they soon disappeared. At least 6+ Blackbirds were seen as well and most likely migrant birds like the other thrushes seen today.

Very few plants were in flower but Yarrow (above) and Purple Toadflax (below) were found.

Over on the west side of the Cemy, I could hear several Long-tailed Tits calling and from one of the ornamental Conifers, out flew at least 7 Long-tailed Tits and at least 3 Blue Tits. But it was the Firecrest calling within the same tree that grabbed my full attention, but although I did see the bird deep within the tree, I simply could not get to photograph the bird. Hurrumph!

Above, up to two Jays were present and below, good numbers of Blackbirds were present.

A Chiffchaff was heard calling deep within bushes in the centre of the Cemy and at least two Jays were seen again here, although remained distant all the time. A Meadow Pipit flew east high over the Cemy, but no Wagtails this morning.

Above, one of the trees that suffered due to storm damage by the main footpath and below, another Song Thrush high up in one of the taller trees by the Mausoleum.

There were very few flowers still in bloom within the Cemy but Yarrow was easily the most numerous flowering plant. I did find a few Buddliea in bloom and one Purple Toadflax still in flower. Toadstools are now starting to appear here as I found a clump of Yellow-stained Mushroom growing by one of the footpaths. Another species I found (and believe me, it isn’t easy to ID these toadstools with ease) I had to Google was the Grooved Cavalier (Melanoleuca grammopodia), with a rather large clump on the grass near the Mausoleum.

Yellow-stained Mushroom.

In conclusion, it was a excellent walk round with plenty to see and some nice surprises too. I must get back over here again during next week.

The birds seen or heard this morning here included the following:

• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Carrion Crow
• Jay (2)
• Magpie
• Herring Gull
• Blue Tit
• Great Tit
• Long-tailed Tit (7)
• Robin
• Wren (heard)
• Firecrest
• Goldcrest
• Chiffchaff (heard)
• Meadow Pipit (heard)
• Swallow (3)
• Redwing (2)
• Song Thrush (4)
• Blackbird
• Green Woodpecker (heard)
• Goldfinch
• Sparrowhawk (female)

 

In Hampshire today:

The Yellow-browed Warbler at Sinah Warren this morning. Photo by Lewis Hooper.

Hayling Birder, Lewis Hooper found a Yellow-browed Warbler at Sinah Warren and was thankfully seen again by another ‘Lazee Birder’ a little while later. To be honest, Birdguides was reporting all the usual birds expected for this time of year. The escaped Scarlet Ibis was again seen at Eling Great Marsh near Totton, Southampton and up to 4 Black Redstarts seen at Hamble Point.