Another reasonable catch of moths & Highland Road Cemetery.

Sunday 25th August 2024.

One of the most beautiful moths for this time of year, the Jasmine Moth.

Clear skies overnight normally produces a low haul of moths to my Moth Box, but I was relatively pleased with this morning's moths present, which included a few nice surprises too. A bright, near cloudless morning was nice to wake up to though it was just 14 degrees, there was hardly any wind.

Above, one of two Rusty-dot Pearls and below, the stunning Canary-shouldered Thorn.

There were at least 61+ moths of 26 species recorded this morning and although there was nothing new for the year, there were a few nice moths to check out including my second Jasmine Moth of the year (one of my favourite moths) and another Canary-shouldered Thorn. The most numerous moth easily was the Common Plume’s with at least 18 present in or near the Moth Box.

Cabbage Moth.

The moths present this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS:

• Garden Carpet
• Garden Tiger 2
• Canary-shouldered Thorn
• Vine’s Rustic 6
• Cabbage Moth
• Pale Mottled Willow 4
• Yellow-barred Brindle
• Double-striped Pug
• Willow Beauty 2
• Large Yellow Underwing
• Square-spotted Rustic
• White-point
• Brimstone Moth 2
• L-album Wainscot
• Common Rustic
• Lime-speck Pug 2

MICRO MOTHS:

• Common Masoner
• Rusty-dot Pearl 2
• Dark-spotted Moss-moth
• Box-tree Moth 2
• Common Plume 18
• Garden Pebble 2
• Chevron Grass-moth 2
• Jasmine Moth
• Light Brown Apple Moth
• Apple Leaf Miner 3

Other interesting insects that were attracted to my Moth Box included a Cinnamon Sedge Caddis Fly; one of our largest Caddis Flies. There were plenty of small Spiders in and around the Moth Box and although not a problem, I always release them, then clean the spiders webs away from the Box.

The Cinnamon Sedge Caddis Fly; a species that is regular around my Moth Box.

Birding pal Geoff Farwell took a walk down Pigeon House Lane, on Portsdown Hill yesterday afternoon, in the brighter weather and recorded the following on his travels: 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, Firecrest, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 50 Swallows, 30 Herring Gulls, Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrels and a flock of 16 Magpies! Andy Fisher took a walk in the rain around Farlington Marshes earlier in the day with a friend and saw an Avocet and a Marsh Harrier, and a little later, a Kingfisher over Chichester Harbour.

One of my favourite photos this week. A cracking photo of a Nuthatch by Emma Parkes.

I had another walk around Highland Road Cemetery this morning and it actually turned out to be a rather good trip. OK, nothing exceptionally rare there, but a good variety of wildlife to look at. The sun was shining again and with a nice soft breeze blowing from the south-west, it was comfortable conditions to take the dogs for a slow stroll around my local patch. However, I shared the Cemetery with a lot of dog-walkers this morning; some sociable, some miserable, but that's the way it goes here.

Above, the regular sortie of the Spitfire flying over Southsea seen from the Cemetery. Below, a Small False-greenbottle. 

Above, Honey Bees enjoying the Buddleia and below, a Red Admiral was nectaring close by.

Starting with the birds present, the clump of bushes around the south-east corner of the Cemetery held some interesting birds as I spent a good ten minutes here waiting on what would show. Earlier, I was checking out a male Common Blue butterfly when something caught my eye. A pair of juvenile Blackbirds were busy scoffing on the ripe Blackberries within the bushes and were joined by an adult and another juvenile. Then a juvenile Green Woodpecker flew in, though proved too difficult to photograph due to the foliage and a second bird shortly followed. I'm glad to know that they have bred successfully somewhere locally. Also within the same bushes, I was pretty sure a Lesser Whitethroat flew from one bush to another, but that was the last sighting of the bird despite waiting a while for it to reappear. This would have been only the second ever I have seen in the Cemy.

Above, only my second ever sighting of the Dusty-winged Lacewing. Below, one of the juvenile Blackbirds.

Above, another of the juvenile Blackbirds scoffing down the Blackberries and below, the clump of Bushes that seemed to attract a lot of birds of late.

Earlier, I had seen the pair of Jays flying off heading westbound over the rooftops. Fortunately, they returned to the Cemetery and at least one was seen perched distantly on a gravestone near the Mausoleum. The soft ‘hooweet’ of a Willowchiff was heard near the Mausoleum, but there was no sighting of the bird which was calling deep within a bush. Walking the path by the Holm Oak clump, I heard a Firecrest calling deep within cover and although I got brief glimpses of the bird, it did not show fully as it moved on south. I think I see more Firecrests here than Goldcrests! All in all, not a bad selection of birds along with all the common species here.

Above, a lone male House Sparrow was lurking about in the same bushes and below, a Batman Hoverfly was nectaring on this clump of Yarrow.

Above, most unexpected, I found this Meadow Vetchling plant growing near a grave and below, a male Common Blue butterfly also in the south east corner.

On the butterflies front, there were four species seen today that included two species of Blue butterflies: Common Blue and Holly Blue; both males too. At least two Red Admirals were seen and several Small White butterflies scattered around the Cemy. A Jersey Tiger moth was flushed from one of the bushes over in the south-east corner, close to the footpath and a Vapourer Moth spiralled across the gravestones. Another odd insect I found was the Dusty-winged Lacewing; a species I think I have only ever seen once before and similar to a small moth in flight. Though photographing the species was a bit of a challenge.

Above and below, one of the Jays is showing briefly.

Above, this Holly Blue butterfly proved difficult to get a decent photo. Below, a Harlequin Ladybird on Smooth Sow-thistle.

The plants within my local patch were all the usual species although a lot are well passed their sell-by date. However, a lot of Buddleia was still on flower, which can only mean good news for the insects. I did find my first Meadow Vetchling plant for the year; a small sprig growing by one of the graves. I did find it pays to spend some time in the Cemetery as there could be anything flying around or over and could pull a surprise or two.

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Nutmeg moth added to the year list & back over the Cemy.

Saturday 24th August 2024.

My first Nutmeg moth of the year. They are almost annually in my garden.

A wet start to the morning as rain came in overnight and so I had to hurry in checking the Moth Box to avoid a good soaking. Some of the moths flew off sharpish on my approach and a couple looked quite interesting too; but there were plenty to check that remained in and around the Box. A good selection this morning, which included 46 moths of 27 species that included my first Nutmeg moth for the year and my second Brindled Poplar Tortrix for the year. Rain is forecast for the day and as the morning wore on, it got heavier.

A typical Autumn moth, the White-point, can turn up in good numbers and below, my second Brindled Poplar Tortrix moth of the year. 

I really had to put my skates on to record the moths as the rain got harder the longer I was out by the trap. A lone Garden Tiger was a bit of a surprise as I thought they are all gone now and two Setaceous Hebrew Characters and my first White-point for the month. Autumn moths are coming through now and so there should be a lot more additions to my year list……hopefully!

Narrow-winged Grey micro moths are returning again.

The Moths recorded this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS:

• Yellow-barred Brindle
• Nutmeg (New for Year)
• Double-striped Pug 4
• Garden Tiger
• Shuttle-shaped Dart
• Lime-speck Pug 3
• Willow Beauty
• Setaceous Hebrew Character 2
• Uncertain 4
• Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 3
• Large Yellow Underwing
• White-point
• Bright-line Brown-eye 3
• Pale Mottled Willow 2
• Square-spot Rustic

MICRO MOTHS

• Ruddy Streak
• Rusty-dot Pearl
• Broom Shoot Moth
• Chervron Grass-moth
• Narrow-winged Grey
• Light Brown Apple Moth
• Apple Leaf Miner
• Box-tree Moth 3
• Beautiful Plume 2
• Brindled Poplar Tortrix 2
• Common Plume 2
• Garden Pebble

As soon as I got back from shopping and lunch with my wife, I took the dogs out for a walk around Highland Road Cemetery. It was bright and sunny when I arrived home after this morning's persistent rain had put paid to any birding this morning. However, I did notice a lot of nasty big grey clouds heading our way and sure enough, when I got about 100 yards into the Cemy, the heavens simply opened. Thankfully, there were some rather large trees available to shelter from and so, me and the boys took shelter.

I got caught in a heavy rain shower and so we took shelter under the Lime trees.

Above and below, the Goldfinches in the Cemy.

And then the sun eventually came out!

Above and below, the 'black & white' Carrion Crow. Obviously, the bird was lacking pigmentation in many of the feathers, which makes the bird quite striking. This is a juvenile bird that has parents that also have the same condition, but nowhere near as striking as this bird.

Above, the Great Black-backed Gull doing a tour of duty over the Cemy. Below, I flushed this yellowish moth and after a while, it settled and identified it as a Yellow Shell moth.

Above, some of the Grey Squirrels within the Cemetery are sporting a reddish tinge. Below, a Lusitanian Slug making its way over a damp Gravestone. The Breathing Pore can clearly be seen on this individual.

No migrant birds in the Cemetery yet again, but the Jays were calling deep within the leafy canopies of the nearby trees and the only other bird of real note was the ‘black & white’ Carrion Crow seen on a rooftop in the north-east corner of the Cemy. An adult Great Black-backed Gull circled a few times over the Cemy and a small flock of Goldfinches were flapping about within some bushes over on the east side. The rain eventually departed and after a while, the sun poked out through the clouds and it was sunny all over again. Throughout my walk with the dogs, the distant noise of the Victorious Music Festival near the seafront was constant, though I could not identify what band was playing!

A Red Underwing moth graces my garden.

Thursday 22nd August 2024.

The beautiful Red Underwing moth that was potted last night before I released it again.

This morning's weather looked like a typical Autumn day with strong blustery south-westerly and with the threat of rain. However, last night, just before I retired to bed, a quick check of the Moth Box revealed my first Red Underwing moth of the year. One of my favourite moths (and they are a BIG moth too!), I quickly potted it, took a few photos and then promptly released it as it then rested close to my Moth Box once again.

Another photo of the Red Underwing, showing the superb underwing.

Thankfully, it was still present this morning and so I took a few more photos of this beautiful moth. A member of the Catocala group of moths, it is a relatively common moth for this time of year, though I rarely get them in my garden. I often come across them when I am out birding. I think I saw about three last year, but they really are a really spectacular moth when they open their wings. 

The Red Underwing moth relies on its upperparts to avoid detection from predators.

Again, a low number of moths recorded this morning, 35 moths of 21 species and among them, the migrant moths were Rusty-dot Pearl and a Rusty Acorn Piercer. The Red Underwing was my 103rd moth species for August so far. 

My first L-album Wainscot moth for August.

The moths present this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS:

• Red Underwing (New for Year)
• Square-spot Rustic
• Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
• Lime-speck Pug
• Double-striped Pug 5
• Yellow-barred Brindle
• L-album Wainscot
• Garden Carpet
• Brimstone Moth 2
• Shuttle-shaped Dart 2
• Bright-line Brown-eye

MICRO MOTHS:

• Box-tree Moth 2
• Chestnut Tortrix
• Rusty Acorn Piercer
• Common Plume 5
• Rusty-dot Pearl
• Light Brown Apple Moth
• Apple Leaf Miner 2
• Ruddy Streak
• Dark Moss-moth
• Common Masoner
• Barred Marble
• Chevron Grass-moth

On the birding front, Matt & Emma Parkes were successful in the quest to see the Wryneck up at Fleet Pond, in the north of the County and even took a trip, despite the grim weather, to Lodmoor RSPB Reserve to see the Spotted Crake (a 'Lifer' for them) Well done guys. A Twite was seen well on Martin Down yesterday and a few more Pied Flycatchers popped up in the County. Will I get to see one on my local patch?

The Wryneck near Fleet Pond this morning. Photo by Emma Parkes.

Moth numbers taking a tumble.

Wednesday 21st August 2024.

A Light Emerald moth livened up a quiet morning.

In cool, cloudless conditions overnight, it dampened any chance of a good haul of moths this morning with just 20 moths of 15 species recorded this morning. Very poor for this time of year. Probably, the Light Emerald was the pick of a very small bunch of moths, with the Bloxworth Snout coming a close second. The latter moth never stayed long as it quickly flew off before I could get a photo. It was all quiet overhead too, with no sign of any visible migration going on, with just the noisy Herring Gulls calling in the distance.  

Shuttle-shaped Dart moth.

The moths recorded this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS:

• Lime-speck Pug
• Bloxworth Snout
• Brimstone Moth 2
• Bright-line Brown-eye 3
• Pale Mottled Willow 2
• Light Emerald
• Shuttle-shaped Dart
• Uncertain

MICRO MOTHS:

• Beautiful Plume
• Brown House Moth
• Box-tree Moth 2
• Dark Moss-moth
• Ruddy Streak
• Common Masoner
• Common Plume

One of three Bright-line Brown-eye moths.

Still no migrants in the Cemy.

Tuesday 20th August 2024.

One of several Red Admiral butterflies basking in the sunshine.

There was quite a breezy north-westerly blowing over Highland Road Cemetery this afternoon, but it was dry and sunny as my dogs and I took a slow walk around my favourite area of Portsmouth. Yet again, nothing in the way of migrant birds in the Cemetery, but a few birds that caught my eye that included a few juvenile Blackbirds and I was pretty sure that a juvenile Green Woodpecker flew into the same bushes as the Blackbirds; but the view was very brief and the bird never reappeared. Also in the same bushes, at least three, possibly four, Goldfinches were present, including at least one juvenile bird.

Above, I found this Silver Y caterpillar crawling up a wall when I was on my way to the Cemy. Below, a juvenile Blackbird in the south-east corner of the Cemy.

Above, False Oat-grass was growing out of this grave and below, a juvenile Goldfinch was with several other Goldfinches near the Blackbirds.

Not a great deal else here apart from all the usual birds, but a few notable insects were picked out including a few butterflies. A couple of showy Red Admirals were basking in the sunshine and a lone Speckled Wood was seen along the footpath just north of the Holm Oak clump. A Small White butterfly simply would not settle as it flew around the bushes, but what did catch my eye was a largish pale moth flying low through the bushes, but I could not relocate it. A Hornet-mimic Hoverfly showed nicely, sunning itself on a leaf until my dogs flushed it! On the way to the Cemetery, I noticed a small caterpillar crawling up someone's front wall and on close inspection, it turned out to be a Silver Y caterpillar. 

Above, a pair of juvenile Blackbirds in the bushes in the south-east corner. Below, the Hornet-mimic Hoverfly basking in the sunshine. Our largest Hoverfly in the UK and most certainly a stunning insect.

Above, another Red Admiral enjoying the sunshine and below, a Speckled Wood near the main footpath. 

A large Spear Thistle growing on one of the graves caught my eye, standing at least 5 feet tall.

Birding pal, Andy Fisher, texted me to say he saw the Pied Flycatcher on Catherington Downs late this afternoon. It was found by fellow ‘Lazee’, Andy Friend earlier this afternoon and also three Spotted Flycatchers were there too. Also in Hampshire today, a Wryneck was found near Fleet Pond and over at Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marshes; there were two each of Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint. Finally, a White Stork (probably one of the Knepp birds) flew west over Farlington Marshes early this afternoon.