SW Hampshire wildlife reports:
June - July 2005

The June highlight in the Keyhaven-Pennington Marsh area was a Black-winged Stilt on the evening of 21st that had previously spent several days on the Isles of Scilly. However, any hopes of a long stay were dashed when it reappeared on the Dungeness peninsula (Kent) the following morning. A Spoonbill was also present the same day and was seen intermittently to the end of the month. A Ruddy Duck (30th) was the only other notable bird recorded in June. Moth trapping produced two different Red-necked Footman (19th and 20th), which were part of an influx into the region and may be the first recorded in the Lymington area. A Scarlet Tiger (23rd) was also a good local record. Other highlights included five Rosy Wave, a good total of 11 Small Elephant Hawk-moth (19th), three Orange Footman, two Cream-spot Tiger, and single Pempelia formosa, Phlyctaenia perlucidalis, Lilac Beauty, Four-dotted Footman, Kent Black Arches, Reddish Light Arches, Obscure Wainscot and Striped Wainscot. Migrants/transitory residents included a male Gem (28th), a total of 19 White-point, two L-album Wainscot, a Silver-Y, three Dark Sword-grass and four Diamond-back Moth.

In July a Spoonbill was again present on the marshes (5th) and two Crossbills flew over (10th). At least two Balearic Shearwaters were seen on several dates off Hurst (17th-24th), with single Avocet and Arctic Skua there on the latter date. The first real signs of return autumn passage included single Curlew Sandpiper and Whinchat (29th).

Away from the coast, moth trapping at a private woodland site NE of Lymington produced a Dentated Pug, two Festoon and a Diamond-back Moth on June 23rd, with a female Goat Moth and another Festoon on June 29th. Another session on July 28th led to the capture of Evergestis limbata; this is a recent arrival on the south coast and this record is only about the 8th for Hampshire. A Webb’s Wainscot was also trapped the same night.  

 

Red-necked Footman	Cream-spot Tiger
Goat Moth

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