Herring Gulls and a few Black-headed Gulls searching for food on the wet grass on Governor's Green this morning.
An unsettled day with occasional showers and a bit of sunshine coming through the gaps in the clouds. Still mild though with temperatures around 13 degrees and a light southerly wind. It was back for another week at Pembroke Road again in Old Portsmouth; so what birding delights will we have this week? Interesting news comes in from Birdguides and a few Whatsapp Birding Groups of a White-throated Sparrow onboard one of the Cruise Liners in Southampton Dock on Friday. Also, an unconfirmed report of the Boat-tailed Grackle at Calshot Spit again. We shall see.
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
When I arrived at 7.45am this morning, there were a good number of Herring Gulls and a few Black-headed Gulls searching for food in the wet grass on Governor’s Green to kick off my day here. Two Jays put in an appearance again and are now becoming a regular feature here. A Goldcrest was heard calling from the Holm Oaks and most of the usual bird species were here this morning during my first shift. In all, 14 bird species were logged.
This afternoon, on my second shift, again it was rather wet with rain on and off and eventually a huge downpour. A Great Black-backed Gull was seen flying over the Curtain Moat area and then on towards Portsmouth Harbour to add to my day total here at Pembroke Road.
I found this Common Marbled Carpet moth in Milton, Portsmouth, today.
On my travels during the day, I found a rather late Common Marbled Carpet moth sat on the entrance to a Retirement Home in Milton. On the subject of Moths, birding pal Emma Parkes, found a Mottled Umber moth at her place of work. I will have the Moth Box on a few nights this week to see if I can pick up a few more macro moths for November, though I don't expect many to be honest.
Emma Parkes found this Mottled Umber moth by here workplace.
In Hampshire today:
This Sanderling was at Hill Head. Photo by Pete Appleton.
The Great Grey Shrike was yet again showing well where we saw the bird last Saturday. At Hill Head, there was a late Wheatear present on the shoreline, but little else was reported today, though I think the poor weather had a lot to do with that.
The Great Grey Shrike at Bishops Dyke on Saturday. I digiscoped this bird using my Swarovski telescope and my mobile phone.
I had managed to get the dogs out for a walk twice today, both times at Highland Road Cemetery; however, I only got to do around 30 minutes on each walk. It was fairly bright at first this morning with a heavy dew on the ground, but as the day wore on, it became a lot more overcast, though still quite mild for this time of year. I had the Moth Box on overnight, but I still have not put up my white sheet behind the Box which I shall get around doing that this coming week.
My Moth Box:
This Double-striped Pug was the only macro moth this morning.
Sadly, just five moths of 3 species this morning and was probably due to a cold night and mostly cloudless. I suppose five is better than nothing.
One of three Rusty-dot Pearl moths.
The following Moths were present in and around my Moth Box this morning:
MACRO MOTHS
MICRO MOTHS
Double-striped Pug x1
Light Brown Apple Moth x1
Rusty-dot Pearl x3
While checking the Moth Box, there was a bit of bird movement going on overhead with a couple of large flocks of Wood Pigeons going over plus a flock of 5 Goldfinch and a few Linnets passing over.
Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:
I do love the colour of the leaves in the Autumns. The various shades of green and gold are stunning.
As mentioned, the long grass was covered in heavy dew this morning as I took the dogs for their first walk of the day. However, though I took a few photos from my camera, I didn't get that far before the battery had run out on the camera! Bugger! So I made my way back home. A Goldcrest was heard calling deep within the conifer in the south-west corner, but apart from a lot of Wood Pigeons; all was quiet. On the way there, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew high over Highland Road heading south.
Above, a recently tarmaced pathway in the centre of the Cemetery and below, it clouded up in the afternoon.
Above, I captured this shot of a Carrion Crow flying towards me and below, the stunning golds and greens of these trees and a dewy start to the early morning trip here.
This afternoon, I took the dogs out for their second walk back over the Cemy, though I only had around 40 minutes to walk them as the Cemetery now closes at 4pm. Again, it was very quiet with only Wood Pigeons, a few Carrion Crows and Magpies for company. Both Great Tit and Blue Tit were seen briefly and another Goldcrest was again heard deep within one of the bushes. OK, not a great deal to report, but the colour of the remaining leaves on the trees here was somewhat stunning to say the least.
In Hampshire today:
The Great Grey Shrike remained faithful to yesterday’s spot where we saw it today and a flock of 26 Fieldfare were seen in the area also. Over on Blashford Lakes, one of the re-introduced White-tailed Eagles was showing well in front of the Tern Hide. I suppose the weather wasn’t that great with it being mostly overcast and dull today, so I await to see what birding pal Geoff saw down at Farlington Marshes. Yesterday, a late report was sent of a pair of Penduline Tits in front of the Spurgen Hide at Titchfield Haven yesterday afternoon. Sadly, no further sign today.
The superb Pallas's Warbler at Peveril Point, Dorset yesterday. Photo by Emma Parkes.
A quick update: Geoff texted me tonight and said that Farlington Marshes today held 2 Peregrines, 2 Marsh Harriers, Sparrowhawk, 5 Greenshank, 2 Avocets, Raven, Water Rail, Kingfisher, 4 Rock Pipits, 2 Stonechats, Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff and a Reed Bunting. A Garganey and a Curlew Sandpiper was on the Lake area in the morning.
Though the Boat-tailed Grackle had long departed Calshot Spit, there were still some interesting birds to go for today and on such a beautiful day, with near clear blue sky and plenty of sunshine and very mild temperatures; Geoff, Andy and myself had a superb day. So, with the Grackle gone, it was off first to Fishlake Meadows for the Yellow-browed Warbler and then onto Shatterford (actually Bishops Dyke) in the New Forest for our third attempt this season for the Great Grey Shrike. We rounded the superb day off with a trip to Pig Bush in search of another Yellow-browed Warbler.
Cowplain Marsh, Andy’s house:
Above, a dead Black Rustic moth and a 'just above alive' Feathered Thorn moth. Below, Geoffs MV Moth Trap.
Maybe I was just being lazy, but I never had my Moth Box on last night, regrettably, but Geoff had put his MV Moth Box on overnight in Andy’s Garden. Sadly, there was only one moth present, but a good moth nonetheless; a Feathered Thorn, which was my first for the year. I did look a little on the lifeless side, resting near the Box on one of the shelves and I did see it move to prove it was still alive! There was also a dead Black Rustic close by, but I decided not to give it CPR to improve the moth total here!
While enjoying a cup of coffee outside in Andy’s garden, we were treated to a variety of birds that included several very large flocks of Wood Pigeons flying over. At least three large flocks flew over and Geoff guessed at least involving around 150+ birds. Other birds noted included Goldfinches, Greenfinches, a few Chaffinches, a couple of Goldcrests and a Jay flying over. As we were just leaving, Geoff saw a ‘crest’ by the front garden and it turned out to be a Firecrest! I managed to see the bird briefly while I was sitting in the car. This was a first for ‘Cowplain Marsh!’
Fishlake Meadows, Romsey:
A male Sparrowhawk was one of several raptors over Fishlake Meadows.
Though we never ventured more than the first bench at Fishlake Meadows; for from the Car Park to the first bench is where the Yellow-browed Warbler was apparently being seen, we did eventually see the bird very briefly in one of the trees by the Canal Path, but it was a poor sighting nonetheless, though its call was diagnostic. We heard it again a little later somewhere near the Car Park, but simply could not locate the bird and so returned back to the same bench again where a fellow birder told us that he had great views of it and then watched it fly west over into some nearby Sallows. Sadly, there was no further sign of the bird, but during that couple of hours there, we did get to see some nice birds and also try out my new camera here as well.
Above, one of several Cormorants flying over the Reserve.
Above, a Long-tailed Tit balancing on a small twig and below, this male Goldcrest was searching for food in a bush by the bench.
In fact, I was struggling a bit to get some flight shots of some of the birds overhead, including a male Sparrowhawk that soared above us. After playing around with the Menu and a few other bits and pieces, I think I figured out what I was doing wrong in the end and to be honest, I was rather pleased with some of the results when I looked at my computer screen.
Above, another photo of one of the Long-tailed Tits and below, a Grey Heron flying over the reserve.
As mentioned, there were some nice birds around that included a gorgeous male Bullfinch that we saw several times along the footpath and over the reserve, we picked out a distant Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, a Common Buzzard and two Ravens flying in the gorgeous blue sky. Both Cetti’s Warblers and Water Rails were calling deep within cover and would not show for us, but a few Goldcrests put on a good show as did a small flock of Long-tailed Tits. It was with the Long-tailed Tits that the Yellow-browed Warbler suddenly appeared, but that moment didn't last long. A few high flying Siskins and Redpolls were seen flying over and after around a couple of hours, I suggested we head down to Shatterford Car Park for the Shrike (which had been seen this morning)
Shatterford and Bishop’s Dyke, New Forest:
Our first view of the Great Grey Shrike in Bishops Dyke.
The Car Park at Shatterford was near full and probably were all ‘birders’ cars too as we passed a lot of smiley faces on the way there to Bishop’s Dyke. A small party of Crossbills flew over the trees by the Railway Line as we made our way south and a few Meadow Pipits flew up from the neighbouring heath. As happy ‘birders’ passed us, some gave us exact directions on where to see the Shrike and nearing the big pool within Bishop’s Dyke, a flock of 15 Redwing flew over our heads.
Above, small Toadstools were growing out of the poo! Below, I only grabbed a quick snap of the passing male Merlin that flew over our heads.
Above, the woodland within Bishops Dyke was stunning, what with the sunshine pouring through the trees. I could have stayed here all day.
Joining around six people present in the same location overlooking the big pool, it didn't take long to pick out the Great Grey Shrike perched up on a tall conifer behind the pool. In the pleasant sunshine, the bird showed very well for all those concerned; chasing and catching Dragonflies that were abundant over the heath (mostly Common Darters). As I got busy taking a lot of photos of the bird, something caught my eye and amazingly, it was a female type Merlin flying overhead and thankfully, a lot of birders present caught sight of it too. That was my third ‘year-tick’ of the day and along with the Shrike and the Yellow-browed Warbler, it certainly was turning out to be a superb day indeed.
The first batch of some of the Great Grey Shrike photos.
It was time for lunch here and as I ate my sandwiches with relish, we had a superb, if not distant, show from the Great Grey Shrike. Overhead, more Crossbills, Redpolls and Siskins were flying over along with a distant Common Buzzard drifting low over the heath by Denny Wood. Very happy with the showy Great Grey Shrike, we made our way back to the car.
Above, the Great Grey Shrike landed just the other side of the pond and below, Geoff correctly identified this fungus as Candle-snuff Fungus.
Above, the walk back to the car in Bishops Dyke and below, the heath looking north from Bishops Dyke.
Above, the boys enjoying the view and below, the Great Grey Shrike returned to land some 100ft away from us.
However, when we reached the second bridge, Andy picked out the Great Grey Shrike again, this time perched high up and not too far away, on a tall Silver Birch tree. Was this a second bird? Sadly not; as another birder joined us and told us that the Shrike we had seen earlier had flown east. Again, the bird was showing very well and then went off in search of prey over the heath. Amazingly, we watched it climb into the sky to chase a butterfly of which the insect escaped by flying down to the ground and ‘Kestrel-like’ it closed its wings and chased the butterfly down to the ground where it caught it and ate it in a nearby sprig poking out of the heather. A wonderful moment.
Above, the Great Grey Shrike was now in a different location out on the heath.
And now it was by the railway line.
It didn't end there either as the Shrike then flew over to Birch trees by the railway line and perched there for about 5 minutes or so and was enjoyed by a family group of birders. We were then surprised by a Kingfisher flying very low to the ground and then headed off into Bishops Dyke and out of sight.
Pig Bush, New Forest:
A cracking Marsh Tit enjoyed feasting on the Crab Apples by the wood at Pig Bush.
Earlier today, a Yellow-browed Warbler was seen in the southern end of the wood by Pig Bush Car Park and so I decided to round off our superb day here and spend a good hour in search of the bird. Sadly, we had no luck in finding it, but a pair of Marsh Tits put on a good display, feeding on Crab Apples that had fallen from the trees. A small flock of Long-tailed Tits had our hopes up and Geoff had seen a Chiffchaff among them. A Nuthatch showed briefly and a single Redpoll flew overhead and headed off southbound over the heath. All the time we were watching out for the Yellow-browed Warbler, a Dartford Warbler was calling behind us and I was lucky enough to see the bird briefly perched on one of the larger bushes on the heath until it flew down into the heather and out of view.
Above and below, a pair of Marsh Tits showed very well in the woodland at Pig Bush.
Above, Sulphur Tuft toadstools grew abundantly by the Car Park.
It had been a very good day for raptors with Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Merlin and on the M27 on the way back home, a Kestrel was seen hovering on the roadside bank.
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