Sunday 26th September 2021.
I took Scruff for a nice easy stroll around Highland Road Cemetery late morning, enjoying the bright Autumn sunshine and I was pleasantly surprised at how many insects were on the wing. 15 species of birds were either seen or heard during the hour we were there including good numbers of Chiffchaffs and at least four Jays were also seen flying from tree to tree. I was soon regretting taking my fleece with me as the temperature easily climbed into the 70’s for there was very little wind to cool things down. Above, one of many Red Admirals in the Cemy this morning.
These Herring Gulls were in a big squabble on the rooftops opposite the Cemy, causing onlookers to stop in their tracks.
The Chiffchaffs were quite entertaining as at least 5 possibly 6 birds were flitting around the trees close to the Mausoleum. A rather disturbing scene, which stopped a couple of dog-walkers in the tracks, was two Herring Gulls having a fight (see photos) on a rooftop. One would not let go of the other one's neck! A few Meadow Pipits flew high over, heading south, which represented the only bit of migration going on.
The only butterflies on the wing this morning were nectaring Red Admirals which were enjoying the flowering Ivy Plants and several Small White’s that were seen flying over the Cemy. I even found a few moths on the wing and included a Box Tree Moth and a Vapourer moth: the latter spinning around in the air as per usual but not landing. Hoverflies were also enjoying the flowering Ivy (both Myathropa florea and Eristalis tenax) and this in turn attracted plenty of Garden Spiders to build their webs to trap the insects.
Hoverflies were in large numbers today, making the most of the sunshine and flowering Ivy including Myathropa florea (bottom photo) and Eristalis tenax (top photo).
As per usual with the Cemetery, there is always something to look at here and something will always capture my attention as I slowly make my way around the footpath. Though the Council have given the grass a good mowing, it still looks and feels very Autumnal now with lots of leaves on the ground and more falling all the time. It will not be long when the Winter Thrushes will begin to stop over and even roost here. For now, more migrant birds are coming in and hopefully, the Yellow-browed Warbler might make a return visit as per previous years.
There were few plants on show within the Cemy today, but Smooth Hawks-beard plants (top photo) were common while a sprig of Michaelmas Daisies were on show by one grave. Yarrow, Smooth Sow-thistle, Lady Bedstraw (bottom photo) and a few Cats ears were found too.
There was a good sea-watch off Sandy Point, Hayling Island this morning by Andy J. He notched up a Balearic Shearwater (six off Selsey Bill this morning also), a Red-throated Diver, Guillemot and an Arctic Skua! The Glossy Ibis is still at its usual haunt at Nore Barn, going into its 2nd full week into its stay and still pulling in the birders. No big rarities on the south coast just yet, but watch this space as I am sure they are on their way. I have been reading the Birding Iceland site on Facebook and some of the American rarities that have been arriving there of late are quite staggering. One UK birder has just come back from there and notched up Buff-bellied Pipit, American Redstart, Red-eyed Vireo and Semipalmated Sandpiper along with White-winged Scoter, Harlequin Duck, Gyr Falcon and both Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese. Becky and I had the pleasure of going to Iceland a few years back during the month of February. Truly a superb place, but we failed to see the Aurora borealis. Sob!
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