Tuesday 2nd November 2021.
Though a very cold start to the day, it was sunny and bright plus it was fairly warm in the sunshine. There was hardly a breath of wind today, a good day to go birding, but I was at work and therefore, kept an eye out for anything interesting. My first port of call today was Portchester Crematorium where another check for moths revealed a smart looking Yellow-lined Quaker and at least 8 Beautiful Plume and 2 Common Plume moths.
As I was driving out of Portsmouth on the M275, I noticed it was high tide within Portsmouth Harbour and looking west, a flock of around 50+ Brent Geese were bobbing on the water. I couldn't spot anything of note on the small pool beside the motorway, but a Grey Heron was perched on a post within the harbour close to the bridge. I was driving along Southampton Road heading towards Portchester, a female or juvenile Sparrowhawk (my theory was that it was a juvenile) chased a small bird over the road, but the hawk gave up the chase and flew off back north.
After my work at Portchester Crematorium, I was driving along the top of Portsdown Hill again, but the only birds of note was a small flock of Meadow Pipits in a roadside field. I later found out that a female type, Ring Ouzel, was seen again down nearby Pigeon House Lane. In the afternoon, I was working again over The Oaks Crematorium and in warm sunny weather, I took a stroll around the premises. Again, no moths were seen around the Book of Remembrance building, but there were a few birds of note.
A Grey Wagtail was on top of the main building of which I only caught a glimpse and a small flock of 3 Mistle Thrushes flew over the car park, heading west towards the woodland. The Marsh Tit was heard calling within the woodland as was the Long-tailed, Great, Blue and Coal Tit and even a Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard to call, though I have not seen one here for a while.
In Hampshire today, both the Snow Bunting at Warsash and the Great Grey Shrike at Backley Bottom were still present. In Chichester Harbour, a pair of female Velvet Scoters were seen along with a Red-throated Diver, a Common Scoter and a Razorbill. Nice one Andy J. Nearby East Head hosts a Snow Bunting, an annual place for this species, at this site.
No comments:
Post a Comment