My first Wheatear of the year.

Thursday 17th March 2022.

The gorgeous male Wheatear gracing South Moors this afternoon.

And still this Covid thing is still going on and I am still bloody positive! I gave it till the middle of the afternoon to make my way over to South Moor to hopefully view a male Wheatear that had been found there this morning and thankfully, I was in luck. The Government has stated that as long as you keep away from people, one can travel even if you are tested positive and that's exactly what I did, though I did take Scruff along with me.

This was my first singing Chiffchaff of the year, close to where I parked my car.

I parked up at the bottom of Southmoor Lane, got Scruff on his lead and then made my way to the harbour wall. Almost immediately, there was a singing Chiffchaff close by (my first singing bird of the year) and eventually, I found it high up in a nearby tree. A second singing bird was also seen, but was too quick for me to grab a photo as it dropped into cover. I was also hoping for a singing Blackcap here, a good site for this species, but none were heard throughout my visit here.

A Little Egret was fishing in a small pool on the mudflats.

Storm Eunice gave this place at South Moors a real pounding as most of the fields to the north were flooded. I suppose the Gulls and wildfowl will now make the most of it. However, the greedy eyes of Developers are always a threat to this special area.  

There was an ebbing tide within Langstone Harbour, but there were still a large number of Brent Geese on the exposed mudflats, probably all itching to make the long journey north to their breeding grounds shortly. The distinctive calls of the Mediterranean Gulls could be heard overhead as both pairs and singles of this species flew over occasionally in the bright sunshine. Though it was sunny with a clear blue sky, the westerly wind blowing in off the harbour was a tad chilly, though I did not wear my coat this time.

Above, these Brent Geese will not be long in making the long journey east while this Curlew will probably head north! Below, a Rock Pipit on the harbour wall.

After chastising some idiot who let his dog roam free to hassle my dog, we made our way along the harbour wall heading east and kept to the main path, eventually I came across a passerine sitting on the harbour wall. It was the male Wheatear looking quite stunning in the afternoon sunshine. The bird showed very well as I steadied myself in taking some photos of the bird, up until that is, when some bloody idiot suddenly came out of nowhere on this mountain bike and I had to reluctantly move out the way. Stray dogs, bloody cyclists, whatever next ?? After taking my eye off the Wheatear, I had no idea where it had gone, but it did leave at least two Rock Pipits in its wake.

The male Wheatear on the harbour wall. I wonder how many made the crossing over the Channel today?

I walked on for a further 100 yards, realised that there was not much point in moving on and so I made my way back to the car, but not before I took a look at the pools at Budds Farm. The Wheatear was refound again, but this time I let it go about its business as I passed some 15 yards away from the bird and then it flew off east along the beach again. My first Wheatear of 2022 and a gentle reminder that Spring is finally here. A quick look on Birdguides revealed that a group of 3 Glossy Ibis were seen flying onto the paddocks at Titchfield Haven at roughly the same time, but I was more than happy in checking out the pools on Budds Farm.

Comfrey growing abundantly by Budds Farm.

Something's up there! This Rock Pipit on the beach was on its guard. 

I passed my first Comfrey plants of the year as I made my way up the slope to the viewing area overlooking the pools, to the sound of both Cetti’s Warbler and Chiffchaff's singing. The pools were alive with the sound of Black-headed Gulls bathing on the water and the occasional Med Gull passing overhead, but no Little Gulls among them this time as there was last Spring. There were plenty of wildfowl present including good numbers of Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck and Gadwall and among them, there was a single drake Pochard which became elusive after my first sighting. At least a dozen or so Little Grebes were noted, but apart from a small flock of Long-tailed Tits below me in the small trees, not a great deal else was seen. More than happy with the Wheatear sighting, I made my way back home to avoid the worst of the traffic going back into Portsmouth.

Above, a drake Teal on the pools and below, a drake Gadwall on the same pool. 

There were some nice birds in Hampshire today with a pair of Garganey seen off Hill Head and another flying past the Bishops Waltham area. A male Hen Harrier was seen flying over Posbrook Floods twice today and the Glossy Ibis were most certainly paying visits to various areas along the south coast including Titchfield Haven. Three Sand Martins were noted over Testwood Lakes along with a pair of Little Ringed Plovers also there. Earlier today, the moth box held just 4 Common Plume moths, which was disappointing. I happened to have a small spider that had taken residence in my kitchen and unusually for this type of habitat, for I normally see them out in the countryside, it was a Nursery Spider of which I placed it in one of my moth tubes and put it outside in the garden. How strange!

A drake Shoveler by the reeds.

A nice portrait of one of the Long-tailed Tits present.

The Nursery Spider that was in my kitchen this morning.