Three sites explored plus a cracking ending.

Saturday 16th April 2022.

We were back into West Sussex again, enjoying great views of a singing Nightingale. 

Today was another superb day where we had wall to wall sunshine and some great birds to watch in three different sites! Andy had his moth box on overnight and produced my first Twenty-plume Moth of the year, but the only other moth present was a Common Plume. Shame, I thought he would have more than that. Cowplain Marsh (his back garden) has gone through a major tidy up this week and checking out his pond, I flushed my first Speckled Wood butterfly of the year which quickly settled on a leaf to bathe in the early morning sunshine. A pair of Siskins flew over and one could hear both Blackcap and Chiffchaff singing in the distance to whet one's appetite for the day.

The Twenty-plume Moth on the back door of Andy's house. My first of the year.

Another photo of the Nightingale at Marlpit Lane.

Nightingales were on my agenda and even though I dipped on seeing or hearing any a few days ago at Marlpit Lane, I felt that we could be more successful and sure enough, we were in luck. As we drove slowly down the road, I picked up a bird singing somewhere in the field opposite and so parking up in the layby, we took a walk back up the road to view. Climbing over a bit of barbed wire fencing, we stood overlooking an area of scrub and there perched high up on a large bramble, we saw our Nightingale in full song. I managed to grab some film footage of the bird as at least two more were heard in the distance. This place can attract up to 6 or more Nightingales, but I was more than happy watching this showy individual.

Above, a wing-flicking Chiffchaff trying to attract its nearby mate. Below, a male Blackcap searching for food on the ground in front of us, while the Nightingale sang its heart out.

  

Other birds in the area included Andy’s first Common Whitethroat of the year, a displaying singing bird that was seen perched on brambles nearby. Several Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps showed well and while we just stood there, there was a nice array of birds to watch including a Green Woodpecker, a male Yellowhammer, a ‘drumming’ Great Spotted Woodpecker that soon showed well as it flew past and good numbers of Linnets passing overhead. A bit later, we took a walk adjacent to the large field where we had more Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs and a Common Buzzard drifted over while being chased by a few Crows.

Above, a Wild Strawberry in flower and below, Alkanet, both growing along the footpath adjacent to the large field. 

Other wildlife present included several Bee Flies, a few Tapered Drone Flies and a few butterflies including Small White and Small Tortoiseshell. Plants here included Hedge Mustard, Alkanet and Bluebells in their hundreds. Gorgeous.

Several Tapered Drone Flies were basking in the sunshine.

Our next stop was to be Thorney Island, but we popped into a local Co-operative for a bit of lunch. The small car park by Thorney Road was full and so we parked by the roadside. We took a stroll along the path leading to the harbour wall and almost immediately, I picked up our first singing Sedge Warbler perched on a bramble! My second ‘year-tick’ of the day and Andy’s third.I could hear a Reed Warbler in the distance, but we never got a sighting of the bird this morning. Med Gulls flew overhead, heading towards the rising tide within Emsworth Harbour and a few Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were again in view.

This Common Buzzard drifted over by the large field, being hotly pursued by a pair of Crows.

A Grey Heron flying over Thorney Island near the main road.

We made our way along the harbour wall to the small bench overlooking the Little Deeps, enjoying a close-up of the Great Crested Grebe on the water within the harbour. Enjoying a bit of lunch, we checked out the Little Deeps, again enjoying a displaying Sedge Warbler nearby and the occasional Bearded Tit flying low over the reedbed. A few Little Grebes swam on the water and a Mute Swan was nesting close to the foreshore. Another Reed Warbler could be heard singing, but again, no sighting of the bird to add to our year list. Both Common Buzzard and Kestrel were seen along our walk to the Great Deeps, but the area here was rather quiet with very little of note seen. Poor Andy was really under the weather due to a major hangover (no sympathy whatsoever!) as we sat overlooking the Little Deeps once again for twenty minutes or so. A couple of Brent Geese were seen swimming on the calm water within the harbour, the last birds  that could possibly over-summer here. On the way back to the car, we came across a young couple waiting patiently for a ‘Nightingale’ to pop out of cover, but we explained to them it was actually a Cetti’s Warbler. Please note: we were all novices once but they appreciated having their bird correctly identified.

One of the singing Sedge Warblers near the Little Deeps.

Great Crested Grebe in Emsworth Harbour.

A male Common Whitethroat near the Little Deeps.

A close up of a fishing Little Egret near the Great Deeps. The bird had literally caught and swallowed a fish, hence the thick throat on the bird.

It was only 11.30am when we got back to the car and I said to Andy ‘do you fancy giving Old Winchester Hill a try?’. Does a bear s*** in the woods? By 12.15pm, we found a spare space in the car park and took a walk to the slope looking west and what a view! I really didn't fancy walking the course around the Hill and so we simply just sat there enjoying whatever came our way. This included at least 7 Common Buzzards, a Raven, Yellowhammer, Nuthatch and good numbers of both Linnet and Goldfinch. Butterflies included Brimstone, Small White and a gorgeous Peacock and even a couple of micro moths passed by as Andy slept! After an hour or so, we decided to make our way back and reflect on yet another good day’s birding. But the excitement did not end there.

The cracking view looking west from Old Winchester Hill.

Plenty of Cowslips growing on the Hill.

A Nuthatch showed well on the Hill.

Later in the afternoon, from my back garden I heard a large commotion going on with the local Herring Gulls, which is a tell-tale sign that a raptor is passing by overhead. It took a while but I had a huge smile on my face as I watched an Osprey flying high west over the houses, being mobbed by the Gulls. Who would have thought it after missing the bird in Langstone Harbour recently? Andy had managed to see that individual perched on a very distant post, but now I have clawed one back on him! Happy days.

Below, the singing Nightingale at Marlpit Lane. Apologies for the shaky beginning but the camera was handheld at the time.

Tree Pipit and Cuckoo at Woolmer Pond.

Saturday 15th April 2022.

A beautiful morning here at Woolmer Pond.

This Bank Holiday Friday, I took the long drive up the A3 to visit Woolmer Pond and all its gorgeous wildlife, hoping for more migrants and this morning, the site did not disappoint. Another clear night produced a slight frost and as I was driving up the A3, there was still a layer of fog in various areas. However, my first ‘port of call’ was to give the moth box some attention and although nothing new was present for the year, there was a reasonable number to go through including the following:

• 4 Early Grey
• 2 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 20 Common Plume
• 1 Beautiful Plume.

The ‘name of the game’ this morning was to get up to Woolmer Pond early as I promised my wife that I would take her out for breakfast! So, I arrived around 7.30am in the small car park and made my way through the woodland to the Pond. The woodland held several Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps that were in full song and a Siskin flew over. I nearly jumped out of my skin when a lady on a Cycle passed close by on the footpath!

Above, the footpath through the woodland on entering the Pond and a male Siskin above my head with a female nearby. It didn't help my bad back craning upwards to photograph the bird.

The male Blackcap by the perimeter of the Pond.

Fortunately, there was no fog on the Pond and checking the calm water, I picked out several Canada Geese, Moorhen and Coots on the water, while on the northern end, around a dozen Black-headed Gulls were present. I decided to walk anticlockwise first around the Pond, hoping to see my first Tree Pipit of the year, but none could be seen although I was sure I heard one. At least four Siskins were feeding on the seed cones of Silver Birch above me and showed very well as did a few Long-tailed Tits that shared the same tree. A male Blackcap showed very well as it was skulking around the ground foliage singing all the time.

A pair of Mute Swans, Geese and wildfowl were present on the water.

I found this Treecreeper preening itself high up in a Silver Birch. 

A pair of Lapwing flying over the Pond.

Walking back clockwise (there were no red flags today and so I could walk through the Forest and heath), another check on the water revealed a few Mallard, at least 3 Grey Lag Geese and a pair of Little Grebes, while at least three Lapwing were displaying over the Pond. Nearing the Cottage, the conifers just before held both Goldcrest and Coal Tit that showed very well above my head. I was hoping for my first Redstart of the year, but none were seen this morning nor yesterday either. Surely they will arrive here soon? A walk around the Cottage revealed a few Linnets feeding on the ground and a pair of Chaffinches flew up into the trees, but not a great deal else to be seen here and so I made my way to the Forest.

One of the settled Lapwing showed well on the Pond.

This female Goldcrest showed well in the group of Conifers near the Cottage.

A female Linnet in the garden of the Cottage. The male wasn't too far away. 

Walking towards the Forest, I accidentally flushed three Woodlarks which flew up and circled overhead with one individual in full song. More were seen later in the morning as I made my way around the Pond. I could hear in the distance a singing Tree Pipit and eventually, I found the bird perched high up on a lone Conifer as I enjoyed watching the bird singing for its territory. Also in the distance was a singing Willow Warbler and I clocked it flitting about in a Silver Birch not far from the large pond to the north. A male Stonechat was also seen here, flitting about on the Gorse bushes below the Warbler.

My first Tree Pipit of the year and well worth the wait finding this gorgeous singing bird.

Apart from singing Chiffchaff and Coal Tit, all was fairly quiet through the woodland, but after climbing up the footpath, I made it out onto the heath and almost immediately connected with a singing male Dartford Warbler. The scratchy song could clearly be heard, but I could not find the bird, but thankfully, I found it a bit later perched on a Conifer sprig. Another Tree Pipit was displaying close by and a third bird was also heard singing to the north. A good day for this species! Then, I heard the familiar call of a Cuckoo somewhere in the distance and after walking east to the viewpoint, I eventually picked it up perched high up on the top of a Silver Birch; my second ‘year-tick’ of the day. More Linnets flew past and a Lesser Redpoll was also heard, but I failed to locate the bird. Cannot win them all! A small moth fluttered over the main footpath and on further inspection when it landed, it turned out to be my first Common Heath moth of the year!

The singing male Dartford Warbler on the heath. 

The distant Cuckoo on the heath. I have to say that I was very lucky to spot it! 

The Common Heath moth.  

I walked back through the Forest, after checking the time and made my way clockwise back around the Pond. On the Pond itself, I was hoping for a Common Sandpiper, but the best I could manage was a tide flock of 13 Tufted Duck on the ‘mirror-like’ water. Andy House gave me a call to say that he was making his way to Woolmer Pond and wanted to know where the Tree Pipts were and after giving him directions, another Tree Pipit was seen singing on top of a Silver Birch! A Common Buzzard flew low over the Pond, much to the anger of the mobbing Black-headed Gulls.

One of several Woodlarks seen this morning. This was a showy bird on the north side of the Pond.

As I got my gear packed into the back of my car, Andy House pulled into the car park with fellow ‘Lazee Birder’ JB and while talking to him, a ‘flock’ of 7 Jays flew over the road! The drive back down the A3 produced a Great Spotted Woodpecker flying over and a pair of Red Kites soaring over the Clanfield area. A cracking morning bird's birding.

Above, the beautiful Tree Pipit to round off a superb morning and below, some film footage of the above bird.

A lovely midday walk down the Canal Path.

Thursday 14th April 2022.

My first Common Whitethroat of the year along the Canal Path and not too far away from the car park.

I could not resist doing some birding today and so after some household chores, I made my way to the Canal Path at Titchfield Haven, hoping to catch up with some new migrants that might have arrived. On arrival within the small car park, a Blackcap was in full song behind me and Chiffchaffs were singing nearby too. It was 11am when I arrived and after grabbing a bit of lunch from the Village local, I made my way slowly down the footpath heading south.

Above, the walk south along the start of the Canal path, a Tree Bumble Bee enjoying nectaring on White Dead-nettle and another photo of the Common Whitethroat. 

Out on Posbrook FLoods, I could see at least a dozen Black-tailed Godwit and a few Lapwing in the large pool, but there was nothing more unusual among them. A Common Snipe took off from the south of the pool and headed north, calling in while doing so and overhead, I counted at least 5 Common Buzzards all in the air at the same time. Sadly, I could not find any Hirundines hawking over the pools, but a Swallow was seen later along the walk, a gorgeous singing bird as it passed close by heading south over the fields. Cetti’s Warblers were calling repeatedly along the Canal Path and more Chiffchaffs were showing well, including one individual male sporting a ring. My first Common Whitethroat of the year was found singing close to the Canal as I watched it searching for food low down within the reeds and brambles, but at times it showed very well. Another two more singing males were seen along the path. 

Above, Lesser Celandines were abundant along the Canal Path and below, my first Coltsfoot of the year.

I thought there would have been a lot more butterflies on the wing, but the sightings were far and few between, though I did see my first Comma of the year plus sightings of Peacock, Brimstone and Small White. I also saw my first Coltsfoot flowers of the year, though the likes of both Lesser Celandine and Dandelion were abundant along the footpath. As expected, there were an awful lot of dog-walkers along the footpath and because it was Easter Holiday for the kids, a large noisy family of kids, with their rogue dogs off the lead, got a filthy look from me. Mind you, the two ladies in control of them did tell them to keep the noise down! Kids will be kids!

Above, a drake Pintail and Shoveler on one of the pools. A singing male Chiffchaff sporting a ring on its right leg, though it was too distant to get a number on the ring.  

Along the wooded section of the path, a Treecreeper showed superbly just a few feet from where I stood, but it was an active individual and my camera struggled to grab decent photos of it as it explored an Oak Tree low down. A Nuthatch was singing continuously in the same stretch of woodland, but it was elusive up in the canopy. I did have my second ‘year-tick’ of the year with a brief sighting of a Willow Warbler which I had heard singing deep within some Willows. Not the best sighting of this lovely species, but it was a sighting nonetheless. I didn't really want to pass that family and so turned around to walk back to the car. A male Kestrel was hovering close to the footpath, but a passing Gull decided to shoo it off! A good search over one of the pools produced a variety of wildfowl on the water including a drake Pintail, Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal and Mallard, but no Garganey hiding among the reeds. Near the end of the footpath, a singing male Stonechat was perched on a tall out in the fields and a Reed Warbler was briefly in song within a small stretch of reeds close to the path, but, frustratingly, it would not show and so I headed back to the car. 

The showy Treecreeper along the wooded area of the Canal Path. What a beauty.

A couple of the ‘Lazee Birders’ were watching Nightingales in the fog this morning back at Whiteley Pastures and this spurred me on to try Marlpit Lane to see if the birds had arrived back there. In a nutshell, no, despite a good walk up and down the lane, but there were plenty of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs there and overhead, a few Buzzards were soaring in the sunshine. Not a great deal else and so I made my way home through Emsworth on my way home. I hope to be birding early tomorrow morning and Woolmer Pond is on my mind, seeing there were a lot of Tree Pipits seen there this morning.   

A singing male Stonechat near the main footpath. 

One of the many Common Buzzards over the fields this afternoon.

This male Blackcap was singing its heart out at Marlpit Lane, close to the main road. 

Bloxworth Snout still present in the fog.

Thursday 14th April 2022.

 I found the Bloxworth Snout by the back window, some distance from the moth box this morning.

Well, the fog put paid to a ‘sea-watch’ early this morning and thankfully, I had the moth box to fall back on. Not as many moths as yesterday, but not a bad variety again with the Bloxworth Snout found again and my first White-shouldered House Moth for April near the white sheet. The following moths were present this morning:

• 3 Early Grey
• 1 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Bloxworth Snout
• 10 Common Plume
• 1 White-shouldered House Moth
• 2 Light Brown Apple Moth 

Above, an Early Grey and below, the Brimstone Moth.

White-shouldered House Moth.