Still quiet for migrants in the Cemy.

Friday 28th April 2023.

The female Sparrowhawk flew through the centre of the Cemetery in search of prey.

A grey start to the day with a nasty westerly blowing down the street where I was working in Old Portsmouth this morning. It was a bit drizzly too, so I kept myself behind a building and out of the unpleasant weather as much as I could. Fortunately, the damp weather did not last too long as I kept an eye out for anything of note while doing my job. Surely the Swifts should be in by now, if not then over the next few days here over Portsmouth. I kept an eye open up above should one or two belt past, but not this morning. In fact, really nothing of note apart from the usual Goldfinches. Even the Great Spotted Woodpecker has stopped ‘drumming’ over the past few days.

Above, at least four male Blackbirds were seen in the Cemetery today. Just before I saw this male above, I saw a young juvenile bird in the Conifer in the south-west corner. My first young Blackbird of the year. Below, Germander Speedwell growing in a few places. The flowers are a darker blue than the Common Field-speedwell.  

Yesterday, a male Peregrine flew low over the field near the Royal Garrison Church, heading southbound towards the Solent and on the Bowling Green, a pair of Pied Wagtails were searching for insects on the short turf. The owners of the Green have a pair of Plastic Kites to scare the birds off, flying around in the breeze which look ridiculous and obviously do not work. But apart from that, all was quiet. When I came down to do breakfast early in the morning, a Queen Common Wasp was on the kitchen floor and so I grabbed one of my moth pots and gently enticed it inside the pot and put the insect outside. My good deed for the day!

Above, the Queen Common Wasp I rescued from our kitchen yesterday and below, the Cuckoo-pint plants growing over on the south side of the Cemetery. They are looking good now.

After my first ‘tour of duty’ this morning, I took a slow walk around Highland Road Cemetery, hoping for a migrant or two; but there were literally none to be seen. A female Sparrowhawk, that was on the hunt, flew right in front of me and pounced on some House Sparrows in a nearby garden. I think the Sparrows got lucky for I then saw the same Sparrowhawk chasing a small bird over the Cemy. Whether it was successful or not, I don't know, but around 20 minutes later, the female Sparrowhawk flew low in front of me again, this time in the middle of the Cemetery, but disappeared behind the trees and out of view.

Above, Creeping Buttercup were about in clumps between the graves. Below, one of the many flowering 'spikes' of the Horse Chestnut trees. 

Above, at least half a dozen Goldfinch were seen in the Cemetery today including this individual perched up on a TV Aerial. Below, Barren Brome grass growing on one of the graves.

Below, a close-up of the above grass.

Apart from the Sparrowhawk, all was very quiet within the Cemy with only the usual suspects seen today, but at least the sun came out and it actually got quite warm as I felt a little overdressed in my thick coat! Though there was not much of a variety of birds here today, there were plenty of flowering plants to look at which in turn attracts the insects (there is always something to look at here). Both Hoverflies and Bees were on the wing, but no butterflies again, which was disappointing. I did see my first Wolf Spider of the year as it crawled along the edge of a gravestone.

Above, the Marmalade Hoverfly on a Creeping Buttercup flower. Below, Lesser Celandine were still in flower in a few places.

Above, along with the Daisies, the Dandelions were prolific throughout the Cemetery which is very good news for the Bees. Below, a female Hairy-footed Flower Bee (bottom right hand corner) inspects a patch of Herb Robert flowers.

Birds seen today in Highland Road Cemetery included the following:

• Sparrowhawk (female)
• House Sparrow
• Starling
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Black-headed Gull
• Herring Gull
• Blackbird
• Wren
• Blue Tit
• Robin
• Goldfinch
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie  

The female Sparrowhawk flying through the Cemetery overhead.

On my second ‘tour of duty’, the sun was now blazing and it even got up to 20 degrees which was most comfortable to work in this afternoon. A male Peregrine flew over again and disappeared behind the houses to the west, scattering the Wood Pigeons which were picking off the new shoots of grass on the field by the old Church. In neighbouring West Sussex, 'sea-watching' from Selsey Bill this morning produced at least 14 Arctic Skua going through along with 2 Black-throated Divers, 5 Great Northern Divers and a Velvet Scoter. The White-crowned Sparrow is still at Seaford Head, coming down to seed that has been put down for it. Keeps the ‘twitchers’ and ‘toggers’ happy, I guess. The 1st winter Forster’s Tern is still present on Brownsea Island Nature Reserve, Dorset.

Above, my first Wolf Spider of the year on a gravestone and below, Ivy-leaved Speedwell.

We welcome back those ‘Lazee’s’ who had a superb time on the island of Lesbos, one of the gorgeous Greek Islands and they had a superb list of birds out there too. Back to reality guys, I’m afraid!