The female Sparrowhawk is back again.

Wednesday 30th August 2023.

The female Sparrowhawk keeping an eye on her domain.

A clear blue sky overhead and bright sunshine was all that I was asking for as I took my dogs around Highland Road Cemetery early this morning. They had their new lead on today, a split lead which was bought for us by our Sinead and it was a success. They behaved themselves throughout our walk and even got up for a sniff with another dog. All good, phew! I was hoping for a few migrants within the Cemetery this morning and was pleased to see a Chiffchaff and hear a sub-singing Willow Warbler this morning.

This female Sparrowhawk scared off the young Blackbirds.

I was watching three juvenile Blackbirds feeding in the grass in the south-west corner, when suddenly, they all flew off in mad panic. A female Sparrowhawk flew in and I thought it grabbed something in a bush by the garden wall. It hadn’t and therefore perched on the wall and then flew up on a nearby rooftop - arguably the Queen of the Cemetery? Luckily, I got some half decent photos of the bird.

Above, one of the Robins showed very well and below, even the Collared Dove was rather confiding this morning; both seen in the south-east corner. 

There were at least two, possibly three Chiffchaffs within the Cemetery this morning and one individual calling over on the far east side of the Cemetery, deep within a canopy of a Scots Pine tree, did sound a little unusual. Though I did not have my binoculars with me, I still got a reasonable view of the bird as it flew into a smaller bush and perched briefly. A Willow Warbler was singing deep within the canopy of the Holm Oaks, but I did not get a view of the bird. There was a large number of Carrion Crows all perched up in the Beech Tree in the centre of the Cemetery, with at least 14 birds present and quite possibly the highest number I have seen here at this site. Finally, a Pied Wagtail; a species I hardly see over the Cemetery, flew over, but I did not get a sighting of the bird.  

Over on the east side of the Cemetery, it was a lot more unkempt and could there be something good lurking within there. Above, one of the few plants in flower here, Smooth Sow-thistle.

Birds seen in the Cemetery this morning included the following:

• Sparrowhawk: female
• Herring Gull
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• House Sparrow
• Starling
• Goldfinch
• Blue Tit
• Willow Warbler
• Chiffchaff
• Pied Wagtail
• Robin   

Good numbers of Carrion Crows were in the lone Beech Tree.

Both Red Admiral and Small White butterflies were seen over the Cemetery, but very little insect life bar a few Hoverflies and Bumblebees. The Council workers were in the Cemetery again, strimming around the graves and despite the noise, there were plenty of birds and wildlife to be seen. There were not many wild flowers on show, with Smooth Sow-thistle, Mallow and Ox-eye Daisies the most notable. In Hampshire today, the Osprey was still showing well on North Binness Island this morning within Langstone Harbour.  

A female Striped-backed Fleckwing (Dasyrphus albastriatus) hoverfly on a Smooth Sow-thistle near the main entrance this morning.