Still few migrants in the Cemy.

Friday 1st September 2023.

There were hardly any birds to really take a photo of this morning, so these Collared Doves had to make do! 

It was back over to Highland Road Cemetery again this morning for our dogs regular morning walk and now that the rain had gone earlier this morning, eventually, the sun broke through and it was quite warm, getting up to around 20 degrees once the sun came out. Again, there was very little wind with a very light westerly along the coast. Could there be any migrants in the Cemetery this morning?

Above, it's Conker season! I remember in my youth climbing 40ft Horse Chestnut trees and going out on the furthest branches to shake off the Conkers from the trees, risking life and limb to do it (and I did fall out of a tree once!). But we had no fear then and now the 'Beige Brigade' would be horrified if they saw kids up a tree. Always brings back great memories. Below, both Cat's Ear and Yarrow avoided the Council strimmers this week.

16 species seen or heard this morning, which included the female Sparrowhawk for a third day running! Again, she flew into a small bush by the wall in the south-east corner of the Cemetery and again, with no luck and was ushered out of the Cemy by two Magpies. While I was talking to a fellow dog-walker with her small dog, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over my head and disappeared into the canopy of a tree on the east side of the Cemy. Sadly, that was the only sighting of the bird, but the first time I have seen it this week.

Above, a clump of Common Field-speedwell was found between one of the graves and below, this Elbow-striped Grass-veneer moth was resting on a different gravestone.

The only migrant seen (or should I say heard) was a Chiffchaff, but now we are in September, anything could possibly turn up during this month.We shall see. The only butterflies on the wing were a few Small White’s and a single Red Admiral. I did find a couple of micro moths this morning here which included a Straw-barred Pearl and an Elbow-striped Grass-veneer; the latter perched on a gravestone. Tonight, I am taking my moth box over to the Oaks Crematorium in Havant. I have a good friend who spoke highly of me to the management who then gave me permission to take my box over there. Could be very interesting indeed.

This is one of the tallest Ragwort plants I have seen in the Cemetery; easily standing 5ft high.

The birds recorded this morning included the following:

• Great Spotted Woodpecker
• Sparrowhawk: female
• Goldfinch
• Starling
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Collared Dove
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Blue Tit
• Great Tit
• Chiffchaff
• Wren
• Robin
• Herring Gull
• Blackbird