Another reasonable haul of species over the Cemy.

Friday 3rd November 2023

Now that Storm Cairan has been and gone, I took the dogs over Highland Road Cemetery after my first shift this morning. The sun was out and plenty of blue sky with the odd cloud overhead, but rather mild again (14 degrees Centigrade) with a light westerly blowing; just right for a pleasant walk around my local patch. There was a lot of leaf litter and broken branches laying around due to the storm and many of the trees were now bare of leaves. On a positive side, it makes it easier to locate the birds up in the trees!

Above, both House Sparrow and Starling are attracted to a bird table in a garden by the Cemetery. Below, all the leaves are down on these trees, giving it a wintry feel.

Above, Tapered Drone Flies enjoy the flowering Ivy plants as well as (below) the Common Wasps and other hoverflies.

Up to 24 bird species were recorded this morning during my hour there. The Green Woodpecker was heard several times over on the north-east side, but I failed to get a glimpse of the bird. A Siskin was also heard flying west, but too high to get a view of the bird, however, the Jay showed again, albeit distantly perched on a gravestone and occasionally flying through the trees. A very vocal Chaffinch was heard and a Goldcrest was seen distantly calling in one of the ornamental Conifers near the Mausoleum. Sadly, no Chiffchaffs were either seen or heard this morning.

Birds present this morning included the following:

• Herring Gull
• Black-headed Gull
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Blackbird
• Blue Tit
• Great Tit
• Goldcrest
• Chaffinch
• Goldfinch
• Greenfinch
• Siskin
• Wren
• Robin
• Green Woodpecker
• Pied Wagtail
• Grey Wagtail
• Meadow Pipit
• Starling
• House Sparrow
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Jay

Above, a Batman Hoverfly sunning itself and below, Toadstools are springing up all over the place.

Above, Honey Fungus is also springing up in various areas of the Cemetery and below, this Marmalade Hoverfly was nectaring on this Smooth Sow-thistle flower.

Up to four Blackbirds were seen feeding near one another including this male bird.

Two Red Admiral butterflies were seen flying over the Cemetery, but none settled today. Still good numbers of Bees and Hoverflies on the flowering Ivy plants with Drone Flies, Tapered Drone Flies, Ivy Mason Bees and both Marmalade and Batman Hoverflies still all in good numbers among the Common Wasps. Earlier today on my first shift at Pembroke Road, there were sightings of a female Sparrowhawk stooping south-east towards the bushes along the footpath south and the usual Jay was out and about too, flying from tree to tree along the main road. The usual large flock of Wood Pigeons were on Governor’s Green, though something spooked them and at least 50+ birds took off from both the Green and the adjacent Holm Oaks. In Hampshire this morning, a Leach’s Petrel flew close in off Sandy Point, Hayling Island.