A walk around the Harbour entrance.

Friday 8th December 2023.

A beautiful calm morning here at Eastney Harbour entrance and Langstone Harbour.

A much better morning with regards to the weather with a clear blue sky and sunshine and even the temperature wasn't too bad either and set to get into double figures later today. On my first shift this morning, I saw 12 species of birds that included a Cormorant that flew low over my head and also a Mute Swan heading towards Portsmouth Harbour. The Jay was around and about again, busy in search of acorns from the nearby Holm Oaks that line Pembroke Road. The weather was poor yesterday and though we had heavy rain in the afternoon, I still managed to see 13 species here.

Above, Brent Geese distantly flying over Milton and below, swimming in Lock Lake.

Above, the Brent Geese came a little closer as I walked towards the Ferry Terminal and below, one of the four Great Crested Grebes in the harbour.

Above and below, up to four Sandwich Terns were fishing just offshore.

This morning, after my first shift, I took the dogs for a walk around the Harbour entrance at Eastney, just concentrating on the area around the Hayling Ferry Terminal. Though the tide was ebbing, the water was flat calm and therefore relatively easy to pick out anything swimming in the harbour. At least four Great Crested Grebes were counted and a distant female Merganser in Lock Lake. However, there was a superb drake Red-breasted Merganser close in near the Terminal that showed very well. Sandwich Terns were vocal over the harbour with at least 3 to 4 birds noted and plenty of Brent Geese resting near the shoreline as well as many more taking off from the fields by Portsmouth College and then heading in my direction.

The above three photos of the drake Red-breasted Merganser by the Ferry Terminal. It flew off into nearby Lock Lake. Below, Cormorants and a couple of Feral Pigeons by the Sunken Bridge within Langstone Harbour.

A pair of Mute Swans flew into Langstone Harbour and headed off northbound.

Other birds noted included several small flocks of Turnstone flying over the harbour and also a few Redshank and a single Oystercatcher. Up to four Cormorants could be seen swimming together north of the harbour entrance and a few more near the sunken bridge within the harbour. A lone Pied Wagtail was on the roof of the University Building and as per usual, the House Sparrows sat in the brambles right by the road and totally oblivious of anyone walking past. Sadly, nothing apart from Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls were in the Harbour entrance itself, but it was a nice trip here nonetheless; especially when all you can hear is the sound of Sandwich Terns calling to one another. 

One of the House Sparrows by the Harbour Entrance.

Stop press: Just before my second shift, I was watching the local House Sparrows and Blue Tits enjoying the feeders, when I spotted a pair of Blackcaps enjoying the Pyracantha berries. Sadly, they didnt linger long and when I came back with my camera, they had gone, but I am sure they will be back as there are plenty of berries still available.