Wheatear by Eastney Outfall.

Friday 6th October 2023.

The juvenile Wheatear by Eastney Outfall this morning.

On my first shift today, all was fairly quiet, although a flock of 5 Siskin flew west and minutes later, a single bird also flew in the same direction. The Goldcrest was heard again in the trees on the opposite side of Pembroke Road, but little else to raise the pulse here this morning. The weather was looking good for today with plenty of sunshine and a bit of overhead cloud in a westerly wind.

This Little Egret flew over from Hayling Island and settled on the shoreline over on the Eastney side of the harbour entrance.

After my shift, I then took the dogs back over to Eastney Harbour entrance for a good walk and this time, the tide was well out. After carefully parking the car, a quick scan over the harbour entrance revealed a Little Egret making its way across the entrance over to my side and eventually, it plopped down on the shoreline. A second bird was seen a little further up the road, opposite the Hayling Ferry Terminal. I did scan the harbour for waders, but all I could find was a distant flock of Oystercatchers and a lone Curlew on the mudflat ajdacent to Milton Lakes to the north. A Redshank put in a brief appearance, but simply disappeared when I took my eyes of it briefly. 

Above, as expected, the large number of House Sparrows were still present near the Burger Van and below, the lone Little Egret opposite the Hayling Ferry Terminal.

Overhead, Meadow Pipits, Siskins (both very high up and invisible!) and a few ‘alba’ Wagtails flew over, while the usual large numbers of both Starling and House Sparrow were never too far away from the Burger Van! As I was walking back to the car, something in the water close in caught my eye and thinking it was going to be the Razorbill from earlier this week, it was in fact a juvenile Shag that was fishing close to the waters edge. However, the bird was very difficult to photograph and I gave up in the end for it only surfaced for a few seconds.

Above, a distant flock of Oystercatchers on the mudflats within Langstone Harbour. Below, a Small White butterfly nectaring on Buddleia.

Climbing back into the car, we made our way to the Ferry Road Car Park to explore the area thoroughly. As I got out of the car, I was confronted by another large number of House Sparrows ‘dusting’ on the ground and a few more in the neighbouring Brambles. A Robin was nearby, singing its heart out and a small flock of 3 Greenfinch flew off south. Apart from Wood Pigeons, there was nothing in the grassy compound of the Water Treatment Works and so I took a stroll with the dogs to the Outfall area.

Above, sadly, the litter louts and fly-tippers still use this lovely part of our coastline. It's a blight on the landscape, but it is so hard to police this particular area at anytime during the night or day. Below, an adult Cormorant making its way out of the harbour. A few minutes later, the immature Shag followed the bird out of the harbour.

Behind the fenced off area, on the broken concrete seawall, I found a juvenile Wheatear sat quietly. Not an easy task photographing the bird with fidgety dogs in hand, so after scolding them to keep still, I did eventually manage to grab a few photos of this delightful little bird before it disappeared from view in the hole it stood over. I then took the dogs for a walk on the sandy beach and into the rockpools, trying to get them used to seawater and I think they didnt mind a jot. Great stuff. The Wheatear was in exactly the same area where I saw my first of this species earlier this year. An adult Med Gull briefly flew by, but disappeared north with a few other Gulls. 

Above, another photo of the juvenile Wheatear and below, a Drone Fly was sunning itself nearby.

The walk back to the car was rather quiet with just a few Gulls making their way out of the Harbour entrance and some chap seen swimming in the water nearby. Mad! A few people over the years have misinterpreted the strength of the tide here and consequently drowned. So rather him than me! There were plenty of Small White and Red Admiral butterflies around the area and I did find a Drone Fly sunning itself on a leaf on the ground. A Common Field Grasshopper was seen & heard briefly, but disappeared when I went to photograph the insect. Cannot win them all. Geoff Farwell identified a purple flowering plant for me that was growing in clumps in the area - Lucerne (also known as Alfafa) alongside Oxford Ragwort, Smooth Sow-thistle and Mayweed.    

Above, when I took this photo of the Cormorant on the spit adjacent to the Outfall, I didn't realise that a Great Crested Grebe was also in the frame flying away! Below, this stunted form of Viper's Bugloss  was growing by the Water Treatment Works. Thanks to Geoff Farwell for the ID.

Good number of moths & a Painted Lady in the Cemy.

Thursday 5th October 2023.

The beautiful Painted Lady butterfly was a nice surprise on my walk around the Cemy.

A very grey and dark start to the morning and even by 7am, it was still a bit murky; but at least it was mild and hardly any wind. There were at least 53 moths present this morning of 16 species and by far, Light Brown Apple Moths were the most numerous with at least 25 present. The ‘Migrant’ moths present this morning included 3 Rusty-dot Pearl and a single Rush Veneer, which was the first in my garden this year. 

The migrant moth, Rush Veneer.

The moths present this morning included the following:

• 5 Feathered Ranunculus
• 1 Lesser Yellow Underwing
• 2 Garden Carpet
• 1 Pale Mottled Willow
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 1 Lunar Underwing
• 1 Double-striped Pug 
• 1 L-album Wainscot
• 1 Pellitory Cosmet
• 25 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Dingy Dowd
• 4 Ruddy Streak
• 3 Box Tree Moth
• 1 Rush Veneer
• 3 Rusty-dot Pearl
• 1 Common Plume

A Red Admiral butterfly resting on a gravestone.

It was fairly quiet on my first shift this morning at Pembroke Road, with just a Chiffchaff seen first flitting about the trees  opposite then it flew off southbound towards the seawall area. A large flock of House Sparrows flew over and headed north, but little else was seen this morning here. At least the weather was dry, with a breezy westerly wind.

Above, one of the Council Workers mowing the grass today. Below, a Red Admiral butterfly sunning itself in overcast conditions! 

I managed to grab the dogs and go for another walk around Highland Road Cemetery, but there was little of note to set the heart racing. In fact, the best sighting was of a Painted Lady butterfly (see above) in the south-east corner that sat nicely on the grass. Red Admiral butterflies were literally everywhere again and a probable Speckled Wood butterfly was seen in the northern half of the Cemy, though I only got a fleeting glimpse of it. The Ivy Bushes were simply alive with all the usual Bees and Hoverflies, which were very entertaining. A fellow birder and insect enthusiast had said yesterday that the Hoverflies were diminishing where he lived and so I advised him to check out this Cemetery!

Above, a Tapered Drone Fly on a Rough Hawkbit plant. Below, a male Sphaerophoria species of Hoverfly on a Smooth Hawksbeard plant in the Cemetery.

Just 13 species of bird were seen on my walk round the Cemetery, though it was midday and I probably missed any ‘Visible Migration’ going over. Again, all the usual suspects were present, though a lot of species were just heard and not seen. It didn't help what with the two Council Workers cutting the grass with a motorised Lawn-mower and a very noisy strimmer. Field Mushrooms were springing up all over the place now, though they are very delicious to something as many had big chunks taken out of them. Rough Hawkbit plants were everywhere on the grassy areas as well as Smooth Hawksbeard and a few patches still had a few Ox-eye Daisies growing by the graves. I did find some Michaelmas Daisies growing by one grave too. The birds seen on my trip around the Cemetery today included the following:

• Herring Gull
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• House Sparrow
• Starling
• Blue Tit
• Goldfinch
• Chiffchaff
• Robin
• Goldcrest 
• Blackbird

Insects probably dominated the sightings today in the Cemetery with (above) Ivy Mason Bees and Common Wasps abundant again. Below, Red Admiral butterflies were again everywhere around the site.

On my second shift this afternoon, a Common Darter dragonfly perched by the pathway where I was working and even managed a quick photo with my mobile phone. Chilling out in the garden over a coffee and having a pair of dogs trying to sit on my lap, a female Sparrowhawk circled overhead and headed off north. The flowering Ivy growing in my garden was similar to the Cemetery nearby; with good numbers of Bees and Hoverflies and also several Red Admiral butterflies attracted to the heavy scented plants. Watching all these lovely insects while enjoying a cup of coffee and my lovely dogs on my lap; what more can a man want?

Razorbill in the harbour entrance late this afternoon.

Wednesday 4th October 2023.

This Razorbill showed well, if very fleetingly, from the shoreline at Eastney Harbour entrance late this afternoon. 

I was a bit busy today and therefore, I took the dogs out a lot later than expected. In fact, it was after my second shift and seeing they are behaving very well on their leads, I took a risk and so decided to try my luck at Eastney harbour entrance. I had to first put the dog seat belts in the car first and then strap the dogs to them before heading off (it is a legal requirement). Time was getting on a bit and arriving at just after 4pm, I made my way first to the Hayling Ferry Terminal.

Two more photos of the Razorbill this afternoon.

Almost immediately, up popped an Auk species close into the shoreline, but it quickly disappeared again underwater only to surface about thirty yards away. So, holding my camera and the dog's lead at the same time proved challenging and I was hoping that the Auk was going to be my first 'Hampshire' Guillemot of the year. Nope! After grabbing some photos of the Auk, I could then check it out on my camera and sure enough, it was an adult Razorbill that was moulting into winter plumage. Haroo!

The Starlings are very confiding around the car park.

Though to be honest, it was still a nice bird to see as it swam up and down the harbour entrance until disappearing somewhere. Not a great deal else out in the harbour entrance except for a few Herring and Black-headed Gulls and a lone Great Black-backed Gull that was sat on one of the buoys. A little later, an adult Mediterranean Gull flew over my head near the Boathouses. A large flock of Starlings was by the car park, with some just a few feet away from where we sat. 

Above, these Starlings were gathering on the Lifeboat Station building and below, the usual flock of Turnstone were roosting on one of the boats north of the Ferry Terminal within the harbour.

I was pleased that the route to the Ferry Road Car Park had been tarmacked, though the car park itself is still as bumpy as usual as we parked up at the southern end of the car park to take a stroll. My dogs were introduced to the sea again, but they didn't really take a blind bit of notice as I searched the area for anything of note. A small contingent of Black-headed and Herring Gulls were present in the car park, but nothing of real note within the Water Treatment Works, bar a few Wood Pigeons and Magpies. A pair of Swallows flew over heading south and a Greenfinch flew west and that was it!   

Above, Buddy and Ted on their first visit to Eastney Outfall. Below, the harbour entrance looking north into Langstone Harbour.

Earlier today, on my first shift at Pembroke Road, there were a few notable sightings that included a Siskin flying west; a small flock of 4 ‘alba’ Wagtails also heading in the same direction and a Meadow Pipit flying south. In the trees opposite me, I could hear a Goldcrest, Chiffchaff and a Song Thrush calling, though no sightings of the aforementioned Birdee’s!

An afternoon walk produced some nice sightings.

Tuesday 3rd October 2023.

Some of this morning's moths.

It was most certainly a bit chilly this morning although there is talk of the temperatures rising considerably again this week. At least it was dry, the complete opposite of what our weather forecast said it would be this morning and currently bright sunshine as I write. I had the moth box on overnight and it was pretty much the same as the last few times, although an October Clancy’s Rustic was handy. But the mornings numbers were dominated by Light Brown Apple Moths with at least 14 counted. The following moths were present this morning: 

• 1 Clancy’s Rustic
• 2 L-album Wainscot
• 1 Large Yellow Underwing
• 1 Lesser Yellow Underwing
• 3 Feathered Ranunculus
• 1 Double-striped Pug
• 2 Box Tree Moth
• 14 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 3 Ruddy Streak

Overhead, while checking the moth box, ‘Visible Migration’ involved at least 4 ‘alba’ Wagtails and a Siskin, but neither species could be seen for being too high up. However, a lone Meadow Pipit heading south, I did see!

Looking north from the south-east corner of the Cemetery.

On my first shift this morning at Pembroke Road, again there was a small movement of Meadow Pipits heading south and a Goldcrest was calling from the trees on the opposite side of the road. A pair of Peregrines flew west high overhead, but disappeared quickly in the direction of Portsmouth Harbour. They had me confused at first, for they were flying away from me, but I came to the conclusion that they were indeed Peregrines.

Above, a pair of Swallows were virtually the first birds I saw when I entered the Cemetery this afternoon including this individual. Below, the male Sparrowhawk circled around the east side, showing very well.

Earlier today, I awoke with a pain in my lower back and it gradually got worse. Therefore, I postponed my morning walk with the dogs and instead, went after my second shift to Highland Road Cemetery. Though the back was a little better, I also was suffering from tendon trouble on my right hand and taking photos with my camera was a bit of a painful challenge! There was at least a nice variety of birds within the Cemetery after 4pm and even plenty of insects to look at that included many Red Admiral butterflies on the wing and enjoying the flowering Ivy bushes.

Above, again, the male Sparrowhawk soaring overhead and below, countless Batman Hoverflies were feasting on the flowering Ivy plants.

There was as mentioned before, a good variety of birds during my hour here this afternoon with up to 20 species present today. This included, for a change, a male bird that was seen in the south-east corner looking north and showed very well in the bright sunshine. A pair of Great Black-backed Gulls graced the rooftops over on the east side, a species not often seen here and the Jay put in an appearance in the small tree by the Mausoleum; though I have to say, I did like the photos I took of the bird. 

Above, Ivy Mason Bee's were also abundant alongside Drone Flies, Common Wasps and below, Red Admiral butterflies. I would like to add, virtually all the Ivy bushes (and there are a lot of them) were smothered in insects. Great stuff.

Migrants this afternoon included a pair of Swallows that flew overhead, calling, as they headed off west towards Albert Road. A few Chiffchaffs were seen, though a lot more heard and finally, the male Blackcap eventually showed well on a small bush and I was lucky enough to grab a photo of the actual bird. I do love Blackcaps, my favourite Warbler, and have not seen enough of them this year.   

• Sparrowhawk (male)
• Herring Gull
• Great Black-backed Gull (2)
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Jay
• Blue Tit
• Great Tit
• Goldcrest
• Chiffchaff
• Blackcap (male)
• Blackbird
• Robin
• Wren
• Starling
• Swallow
• Goldfinch

Above, the Horse Chestnut leaves are now on the verge of falling and carpeting the pathway below. Below, one of the pair of Great Black-backed Gulls on the rooftop over on the east side.

It was fairly quiet in Hampshire today, with no sign of any Grey Phalaropes, though a Garganey and a Great White Egret were on Titchfield Haven. Two Ospreys were seen over at Inchmery, while over at Selsey, in West Sussex, there was a report of a Wryneck in a private garden; a species that has been very scarce this Autumn. Below, a few more of my photos taken today in or near Highland Road Cemetery.

Above, a male Blackcap perched on top of this bush. Below, a male Blackcap near the Mausoleum.

Above, this Goldcrest flew off before I could get a good photo of the bird, below, three photos of the beautiful Jay, also in the trees near the Mausoleum. 

Above, this Angle Shades moth was found on someones house as I walked back down Highland Road to head home with the dogs.

 

Blackcaps in the Cemy.

Monday 2nd October 2023.

The female Sparrowhawk made another appearance today across the Cemetery.

It was a grim start to the day with heavy overcast cloud and occasional drizzle, but at least there was a small trickle of Meadow Pipits seen this morning on my first shift down Pembroke Road. Even a Chiffchaff was both heard then seen nearby and the odd Red Admiral butterfly fluttered past me and away. There was no moth box overnight as I knew it was going to be a wet night.

Above, a few chewed on Field Mushrooms were still near the footpath and below, the perfume of the flowering Ivy was very strong this morning, especially as there was literally no wind and attracted plenty of insects and Red Admirals butterflies.

When I got back home, I got the dogs ready for another walk and yes, Highland Road Cemetery again. The weather did improve a little, but it remained very mild and overcast as we did our usual route around my local patch. Again, there was nothing unusual within the Cemetery, but I was pleased to see a pair of Blackcaps, albeit, all too briefly. I heard them first, but it took a while for the birds to show. I have to say, this species has been very scarce this Autumn. I am wondering if more are staying in the UK due to the warm conditions? I am starting to think about taking my binoculars in the future because there were a lot of small passerines flitting about around the trees by the Mausoleum, including good numbers of Chiffchaff and at least a pair of Goldcrests.

Above, Red Admirals were abundant again and one even settled on me a couple of times! Below, the female Sparrowhawk heading across the Cemy.

A male Goldcrest flitting through the trees by the Mausoleum.

Despite being there for at least an hour, virtually nothing passed overhead except from the odd Pigeon, but at least the female Sparrowhawk put in an appearance as she sailed across the Cemetery and in towards the Holm Oaks. Sadly, there were only 15 species seen today, though another way of looking at it, especially after the latest UK Wildlife Report had been announced and the massive decline of species in the UK, I did actually see some birds. Will I say the same in 20 years time?

Above, another photo of the male Goldcrest. The female was nearby.

Above, a first winter Blackbird enjoying the many berries present and below, a male bird soon joined in.

In Hampshire today, there were still two Grey Phalaropes to check out with one on Pennington Marshes and the other on Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve today and plenty of waders around Hampshire to enjoy. The bird species seen in Highland Road Cemetery this morning included the following:

• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Blue Tit
• Great Tit
• Robin
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Herring Gull
• Blackbird
• Chiffchaff
• Goldcrest
• Goldfinch
• Herring Gull
• House Sparrow

Spoonbills on Pennington Marshes. Are these the birds that flew over Highland Road Cemetery last month? Photo by Emma Parkes.