Leach's Petrel rescued off Hill Head.

Saturday 4th November 2023.

Leach's Petrel off Hill Head. Photo by Emma Parkes.

What would have been a nice trip to Gilkicker for some sea-watching, meeting up with both Geoff Farwell and Andy Fisher, turned out to be a nightmare. I finally got away around 12.30pm from my house, but got stuck in so much traffic in Portsmouth (the closure of the Eastern Road was the cause), that by the time I actually got there, I would of only got probably an hour or two in and what with my wife wanting picking up from Fratton Train station, I made my way back home. I was then going to miss a sighting of a Leach’s Petrel from Gilkicker (Geoff spotted one offshore and Andy managed to get onto the bird) and an even closer bird off Hill Head, that both Emma and Matt saw.

The bird totally exhausted, Emma Parkes managed to rescue this Leach's Petrel seen earlier.

The weather was simply awful this morning with very heavy rain at times and very strong westerly winds that obviously kept the many Leach’s Petrels trapped in the English Channel and the Solent, where many birders benefited by adding this rare seabird on their year list. But not me! Fume! I am going to Gilkicker tomorrow at first light and try my luck and hopefully, a straggler just might be found going through the Solent. Emma and Matt Parked watched a Leach’s Petrel come in closer and closer and clearly exhausted, got caught out by the crashing waves and Emma managed to pick the poor bird up and deliver it to the TItchfield Haven volunteers to look after (see photo).

One of four Light Brown Apple Moths this morning my moth box attracted.

I suppose it wasn't a complete ‘washout’ for me as I had my moth box on overnight, which attracted a total of four Light Brown Apple Moths. I was a bit disappointed as I was sure I saw a Noctuid moth species fluttering around by my moth box last night; but no sign this morning. To rub salt in a deepening wound, my dogs decided to chew up my brand new Hampshire Bird Report and made a right mess to the back of it. A day to forget, I think. Also seen off Hill Head this morning included a Storm Petrel, Fulmar and an Arctic Tern. Well done to those who braved the horrible weather this morning.  

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.

Storm Ciaran arrives!

Thursday 2nd November 2023.

I wanted to take a photo of the Herring Gull on the Outfall with the crashing waves in the background, but when I checked the photo out on my laptop, this Sandwich Tern actually photo bombed the picture! It was most likely the one I had seen earlier in the harbour entrance over on the Hayling side.

I had a text yesterday from my Boss that I was not to work tomorrow doing both my first and second shift and all the schools in Portsmouth were too close due to Storm Ciaran hitting the UK last night and most of today, with the Met Office declaring an Amber Warning for the south coast.  So I was to have today off and of course, I had to go out and check somewhere for a possible storm driven bird hanging around on the sea somewhere. After last nights ‘Lazee Birder’ Curry night where arguably some of the best of Hampshire's birders enjoyed an evening in the Shalimar Curry house in Waterlooville, I was asked if I was going for a sea watch tomorrow, in which I replied that I possibly could.

Above, a Starling on my wing mirror by the harbour entrance. Below, a pair of Starlings with a male House Sparrow.

Above, Starlings gather on the perimeter fence of the University Building by the harbour entrance and below, more House Sparrows on an upturned boat nearby.

Above, a distant Great Crested Grebe off Lock Lake and below, a flock of Oystercatchers flying east over the harbour.

A large contingent of Dunlin flying out of the harbour with a Sandwich Tern. 

I had opted to give the harbour entrance a try at Eastney, but apart from a flock of loafing Black-headed Gulls on the water, all was very quiet here. I strolled down to the Hayling Ferry Terminal, passing a very large flock of Starlings on the way and good numbers of House Sparrows along the way. There was a strong wind blowing from the wind, but nowhere near as strong as last night as I scanned the harbour among the boats, but all I could find was a lone Great Crested Grebe on the water and a few flocks of both Turnstone and Oystercatcher passing through. A lone Sandwich Tern was fishing over on the Hayling side of the harbour entrance and even from the the Ferry Road Car Park, all was very quiet here, so I took a walk down the Outfall, thoroughly checked the large waves off the ‘Winner’ area of Hayling and even drew a blank here. 

Above, a lone Oystercatcher to the west of the Outfall. Below, the Outfall itself where I walked to the end to check out the sea for a possible Leach's.

Above, a third winter Herring Gull braving the wind on the Outfall and below, an Oystercatcher heading west over the harbour entrance.

Above, more Dunlin pour out of Langstone Harbour and below, even Turnstone are heading west over the sea.

With news of good numbers of Leach's Petrels going past Selsey Bill and a misidentified flock of Common Scoter also going past the Bill, could there be something lurking about around the harbour entrance at Eastney. The simple answer to that was NOPE! I spent a good couple of hours around the area, checking both the habour entrance and also the northern end of Langstone Harbour, but to no avail. However, some of the other ‘Lazee’s’ had far better luck including Mark Francis at Hill Head where he saw at least two seperate Leach's Petrels flying east. Another bird was seen from Eastoke Beach Car Park by another birder, but Selsey Bill had at least 35 past today!!!!

Above, one of two Leach's Petrels flying over the Solent from Hill Head today. Photo by Mark Francis. Below, a Long-tailed Duck took shelter on the pools at the Oyster Beds, Hayling Island this morning. Photo by Chris Geary.

Two Crest species over the Cemy.

Sunday 29th October 2023.

Dark, foreboding rain clouds bordering the Cemetery this afternoon. 

Finally, around 2pm this afternoon, the heavy persistent rain eventually gave way to some bright sunshine, although there were some ugly large black threatening clouds over in the south, but somehow, it remained dry during my walk with the dogs around Highland Road Cemetery. It was not quite as busy with the bird species as my previous walk round, but there were some nice birds around and also the Fungi kept me entertained too, with more and more springing up all over the Cemetery.

Above, the only decent photo I managed to grab of the male Firecrest this afternoon and below, a little better with the female Goldcrest.

Probably the best sighting on my walk today was the male Firecrest. Though, as per usual, they are always very active, it was difficult to get a decent photo of the bird, even though it was around just ten feet away! Hearing the bird first by the large Holm Oak over on the east side of the Cemetery, it proved a little difficult to locate the bird with the swaying branches. However, it eventually popped out very nicely and I could clearly see it was a male bird, sporting an orange crown. Sadly, my photos were complete arse and I only managed one underside shot of this lovely bird. In my weak defence, the light was poor too with the sun now behind the very dark clouds overhead. The bird was suddenly joined by the flock of Long-tailed Tits that were seen earlier this week and the Firecrest then simply vanished.

Above, the female Sparrowhawk put in another brief appearance today and below, one of only a few Goldfinches seen.

Carrying on with my walk, I decided to walk clockwise back round the Cemetery and then came across the Long-tailed Tit flock again. This time, a Goldcrest was calling in a bush by the footpath and out popped a female Goldcrest. Again, the bird was very active and getting a reasonable photo of it on the edge of the bush proved very frustrating with my Bridge Camera. The female Sparrowhawk sailed overhead over on the east side of the Cemetery, but lost sight of the bird behind the trees and only one Jay was seen on my walk round. Most of the usual birds were present and so I concentrated also on finding some Fungi on the damp grass.

Above, Common Earthballs toadstools growing by the footpath. Below, a large clump of Honey Fungus in the north of the Cemetery.

I came across a huge stand of Honey Fungus in the northern end of the Cemetery which was quite impressive and also a couple of Common Earthballs, which one of my dogs promptly trod on! An old stand of Turkey-tail fungus was growing on an old tree stump near the Mausoleum and a few Field Mushrooms were noted on the wet grass. 

Above, Turkey-tail fungus growing on an old tree stump and below, an Agaricus species of Toadstool. There are many species to this type of Toadstool and have to be carefully examined for an exact ID (just like bloody micro moths!)

A few Common Wasps were braving the damp weather on the Ivy plants, but no Hoverflies or butterflies were seen this afternoon, despite the occasional bit of sunshine. 

The birds recorded in the Cemetery this afternoon included the following:

• Herring Gull
• Black-headed Gull
• Starling
• Wren
• Robin
• Blackbird
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Jay
• Goldfinch
• Blue Tit
• Great Tit
• Long-tailed Tit (12)
• Goldcrest (female)
• Firecrest (male)
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove 
• Sparrowhawk (female) 

Above, a male Black Redstart and below, a female / immature Black Redstart at Lee on Solent. Photos by Emma Parkes.

In Hampshire today, birding pal Emma Parkes had up to three Black Redstarts around the rooftops of Daedalus Airfield, Lee on Solent, this morning which included two males and an immature / female bird. Three Glossy Ibis were still on Posbrook Floods this morning. An incredible mornings sea-watch off Selsey Bill this morning resulted in FOUR Shearwater species recorded that included a Cory’s Shearwater, 19 Sooty Shearwater, 5 Balearic and 1 Manx Shearwater as well as Great Northern and Black-throated Diver and an immature Surf Scoter!

Two stunning Warblers. Above, the Two-barred Warbler and below, a Pallas's Warbler which were both seen at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, today. There was also a supporting cast of the UK's first accepted Red-headed Bunting and also a Dusky Warbler. Photos by Dave Hutton.