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. 

Coral Spot Fungus in the Cemy.

Wednesday 6th December 2023.

There are always plenty of Blue Tits within the Cemetery to look at.

A cold day today with the temperature hovering around the 3 degree mark! However, there was hardly any wind and the cold, it was quite sunny at times. The big news in Hampshire is that a flock of Waxwings had been discovered in Fordingbridge yesterday and subsequently reported by a lady who found them in a car park behind the High Street. A fellow ‘Lazee’ was quick off the mark and some nice, but brief, footage of the birds feeding on the berries was seen on the Whatsapp site. Hopefully, birding pal Emma will connect with the birds today.

Above, good numbers of Starlings were present again this morning. But will that be the case in 20 years time, with such species being in decline nationally? Below, at least four Blackbirds, including this female bird, were seen in the southern half of the Cemetery.

Above, the number of Collared Doves are increasing (centre) within the Cemetery along with Wood Pigeons. Below, I liked this photo of this female Blackbird showing off its blotchy breast feathers.

Meanwhile, I had a few jobs to do and my first shift this morning at Pembroke Road produced a total of 12 species this morning that included a small flock of 4 Brent Geese heading east close to the seawall. The Jay showed well again and flew low over my head several times. When I got back home, I was in the mood to take the dogs for a walk around Highland Road Cemetery and seeing the weather was still pleasant (horrible yesterday!), we all made our way there.

Arguably the bird of the trip was probably a Siskin flying south high over and I even managed to see the bird, despite nearly twisting my neck off to get a view of the bird! They do flit around when they are flying. A pair of Goldcrests were seen by the Holm Oak in the north-east corner, but eluded a photo as they quickly dived into cover. The Jay showed well near the Mausoleum, flying out of the trees and burying an Acorn in the sodden grass. Song Thrushes are never guaranteed here and so one, possibly two birds, were seen near the Mausoleum, with one bird showing nicely in a bush. While walking along the footpath over in the south-east corner, I heard a very strange call from a passerine and it was a bit reminiscent of a Yellow-browed Warbler, but not quite! However, I waited and waited for the bird to appear, but it stopped calling and was never heard again. Bugger! 

Above, this Great Tit was the only one seen this morning over in the south-east end of the Cemetery. Below, the Starlings do like to gather up and perch high up in the Chestnut trees.

Above, it is always nice to see a Robin clearly and this bird dutifully showed well this morning. Below, this Goldfinch simply would not turn its head round, but look at the claws on this bird and the under tail pattern. 

Most of the Fungi have now gone with just the Tinder Bracket Fungus and the remains of some Honey Fungus growing on the same old tree stump. However, I did find some Coral Spot fungus growing on a broken branch that was on the ground; the first I have seen here this year. No insects were seen either, not even any House Flies. The weather is supposed to get a lot milder this week though rain is on the horizon again to ruin any chances of some birding. Grumble! To finish this post, my Dad was chatting to me last night and he told me that he was in his garden at 2am yesterday morning (couldn’t sleep!) and he heard a flock of Geese calling overhead, which I assume were Brent Geese. He lives over in Lovedean, so could be an interesting record. 

I found this Coral Spot Fungus growing on a fallen branch by the Holm Oak clump.

The birds seen in the Cemetery this morning included the following:

• Herring Gull
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Jay (1)
• Goldcrest (2)
• Blue Tit
• Great Tit 
• Siskin
• Goldfinch
• Blackbird
• Song Thrush
• Wren
• Robin
• Starling
• House Sparrow
• Feral Pigeon
• Wood Pigeon
• Collared Dove

The Brent Geese grazing on the grass in front of the old D-Day Museum along the Southsea seafront. This is a popular area for them to graze on and also on the cricket pitch further east.

Heavy freezing fog then bright sunshine at Sandy Point.

Saturday 3rd December 2023.

Freezing fog descended on the south coast throughout the morning, but it wasn't till after midday if finally cleared.

On a freezing foggy day, Andy Fisher, Geoff Farwell and myself took a drive down to Sandy Point, hoping to pick out a Diver or an Auk on the rising tide within the harbour entrance. However, our morning was scuppered by a thick blanket of freezing fog as temperatures were well below freezing throughout the morning. Andy had a text to say that visibility off Selsey Bill was nil as we were driving down to Sandy Point and once we reached the harbour entrance, it was nearly the same here. Nevertheless, we made our way to the RNLI Building and checked out the area despite the thick fog. While walking along the footpath leading to the harbour entrance, we heard a Firecrest calling deep within the Gorse, but there was no sighting of the bird.

I found a few of these Common Rustgill Toadstools by the footpath in Seafarers Walk.

Above, a Redshank flew around us by the RNLI Station at Sandy Point and below, one of several Sandwich Terns flying into the harbour in the gloom.

Yes, it was that cold! This Wood Pigeon was all fluffed up by the footpath on Seafarers Walk. Below, just of a couple of drake Tufted Duck of note on Sinah Gravel Pits.

I did pick up an Auk out in the channel, but though seen briefly twice, it disappeared into the fog. A few Sandwich Terns drifted past close in as did a Little Egret and a Redshank, but after a few hours, we decided to go and give Sinah Gravel Pits a try. The weather forecast said that the fog should lift around midday and so would come back later in the day to try again. On the way back to the car, we bumped into both Andy Friend and Pete Gammage (fellow Lazee's) for a chat and Mr Friend said Andy could ‘tick off’ the White-tailed Eagle we had seen earlier in the year and add it to Mr Fisher’s Hampshire year list. Andy then went off to do a Dunlin/Sanderling impression along the shoreline!

Above and below, Redshank and Dunlin feeding in the Kench, Hayling Island.

Above and below, a few Sandwich Terns flew into Langstone Harbour, with a Black-headed Gull photo-bombing the above photo.

Geoff enjoying a spot of lunch and below, a Starling perched on Andy's boot!

Sadly, there was not much to look at on the lake at Sinah Warren, with just a couple of drake Tufted Ducks and a few Moorhens on the water. Years ago, there used to be scores of both Tufted Duck and Pochard on here, but not anymore and this was the site of my very first Bittern sighting. Me and the guys had some good memories here from the past. We took a walk through the gorse and bramble bushes hoping to find some interesting passerines, but all we got for our efforts were a Jay and a female Goldcrest (though this bird was just a few feet away from us). We then made our way back to the car and decided to look at the harbour entrance from the Ferry Boat Inn area. From here, the fog was just as thick, but a few Sandwich Terns flew past and the odd fly-by Sanderling belted. Earlier, we had a quick look at the Kench area where there were good numbers of Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher and Redshank on the exposed mudflats.

Above, Andy feeding the local Starlings. Below, what looks like a 'Ghost Ship' coming into Langstone Harbour from the harbour entrance.

Above, Brent Geese flying through the fog at Sandy Point.

Above and below, the Razorbill always remained a bit distant in the harbour entrance at Sandy Point.

After having lunch by the Ferryboat Inn, we made our way back to Sandy Point again and from the RNLI Building, the fog had finally lifted and after a good scan in the channel, we found a Razorbill swimming up and down. Two species of Diver were seen that included a Red-throated Diver that flew into Chichester Harbour and after an hour or so, flew back out and landed on the sea and drifted back into the harbour over on the West Wittering side. A Great Northern Diver was seen distantly within the harbour, but always remained distant. A female Merganser was seen over the other side of the channel and at least two Great Crested Grebes were seen in the same area. Small numbers of Sanderling flew across the harbour entrance and a small flock of three Wigeon flew into the harbour. By now, my toes were nearly frozen and so I decided to call it a day around 2.45pm and made our way back to the car.