Sparrowhawk showing well in the Cemy.

 Wednesday 24th January 2024.

One of my favourite winter visitors, the Redwing. The Cemy was blessed with two of these this morning.

And yet another winter storm batters the UK (Storm Jocelyn) with near 100 mph winds in places and heavy rain, but apart from a strong breeze this morning, the south coast got off lightly; though it was very windy overnight. On my first shift this morning, though a tad breezy with a westerly wind, it was bright and sunny with a near cloudless sky. 14 species were recorded this morning during the hour I was at Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth, which included a flock of 14 Brent Geese on the Governor’s Green.

Above, this is the most Collared Doves I have seen in the Cemy this winter and below, a male Greenfinch perched high up in one of the trees.

Above, both Greenfinch and Redwing in the same tree and below, a male Blackbird looking on nearby.

When I got back home, I took the dogs for a walk around Highland Road Cemetery where I recorded 20 species today, during my hour there and included a couple of Redwing in the trees and a female Sparrowhawk perched high up in one of the taller trees within the centre of the Cemetery. Just the one Jay was seen here this morning as it literally flew just feet away from me, but did not reappear behind vegetation.

Above, the female Sparrowhawk keeps a watchful eye over the Cemetery.

The birds recorded while in the Cemetery this morning included the following:

• Herring Gull
• Black-headed Gull
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Jay 
• House Sparrow
• Starling
• Robin
• Wren
• Blue Tit
• Blackbird
• Song Thrush
• Redwing (2)
• Pied Wagtail
• Sparrowhawk (female)
• Greenfinch
• Goldfinch 

I found this Common Plume moth, my first of the year, perched on the wall where I was working this afternoon.

Interestingly, I completed a questionnaire last night on Facebook regarding Farlington Marshes. It was mostly asking why I go there and how many times a month, which begs the question, what are its future plans there and why is it so important. Possible flooding due to Global Warming? Someone interested in buying the land? Lets just hope its good news and hopefully be in the hands of Conservationists long after I am gone. One bit of good news, personally, I have found out why I couldn't take film footage on my Panasonic Lumix Bridge Camera and now look forward to rectifying that in the coming days. Good old You Tube came to the rescue! Despite the strong winds of late, nothing to really add to the weekend's goodies. Both the Water Pipit and Glossy Ibis are still frequenting the Bridge Street Floods to the north of the road, while further west, Normandy and Oxey Marsh hosted a Spotted Redshank, 3 Spoonbill and 7 Slavoniam Grebes. One more species was added to my day list at Pembroke Road, Old Porstmouth this afternoon; a pair of Great Tits. I also found my first Common Plume moth of the year perched on a nearby house wall.