'Drumming' Great Spotted Woodpecker in the Cemy.

Thursday 18th April 2024.

A gorgeous Spring morning in the Cemetery today.

We were blessed with another glorious start to the day and thankfully, not too cold either, but I could see my breath when I exhaled this morning in Pembroke Road at 8am! I shouldn't moan I suppose, but at least it was dry and the promise of getting warmer throughout the day. Well, it certainly did as I put a load of washing on the washing line this morning; the first time this year too! I didn't put the moth box on last night and so I was content in checking out the birdlife in Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth instead. Just before I left for work, Becky pointed out a few birds were in the garden that included a pair of Blackbirds searching for food on the patio and picking up the remains of sunflower hearts the House Sparrows were dropping from the feeders! This is the first time I have seen House Sparrows on the feeders since January! Where have they been? So this sparked me off in putting some dried Mealworms out for the birds.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

I didn't have time to take a look at the Curtain Moat area this morning, but I did notch up 17 species seen or heard this morning from Pembroke Road. The notable birds present included a pair of Linnets flying west low over the road and a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls sailing over. OK, these species wont set the birding world alight but they are not common here. Just to stand there listening to the song of Great and Blue Tits with the sun warming your back was a lovely way to start the day. I am sure it's going to get a lot warmer this afternoon, so it's back to sunglasses time…..hopefully.

Above, the customary Herring Gull perched on the Chapel roof is a familiar sight on entry to the Cemetery. This is a young bird. This morning, I decided to walk anticlockwise around the Cemetery and I came across this Common Banded Hoverfly sunning itself on a leaf.

Above, this successful male Blackbird managed to grab a juicy worm and below, no matter how small they are, the Wrens sure do pack a big song.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

The dogs got their regular walk this morning and it was back over to Highland Road Cemetery again. I was pretty dismayed that there were no Warblers seen or heard on this lovely morning here in the Cemy and by far, the best bird seen was a ‘drumming’ Great Spotted Woodpecker. It was surprising the sound difference of the ‘drumming’ was when the bird used two different trees to ‘drum’ up against.

Above, a Robin in full song by the footpath and below, a male House Sparrow perched high in this bush. They seem to be a lot more common this year.

Above, a Collared Dove sunning itself on a gravestone. Below, the 'drumming' Great Spotted Woodpecker could only just be made out through the developing leaves in this tree.

Just 18 species were seen or heard here this morning, but a lot of the common birds showed very well and most obliging at times, hence the close photos of the birds. There was just the one butterfly seen this morning, a brown job, but it was simply too quick for me to get a photo of it or even correctly ID it as well. There were plenty of Bees and Hoverflies around as expected in the warm sunshine that included several Buff-tailed Bumblebees, Batman and Common Banded Hoverflies and quite a few House Flies sunning themselves on the leaves or boughs of trees. Though nothing too exciting to be seen here this morning, the whole area is certainly looking good for passing migrants to pop in.

Above, there wasn't many Starlings about this morning, but what I did notice is that a few were searching the grass for insects to most likely feed their newly emerged young. Below, the common 'Spanish' race of Bluebell was sprinkled about the Cemetery. 

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

• Herring Gull
• Great Black-backed Gull
• Mediterranean Gull (heard only)
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Jay
• House Sparrow
• Robin
• Starling
• Wren
• Goldfinch
• Great Spotted Woodpecker
• Great Tit
• Blue Tit
• Blackbird