Yellow Wagtail over Pembroke Road.

Monday 29th April 2024.

The alleyway from the Curtain Moat back to Pembroke Road. I took the right hand path back to Pembroke Road where a Willow Warbler was in full song.

It was bright and sunny this morning, although a steady southerly (yes, southerly!!!) wind kept the temperatures down early this morning, but as I arrived early at Pembroke Road, I thought I would take a stroll over to the Curtain Moat and also check out the Solent. This in turn gave me that chance to build up my day's total of birds seen here at Pembroke Road, with a few surprises along the way.

This Cuckoo was found in the New Forest. Photo by Pete Appleton.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

A good total of 20 species were recorded this morning, which wasn't too bad for just over an hour being at Pembroke Road and the Curtain Moat. Among the many species seen or heard this morning included my second Yellow Wagtail of the year. Frustratingly, the bird had called just as it had flown over my head and I missed the chance in locating the bird as it must have flown off northbound over the houses. However, I was a bit more successful with a lovely singing Willow Warbler in one of the Ornamental trees down the alleyway leading to Curtain Moat. There was possibly a second bird nearby, but I couldn't locate the bird as I made my way along.

I heard from a fellow birder last weekend that the winds are going to change to south-easterly this week and so checking Solent thoroughly through the binoculars, I could not find anything of note over the sea; though the wind coming in off the sea hampered my vision somewhat! Nothing really of note around Curtain Moat, I had to make my way back to my usual spot in Pembroke Road where I watched a male Sparrowhawk chasing a poor passerine in one of the trees at the western end of Pembroke Road. This afternoon was much better with the temperature being nearly into the 20 degrees. Good old sunglasses weather and most appreciated for an old codger like myself! Nothing new was seen during my second shift in Pembroke Road, but while on my deliveries during lunchtime, I saw a couple of Foxes together sunbathing on the Green of the Royal Marine Buildings on the seafront. Just a shame I never had a camera handy.  

Whinchat at Hook-with-Warsash. Photo by Graeme Loader. 

Yesterday, birding pal Geoff Farwell took a stroll over Ramsdean Down, near Butser Hill, where he had a Cuckoo for company (his words) for most of the afternoon. Other sightings included a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Firecrests, 2 Red Kites, 2 Common Buzzards and a Tawny Owl flying out of a Yew tree!.