Probable Bee-eater heard over Old Portsmouth this morning!

Friday 17th May 2024.

A distant Common Buzzard flying high over Southsea this morning. I took this photo while in the Cemetery.

What could have been the rarity of the year for me today was sadly extinguished by the awful noise of the traffic while I was working in Pembroke Road this morning on my first shift. There was an earlier report of a Bee-eater seen over Ventnor at 7.30am this morning and with an onshore breeze coming in lightly off the Solent, there was always the possibility it could fly over Southsea? Well, there was a slight quiet spell in Pembroke Road and then I heard what I thought could only have been a Bee-eater and then a procession of noisy cars went through and the opportunity to locate the bird overhead was lost. Hu-bloody-rummph!!! Later in the morning, I took the dogs for their stroll around Highland Road Cemetery and was very disappointed that those in charge of the Cemetery did not do the ‘No Now May’ for this year! To say I was angry was a big understatement, but there were a few birds of note to keep me entertained.

Above and below, Beaked Hawksbeard plants grow on the brickwork by the Curtain Moat.

Above, from left to right, one can see the Garrison Church, Portsmouth Cathedral and Spinnaker Tower looking north-west over Governor's Green.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Yes, a possible Bee-eater went ‘AWOL’  overhead, but I still notched up 14 species today at Pembroke Road that included plenty of Swifts and a pair of Jackdaws flew low eastbound down the road; a species that is uncommon here. A Linnet was heard but not seen. I arrived early this morning and so ‘christened’ my new binoculars (only a cheap pair of Persual 10 x 42 HD but pretty good nonetheless) by taking a walk over to the Curtain Moat and checking out the Solent. Not a great deal of note there, but a lot of Gulls resting on the water mid-channel and a Cormorant passing through. On the walk back to the car, I could hear a Common Whitethroat singing and also heard a little later when I was in Pembroke Road. The plants on show caught my eye, especially the Beaked Hawksbeard growing on the walls of the brickwork by the Moat. Cow Parsley and Storksbill were abundant along the banks of the Moat.

Above, a Common Plume moth by the entrance to the Cemetery. Below, Willowherb growing on one of the graves.

Above, Birds-foot Trefoil and below, Beaked Hawksbeard were flowering today.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

After some refreshments and a few household chores, I then grabbed the dogs and made our way to the Cemetery. Yet again, there were a good number of Swifts hawking over the trees above the Cemy and two species of raptor were seen here this morning. Firstly, a female Sparrowhawk glided north across the Cemetery, but too quick for me to grab a photo as it flew in between the trees and then off over the houses. Then I saw a large distant raptor soaring high over the rooftops to the north and as I didn't have my binoculars with me, I zoomed in on the camera and can only assume it was a Buzzard species. After playing around with photoshop, I can concur that it was indeed a Common Buzzard. 

Above, a pair of Collared Doves on one of the nearby houses and below, one of many Holly Blue butterflies this morning in the Cemetery.

Above, this Swift flew low over the Cemetery and below, this male Blackbird was in full song on the Plane Tree in the north-east corner.

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

• Common Buzzard
• Sparrowhawk (female)
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Goldfinch
• Blue Tit
• Starling
• Wren
• Robin
• House Sparrow
• Black-headed Gull
• Herring Gull
• Carrion Crow
• Swift 

Above, Prickly Sow-thistle and below, I had to take this photo of a Carrion Crow perched high up on the 'spikey' Horse Chestnut tree.

Above, I cannot stress enough how difficult it is to get a decent photo of a Swift using my Bridge Camera. I do take an awful lot of photos and most of the bar a few are awful!!! Below, a female Hairy-footed Flower Bee seen within the Cemy this morning..

Other notable sightings today included good numbers of Holly Blue butterflies on the wing, but no other butterfly species seen. However, I did find my first Common Plume moth for the month perched on the fence panel by the main gate. There were plenty of plants on show and most were growing on the graves after all the grass had been cute elsewhere. Fume! Birds-foot Trefoil, Beaked Hawksbeard and Prickly Sow-thistle were now in flower and Willowherb was now growing on several graves.

One of the Roseate Terns at Normandy Marshes today. Photo by Andy Friend.

More interesting birds have been seen in Hampshire, notably a pair of Roseate Terns on Normandy Marshes again and showing signs of courtship too! In nearby West Sussex, a Dotterel is spending its second day at Bignor Hill, just north of Arundel and on Medmerry RSPB Reserve, a Little Stint was present on the Stilt Pool. Nationally, there has been a big influx of Red-backed Shrikes in the UK, though mostly on the Scottish islands where some of the island had large numbers. Let's hope one or two make their way down here. This morning, before I went to work, I was quickly sweeping up the garden when I found a Silver Y moth in what I had swept up and so quickly let it climb on my finger and so safely put it on one of the plants nearby.