An early walk in the Cemy.

Wednesday 14th August 2024.

A dull start to the day here early in the Cemetery.

There was no Moth Box switched on overnight and so no getting up at dawn for the first time this week! With migration in full swing, I thought I would try my luck with a very early walk around Highland Road Cemetery. There was a bit of overnight rain which not only was good for my garden, but might have dropped a few migrants into the Cemetery, so it certainly looked promising for something exciting. 

The male Great Spotted Woodpecker flew into the Cemetery and landed on the Beech Tree.

It was still a bit overcast when I entered the Cemetery around 7am and with a few Willowchiffs heard calling, it was looking good; but that was about it. Though I hung around for the Willowchiffs to show (they did sound more like Chiffchaffs), there was no sighting of them. I checked any possible tree or gravestone for a possible Flycatcher, but no diamonds I’m afraid. However, though no migrants were seen, I did see a pair of Sparrowhawks briefly fly into one of the taller trees over on the west side and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker flew into the Cemetery from the east and showed well up in the near leafless Beech Tree. The birds seen or heard in the Cemetery this morning included the following:

• Herring Gull
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Starling
• Blackbird
• Sparrowhawk (male & female)
• Great Spotted Woodpecker (male)
• Wren
• Willowchiff
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Great Tit
• Blue Tit

Another view of the Great Spotted Woodpecker. It was a restless bird and did not settle for long high in the tree.

It was surprising how many dog-walkers there were at this time of the morning, but I suppose they walk their dogs before heading off for work. It did start to brighten up after half an hour and a few Bees and Hoverflies were now on the wing and a Migrant Hawker dragonfly was hawking between the trees and Buddleia bushes for its breakfast. Sadly, I saw the Council chap with his motorised Lawn Mower driving into the Cemetery to manicure the southern half of the  Cemetery. I have spoken to several people here who would like to see the grass grow wild, which would only benefit the wildlife even more. I just might take a drive over to Milton Cemetery to have a conversation with the management there.

A juvenile and adult Spotted Flycatcher in the New Forest recently. Photo by Pete Appleton.

There was an interesting piece on the New Forest Raptor Monitoring programme for this year where it explains the latest breeding numbers of raptors in the New Forest. As expected, Goshawk breeding has gone from strength to strength and has spelt bad news for the Hobbies which have had another low total breeding in the Forest. Predation from Goshawks has not helped and even the Sparrowhawk population there is low too. Common Buzzards seem to be holding their own and Honey Buzzards, though late breeding birds, have a handful of numbers still in the New Forest. I remember watching the breeding Montagu's Harriers in the Forest; but sadly, it is now a distant memory.