Oystercatcher over my house this morning.

Friday 11th October 2024.

Walking the dogs this morning, I took a photo of Highland Road Cemetery at dawn.

I missed the Northern Lights showing over the UK last night and someone told me they could even see it well from Butser Hill. But good old Southsea was overcast last night and from my garden, there was no chance. An Oystercatcher, today, was a surprise sighting as I was walking up my road here in Southsea. The bird flew high heading eastbound over the houses, though I never heard it call once. This was a good ‘garden tick’ and totally unexpected. Today’s sightings took in both Pembroke Road in Old Portsmouth and my back garden.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

I recorded a total of 15 bird species today; in fact, this morning during my first shift here. It was a bit colder than late, with a cool southerly breeze blowing, but at least it was dry. Among the species, a female Sparrowhawk spooked all the local Wood Pigeons that scattered from the trees opposite and those on Governors Green. In fact, I have been noticing all week the amount of Wood Pigeons on the grass along Duisburg Way with numbers here around 100+. For an ‘Amber’ listed bird, it is surprising how many are in this area of Portsmouth. Other notable birds recorded this morning included a calling Chiffchaff and a Jay. A total of 7 Pied Wagtails were on the Bowling Green this morning. The Large White butterfly caterpillars were now abundant on the Nasturtiums and a few Buff-tailed Bumblebees were enjoying the flowers by the roadside.

The Red Admiral butterfly enjoys the Ivy in my garden.

My back garden, Southsea:

The sun was shining when I got back home around lunchtime and I had to check the Ivy growing in my garden for anything of note. As expected, there was a large number of insects benefiting from the flowering Ivy that included both Drone Flies along with Ivy Bee’s, Common Wasps and many House Flies. Even a Red Admiral butterfly came in to feed and showed well. The birdlife here included a Chiffchaff calling in gardens nearby and overhead, a few Meadow Pipits went by.

Above, one of several Batman Hoverflies in my garden. Below, a few Ivy Bees were present too.

Above, outnumbering all other insects, Drone Flies were abundant in the sunshine.

Another photo of the Red Admiral butterfly

In Hampshire today, a male Hen-harrier flew over Farlington Marshes late this afternoon and earlier, a Pallid / Hen-harrier flew north over Lee-on-Solent; seen earlier flying in over the Solent. A claim of a Brown Booby over Titchfield Haven was soon dismissed as a juvenile Gannet; though there was a Brown Booby seen in East Sussex a few days back. Interesting? Titchfield Haven, however, hosted a Death’s-head Hawk-moth; though I believe it was hatched from a Caterpillar from someone who found the caterpillar on the reserve. A Tree Sparrow was seen again at Barton on sea Golf course again with passerines.