Reed Bunting over Pembroke Road.

Thursday 17th October 2024.

The walk to the Mausoleum. More often than not, there is always something to look at around this vegetation.

A much better day today with plenty of sunshine after a night of rain showers. Temperatures got up to 16 degrees this morning, quite balmy for this time of year and a light south-westerly blowing in off the Solent. Up to 16 bird species were seen or heard at Pembroke Road this morning, though only 15 species were seen in Highland Road Cemetery.

A bright start to the day in Pembroke Road.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

A bright, sunny start to the day here on Pembroke Road and it looked perfect for a bit of visible migration too. My day started off with a Goldfinch flying over; a species I have not seen here for a few weeks. The best sighting of all here this morning was a Reed Bunting flying high over heading west. I picked it up and identified it by its distinctive call; the first time I have encountered this species here. A Song Thrush was heard and a Blackbird was seen and heard over by the Bowling Green. Two large distant thrushes flew south-west, but I could not hear them calling as the cars passing by drowned out any calls. I suppose they were more than likely Mistle Thrushes, but I could not rule out Fieldfare. Meadow Pipits trickled over, but no Wagtails were seen this morning.

In the afternoon shift, a Pied Wagtail finally showed up, running around on the Bowling Green and a Wren was heard to sing somewhere along the footpath leading to the Curtain Moat. A total of 17 species for the day here. I rescued a Large White Caterpillar from a certain death by picking it up and placing it carefully into the nearby vegetation. A Red Admiral was the only butterfly seen here today.

Honey Fungus growing by the footpath in the Cemetery.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

Above, a Scaly Earthball toadstool and below, more Toadstools growing near a grave.

It was a pleasant walk around the Cemetery this morning with not only birds and various insects on show, but there were a few species of Toadstool present around the Cemetery. A lot of the leaves on the trees have fallen, with trees now showing their branches and a carpet of leaves along the footpaths.

Various Toadstools were found within the Cemy.

Though some of the birds seen today showed very well, there wasn't all that much variety this morning, with just 15 species seen this morning.  A Crest species was seen among a small flock of Blue Tits, but only showed very briefly and didn't call either. In fact, it was very quiet within the Holm Oaks, which are normally reliable for Crest’s and so I was checking the ground a lot for Fungi.

Above, I flushed a Blair's Mocha moth from the grass and below, a Robin showing well near the Mausoleum.

The birds seen or heard this morning included the following:

• Herring Gull
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Blue Tit
• Great Tit
• Meadow Pipit
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Jay
• Starling
• Blackbird
• Robin

Above, a Blue Tit was with a few Great Tits near the Mausoleum and below, this Robin showed very well close by.

Above, a male Blackbird skulking in the bushes and below, a Painted Lady butterfly along with Batman Hoverflies and a Drone Fly share the same Ivy plants.

The insect life was more agreeable with five species of butterfly seen that included many Red Admiral’s and singles of Large White, Speckled Wood, Comma and best of all, a Painted Lady. Drone Flies, Batman Hoverflies, Common Wasps and Ivy Bees were all numerous on the flowering Ivy as per usual in the sunshine.

There were a good number of butterflies present today in the Cemetery that included (above) Red Admiral and (below) Comma. 

Above, numerous Drone Flies and below, Batman Hoverfly, were within the Cemy.

Above, a Red Admiral butterfly and a male Drone Fly.

Yesterday, a Pallas’s Warbler was found by Andy Johnson at the same location on the bottom of Seafarers Walk on Hayling Island. Sadly,  Andy was the only birder who connected with the bird; but he did get a photo of the Warbler. Three Ring Ouzels were seen over Portsdown Hill early this morning.