Black Redstart & a trip to the Cemy.

Thursday 14th November 2024.

The Green Woodpecker in the Cemetery this morning.

I thought I would catch up with some of the highlights of what I have seen over the past few days and finish off with a trip over Highland Road Cemetery this morning. The weather has been ranging from quite cold first thing in the morning and much milder in the afternoon, however, it has been relatively dry throughout this week so far. On Tuesday, while taking the dogs out for the early morning walk before I headed off to work, I was happy to see a female type Black Redstart perched on the rooftop at the southern end of my road. The bird first faced me with its back to me and then switched over to face me until flying over the road and out of sight into the neighbouring gardens. Not a bad start to the day and consequently, I put my sighting on the Hants Birding website. If only I had my camera with me! Sadly, there was no further sign of the bird, but that doesn't mean it isn't lingering in someone's back garden?

The Jays have been seen everyday in Pembroke Road this week. This individual was in Highland Road Cemetery this morning.

Pembroke Road has been fairly quiet so far this week, with totals of birds seen/heard averaging around 13 species. This morning, again, thirteen species were noted including a Grey Wagtail flying south over Governor’s Green; while earlier this morning when I walked my dogs, a Redpoll species flew high overhead calling. Unfortunately, I did not see the bird as it was too gloomy at ovehead. A dog Fox was in my garden yesterday, also, until climbing the fence and disappearing over the gardens.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

The male Great Spotted Woodpecker was also seen this morning in the Cemetery.

A respectable 20 species were seen or heard this morning, which wasn't too bad for this time of year. A pair of Mute Swans flew west over the rooftops at the southern end of the Cemetery to kick off the more unusual sightings here and my first Collared Dove for a long time in the Cemy, flew up into a tall tree by the main footpath. A Jay showed well on one of the gravestones until flying off into the nearby trees.

Above, a Collared Dove high up in one of the taller trees. They have been a bit scarce around the Cemetery of late and below, another photo of the Green Woodpecker searching for ants around the gravestones.

Above, watching a Blackbird upturn the leaves in search of insects and worms is always fascinating to watch and below, another photo o the male Great Spotted Woodpecker also in search for food hidden behind the bark of the trees.

I was pleased to see the Long-tailed Tits back in the Cemetery, which totalled around 12 birds that were joined by a pair of Goldcrests and a few Blue Tits. Both Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker showed very well today, both busy searching for food and overhead, both singles of Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail flew high over. I still get buzz on the colours within the Cemetery as the last of the leaves on the trees hang on for dear life and the already fallen leaves on the ground carpeting the footpaths. The Council have seen fit to leave the grass uncut and it looks a bit more wild rather than that boring sterile look the Council workers have left once cut. Happy days.

Above, there were a few flowers still in bloom here in the Cemy with this probable Autumn Hawkbit growing in the very damp grass. One of the flowers attracted what I think is a Dancefly. Below, The lovely colours of the leaves on the trees or fallen on the ground giving it that classic Autumnal look.

Above, one of about a dozen Long-tailed Tits flitting about around the foliage in the north-east corner of the Cemy and were joined by (below) at least two Goldcrests.

The birds seen or heard in Highland Road Cemetery included the following:

• Mute Swan x2
• Herring Gull
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Carrion Crow
• Jay
• Magpie
• Blue Tit
• Long-tailed Tit x12
• Goldcrest x2
• Goldfinch
• Blackbird
• Starling
• Robin
• Wren
• Pied Wagtail
• Meadow Pipit
• Green Woodpecker
• Great Spotted Woodpecker

This Red Admiral butterfly settled in my garden this morning about an hour after I got back from the Cemetery. Yes, the sun finally came out and the clouds departed.