A foggy day in Southsea.

Wednesday 5th March 2025.

The view of the Cemetery at 7am this morning. Fog had rolled in overnight and the foghorns were heard from the Solent.

Today will be remembered for the fog that we all awoke to this morning and lingered most of the day and got thicker as the evening wore on. There was a brief glimpse of sunny weather mid afternoon, but it always remained a bit chilly with temperatures hovering around 10 degrees. I didn't expect too many birds to be seen with just only 8 species seen in the morning, but later in the afternoon, a further 6 more species had been seen. When I got home after my second shift, I took my dogs for another walk, this time around Highland Road Cemetery and then the fog rolled in again.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

One could only just see the Garrison Church early this morning on my first shift.

The fog put paid to many birds being seen on my first shift but the Bowling Green surprised me when I counted up to 7 Pied Wagtails on the turf! One day, there could be a Hoopoe on there or is it just wishful thinking. If there were any migrant birds arriving, I’m sure they will be regretting landing on the south coast today. Small passerines do get disorientated in this type of weather and sadly end up lost or worse.

My first Tree Bumblebee of the year was seen in Pembroke Road this afternoon.

This afternoon, there was a bit more activity when a female Sparrowhawk flew south over the road and disappeared into the nearby Holm Oaks. Brent Geese flew past in the afternoon over the Curtain Moat area, all heading east. Three birds actually landed on Governor’s Green and remained there till I left the area. A Chiffchaff briefly called in the Holm Oaks, but there was no sighting of the bird.

Brent Geese on Yomper's Green.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea: 

This Fox was a big surprise when we made our way south down the Cemetery this afternoon.

The fog was starting to roll in when I arrived at the Cemy with my dogs and at one stage, I thought I was not going to see anything. But it came in slowly and the birds began to appear. However, the first sighting wasn't a bird, but a Fox, which was curled up by a bush and fast asleep. Another large number of Starlings landed on the heavily pruned tree and then I heard the distinctive call of a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Eventually, I found the bird perched high up in a tree and then flew off north.

Above, Starlings in their favourite tree and below, one of the Jays put in a close appearance.

Above, the fog was rolling into the Cemy, reminiscent of a Hammer Horror film (showing my age now!). Below, a few Blackbirds put in an appearance. 

Minutes later, the Green Woodpecker was seen as it flew up from near the main path and landed in one of the Cherry trees. The bird did not hang around long and also flew off north. Both Greenfinch and Goldfinch were heard and eventually seen, despite the incoming fog. When I got to the north-east corner, both the Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker were seen in the same tree. There were two Jays seen on my walk around the Cemy and at times, one would get quite close to where I stood with the dogs. There were no migrants to be seen here today and with a Black Redstart seen recently in nearby Kingston Cemetery, I constantly checked the gravestones in case a bird was perched on one. On the 15th of March last year, I found my first Wheatear of the year here on one of the gravestones.

Above and below, the Green Woodpecker showed well in the north-east corner.

Above, the male Great Spotted Woodpecker also showed reasonably well and below, my first Germander Speedwell plant of the year.

Around midday, I was in the Eastney area and a Meadow Pipit flew over (passage bird, hopefully) and a Chiffchaff flitting about a Conifer in Melville Road. There was a flock of Brent Geese, around 380 birds on the grass on the Old Royal Marine Barracks called Yompers Green! 

The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at Acres Down is still pulling in the birders. Film footage by Simon King.