Another foggy start before a walk around the Cemy.

Thursday 27th March 2025.

A foggy Governor's Green with the Royal Garrison Church in the background.

This morning started off with a proper ‘Pea Souper’ as thick fog shrouded most of Southsea and  especially the seafront and Old Portsmouth. However, the fog disappeared around 10am, leaving behind a dry and very sunny day though still a tad chilly in the afternoon. I was hoping for a Yellow Wagtail or a Swallow to pass overhead this afternoon, but it wasn't to be. I took another visit to Highland Road Cemetery around midday with the dogs, but not many migrants to report again. At least the weather was nice.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Above, the Royal Garrison Church shrouded in fog and below, a view of Curtain Moat looking west from the bridge.

Above, looking east from the bridge over the moat and below, the tunnel leads back to the footpath from the moat bridge.

A tame Starling allowed me a close approach with my mobile phone camera.

Despite the heavy fog on my first shift here in Pembroke Road this morning, I still managed to take a walk around Curtain Moat just in case a migrant bird might be lurking about in the trees or bushes. The best I could muster was a singing Chiffchaff in trees by the footpath, but apart from the many Starlings and Feral Pigeons going about looking for nesting material, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

In the afternoon, another Chiffchaff was singing in gardens behind Pembroke Close and the Jay put in another noisy appearance by the footpath between the Bowling Green and Governors Green. A total of 16 species were seen in all throughout the two shifts here today, which wasn't too bad considering the fog this morning.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

One of several Wrens singing in the Cemy.

Again, the only migrant birds I could find here in the Cemetery was a singing Chiffchaff. A male Chaffinch was calling excitedly within the centre of the Cemy and eventually seen high up in the Horse Chestnut trees before flying off north. Chaffinches are uncommon here and most certainly noteworthy and more than likely a migrant bird? 

The Starlings were out and about looking for food on the recently mown grass and I noticed the bird below had a wound behind its eye. An infection perhaps, but it didn't look that good.

Above, this male Chaffinch (it was some distance away) was the first one I have seen here for several months and below, one of the regular Blackbirds.

I bumped into a couple of aged Birders along the footpath, hoping to find the Black Redstart that yours truly found last Sunday. I told them that I had found the bird and so a long discussion was had about my recent sightings here. They were also after the Firecrest here and I explained to them where to look. Minutes later, after I left the guys to go about their business, I found the Firecrest again; this time in the solitary Holm Oak over on the north-east side, but it was bugger to photograph as the bird kept flitting about deep within the canopy of the tree.

Above, I took a lot of photos of this Firecrest, but the light and it being deep within the leaves, this was the best I got of this lovely bird and below, one of the many Robins showing well.

Other notable birds included the Great Spotted Woodpecker again, flying high up into one of the Horse Chestnuts some distance away; but no sign of the Green Woodpecker today. A calling Meadow Pipit flew high over and headed north to round off a nice sunny walk around my local patch.

Above and below, this Chiffchaff was flitting about the bushes and occasionally sang.

This Jay was squawking above my head!

The ‘Blue-headed’ Wagtail was still present today on Farlington Marshes. A few Swallows  and Willow Warblers were seen at various localities today, but surprisingly, nothing unusual. Two Little Gulls were on Chichester Gravel Pits, West Sussex along with a drake Red-crested Pochard.

The 'Blue-headed Wagtail' on Farlington Marshes, which has caused a lot of discussion on its identity. Photo by Simon King.