Monday 31st March 2025.
There have been a lot of reports of the White-tailed Eagles flying around on the south coast including sightings of the birds over Waterlooville, Gosport and a few other south coast areas last week. So when I was filling up my car with petrol this morning off Elm Grove in Portsmouth; I could hear a load of Gulls giving off their alarm calls and at first, all I saw was a melee of Gulls swirling around in the sky. I assumed it was a passing Sparrowhawk passing overhead, but when I looked again, there was a huge raptor slowly flapping away from me heading north and then it glided and then began flapping. Though it was virtually flying away from me, I was in no doubt that it was a White-tailed Eagle and just a shame I did not have my camera with me. This was my second sighting of this species this year, having seen a distant bird down at Pennington Marshes flying south towards the Isle of Wight.
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
Though bright and sunny with a cloudless sky first thing this morning, it was still a bit chilly though it got a lot warmer in the afternoon as the day progressed. Between both shifts here, I notched up 16 species for the day that included a Grey Heron flying west towards Gosport and the Jay showed well both in the morning and afternoon. Just two Pied Wagtails on the Bowling Green, which is now in use in the afternoons; but only Wood Pigeons seen on the Governor’s Green. The migrant passage overhead still remains quiet, but warmer weather is on its way and can produce a few surprises, hopefully.
Other sightings today included around a dozen or so Mediterranean Gulls circling high up over Southsea; some calling as well. A Small White butterfly showed well again flying across the road while I was driving. In Hampshire, the drake Garganey was still present on Posbrook Floods today along with 6 Glossy Ibis.
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