A surprise Osprey over my house.

Sunday 8th June 2025.

The lush vegetation within the Cemetery would be providing a lot of insects for the young birds to feed on.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

A few Common Poppies were found on my walk around the Cemy today. This individual was found by the entrance to the Cemetery.

I took the dogs for a nice stroll around the Cemetery late morning, seeing the weather was still pleasant with high clouds and sunny spells that kept the temperature quite warm. Earlier this morning, while putting our washing out in the back garden, a Herring Gull was giving off its alarm call and so I quickly rushed out expecting a Sparrowhawk to be soaring over the house. However, there was no sign of the Sparrowhawk but the Herring Gull was still giving off its alarm call and it was then I saw a large raptor soaring very high above in the blue sky. 

The Osprey flew very high over my house this morning.

Luckily, I have a spare pair of binoculars in the kitchen and so I rushed out and relocated the raptor, which I thought was a Buzzard at first, it certainly looked very interesting. The Booted Eagle has been doing a grand tour of the UK although it has not been seen for about a week now, but even through the binoculars, it was still difficult to establish a true ID on the bird. So I grabbed my camera and took as many photos of the bird before it drifted off west. Zooming in on playback with the camera, I then realised it was actually an Osprey!

Another photo of the Osprey.

This was my second ever Osprey I have had over the house, the last being many years ago, but a damn good record for here though and my first for the year too!

Above, a large swathe of Cat's Ears plants and below, False Oat Grass growing on the graves and swaying in the breeze.

A close up photo of the False Oat Grass.

Back over the Cemetery, there were a lot of dog-walkers present here late morning, but all behaved nicely. I didn't expect too many birds to show up this morning and that was really the case as I slowly made my way along my usual route. A few Swifts soared low over the trees and fledgling Blue Tits could be heard noisily begging for food in the smaller trees. A few Blackbirds were seen along with the usual Starlings and only a single Blackbird and Robin was heard singing here today.

Above, this male Blackbird kept a beady on us as we walked past and below, one of the fledgling Blue Tits begging for food in one the Cherry trees.

Above, one of my favourite parts of the Cemy. I can stand here for twenty minutes or so and simply just watch what goes by.

A lot of plants are flowering now and grabbed my attention which included a few Poppies, Ox-eye Daisies, Scarlet Pimpernel, Common Speedwell and Birds-foot Trefoil. I didn't have a lot of time and so cut my usual walk down a little, but the dogs thoroughly enjoyed their walk as I had to make my way up to Old Winchester Hill by 3pm.

Old Winchester Hill, Hampshire:

The amazing view my parents had on Old Winchester Hil when sitting on their favourite bench.

My two brothers and I met up on Old Winchester Hill this afternoon to finally spread the ashes of my late Mum and Dad by their favourite bench overlooking the beautiful scenery. There was a small crowd of family and friends along to witness it and it was not only a lovely afternoon, but it was fitting that a Red Kite and a male Kestrel flew low over while we were scattering the ashes. My parents would have loved that.

In Hampshire today, Geoff was with Jason Crook this afternoon and while talking to him by the Deeps area, Jason found a Red-necked Phalarope at the back of the Deeps, but the bird disappeared behind the small islands and was never relocated again, sadly. The female Long-tailed Duck is still on Normandy Marshes and a couple of Arctic Skua’s were seen off Cut Bridge, near Lymington.