My first Hampshire 'Manxie'.

Saturday 30th August 2025.

The Wryneck was just visible in the vegetation from the Hayling Billy Line.

Sadly, Geoff couldn't be with us today as he had already made other arrangements and so it was Andy Fisher and myself grabbing a hatful of ‘year-ticks’ of which Andy notched up 5 to my 4 ‘year-ticks’. We were originally going for the Wryneck by the Hayling Billy Line on Hayling Island, but when Andy read out from Hants Birding that a Manx Shearwater had been seen off Hill Head, then that took priority! 

Before this though, there were two Moth Boxes to go through and both the Boxes threw up some nice surprises. The only downside today was that the weather was very unpredictable despite the weather forecast saying that rain was coming in around 2pm. WRONG! The morning was peppered with heavy showers and a good soaking was had at times.

My Moth Box:

This Clancy's Rustic moth was my second for the year.

My first morning back from Devon and I was pleased with a total of 52 moths of 25 species present today. There was a clear blue sky overhead and temperatures were around the 15 degree mark with hardly any wind. However, that was to change later in the morning as rain made its way in and the wind really picked up. Autumn moths are now starting to come through and this morning, a Clancy’s Rustic (my second of the year) was present, along with 2 Square-spot Rustics, a Turnip Moth and 3 Lesser Yellow Underwings; all classic Autumn moths. Among the micros, pick of the bunch was the Tree-mallow Tortrix (Crocidosema plebejama), which was my second of the year. Other immigrant moths present included 3 Langmaid’s Yellow Underwings and 7 Rusty-dot Pearls.

The Moths recorded this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Clancy’s Rustic x1	Box Tree Moth x2
Brimstone Moth x2	Rusty-dot Pearl x7
Double-striped Pug x4	Common Masoner x1
Willow Beauty x2	Apple Leaf Miner x1
Square-spot Rustic x1	Common Plume x4
Small Dusty Wave x2	Beautiful Plume x1
Turnip Moth x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x2
Lesser Yellow Underwing x3	Ruddy Streak x2
Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing x3	Tree-mallow Tortrix x1
Setaceous Hebrew Character x2	Barred Marble x1
Pale Mottled Willow x2	Chevron Grass-moth x1
L-album Wainscot x3
Vine’s Rustic x2
Bright-line Brown-eye x1

While checking the Moth Box, a pair of Yellow Wagtails flew high overhead heading westbound. Apart from a few Starlings passing over, all was quiet.

Andy’s Moth Box, Cowplain Marsh:

My second Small Emerald Moth of the year.

As Andy made me a cup of coffee, I got about checking out the make-shift Moth Box Andy devised using a lamp and all the lights on in his back room. I had used his Moth Box while I was staying in Devon and brought it back today. He did warn me that he had a Hornet somewhere near the Moth Box of which I did find and carefully potted it and released it at the back of his garden.

The Hornet that was by Andy's Moth Box.

There were 20 moths present of 12 species of which easily the best was my second Small Emerald Moth perched on his back door. Though there were not many species here, it certainly produced quality with another Small Blood-vein present and two species of Grass-moths. Not bad, seeing that his lamp produced this many Moths.

The Moths recorded in Andy’s garden included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Small Emerald Moth x1	Common Grass-moth x3
Small Dusty Wave x4	Narrow-winged Grey x2
Small Blood-vein x1	Common Plume x1
Square-spot Rustic x2	Box Tree Moth x1
Willow Beauty x2	Chevron Grass-moth x1
L-album Wainscot x1

The Solent, Hill Head, Fareham:

As mentioned, our plans had changed entirely as we then made our way to Hill Head for this Manx Shearwater seen early this morning amongst a feeding flock of Gulls. Both Andy and myself have never seen a ‘Hampshire’ Manxie and I am pleased to say we managed to see the bird. The weather was looking a bit ‘iffy’ as it was now overcast and the wind was picking up. I had my scope with me and got about checking the large number of Gulls (and a few Terns) around half a mile out within the Solent. While Andy checked with another birder nearby if he had any luck, I picked out a light-phased Arctic Skua chasing the Gulls and waited patiently for Andy to return and put him on the bird. 

While watching the Arctic Skua, I then picked up the Manx Shearwater flying around low over the sea in front of the Gulls. Regular birder Mark Francis and his father then joined us when I gave the shout that I had the Shearwater in my sights. Mark and his Dad quickly picked up the bird, which had gone missing for over an hour, and so did Andy through his binoculars and finally, I had my first Manx Shearwater in Hampshire waters. Huzzah! Then a large rain shower came in and to avoid a severe soaking, we took shelter back in my car till it passed over.

We picked up both the Skua and Shearwater again and incredibly, while watching these two superb birds, Mark gave the shout that a Grey Phalarope was passing through and flying low over the water heading west. To be fair, it was difficult to see at times without a scope, plus the bird landed on the sea a couple of times and virtually disappeared until it took flight again. We saw the bird a couple of more times before it flew off west again and by now, more and more birders were turning up hoping to see these amazing seabirds. Very happy with today’s sightings, I suggested to Andy to try our luck for the Wryneck on Hayling.

Hayling Billy Line, Hayling Island:

Another photo of the Wryneck from the Hayling Billy Line.

We got lucky and managed to park up in the main Car Park near the Esso Garage and then took a walk to the Oysterbeds. The tide was coming up and so I wanted to check the islands to see if I could find an Osprey for Andy who needed this for his Hampshire year list. Sadly, no sign of any on the islands or in Langstone Harbour, but while sat on the bench overlooking the Tern rafts, I picked out a juvenile Arctic Tern flying past! Though I had seen Arctic Terns off Falmouth earlier this month, this was my first in Hampshire this year and an unexpected bonus; it certainly put a big smile on Andy’s face.

Above, you can just about see this Common Tern chick on the Tern Raft upon one of the pools at the Oysterbeds. The parent bird was seen a few times close by. Below, a Little Egret keeping a watchful eye on us as we strolled past.

We made our way to the Hayling Billy Line and joined a few other birders present. One of them, a chap called Roger, told us that he had seen the bird five minutes before we arrived, which meant the bird was still present. Excellent. Another large shower came over and therefore another soaking, but after the rain departed, out popped the Wryneck low down on a bramble. I managed to grab a few photos of the bird and though obscured a little by small branches, we had a good view of the bird before it flew down onto the ground and out of sight. After around 30 minutes or so, it flew south and landed on another bramble where I got a good view of the bird through the scope before it flew down yet again. But during that time, a lady who had waited very patiently for the bird to show was about to go, but I told her to look through my scope to view the bird, which made her a very happy lady and gratefully thanked me and went home happy.

Above and below, I found this peculiar looking plant called Weld or Dyers Weed. Its stems look similar to tentacles!

Above, a Common Gull resting on the Oysterbeds and below, Yellow Toadflax also grows by the Oysterbeds.

Andy Friend and his mate Kev joined us, along with our old pal, John Cronin. The Wryneck had flown up once more and landed on a distant bramble and I managed to get all the guys to view the bird through my scope. The bird was happy to be there for quite a while as I managed to take some film footage of the bird, though it wasn't easy with the wind buffeting my scope (see below). The bird would disappear for a length of time, but during this, we had a host of nice birds to look at that included a superb Hobby flying low over the same field and then over the rooftops before flying off south.

The Wryneck at the Oysterbeds from the Hayling Billy Line. Photo by Andy Friend.

Above, it was windy at the Oysterbeds and therefore the film footage is a bit shaky, but the Wryneck showed very well on top of a bramble.

Other sightings during our two hour stint here included a male and female Sparrowhawk, a Common Buzzard, several Common Whitethroats, a very brief Blackcap, Green Woodpecker and a Grey Heron flying over. An Osprey flying over would have been the icing on the cake, but we had to wait later for that species! So with four new Hampshire species seen today for my year list (now on 198 species for Hampshire this year), I decided to try our luck over in Portsmouth Harbour to round off our day.

Portsmouth Harbour from Portchester:

We made our way to the Salt Cafe Car Park to view Portsmouth Harbour from there and as there was a reported FOUR Ospreys seen there this week, we surely had a chance in finding one out there. Peewit Island was our best bet and so after ordering some hot drinks from the Cafe, we grabbed a table, set up my scope and then BINGO, I found an Osprey feeding on a fish perched on a signpost on the island. Andy was ecstatic and now he had his fifth ‘year-tick’ for the day. Though distant, the bird still showed well enough to see it was an Osprey as the bird continuously fed on the large fish and occasionally spread its wings for balance against the blustery wind blowing across the harbour. Some great birds and moths today, despite the unpredictable weather and with Autumn now upon us, what goodies lie in wait for us over the coming months.

Also present in Hampshire today was a Bonaparte’s Gull that was found on Keyhaven Marshes today. Hopefully, the start of a string of rarities coming in. Earlier today, Mark Francis also had an Osprey flying over the Solent heading towards the Isle of Wight and up to TWO Arctic Skuas were seen.