Another trip to a sunny Cemy.

Tuesday 30th September 2025.

Dawn over Highland Road Cemetery while I was walking the dogs early in the morning.

The last day of September and I decided that once I had done my first shift at Pembroke Road, I was going to take the dogs for a good walk around Highland Road Cemetery. There was another clear blue sky first thing this morning and the sunrise was gorgeous once again when I walked the dogs around 6.45am. Annoyingly, my Moth Box bulb had blown and so I had to order a new one and they are not cheap either!!! So, no Moths for the next few days. Still, there are still plenty of birds to be seen throughout the day, so I shall keep my eyes open.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Another reasonable number of bird species this morning on my first shift at Pembroke Road with 15 species seen or heard. A Great Black-backed Gull was seen flying over the houses by Penny Street, the first sighting for some time of this species here and a pair of Pied Wagtails were on the Bowling Green again. Chiffchaffs numbered around 3 individuals, though only one very brief sighting as one flew across the road. Siskins and Meadow Pipits were evident again, though most were heard only and not easy either with the noise of cars going past.

This afternoon, on my second shift here, there were two more species added to my day list which included a Black-headed Gull that flew low over Governor’s Green and a Blue Tit calling in the Holm Oaks. Another warm afternoon with temperatures around 19 degrees.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

A Collared Dove was preening high up in one of the Lime Trees.

The sunny weather was still present when I made my way into Highland Road Cemetery with my dogs, Ted and Buddy, as we slowly made our way around anticlockwise around the footpath. At first, I thought all the Council workers were in the Cemetery when I first saw someone on a Motorised Grasscutter and the din it made was awful. However, the good news was I think he was nearly finished as not only was the grass very wet and long, I thought he really looked pissed off! After ten minutes or so, the noise stopped and that was the end of that. Phew!

Above, I just managed to grab a poor photo of one of the passing Skylarks heading west and below, though not much better, a Jay flew across the Cemy to land in the Conifer in the south-west corner.

Above, a Buff-tailed Bumblebee nectaring on the Ivy flowers as did (below) this Red Admiral butterfly.

A good total of 19 species were seen or heard within the Cemetery this morning during my hour walk here and it was pleasing that the ‘visible migration’ had not stopped, with good numbers of Siskins, Meadow Pipits and ‘alba’ Wagtails going over in reasonable numbers. My first migrating Skylarks for the season also flew over with a pair of birds heading westbound. I had a job to get a decent photo of them as the dogs decided to walk the other way and got me all tangled up in their lead! Buggers!

Above, a Robin posing on a gravestone and below, Smooth Sow-thistle still flowering.

Above, two male Blackbirds searching for food in the tall grass and below, heavy dew this morning exposed this spider web in the sunshine.

There were no Woodpecker sightings this morning, but I did see a Collared Dove preening itself in one of the tall Lime Trees near the Mausoleum. They have been quite uncommon of late and I am wondering if they have been suffering from Bird Flu? Other notable birds included a Grey Wagtail heard flying over and a Coal Tit seen and heard calling with a small mixed flock of Blue and Great Tits. A Goldcrest was heard calling deep within a Conifer in the northern section of the Cemy, but no sighting this time.

Above, one of many passing Meadow Pipits overhead and below, the footpath leading to the southern end of the Cemetery.

Away from birds, several Red Admiral butterflies were seen nectaring on the many Ivy plants and at least one Small White butterfly too. A lot of the Ivy plants, if exposed to the morning sunshine, were alive with Common Wasps, Ivy Bees and Drone Flies and were literally ‘humming’ with them. 

Above, flowering Ribwort Plantain and below, the only small clump of Knapweed I could find today in the Cemy.

The birds recorded here today included the following:

• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Blackbird
• Skylark x2
• Meadow Pipit
• Grey Wagtail
• Pied Wagtail
• Siskin
• Blue Tit
• Great Tit
• Coal Tit
• Goldcrest
• Robin
• Wren
• Starling
• Magpie
• Jay
• Carrion Crow

In Hampshire today:

The male Ring Ouzel on Farlington Marshes. Photo by Andy Friend.

A male Ring Ouzel was found in the Bushes area of Farlington Marshes today and a few people managed to connect with the bird (see photo). Four or possibly five Ring Ouzels were found at the bottom of the south slope on Old Winchester Hill this morning and an Osprey was hunting in Langstone Harbour again.