Saturday 18th October 2025
A pair of Sanderlings on the beach at Sandy Point.
It was yet another overcast day and a breezy easterly blew all day here on the south coast. Thankfully, no rain was reported although this afternoon, though it certainly looked likely with a lot of dark clouds around. Andy did not come with Geoff and myself today as he was feeling a bit rough with a heavy cold (apparently, he did have a note from Matron and had to sit with the fat wheezy boys!), but I had to collect his Moth Box for my forthcoming trip to Norfolk next week. He had kindly put his Moth Box on overnight and between our two Moth Boxes, I notched up another FOUR more moth ‘year-ticks’.
Geoff and I went first down to Sandy Point, on Hayling Island and tried our luck in finding a Yellow-browed Warbler. This area has a good record for this species over the years and so could another one be lurking about in the trees and gardens in this particular area? News broke in the morning that a probable Great Grey Shrike had been seen on the heath behind Woolmer Forest. So after Hayling, that was to be a our next destination.
My Moth Box:
My first Blair's Shoulder-knot of the year.
A total of 32 moths of 17 species were here in and around my Moth Box this morning and as I was picking Geoff up till 8.30am, I had the opportunity to take my time in checking the Moth Box. Three spanking new moths for the year were discovered that included only my second ever Satellite moth. The only other one I had seen was over The Oaks Crematorium many years ago. A Beaded Chestnut was also a very good record for my garden of which I think it was only the second ever for my garden. Finally, a smart Blair’s Shoulder-knot was within the Moth Box (the other two ‘year-ticks’ were on the outside egg trays). I have seen this species in my garden several times, but a cracking moth all the same and by no means annual to my garden either.
Two more superb 'year-ticks'. Above, the Satellite moth and below, a Beaded Chestnut moth.
All the usual suspects were present with the addition of a Silver Y of which I rescued from the spider's web holding it down and then carefully extracted all the web from its wings and feet and then released it. The micro moth, Rosy Tabby, was also a good October record as well.
Silver Y's have been very scarce this year in my garden and I was pleased to find this individual although I had to rescue it from a Spiders web it had got caught in.
The Moths recorded this morning included the following:
Similar to yesterday, a small movement of ‘Alba’ Wagtail were overhead with several small flocks all heading north or north-east. A Chiffchaff called several times in neighbouring gardens.
Andy’s Moth Box, Cowplain Marsh:
Above, my first Sallow moth of the year and below, a Blair's Mocha were among the small number of moths here today.
It was much quieter in Andy’s Moth Box as the outside egg trays revealed only 6 moths of 6 species, but among them was my first Sallow moth of the year and only the second one I have ever seen. The rest were all typical Autumn species. Overhead, a flock of 5 Redwing flew over heading north, while we had a good chat over a cup of coffee.
The Moths recorded here this morning included the following:
Sandy Point, Hayling Island:
High tide by the harbour entrance at Sandy Point.
Our goal here this morning was to hopefully find a Yellow-browed Warbler or two and so we did a lot of walking around the site including some of the neighbouring roads and also the Triangle field near Sparkes Marina. It was quite breezy with an easterly wind coming in off the harbour entrance and although we did not find any Yellow-browed Warblers, there were a few Goldcrests around and the occasional Chiffchaff piped up deep within cover. A small flock of four Siskins flew over as we walked to the harbour entrance at the end of the footpath from Seafarers Walk.
Above, I am always keeping an eye out for any interesting plants and we found these two growing near the beach. Above, White Campion and below, Musk Storksbill.
While Geoff and I sheltered from the wind behind the RNLI Station building, this female Kestrel was hunting by the harbour entrance.
It was high tide within Chichester Harbour and the water looked quite choppy. Sadly, nothing of note on the sea, but there were quite a few waders flying around, notably both Dunlin and good numbers of Sanderling of which a good number were showing superbly well along the shoreline. A few small flocks of Brent Geese were flying into the harbour and we found a lot more in the more sheltered areas of the harbour along with up to four Sandwich Terns.
Above, some photos and film footage of the delightful Sanderlings on the shoreline.
Sadly, there was next to nothing in the Triangle field, bar a Goldcrest, and so we made our way back to the car to take the trip up north to Woolmer Pond. Some 100+ Brent Geese were loafing on the water as the Terns flew over the harbour, but the poor resting waders had long departed from the sandy spit by Hayling Sailing Club as a few dog owners let their dogs run riot on the spit. I think it's about time that they corden that area off and put a large barbed wire fence there to keep them off. Wishful thinking?
From Sparkes Marina, I took these photos of the Brent Geese and a pair of Sandwich Terns within the harbour.
Woolmer Pond and Forest, nr Bordon:
The near dried out back of Woolmer Pond. At least there were a lot of passerines here at this spot including a fine male White Wagtail.
Though the sky looked leaden when we arrived at Woolmer Pond, it wasn't too windy as Geoff and I made our way to the last known area where the Shrike was seen. On our way there, we encountered a flock of 11 Crossbills flying over heading south, which was a good start to the trip here. Redpolls had been seen in good numbers here recently and it didn't take long for us to locate a sizable flock flying over the trees near the Cottage Garden; their distinctive calls giving up their location as we watched them circle around an area of trees. A few Siskins flew over as well and Linnet was added to the list of finches seen.
Above, some of the 11 Crossbills passing over our heads at Woolmer Pond.
Sadly, the Pond itself was bereft of water with only small areas of water on both sides of the Pond. It did support a few Black-headed Gulls and a pair of Egyptian Geese, but little else as far as we could see. We decided to press on to the Shrike area behind Woolmer Forest, but little did we know that a couple of Bramblings had been seen earlier in the Cottage Garden. Bugger! Then I suddenly had a problem with my camera. I could not get the damn thing to focus and to rub salt in the wound, three ridiculously close Red Kites decided to sail very close over our heads and the surrounding area.
Not only the birds take our interest, but at this time of year, Fungi is always fascinating although identification of some of the Toadstools can be very difficult. These are a few I can ID comfortably. Above and below, Honey Fungus.
Above, Birch Polypore. This was abundant on the Silver Birch trees throughout the site. Geoff and I came across these two huge Fly Agaric Toadstools growing at the back of Woolmer Pond.
It turned out that I must have knocked the Auto Manual Focus button by mistake, but it wasn't till 30 minutes later I sorted the problem out. Before we reached the Forest, I found a female Stonechat flitting about in the area in front of the small lake and then we found another large mixed flock of Redpoll, Linnet and Goldfinch flying around as one big flock. They flew from one area of Silver Birch trees and then to another by the Forest and through my scope (yes, I did bring it along), we had some lovely views of the Redpolls feeding on the Birch seeds.
Above, the walk from the Cottage to Woolmer Forest and below, the view overlooking the heath from Woolmer Forest. Plenty of area where the elusive Shrike could be hiding.
As we walked through the Forest, a very large area of trees to the north had all been cleared and what was left was a lot of tree stumps and piles of logs and stumps along with where the heavy machinery had left their tyre tracks. This particular area was badly burnt by a fire a few years back and a lot of the heath by the Forest was also affected (see photo). A calling Coal Tit was apparently doing a very good Yellow-browed Warbler call deep within the Forest!
Above, at least several acres of Conifer woodland have been cleared here within the Forest and below, nearly all the old Silver Birch had Birch Polypore fungi growing on it.
As we made our way out of the Forest ,we did bump into Richard Ford, but he had spent an hour there in vain with no sighting of the Shrike. He did also encounter Crossbills, Redpolls, Redwing and even Fieldfares during his time there and luckily for us, we caught up with those Fieldfares too. They were our first of the season and a species that were quite scarce in Hampshire last winter too.
Though I have been coming to the Woolmer Pond area for many years, it was the first time I have actually looked at this Monument.
We made our way to an area of the footpath overlooking the heath and woods in the distance and enjoying our lunch and a flask of coffee, we saw a large flock of Fieldfare land in a tree in the distance to the north. Through the scope, they looked gorgeous as we eventually counted at least around 27 birds in total that eventually all flew off heading east. Another pair of Stonechats had been seen in the area where the trees had been cut down and a few Meadow Pipits were flying about over our heads. More Crossbills went over, with a flock of three birds and then a single individual and also three Redpolls headed east. Despite a lengthy search for the Shrike over the heath in front of us, there was no sign of the bird, so we decided to make our way north along one of the rides and up to the small monument where Queen Anne apparently rested when making her way to Southampton (see photo). From here, which was another good viewing point, all was quiet again and so we made our way back to the car.
Above, a male Stonechat was over in the north side of Woolmer Pond and below, a record shot of one of the Grey Wagtails by the Pond.
On reaching Woolmer Pond again, a Sparrowhawk drifted over the Pond heading south and a large mixed gathering of Corvids were seen on the dried out area of the Pond, consisting of Carrion Crows and Jackdaws. Another pair of Stonechats showed well by the Forest and Geoff picked out a male Dartford Warbler following the birds as I got a brief sighting of the Warbler perched on a small pine with the Stonechats, but too quick for me to grab a photo. A pair of noisy Siskin flew over our heads and then flew back over the trees. As we made our way along the footpath north of the Pond, a pair of Grey Wagtails were seen searching for food on the edge of one of the small pools. This was joined by several Pied Wagtails, but one of them caught my eye and I concluded it was in fact a male White Wagtail. There was also a good number of Meadow Pipits feeding on the seeds among the Wagtails and nearby, a flock of both Linnets and Goldfinch were present.
The White Wagtail was a nice discovery among the Pied Wagtails.
Another Red Kite was seen flying distantly in the south and a Common Buzzard drifted over the woodland to the west to round off an interesting trip here. As we were about to leave the Forest area, a young birder on his pushbike stopped to have a chat with us. He was also looking for the Shrike and low and behold, someone (I assume this young lad) saw the Great Grey Shrike later in the afternoon in roughly the area where we were. This species is notorious for hiding for many hours as they cover a huge area in search of prey as I have experienced over the years, especially in the New Forest. Sadly, they are getting very scarce in the UK and very few reported sightings were had last Winter, especially in Hampshire. I hope the bird lingers, though rain is forecast for Sunday.
A huge Fly Agaric toadstool growing at the back of Woolmer Pond.
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