A short walk this time at the Cemy.

Saturday 6th December 2025.

This Coal Tit was probably the highlight of a short walk within the Cemy this morning.

As Andy Fisher had other arrangements booked today and myself was asked to take our Granddaughter to Gymnastics this morning and Xmas Shopping in the afternoon, it was left to Geoff to go birding where he took part in a ‘Webs’ (Wetland Bird Survey) Count at Farlington Marshes today, despite the poor weather forecast for today. However, I did have time to take the dogs for their walk this morning and so took a walk around Highland Road Cemetery.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

Above and below, the moon was still showing well this morning. 

Though the sky was nearly clear of cloud, it was still a bit dark within the Cemetery on arrival at 8am this morning and the big full moon was still quite visible over in the west as I made my way anticlockwise around my ‘local patch’. Annoyingly, I forgot to recharge the battery in my camera, hence cutting my trip here short and not that many photos were taken before the camera stopped working. ‘I am ze idiot, non? Oui!!!

At least a couple of Blackbirds were seen here this morning and below, the Coal Tit showed well briefly.

Above, one of the trees over on the east side looks as though one of the large branches is dangerously hanging onto another large branch. I shall have to contact the relevant people to report this.  

Above, Wood Pigeons were abundant throughout the Cemy this morning and below, the view you get looking south-east across the area.

Despite this setback, I did see at least one Jay on my walk round of which I flushed from the conifer by the footpath in the south-east corner and a Coal Tit showed briefly in the bushes close by with three Blue Tits. Apart from all the usual Gulls, Wood Pigeons and Carrion Crows, it was fairly quiet here and so after the camera ‘gave up the ghost’, I made my way home.

In Hampshire today:

A Short-eared Owl was seen by Hayling Oysterbeds today, a species I have wanted to see this year and the Great Grey Shrike was still at Shatterford yet again near the big pond. Weston Shore still held the Velvet Scoters and two Great Northern Divers and another of the latter was in Portsmouth Harbour today. The Boat-tailed Grackle was still showing very well at a house in Holbury, Southampton, still; but it was interesting what the observer had said ‘behaving like an escaped pet rather than a wild bird’. The Wild Bird Trade is still rife around Europe and the UK, so could it be an escape from someone's collection?