Blackcap in my garden & a cold trip to the Harbour Entrance.

Tuesday 23rd December 2025.

It was cold and grey at the Langstone Harbour entrance this morning.

It was a typical grey, overcast and cold wintry day with virtually no sunshine at all, but that didn't stop me from taking the opportunity for a quick spot of birding early this morning. Before I went off to do some work, I decided to take a drive down to the harbour entrance at Eastney to see if I could find anything of note. 

A few Starlings were seen by Ferry Road at the harbour entrance.

The dogs got their walk early this morning around the block and on the way round, I noticed a good number of calling Redwings flying over in the dark. Yesterday, I put some apple halves out in the back of my garden after I saw a male Blackcap flitting about in the bushes. I do hope it returns soon.

The Harbour Entrance, Eastney:

This Great Crested Grebe in Lock Lake was still in summer plumage.

Yesterday, I was in the Eastney area and noticed good numbers of Brent Geese flying over in large flocks and so I thought I would take a drive down Ferry Road and view both the harbour entrance and Lock Lake to find something unusual. Sadly, that was not to be, but it is always a pleasure, despite that cold north-easterly wind blowing over the harbour, in just being there checking out the birdlife.

Above, Oystercatchers and Black-headed Gulls by Lock Lake and below, the Great Crested Grebe drifted in by the Oystercatchers.

The tide was out as I approached the harbour entrance and so parked up and gave the area a good scan. The only bird of note within the harbour entrance was an adult Shag busy fishing on the choppy water and the occasional flock of Dunlin flying into the harbour at great speed. The light at 8.15am was poor and it didn’t look good for the next hour in brightening up, but there were plenty of birds out on the mudflats within Lock Lake. At least a couple of hundred Brent Geese were out on the mudflats and nearby, the likes of Oystercatcher, Redshank and Curlew were busy searching for food.

Above, the northern end of Lock Lake and below, Brent Geese on the mudflats. More were flying over in the distance.

Above, an Oystercatcher on the shoreline and below, the summer plumaged Great Crested Grebe.

The small creek nearby held a single Great Crested Grebe, of which was interestingly, in full summer plumage! I didn't hang around too long as it was bitingly cold here and so went eventually back to the car after 30 minutes or so. In truth, I was hoping for an Auk within the harbour entrance for I have not seen one in Hampshire this year at all, which is quite incredible really, seeing that last year I had seen so many. I think the 30 minutes was enough today and so I got back in the car and got ready for work.

In Hampshire today:

There was incredible news of a male Cirl Bunting found this morning at Wicor, Portchester, which was found by a fellow ‘Lazee Birder’ birding his ‘local patch’. It was apparently flushed, along with several other birds, when a Buzzard landed nearby, but it was not relocated again; however, it still could be in the area and so hopefully, someone might get lucky and find the bird tomorrow.

Between 250-300 Fieldfare came into roost along the Titchfield Canal Path late afternoon (an amazing number), with another 40 at Burgate Manor Farm, Fordingbridge today.

A stunning Short-eared Owl on Elmley. Film footage by Matt Parkes.

And now for some great news:

A gorgeous Fox. Photo by Emma Parkes.

At last, this Government has finally listened to the majority of the people in the UK in banning ‘trail-hunting’ with dogs. This barbaric, cruel act has finally been exposed for the disgusting activity it has been hiding under. Do the pathetic Hunting Lobby really think that the great British public are so stupid to get away with this? Well, with the successful lobbying in Parliament by the public, it finally has come to pass. Along with Grouse & Wildfowl shooting, their days are numbered.