Two Raptors over Pembroke Road despite poor weather.

Tuesday 2nd December 2025.

Large dark clouds were looming on the horizon early this morning as heavy rain was the order of the day; but a good total of bird species were seen today here at Pembroke Road along with two raptors.

Another day of sunshine and showers of which some were very heavy and I got caught in one of them this morning! A south south-westerly wind blew into Southsea from the Solent and some of the large cloud formations looked very impressive around 8am when I arrived to do my first shift. Temperatures were around the 8 degree mark when I arrived, but felt colder in the breeze.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

I was pleased to notch up at least 14 species this morning within my first hour here and that included yet another sighting of the male Peregrine powerfully flying low over the road and then headed off over the rooftops towards Portsmouth Harbour. The wind was nowhere near as strong as yesterday as the Falcon sped over and scattered the Wood and Feral Pigeons in the nearby tree.

Above and below, two photos from December 2021. Both were taken at the Hayling Oysterbeds on a high tide. Above, we have Shelduck, Dunlin, Grey Plover and Oystercatchers and below, one of several Rock Pipits present.

Other birds of note included a Cormorant that could not decide to settle on the Curtain Moat or not and so circled a couple of times before heading off into the Solent. A Grey Heron was seen briefly flying at the western end of the road and continued over the rooftops towards Portsmouth Harbour. Strange to say, that no Jays were seen or heard today during my first shift.

Again, another two photos from December 2021 with a Cetti's Warbler at Titchfield Haven and a drake Pintail at Hayling Oysterbeds.

My second shift produced four more species to my day total which include another raptor as well. The weather was getting worse this afternoon as large dark clouds loomed on the horizon and by the time my shift ended, the rain poured down and stayed that way into the evening. However, as mentioned, another four more bird species were seen that included a Robin, Jay (one finally turned up and showed well in one of the Sycamore trees) and a superb male Sparrowhawk flew low over the road and headed off north over the houses. Finally, a Great Black-backed Gull completed the foursome as it flew over the houses heading west.

The bird species seen this morning included the following:

• Peregrine
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Herring Gull
• Black-headed Gull
• Feral Pigeon
• Wood Pigeon
• Starling
• Blue Tit
• Dunnock
• Blackbird
• House Sparrow
• Cormorant
• Grey Heron
• Sparrowhawk: male
• Great Black-backed Gull
• Robin
• Jay

In Hampshire today:

The Razorbill off Southsea Castle this morning. Photo by Chris Geary.

After talking about Razorbills yesterday on my blog and also the lack of them this year, low and behold, a Razorbill was seen and photographed from Southsea Castle by fellow ‘Lazee Birder’ Chris Geary. Birdguides reported a Black Guillemot off the same location, but only seen by one observer and could have been the same bird that flew past Selsey Bill earlier today. Up to 5 Glossy Ibis were at Titchfield Haven this afternoon as they dropped in on the South Scrape. The three female type Velvet Scoters were still off the Weston Shore.