Saturday 13th September 2025.
The rain here was torrential at times, but we did have a few bird sightings this morning at Gilkicker.
The weather played a major part today with long heavy showers and occasionally bright sunshine. Geoff, Andy and myself kicked off birding down at Gilkicker and then over to Hill Head, Titchfield Haven. We rounded off our day by the Canal Walk at Posbrook Floods. Andy got to grab another ‘year-tick’ for his Hampshire year list and early this morning, there were also two Moth Boxes to check.
My Moth Box:
One of two Canary-shouldered Thorns hung around from last night.
Despite some heavy rain overnight, there were 32 moths of 16 species present in and around the Moth Box. Luckily for me, it was dry and bright this morning and last night two Canary-shouldered Thorns were still present. Two Golden Twin-spots were present and my first White-point this week was on one of the egg trays within the Box. A late Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing was a surprise too, resting quite close to the main bulb. Nothing unusual among the micro moths, but a Box Tree Moth was perched on the white sheet.
Above, a White-point was present along with below, up to two Golden Twin-spot moths.
The Moths present this morning included the following:
Andy’s Moth Box, Cowplain Marsh:
A lone Pale Mottled Willow was among the few moths present.
Surprisingly, there were only 19 moths of 9 species in and around Andy’s Moth Box this morning and to be honest, nothing out of the ordinary either. Most of the moths were on the egg trays that were outside the Moth Box and probably the pick of the moth would have been the Common Grass-moth. True, they are common, but not in Andy’s garden. The Moth Box also attracted TWO Hornets of which I carefully placed distantly in his garden.
One of two Hornets carefully taken away back into Andy's garden.
The Moths present here this morning included the following:
Gilkicker Point, Gosport:
An adult Cormorant passing the shoreline between heavy showers.
I knew it was going to be a bit of a gamble to do a seawatch at this site, but what with the recent strong winds, very heavy showers and also the fact that Selsey Bill this morning had 100+ Balearic Shearwaters and a Long-tailed Skua through, the signs were looking good that something really good just might pass through. Well, if it did, we never damn well saw it! A possible Puffin was seen flying down Southampton Water from the Weston Shore. Could we find it this morning in the Solent? Two chances: none and fat!
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An adult Med Gull gave us a brief bit of excitement as it flew over the beach and then back out into the Solent. Below, at least this Spitfire flying over the Solent entertained us now and then!
The weather was the key factor here with very heavy rain showers coming in from the south-west and although the shelter was a bit helpful to keep us dry, the rain still managed to get us wet; and it wasn't that warm either as I donned my woolly hat and gloves for the first time this Autumn!
Above, one of a pair of Ravens flew past and then flew out into the Solent. Below, very heavy rain was on and off all morning at Gilkicker.
Enough about the awful weather, there were very few bird sightings during our three hours we spent there. The pick of a very small bunch was a drake Common Scoter flying east, of which Geoff failed to see it! Two distant Sandwich Terns were fishing to the west close to the shoreline and a single Mediterranean Gull was seen to fly out to sea and two single Oystercatchers were noted. Swallows were actually flying north over the Solent and headed off inland, the largest number of which were 6 birds seen coming in as a single flock. Finally, a pair of Ravens flew west high overhead until disappearing over towards the Isle of Wight. Sadly, that was about it here. Gilkicker can be hit or miss and today, it was bordering on the ‘miss’! So by 12 noon, we decided to go to Titchfield Haven where, hopefully, we could get Andy onto his first Curlew Sandpiper for the year.
Hill Head, Titchfield Haven:
The Turnstones here always show very well by the roadside within the small harbour.
We parked up on Cliff Road and walked down to the Viewing Platform to have our lunch and keep an eye out for anything interesting. The walk there produced a large number of Turnstones with the small harbour, all resting on the mudflats along with a few Redshank. On the opposite side, upon the shingle beach, there were a mixture of both Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls preening in the sunshine and thankfully, no sign of any rain! From the Bridge looking towards the River Meon, a Little Grebe was swimming close to the reedbed and a Great Crested Grebe was swimming on the river itself along with a drake Gadwall.
Above, a Little Grebe was diving around by the Bridge by the main road and below, a good gathering of Turnstones within the small harbour.
Above, the small harbour by the main road. Below, a preening Turnstone.
From the Viewing Platform, we could see at least two Common Sandpipers searching along the edge of the reedbed along with a few Redshanks, while Mediterranean Gulls were flying onto the reserve among the Black-headed Gulls while we tucked into our lunch and upon the small island, several Cormorants, Lapwing and a Starling were seen. I could see a stretch of water over on the South Scrape and while watching the large number of Oystercatchers and three Avocets on one of the islands, through the scope, I picked out a lone Curlew Sandpiper feeding in the shallow water. I quickly called Andy over and he was soon jumping for joy after watching his first Curlew Sandpiper of the year. So, not only did Andy get his ‘year-tick’, we saved ourselves the entrance fee of £6.50 each to spend our savings for a slap up binge in Mrs Miggins Pieshop!
While watching the Turnstones, a Brown Rat popped out from the wall below us and looked as though it wanted to take one of the birds, but they were too quick for it. Below, both Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls resting on the shingle opposite.
Above, there were a few Redshank in the small harbour and below, a Cormorant, Starling, Lapwing and a Black-headed Gull were at rest on the small island in front of the Viewing Platform.
Other sightings here included a Common Buzzard flying south over the reserve and a Chiffchaff that flew out of the nearby brambles. Our next stop was to be the northern end of Titchfield Haven.
The Canal Path, Titchfield Haven:
This Whinchat was out in the fields while we were walking south down the Canal Path.
It was a pleasant walk down the Canal Path where the sun beat down and it was pleasantly warm. Along the way, we had sightings of a Whinchat on one of the brambles, but there was nothing at all on the Bridge Street Floods and even Posbrook Floods was disappointing due to it being totally overgrown with plants and so viewing any birds on the water there was impossible from the Canal Path. A few Yellow Wagtails flew over while we sat on the Bridge and both Sand Martins and Swallows were hawking insects over the fields. Also from the Bridge, we could hear a young Common Buzzard calling and walking over to the gate overlooking the fields, I watched two birds tumbling in the air together and then one chased the other on the far side before disappearing to the south.
Above, a Nursery Spider basking in the sunshine along the Canal Path and below, this male Common Darter kindly sat long enough for a photo.
Above and below, these Common Buzzards were tumbling in the sky over the fields before flying off south.
Above, a Common Buzzard keeping a watchful eye on potential prey in the tall grass and below, Geoff pointed out this Marsh Woundwort plant along the path.
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As expected, while the sun was out and warming up the reserve from this morning's downpour, the insects were abundant with both Migrant Hawkers and Common Darter dragonflies hunting along the Canal Path. Butterflies were flying around which included a Large White, many Speckled Woods, a couple of Comma’s and a Red Admiral. OK, we did not see many scarce birds today, but the pleasure of being out there in all this variety of nature was so enjoyable nonetheless. When you get opportunities like this, despite the weather, make the most of them, for you never know whats around the corner. No, I'm not getting morbid, I am just thinking of that Red-backed Shrike that could be on that bramble nearby!
In Hampshire today:
This Red-throated Diver was still in summer plumage in the northern end of Langstone Harbour today. Photo by Andy Friend.
Though we never went in the Hides at Titchfield Haven, in front of the Meonshore Hide today were up to 5 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Ruff and a Common Sandpiper and over on Farlington Marshes, a staggering 18 Curlew Sandpipers, a Little Stint and the long staying, but elusive, Wood Sandpiper. A Red-throated Diver, still in summer plumage, was in Langstone Harbour today, just off Broadmarsh and a Grey Phalarope was at Keyhaven Marshes. Two Ospreys were still in Portsmouth Harbour on Peewit Island.
