A very wet walk around the Cemy.

Sunday 7th December 2025.

Whatever the weather, there is always something to see here in the Cemetery.

The wet and very windy weather continued into today, but after having done a lot of our morning chores, I took the dogs for a very wet walk around Highland Road Cemetery again. I decided to not take my camera along due to the rain, but I did manage a photo from my mobile phone camera of the superb place. OK, one Cemetery might look like any other Cemetery, but I have grown to love the place over the many years I have come here and there is always something to see, despite the weather.

HIghland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

Apart from the usual Gulls, Pigeons and Crows here today, seeking out an existence within the blustery wet weather, I did see a smart Jay perched on one of the gravestones and would have made a lovely photo if I had had my camera. Sadly, not a great deal else was seen regarding the birds, but a small group of Great Tits within the trees and bushes over in the south-east side were the only other notable sighting here today. I have not seen any Woodpeckers, especially the Green Woodpeckers, on my ‘local patch’ for several months now, which is worrying. Maybe they will be back in the Spring? As I was making our way out of the Reserve, I was sure that a Goldcrest was calling somewhere deep within the Cedar tree by the main entrance.

Sadly, I got a really good soaking, though my trusty waterproof coat kept the top half of me nice and dry, but my jeans and shoes were soaked. It was worth it.

In Hampshire today:

Yet again, the probable escaped Boat-tailed Grackle was still in its usual garden in Holbury, Southampton and the three Velvet Scoters were also in the usual place off Weston Shore. A Jack Snipe flew in with 12 Common Snipe on Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marshes this afternoon.

Also in Hampshire, two new micro moth species for Hampshire were recorded at Pamber Forest Nature Reserve; notably Gelechia scotinella and Haplotinia insectella, which were found earlier this year using moth traps. Another bonus for the site was that 20 new species were found at the same site this year.

Above, some of the birds (from top to bottom, Kingfisher, Redwing and Goldcrest) seen on my walk by Hilsea Moat, Portsmouth six years ago. Because of rising sea levels, a lot of work has been carried out at this site as the footpaths have been raised and redeveloped in case of flooding which has happened several times in the past.