Thursday 8th January 2026.
The female Black Redstart in the neighbours garden, spending its third week here.
There was a good total of species in Pembroke Road today and thankfully, the rain had not arrived on my first shift there this morning which helped to locate a lot of species either flying over or around the Holm Oaks or the Sycamore trees. However, on my second shift this afternoon, it all changed as wind and rain came in from the oncoming Storm Goretti (named by the French, apparently) and apart from the usual Pigeons, Gulls and Crows, both Cormorant and a Great Black-backed Gull were added to my day total. On a positive note, the female Black Redstart was back in the gardens by my house again today.
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
Up to 15 species were recorded today, or should I say this morning, which the pick of the best included a brief view of a Redwing that quickly flew into a nearby garden and out of sight. Small flocks of Brent Geese were flying eastbound towards Southsea Common (at least a 100+ there when I drove past) and I really must pull over and check them out. There was a ‘light-belled’ Brent Goose last winter among the ‘dark-bellied’.
Once again, the House Sparrows were in good voice in the hedgerow by the Bowling Green and a Great Tit was in full song somewhere in the Holm Oaks. A male Blackbird was seen picking off the berries of the Yucca Tree closeby when I parked up and a Greenfinch passed by overhead and headed off south.
My Garden:
The female Black Redstart showing well in my neighbours tree from the back of my garden.
When I got back from my first shift, I let my dogs out into the back garden and when I saw the male Blackcap again picking off some of the berries on my Cotoneaster plant, I rushed back indoors to grab my camera. Unfortunately, the bird never showed up again, though I could hear it singing in a nearby garden. One day, I just might get lucky and get a photo of the bird!
Another rear view of the female Black Redstart and to add a splash of colour to a dull day, this Blue Tit was in the same tree.
While checking out the other birds in the area that included a couple of Blue Tits and a male Blackbird, out popped the female Black Redstart again. This time, she was high up in the tall tree in my neighbours garden and then seen again in a tree further north in someone's garden of which she posed nicely for me. Happy with grabbing a few decent photos of the bird, I went back indoors to make a cup of coffee. I did have another look in the rain later in the afternoon after my second shift and saw the bird again flitting about in my neighbours garden.
In Hampshire today:
Water Pipit. Photo by Pete Appleton.
There were three Tundra Bean Geese still at Keyhaven Marshes this morning along with 15 Russian White-fronted Geese; probably all the same birds we saw last Saturday. At Eastoke, on Hayling Island, there was a female Black Redstart on the roof of a house and two Great Northern Divers and 9 Common Scoter on the sea. Southsea Castle held some interesting species that included 3 Purple Sandpipers, Guillemot, Black Redstart, Great Northern Diver, Shag and a Peregrine, while up to 6 Glossy Ibis were at the Bridge Street Floods, Titchfield and the drake Ferruginous Duck was in Duck Bay on the Reserve. Once again, the Great Grey Shrike was reported in the Shatterford area in the New Forest as well as a male Hen-Harrier.
On the subject of that Hen-Harrier sighting, I remember when in my teens and 'twenties', I used to see this species here on a regular basis at this site and even the Great Grey Shrike used to regularly winter here too and to see a Common Buzzard was extra special too! I remember getting two trains to get to Beaulieu Road Station to spend the day exploring this part of the New Forest, even if it was pouring with rain and saw next to nothing! The good old days?
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