The female Black Redstart STILL present in my garden!

Monday 26th January 2026.

The Holm Oaks at Pembroke Road. 

A good start to the week here in Old Portsmouth, with a good variety of bird species seen in Pembroke Road today. The weather wasn't too bad either, though overcast with a south-easterly breeze, it did remain dry throughout both of my shifts. Not only was the birdlife interesting here, but back in my garden, the female Black Redstart was present for its SIXTH week in and around the gardens behind my house and was briefly joined by a different Warbler!

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

I notched up a good total of 16 species (exceptional for this time of year) were seen from both shifts this morning here and on top of the pile was the male Sparrowhawk seen this afternoon, hunting over Governor’s Green and scattering all the Wood Pigeons around the Holm Oaks and even a Jay was heard as the bird flew off westbound and over the houses towards Portsmouth Harbour.

A few flocks of Brent Geese were seen heading east early in the first shift and a Cormorant sailed overhead and landed on Curtain Moat. There was plenty of birdsong going on with a Great Tit singing nearby and joined by a Robin singing somewhere in the Holm Oaks. Three species of Gull were seen, including a few Black-headed and Great Black-back Gulls and the overnight rain had many Herring Gulls searching for worms on Governor’s Green early on. The last species to be added was a Pied Wagtail flying low over my head and heading off northbound over the houses.

My Garden:

The female Black Redstart was still present today.

Around 1pm, I was back home and while I was upstairs, I heard the distinctive call of a Chiffchaff calling in my garden and so, looking out of one of the bedroom windows, I saw the bird flitting about near my bird feeder until it disappeared into my neighbours garden. There was no sight or sound of the Blackcap, but, unbelievably, the female Black Redstart was present again; perched high up in the tall tree with her distinctive quivering tail. I am wondering how long she has actually been in the area, for six weeks in the area is something incredible. She is obviously finding enough insects to feed on in the area, though to be honest, it has been relatively mild for this time of year.

In Hampshire today:

A superb photo of a Nuthatch taken recently by Pete Appleton.

Again, the superb Killdeer (some say its a 1st winter bird?) is still present and showing well at Ripley Farm Reservoir for the admiring crowds, though it is certainly getting ‘welly boot time’ at the location due to all this rain we are having. There has been a supporting cast of 4 White-tailed Eagles and even two Little Gulls at the site over the past few days! Blashford Lakes had a great total of Goldeneye present that numbered at least 30 birds on Ibsley Water and a few more on nearby Rockford Lake. The Black-necked Grebe was joined by a second bird in front of one of the Hides at Ibsley Water. Wildfowl numbers are increasing with Shoveler numbers having increased of late as has Pintail with 341 and 343 birds respectively counted today. Wigeon numbers are up with a staggering count of 1390 counted today. Two Red-necked Grebes are now in Langstone Harbour with the usual bird off Hayling Oyster Beds and another in the Sinah Lake area in the southern half of the harbour.