Grey Heron over on such a grey day!

Thursday 19th February 2026.

This Grey Heron was being ushered off by a Herring Gull over the Cemy.

My last full day off during this school half-term and the weather wasn’t looking too great. OK, mercifully, no rain today but under a leaden sky, I decided to take the dogs for a walk around Highland Road Cemetery. Who knows, a very early Wheatear might have arrived or a different migrant? Sadly, nothing like that today, but there were a few notable birds around my local patch. 

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

This Redwing was in the trees by the Mausoleum.

Though there was no wind blowing through the Cemy, it was still rather dark for 10am with a thick overcast sky and there were not a lot of birds singing either. Who could blame them? However, there were signs of Spring on the horizon with flowering Cherry Trees blossoming and more plants beginning to flower (if you look hard enough!). Some of the graves were painted with flowering Daffodils which added a splash of colour and one grave in particular, had flowering Heather upon it and should be attracting the first Early Bumblebee’s and Hoverflies.

Above, there were a few plants in flower today including this Red Dead-nettle and below, the Jay put in a brief appearance over on the east side of the Cemy.

Above, Wood Pigeons cluster up in the tallest of the trees and below, after yesterday's strong winds and heavy rains, the trees lost a lot of branches.

Of the birds, a lone Redwing was picked out in the highest branches of the Chestnut Trees near the Mausoleum. I saw a thrush like bird fly up into the tree and using my highest magnification on my camera, I could clearly see the diagnostic eye-stripe of the Redwing. There was just the one Jay seen this morning. I did hear it calling earlier on my walk, but I found the bird while walking through the centre of the Cemy and again, using my camera like a binocular, I could clearly see it was the Jay. Another unexpected sighting was of a Grey Heron passing high overhead. I first heard the alarm call of a Herring Gull overhead and thinking it was going to be a raptor being chased off, it was in fact a Grey Heron as both birds hurried over heading northbound over the houses.

Above, several graves had Daffodils adoring them and below, the Lords and Ladies plant growing by the perimeter wall at the southern end of the Cemy.

Above, blossom on one of the Cherry Trees. Below, these two Wood Pigeons were not bothered by my dogs or myself!

Above, a Great Tit in one of the smaller trees beside the main footpath.

Above and below, the Grey Heron is pursued by a Herring Gull.

Most of the common birds were seen this morning, though only a low total of 12 species were seen here today on my walk with the dogs. It was a bit muddy in places due to the awful weather from yesterday where a lot of Southsea suffered from flooding, especially down the seafront. Milder weather is forecast for the coming week, but will it bring more rain?

My Garden:

Both the female Black Redstart and Blackcap were seen in my garden a few times today, though I could not grab any photos of the birds today. The Black Redstart was frustratingly partly hidden by branches on the opposite side of the tall tree and flew off when I was just about to grab a photo! The male Blackcap was always skittish, but I did get a good view of the bird flitting about in my garden briefly.

In Hampshire today:

One of the Black-necked Grebes at Keyhaven Marshes today. Photo by Rob Porter.

Though it was quite a grey day, the birders were still out in force and found some interesting birds within our fair county. Great Northern Divers were seen at a variety of locations including Southsea seafront (2 birds), Weston Shore (3) and Calshot Spit (2). Up to 7 Purple Sandpipers were near Southsea Castle and the Great Grey Shrike was near Stoney Cross in the New Forest. Keyhaven Marshes held just the one Little Gull today and nearby, the 2 Black-necked Grebes were showing well. Two Slavonian Grebes were offshore there and another was in Langstone Harbour again along with the drake Scaup and the Long-tailed Duck. The elusive Red-necked Grebe was also present this afternoon.

The Little Gull on Keyhaven Marshes. Photo by Rob Porter.

Talking about migrant birds, the first House Martin and Swallow of the year were found on St. Mary’s, on the Isle of Scillies and a Bonaparte’s Gull was seen in the afternoon there too. Very nice!