Just the one Moth this morning and a Redwing over Pembroke Road.

Wednesday 4th March 2026.

The dawn sun was rising over Highland Road Cemetery this morning while I was walking the dogs.

And yet another glorious day with wall to wall sunshine and a very light southerly wind for most of the day. It was still quite cool throughout my first shift in Old Portsmouth, but on my afternoon shift, fog had rolled in off the Solent and it actually became quite thick too on my drive home. In between shifts, I took an hour over Eastney, overlooking the harbour entrance for any possible migrants coming in.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

A good total of 15 bird species were recorded over the two shifts at Pembroke Road and pick of the bunch was a surprise Redwing that first called and then flew out of the Holm Oaks and headed off north. Once again, there were a lot of passerines singing, including Wren and Dunnock. One of the Wrens seen today was making a very strange noise as I pointed it out to a friend of mine making her way to work again. I really was hoping for a Hirundine overhead, but no sign yet, which gave me the idea of checking out the harbour entrance at Eastney.

Eastney Outfall:

There was no sign of the Light-bellied Brent Goose among the Dark-breasted Brent Geese on Southsea Common this morning.

Before my trip to Eastney, I had to check the Brent Geese on Southsea Common for yesterday’s Light-bellied Brent Goose, but despite a really good search through the 126 birds present, there was no sign of the bird. So I took a trip to the football pitches over Eastney off Halliday Crescent to check the Brent Geese there, but again, to no avail; but there were at least 190+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese there.

Two Oystercatchers were seen by the Car Park at Eastney this morning.

After parking up within Ferry Road Car Park and carefully negotiating the awful pot-holes here, I first checked out the enclosed area by the Water Treatment Works and there were at least 8 Stock Doves present near Fort Cumberland and also two Oystercatchers on the grass. One of the birds flew over my head and had a drink and washed in one of the large puddles. A Meadow Pipit was heard but not seen and in the distance looking west, a Common Buzzard was circling high over and being followed by a Carrion Crow and a Herring Gull.

Above, this Common Gull joined several Herring Gulls by the perimeter fence and below, Eastney Pier jutting out into the harbour entrance.

Above, I picked out this Common Buzzard drifting high over Eastney and being carefully watched by a Carrion Crow and a Herring Gull. Below, the harbour entrance looking north.

There was absolutely nothing within the harbour entrance and even looking south from the Pier, all was quiet bar a loafing Black-headed Gull on the shoreline. From the car looking east, I still could hear Skylarks singing from the Golf Course over on Hayling Island! No early Wheatears here I’m afraid, though I am sure it will not be long if these southerlies carry on. More nice weather on the way tomorrow, so who knows what might turn up?

In Hampshire today:

Up to 4 Great Northern Divers were seen off the Weston Shore this morning and up to 2 Common Sandpipers were on Lower Test Marshes. The male Ruddy Shelduck was still in its usual place near Ranvilles Lane with 8 Egyptian Geese and nearby, two Glossy Ibis were on Posbrook Floods. A impressive count of 112 Avocets were roosting on the Lake at Farlington Marshes early evening.

Yesterday evening, one of Hampshire’s top listers, Andy Fisher, ‘ticked-off’ a Woodcock over at West Walk last night to go equal fourth in the table.

My Moth Box:

My second Beautiful Plume of the year was my only moth this morning.

I had my Moth Box on overnight, but all that was present was just the one moth, the micro moth Beautiful Plume. These clear nights are not helping at all, but I suppose its better than rain?