Pom Skua through the Solent and a moth 'Lifer'.

 Thursday 23rd April 2026.

The pale-phased Pomarine Skua passing through the Solent. Photo by Andy Friend.

Well, that was one 'sea-watch' that will not be forgotten for a long while. After my first shift in Pembroke Road, I decided to have a couple of hours 'sea-watching' off Southsea Promenade from my usual shelter just east of the Pyramids and it most certainly paid off with only my second ever sighting of a Pomarine Skua at this site. The weather was glorious with bright blue sky overhead and a light easterly blowing over the Solent; conditions just right for a reasonable ‘sea-watch’.

Earlier today, I had the Moth Box on overnight after repairing the Box which had fallen over due to the strong blustery winds yesterday afternoon. It paid off too with several moths that included a ‘Lifer’, which was totally unexpected. Not to put Pembroke Road down, a trio of Collared Doves flying over was also a damn good record for this site and so I can safely say that it was one hell of a day for me personally.

My Moth Box:

My first ever Common Grass-miner moth.

As mentioned, I found my first ever Common Grass-miner (Elachista canapennella) micro moth this morning, perched on the inside of the Box as I quickly took several photos of the tiny moth before releasing it. A very good start to the day and with 9 moths of 6 species, it was mostly a micro moth morning. Pick of the ‘macro’ moths was a Shuttle-shaped Dart that sat right at the bottom of the Box. It was clear overnight and quite cool with that north-easterly wind blowing, so I was pleased the Moth Box was still upright this morning. Phew!

The lone Shuttle-shaped Dart.

The Moths present this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS	MICRO MOTHS
Shuttle-shaped Dart x1	Light Brown Apple Moth x2
Double-striped Pug x3	Ruddy Streak x1
	White-shouldered House Moth x1
	COMMON GRASS-MINER* x1

A Chiffchaff was heard calling south of my garden and then the bird flew and landed in the tree at the back of my garden briefly and then flew north and began to sing.

Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:

Up to 13 bird species were noted today from both shifts and that included the small flock of three Collared Doves flying high over the road and heading off south. Three species of Gull were recorded including a Great Black-backed Gull perched on a rooftop in Penny Street. Again, the male Pied Wagtail was searching for food on the short grass of the Bowling Green. All the usual birds seen and the House Sparrows within the hedge of the Bowling Green were quite vocal this morning. A quiet afternoon here and reasonably warm too with temperatures getting up to 18 degrees.

The Solent, Southsea seafront:

My miserable effort in getting a photo of the Pomarine Skua passing through the Solent.

As mentioned, after my first shift at Pembroke Road, I took the short drive to South Parade and parked up to walk through the Rock Gardens, for my usual seat within the shelter overlooking the Solent. The sea state was good and the weather was bright and sunny. Though it sounded good, visibility was a tad hazy, probably due to the strong sunlight, but with my scope to hand, I was picking out a few birds quite nicely.

The group of three Whimbrel passing close in.

Obviously, the biggest surprise was the news of a pale-phased Pomarine Skua entering the Solent from Cut Bridge (nr Lymington) and the bird was then seen off Hill Head and Lee-on-Solent. My hopes of seeing the bird were slowly evaporating for it was seen at 10am off Lee-on-Solent and by 10.30am, I had nearly given up. It wasn't till I saw a distant Skua heading east low over the sea (it had been seen earlier flying very high) I then rushed to get my scope onto it. Bingo! I could clearly see its long ‘spoons’ as it soon passed Horse Sands Fort towards Hayling Island. I did manage to take a few photos of the bird, but they were awful compared with a few taken of the bird. I quickly put my sighting on the Hants Rare Birds Whatsapp group and thankfully, the guys at Sandy Point, Hayling Island connected with the Skua also. Happy Days! This was only my second ever sighting of this species from Southsea and after missing the ‘Poms’ seen last year through the Solent; this surely made up for it. Major case of ‘right place, right time!’

A pair of Sandwich Terns passing close in heading east.

However, it wasn't all perfect as there was a report of a flock of Black Terns passing Hill Head, but there was no sighting of those birds despite a good search for them. I wonder if they flew inland or went into Portsmouth Harbour? An awful lot of work to bolster the sea defences along Southsea over the past couple of years has resulted in the viewing situation from the Shelter I watch from. I cannot now see the shoreline where the shingle has been raised considerably, so whatever is flying along the shoreline will be missed completely unless the bird is high up.

Most of the Whimbrel seen this morning were single birds all heading east.

Yes, the Pomarine Skua was a cracking bird to see, but there were other sightings too during my two hours there and that included the following:

Whimbrel: Up to ten birds were seen and were all singles heading east apart from a group of three birds together also heading east. 

Sandwich Tern: Two pairs flew east close in heading east along the shoreline

Common Tern: A pair flew east close in.

Swallow: Up to 6 single birds flew in off the sea, but too quick for a photo.

House Martin: A single bird was watched through the scope coming in off the sea and passed left of where I was sitting.

Swift: A single bird also flew in off the sea and passed by to my left.

Yellow Wagtail: A single bird was heard only flying in off the sea and passing close overhead, but against the bright sunshine and blue sky; no chance of seeing it!

Meadow Pipit: A pair flew low over the beach heading east.

Little Egret: A single bird flew west low over the Solent.

Mediterranean Gull: A flock of 4 adults flew east about half way out across the Solent.