An early morning walk around the Cemy.

Saturday 24^th October 2026.

It was overcast when I arrived at Highland Road Cemetery.

The strong winds died down eventually late last night and though, yet another storm is due today (Storm Boelo), I think the worst of it us in the north of the UK. Becky and I, along with the dogs, are off to our Cottage Holiday for a week near Bridport, Dorset, today although we will not be leaving till around midday from Southsea.

Beforehand, the dogs needed their early morning walk and so I walked them around Highland Road Cemetery seeing it was dry but overcast. I was pleased it was overcast as I can pick out passing passerines flying high overhead and this morning, there was a bit of visible migration. There was virtually no wind whatsoever, but the aftermath of Storm Austin was evident to see within the Cemetery.

News came in this morning that a Nutcracker had been seen in a garden at Mundesley,  North Norfolk. That will set the ‘twitchers’ off in mad panic and has now been reported as still being in the area this morning. 

 

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

One of the trees beside the main footpath has lost its top.

The damage caused by Storm Austin yesterday looked as though it was limited to two trees losing a large branch, but the footpaths were littered with smaller branches and twigs. The Council will be busy sorting out those big branches soon. I arrived around 8am within the Cemy and was pleased to find only one dogwalker during my 45 minutes there and seeing there was hardly any wind, I could easily pick out the birds flying over.

Another large tree has lost a big branch due to the recent Storm.

Up to 4 Finch species were noted and that included up to three Chaffinches passing overhead along with 2 Greenfinches and singles of Linnet and Goldfinch. Sadly, no Brambling yet, though I have only ever seen one flying over my ‘Local Patch’. Two Chiffchaffs were calling deep within cover at different locations within the Cemy and a small flock of at least 5+ Long-tailed Tits were found in the bushes by the Mausoleum, which is always a good record here.

The Honey Fungus was still in its usual place where the old Beech Tree once stood.

It was good to see Collared Doves this morning with two individuals flying over at speed. At least four Robins were seen of which a couple were in full song. I was hoping for a good number of thrushes today but for my efforts, just two Blackbirds were seen and a Redwing was heard only in the south-west corner. I didn’t take my camera with me this morning, which I obviously regretted as the Long-tailed Tits were showing down to around 10 feet at times!  Two single Pied Wagtails also went over as did a small flock of 3 Meadow Pipits which rounded off 20 species seen today. I had to rely on my mobile phone camera for todays photos.

 

The birds recorded here this morning included the following:

• Chiffchaff (2)
• Jay (3)
• Magpie
• Carrion Crow
• Chaffinch (3)
• Greenfinch (2)
• Linnet (heard)
• Goldfinch (heard)
• Herring Gull
• Black-headed Gull
• Starling
• Robin
• Wren
• Blue Tit
• Long-tailed Tit (5+)
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove (2)
• Meadow Pipit (3)
• Pied Wagtail (2)