Arctic Skua past Gilkicker this morning.

Friday 18th April 2025.

The dark-phased Arctic Skua passing through the Solent this morning.

There was going to be a ‘Lazee Birders’ sea-watch from Gilkicker today from 7am and so, for a change, I made my way nice and early (after a quick Maccy D’s!) to the Car Park at Gilkicker and duly arrived around 6.50am to a near empty Car Park. The morning looked promising with an easterly wind, overcast conditions and a weather front moving in of which could spell some decent birds going through the Solent. Just three more ‘Lazee’s arrived and a couple of regulars within the Shelter, but I have to say, it wasn’t as productive as I was hoping it was going to be. However, two quality birds did pass through; a Fulmar and my first Arctic Skua of the year.

The Moth Box is starting to produce more moths and a fair selection last night and this morning, which bodes well for the coming weeks.

The Moth Box:

Above, an Angle Shades in one of the egg trays this morning and below, one of two Early Grey's this morning also.

Above, the micro moth White-shouldered House Moth and below, my first Brindled Pug for the garden this year.

Last night, I had a quick check of the Moth Box where I counted at least ten moths. My first Brindled Pug in my garden this year was present on the white sheet and on the opposite side of the Box, a Bloxworth Snout was present. Last nights moths included the following:

• Bloxworth Snout x1
• Brindled Pug x1
• Double-striped Pug x3
• Common Plume x3
• Light Brown Apple Mothx1
• White-shouldered House Moth x1

This morning, there was just the five moths present that included the following:

• Early Grey x2
• Angle Shades x1
• Shuttle-shaped Dart x1
• White-shouldered House Moth x1

This Bloxworth Snout was opposite my Moth Box last night.

What I did enjoy last night was the whirring of wings from one of the Pipistrelle Bat over my garden. There was no wind last night and I could hear the Bat flying over my head and even see the Bat clearly from the light of my Moth Box. An amazing experience, here in my own garden.

The Solent, Gilkicker:

Just the one Brent Goose was seen this morning.

I was the first to arrive at the Shelter overlooking the Solent and there was certainly an easterly breeze going over the Solent. But would the birds come through? As the morning wore on, the wind did get a bit stronger and though not quite as slow as yesterday when ‘sea-watching’ at Southsea; it was not as busy as I was hoping for, despite perfect conditions. But the good news is that I got another new bird species for my Hampshire year list, the dark-phased Arctic Skua; a species I never saw in 2024. The birds seen this morning included the following:

• Arctic Skua: Obviously, the bird of the morning as it came in from the east, but this time, it came in close and showed very well, with all us ‘toggers’ reaching for our cameras as the bird powerfully headed low over the water. It was later seen both off Sandy Point and Selsey Bill.

• Fulmar: We got the heads up off a birder at Lee on Solent that a Fulmar was flying east over the sea and it didn't take long to pick it up through the scope flying eastbound and again, seen off Sandy Point some 20 minutes later. This was my second of the Spring after no sightings last year.

• Mediterranean Gull: Just the three pairs were seen during the three hours while we were there, all adult birds, including a pair that flew low over the beach.

• Sandwich Tern: There seemed to be a constant stream of this species passing through throughout the morning and though a good many birds were fishing up and down the shoreline, a large flock of 27 birds were seen heading east.

Above and below, the Arctic Skua heading east this morning. Photos by Andy Tew.

Above and below, good numbers of Sandwich Terns passed through the Solent.

Above, another Sandwich Tern passing through close in and below, the view from the Shelter looking over the sea.

• Common Tern: Three separate flocks were seen that included three, five and a flock of nine birds all heading east.

• Brent Goose: Only one bird seen flying east this morning.

• Whimbrel: Three birds were seen in total with two birds heading west probably having come off the shoreline and a single bird heading east.

• Shelduck: one distant bird was flying over the Solent heading west, though more over the Isle of Wight side of the Solent.

• Swallow: Three birds flew in off the sea and headed quickly north towards the houses.

• Common Whitethroat: When having to pay for my Parking Ticket, I saw the bird singing perched on a bramble nearby, close to the Toilet Blocks.

Another photo of the Arctic Skua close to the shoreline.

All in all, not a bad morning’s ‘sea-watch’. Most of us had to leave by 10am, though Mr Andy Friend gave it another hour there. Now that the first Arctic Skua has gone through, hopefully that will open the floodgates for many more.

Film footage of the Arctic Skua this morning.

Yet another very slow 'Sea-watch'.

Thursday 17th April 2025.

My second Silver Y moth of the year.

I did another ‘sea-watch’ from Southsea Beach this morning and it was a bit of a gamble for the sea was again dead calm and a cloudless blue sky with a very light north-westerly wind blowing across the Solent. I then knew it was going to be very slow this morning with not a great deal of birds, apart from Gulls, coming through the Solent; but I persevered for it was Spring and almost anything could turn up; but what did, totally was unexpected and a ‘first’ for me here at this site! 

But before that, I had the Moth Box to check this morning and there was a little selection to be identified.

The Moth Box:

Shuttle-shaped Dart.

A total of 8 moths were present which I consider not too bad considering how cold it was first thing this morning with a clear blue sky overhead. Once the temperature rises overnight, then I should be getting a lot more coming through. The Silver Y was most likely a migrant moth from the Continent, while all the others were localised individuals.

This Double-striped Pug was a small individual. I potted it last night and released it this morning.

• Double-striped Pug x2
• Shuttle-shaped Dart x1
• Silver Y x1
• Light Brown Apple Moth x2
• Common Plume x1
• Ruddy Dart x1

As per usual, I always keep an ear out for birds passing by overhead or in the nearby gardens and yet again, I heard another Yellow Wagtail flying high overhead heading northbound. Good to hear some House Sparrows in the nearby gardens for they have been scarce here during the Winter months and hopefully here to breed in their respective nest sites. 

Southsea Seafront:

It was dead calm again this morning though I could see a lot of low cloud & mist over the Isle of Wight west of Ryde. 

As expected, it was very slow again from Southsea seafront, but I believe as the Spring wears on, the birds will pick up in numbers, especially if we get some rougher weather out there on the Solent when the Skuas and Terns pass through the Solent. But today, it was quiet again, however, I was in for a bit of a surprise when I found a Black Swan drifting on the sea heading very slowly eastbound. It just goes to show that you never know what could pass by over the sea! I have never seen one on the sea or flying by, but sadly, it is a species still considered ‘not wild’ for whatever reason. The species breed in the wild throughout much of the UK, yet the ‘powers that be’ have not added it to the British Bird List.

The sightings this morning of each species are as follows:

• Whimbrel: two single birds both flew east. Whimbrels have a habit of calling when passing by, but these two individuals were quiet.

• Mediterranean Gull: just three birds seen this morning, with a pair and a single bird flying east.

• Sandwich Tern: Very small numbers through this morning, with just two fishing pairs close in to the shoreline and successfully catching a small fish each. Other birds were seen some distance out in the Solent.

• Oystercatcher: Just the one individual seen flying low east over the sea.

• Shag: One adult seen flying west low over the sea heading towards the Southsea Castle area.

• Common Tern: Just the one single bird heading westbound. Hopefully, the big flocks of this species will be passing through soon.

So, despite putting in a couple of hours here in the Yellow Shelter overlooking the Solent from 7-9am, it was another slow morning. A micro moth fluttered around in the shelter but would not settle long enough to get an idea. I have now packed a few Moth Pots ready for the next time one should flutter by! Walking back to the car, the Ragged Robin plants were abundant and I am now wondering if the new grass laid down by the Council during all the repairs here have a lot of wildflower seeds planted in the grass? I could see Knapweed plants growing among the grass, so it is a strong possibility that it could be a ‘Wildflower’ planting going on.

Above, the grassy embankment behind the Yellow shelter full of plants growing out of the grass and below, Ragged Robin were some of the plants coming through.

Some very interesting news coming out of West Sussex is the possible breeding of Hoopoe's in the County, which will be outstanding. A pair have been seen going into a nest hole and calling to one another, but I shall keep the location to myself. This Spring has seen a massive influx of the species as more and more are being found including a few in some Hampshire gardens! I shall, of course, keep an eye out for this amazing species 

This micro moth, a Sulphur Tubic, was on my kitchen window tonight.

A very busy morning.

Tuesday 15th April 2025.

This Harbour Seal was seen swimming just off the shoreline at Southsea seafront this morning.

A rather busy morning during this Easter Break with not only the Moth Box to look at, but another ‘Sea-watch’ from Southsea seafront and then walking the dogs around Highland Road Cemetery. We had some overnight rain (at last!) and I thought it was going to be showery this morning, hence the sea-watch from Southsea Castle, but it was dry and bright when I arrived, although the cloud did come in and then a mixture of sun and cloud. It remained mild too throughout my sea-watch but the sea was very calm as I was in for another very slow morning. The Cemetery wasn't too bad either with plenty of plants now coming through and even though I could not find any migrant birds, there was still quite a lot of birdlife going on within there.

The Moth Box:

This Nut-tree Tussock moth was my first of the year which was found last night.

Last night, while checking the Moth Box before I retired to bed, I found my first Nut-tree Tussock moth of the year perched behind the Box upon the white sheet. I quickly potted the moth and kept it indoors overnight so I could get a better photo in the morning.

Above, one of three Shuttle-shaped Darts. Below, an early Lychnis moth.

Above, another first for the year, a Ruddy Streak.

This morning, after releasing the Nut-tree Tussock, I checked my Moth Box and the surrounding area thoroughly and found three more moths that were new for the year: 3 Shuttle-shaped Darts, a Lychnis and the micro moth Ruddy Streak. Very good. No other moths were found but a Linnet flew high overhead and headed north.

Southsea seafront;

This Sandwich Tern had just caught a fish near the shoreline.

As mentioned earlier, the sea was flat calm and a very light north-easterly wind (apparently) going across the Solent. I got a seat in my usual shelter (that was also being used by some homeless person on the opposite side of the window!), set up scope and poured myself a coffee from my flask. Then down to business. Yes, it was very slow again and at times, I thought I was going to give up, but something popped up flying over the Solent to keep me interested for a little longer. On the way back to the car, I found a lot of Ragged Robin plants growing by the edge of the Promenade, which is unusual here. I put in a two and a half hour shift here from 7am and notched up the following:

• Common Scoter; a flock of 5 birds, 4 drakes and a female, flew distantly east over the Solent. Seen almost as soon as I arrived but proved to be a false dawn for a big movement today.

• Med Gulls: Though singles and pairs did pass through quite regularly, there were some larger flocks going through that included a flock of 4 and 5 birds respectively. When they are in big groups, it's always worth taking a look through the scope at them even though they are probably heading towards their stronghold in Langstone Harbour.

• Sandwich Tern: Many were fishing up and down the shoreline and also over the Solent, but possible migrating flocks were heading east including flocks of 5 and 6 going east.

• Common Tern: Just the one bird seen all morning that went westbound across the Solent.

• Shag: Just the one bird heading west this morning.

Above, a Cormorant about to land just offshore and below, a record photo of the adult Kittiwake flying east over the Solent.

Above, the only Swallow seen this morning coming in off the sea and below, the only waders to be seen this morning, three Oystercatchers.

• Kittiwake: Two single adult birds flew eastbound. That is the 3rd and 4th sighting of this species seen so far on my sea-watches this year.

• Yellow Wagtail: one flew in from the sea heading north. Again heard first as it flew off overhead.

• Linnet: A flock of 4 flew in off the sea heading north. 

• Swallow: just the one bird seen coming in off the sea and then headed off north over the beach.

• Oystercatcher: the only waders seen all morning here with three birds flying together heading east low over the water.

Sandwich Tern heading east along the shoreline.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

This flock of seven Med Gulls flying over the Cemy was quite exceptional.

The weather remained mild and bright when I took the dogs for their morning walk around the Cemetery. It's starting to look a lot greener here in the Cemy with many trees having leaves now and more and more plants starting to appear in flower. The likes of Smooth Sow-thistle, Nipplewort, Bulbous Buttercup, Common Groundsel and Daisies all starting to bloom abundantly and I even found several clumps of Cuckoo Flower growing over on the east side of the Cemetery.

Above, Spanish Bluebells are always a welcome flower here. Below, Common Groundsel also flowering in large clumps are always good for insects.

Above, Nipplewort and below, Bulbous Buttercup.

No migrant birds seen within the Cemetery this morning despite a good search for them, but a few birds of note seen on my walk around the site. The Green Woodpecker was heard distantly somewhere within the Cemy and then seen flying away from me near the Holm Oak tree clump. A flock of 6 Mediterranean Gulls flew over heading north, the most I have seen here in one flock for many a year.

Above, the white creamy 'spikes' of Horse Chestnut flowers now growing and below, a large Smooth Sow-thistle plant.

Above, a bedragged Robin looked as though it had just had a bath and below, Cuckoo Flowers.

The birds seen or heard within the Cemy today included the following:

• Blackbird
• House Sparrow
• Starling
• Wren
• Robin
• Great Tit
• Blue Tit
• Black-headed Gull
• Herring Gull
• Mediterranean Gull
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Feral Pigeon
• Wood Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Goldfinch
• Greenfinch

 

Above, not only the white 'spikes' of Horse Chestnut were showing but also the red ones too. Below, a flock of Herring Gulls within the Cemy. More than likely, someone had been throwing bread out for them!

Blair's Mocha moth added to year list.

Monday 14th April 2025.

A much cooler day today with cloudy weather and the possibility of a good movement off Southsea seafront today, with a south-easterly wind and a moderate wind blowing. Yes, I should be ‘sea-watching’ but I had too much other stuff to do today. Rain is forecast later today and I do hope so for many reasons. The ground is dry everywhere and after last night's fires over the Browndown area in southern Gosport (vandals or natural who knows?) but it will certainly affect the local Dartford Warbler population and also the Adders there. Thankfully, the quick action of the Fire Brigade got there before there could be some serious damage there.

On a positive note, I had a few moths (literally!) in my Moth Box overnight and a few notable bird records mixed in too.

The Moth Box:

My first Blair's Mocha moth of the year and a very early one too.

It was cold again overnight as I checked my Moth Box early this morning. The bad news was there was only TWO moths in total, but the good news was that one of them was my first Blair’s Mocha of the year and probably the earliest one I have ever had in my garden. It was actually within the Moth Box too, something of rare treat for hardly anything that has been actually in the Moth Box of late. The only other moth was a Common Plume sat on the kitchen wall nearby, but I failed to find any other moths present around the Moth Box.

While checking the Moth Box, a Yellow Wagtail flew over but was heard only and not seen against the blue sky. After breakfast, I took my dogs for a walk around the block and I heard a Willow Warbler singing from Highland Road Cemetery as I passed St. Margaret's Church. Apart from that, a busy day doing my usual household chores for a Monday.

Matt & Emma Parkes took a trip to Pulborough RSPB Reserve yesterday and photographed this superb adult White-tailed Eagle.

Fairly quiet in Hampshire today, but over in West Sussex; TWO Hoopoes near the North Wall at Pagham Harbour today. I would be tempted to go but I think the A27 is still shut due to a stupid crash just past Emsworth. The 1st winter Least Sandpiper is STILL present for its umpteenth day on the Stilt Pool at Medmerry RSPB Reserve. Will it ever fly east into Hampshire?  

My ropey film footage taken from my mobile phone of a drake Mandarin on the Pond at Keydell Nurseries, Horndean, yesterday morning.

Yellow Wagtail & Fulmar from Southsea Seafront.

 Sunday 13th April 2025.

Immature Herring Gulls on the foreshore in front of my Shelter.

It was back to the Southsea seafront for yet another ‘sea-watch’ and it looked promising with an overcast sky and showers overnight. I arrived at my usual time of 6.30am to 8.30am and almost immediately, I was onto my first Yellow Wagtail of the year. The cloud eventually disappeared leaving behind a very sunny morning and thankfully, there were a few birds of note coming through the Solent that included yet another ‘year-tick’, a Fulmar. About 10 yrs ago, I used to see these quite regularly on a Spring seawatch; but they are hard to come by of late and only seen on a windy day during the Autumn now.

Here is a summary of this morning's sightings on my ‘sea-watch’:

• Yellow Wagtail: Single bird flew in calling and then headed off north high. Similar to last year and many years before, I always seem to get at least one of this species from Southsea. Other than that, they are a regular species on Autumn passage here on the South coast.

• Common Tern: Just the one bird seen flying powerfully westbound. Hopefully, it will not be long before we get the large flocks moving eastbound.

• Sandwich Tern: Always entertaining, at least 10 birds seen this morning that included fishing birds plunging into the sea to catch a small fish. Most were just fishing back and forth though a few distant birds were heading east.

• Mediterranean Gull:  I had two large flocks containing 9 birds each heading some distance out westbound and another 4 birds going west. I could hear several birds which must have been quite high up in the bright sky.

Above, you can just see the two Whimbrel in the top right hand corner in this photo and below, the large flock of Brent Geese headed by a Wigeon of all things heading east.

Above, three photos of the Sandwich Terns. At least these flew a lot closer to the shoreline.

• Whimbrel: Four birds were recorded this morning where the first bird noted was heard high up but I failed to see the bird. Two birds together headed west and another east through the Solent.

• Brent Goose: Three separate flock went through eastbound containing 2,6 and a large flock of 19 birds that contained a Wigeon leading the way!

• Common Scoter: a flock of 6 flew distantly eastbound low over the sea but among them was a much smaller duck but too far out to ascertain its ID. Possibly a Garganey? They have a habit of mixing it with Scoter.

• Shag: Just the one adult through heading low over the water westbound.

• Gannet: an immature bird slowly making its way through the Solent heading east. This was the first immature bird I have seen this year and my third Gannet of the year.

• Linnet: One bird flew in off the sea and headed strongly northbound and two and three birds headed west over the beach.

• Fulmar: As mentioned in the summary above, the bird was heading low over the water westbound and seemed to get a bit of hassle from a couple of Herring Gulls when first seen. It then got free of the birds and sped low over the water and out of view.

All in all, not a bad ‘sea-watch’ during those two hours. After AJ’s Serin sighting earlier this week at Sandy Point, another was found by fellow ‘Lazee’ Mark Francis by the Toilet Block at Hill Head. Sadly, like the Hayling bird, it did not linger for those making their way there, which is so typical of this species. Maybe I might have one next week from the Southsea seafront? At Fishlake Meadows this morning, two Grasshopper Warblers were reported and a Little Tern was seen off the seawall at Farlington Marshes. Birding pals Matt & Emma Parkes were at Pulborough Brooks in West Sussex and saw their first Hobby of the year and good views of the Nightingales . The White-tailed Eagle also showed well.

Above, this brightly coloured liner was making its way out from Portsmouth Harbour and below, there is always some idiot climbing the rocks here despite signs to stay off them.

Back at home, I saw my first Holly Blue butterfly of the year in my garden.

This morning's Serin at Hill Head. Photo by Mark Francis.