The superb Hobby catching a dragonfly on the wing over Fishlake Meadows.
Another superb days birding with Geoff, Andy, Matt & Emma that took in the Nature Reserves of both Fishlake Meadows and Testwood Lakes today. The weather was a bit overcast at first, but the sun eventually came out while we were down Fishlake, which brought out the raptors. There were plenty of 'Year-ticks' to be had today and we certainly grabbed them to add to our impressive year list. Though the Moth Boxes were very quiet, Andy's Box came up trumps with a real stunner.
The Moth Boxes:
My first Swallow Prominent moth for many a year.
There were still no significant numbers in my Moth Box or the surrounding garden this morning and, sadly, nothing new for the year either. However, it is always good to get any moths to look at and this morning we had 11 moths and two Hoverflies to check out. A Bloxworth Snout, a regular species to my garden, was present along with a Common Pug, which would not settle for a photo, flew off on my arrival. My second Lychnis of the year was in one of the egg trays, outside the Box. The moths in my garden this morning included the following:
Bloxworth Snout x1
Double-striped Pug x3
Shuttle-shaped Dart x1
Light Brown Apple Moth x1
Ruddy Dart x1
Common Plume x1
My second Lychnis moth of the year.
Sadly, there were only two moths from Andy’s Moth Box, a Double-striped Pug and amazingly, a superb Swallow Prominent. This stunning moth was probably only the third one I have ever seen; the last being on a wall near the shops in Bishops Waltham several years ago. I really thought there was going to be more moths as it was quite mild overnight, but that's the way the cookie crumbles I suppose.
Fishlake Meadows, Romsey:
Blackcaps put in a lot of appearances here, especially along the Canal Path.
Andy, Geoff and myself met up with both Emma & Matt Parkes on this site just after 9am and though we witnessed a little crash in the Car Park between two drivers, there was nothing to be alarmed about after we spoke to the lady driver. Blackcaps, Cetti’s Warblers and Chiffchaffs were in full song all around the Car Park and good views were had of these birds throughout our stay here.
Andy doing his version of 'reeling' while the Grasshopper Warbler is singing behind him! Below, the real thing; a superb Grasshopper Warbler in song.
We caught up with Matt overlooking the reedbeds to the west and he told us that the Grasshopper Warbler was ‘reeling’ from a leafless bush and it didn't take long for the bird to reappear again and began singing for the growing crowd here. A Garden Warbler was singing in the neighbouring Willows and eventually two birds popped out of hiding and so we had two ‘year-ticks’ in a matter of minutes. This ‘Gropper’ has been entertaining the birders all week and even two birds have been recorded here this week.
Above and below, a very healthy population of Sedge Warblers at Fishlake.
Above, the elusive Cetti's Warbler gave itself up by the Canal Path.
Garden Warblers, however, have been present all week also and today, there were probably double-figures of this species on this fantastic site today and some of the birds showed exceptionally well. It was a Warbler heaven with up to 7 species from this family seen today that included numerous Sedge, Reed, Cetti’s, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat and of course the Garden Warblers.
Above, several Garden Warblers were seen this morning and many more heard and below, the guys walking ahead of me along the Canal Path.
Overhead, we had the Hirundines of which we got to see our first Swifts of the year; distantly at first high over the trees and then a lot closer along with Swallows, House and Sand Martins. Reed Buntings were seen flying over the reeds and along the main Canal footpath, flocks of Long-tailed Tits fumbled their way through the tight branches of the Willows. Within the reedbeds, the songs of both Sedge and Reed Warbler rang out and also the occasional squeal of Water Rails could be heard.
Above, at least two Red Kites were seen over the reserve and below, Yellow Flag plants were out in flower.
Above, the confiding Robin showed well again and below, a 'teneral' Large Red Damselfly that has recently emerged .
As we made our way to the Viewing Screen, the cloudy sky was breaking up with the sun eventually shining through, which brought out the first of FIVE Hobbies overhead. In fact, not only these amazing raptors took centre stage and entertained us for the rest of the trip here, but it also brought out a variety of raptors that included Common Buzzards, Red Kites, a male Kestrel and a female Sparrowhawk. Oddly, no Marsh Harrier sightings today; but what a display from the other raptors. I took many photos of the Hobbies and hopefully, choose the best ones to put on my blog.
Above, a pair of Shovelers on the pool in front of the Viewing Screen and below, a Common Tern also seen from the Screen.
Above, both Common Terns from the Viewing Screen and below, a Large Red Damselfly resting on the footpath.
Above, a Holly Blue butterfly showed well along the Canal Path and below, the Grasshopper Warbler showing well near the first bench along the Canal Path. Photo by Emma Parkes.
From the Viewing Screen, a pair of Common Terns were fishing over the water and also used the posts to rest. Both Greylag Geese and Gadwalls were showing off their youngsters here as we also had sightings of Great Crested Grebes, Mallard, Shoveler and just the one Great White Egret and a male Pochard in this one area. A Cuckoo was heard singing north of the Screen and Matt gave the shout that he had found the bird perched high up in one of the dead trees. Andy couldn't run fast enough to view the bird, our 5th new bird for the year of which it soon flew off heading west and then out of sight.
Above, a collage of Hobby photos taken today and below, this photo was taken by Emma Parkes.
But it wasn't just about the birds here, as we had some nice views of the Large Red Damselflies and a reasonable tally of butterfly species also. This included Peacock, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Orange-tip and Brimstones. Most certainly a great morning birding here. Earlier today, we heard a report of a Wood Sandpiper on Testwood Lakes and we simply couldn't resist taking the trip there. Good to see Graeme 'Toploader' here at Fishlake. He arrived early here at 6.30am and got most of the 'year-ticks' we saw much earlier than us and even a Hobby that was perched on one of the dead trees.
Testwood Lakes:
The view from the Hide overlooking the pool that was home to a multitude of waders and wildfowl.
It was a bit of a slog to get to the Hides overlooking the Meadow Lake where the Wood Sandpiper was residing, but it was a lovely walk to get there, taking in Common Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs, a pair of Foxes and a wonderful display of Bluebells within the small woodland. On reaching the first Hide, the upstairs viewing area was full and so we made our way to the bottom viewing area and it only took a matter of a few minutes to notch up our 6th ‘year-tick’ of the day. Wood Sandpipers are a spring speciality and this particular bird was only found early this morning and it performed relatively well during our time in the Hide. It was joined by at least 4 Common Sandpipers and three Little Ringed Plovers (which were displaying too) along with Oystercatchers, a couple of Redshanks and good numbers of Lapwing along with several chicks on show too.
Above and below, the Wood Sandpiper on Testwood Lakes. There was a slight heat-haze while filming the bird. Always a cracking bird to see during the Spring.
Above and below, the Wood Sandpiper. Photos by Emma Parkes.
To the right of the Hide, there was the Sand Martin colony that was full of the birds darting in and out while others were collecting nesting material on the opposite side of the big lake in front of us. Andy managed to pick out a House Martin among the many Sand Martins, his 7th ‘year-tick’ of the day as we enjoyed the spectacle of all the birds before us. A pair of Egyptian Geese joined the other birds by the Lake as we eventually made our way over to the second Hide overlooking another large pool to the north. From here, there were up to 8 Common Terns on the Tern Rafts and all showed very well in the sunshine through the scope. A Great Crested Grebe was swimming close to the reeds and a pair of Tufted Ducks were also present. The last time I was in this Hide was several years ago and watching a Bittern sat in the reeds. How time flies.
My first Common Pug for the year. This is a regular species for my garden and I should see these throughout the next six months.
Another cloudy start to the day and a little chilly too as I had both my Moth Box to check out and another trip to Pembroke Road. The good news is that I had two new moths to add to my year list and up to 15 species were seen at Pembroke Road. Still no sign of any Swifts over Portsmouth today, but I did see a pair of Swallows while driving through Eastney around midday. A big group of ‘Lazee Birders’ were off to Albania for a week's birding (yes, I am very envious) and tonight, I have just found out that a male Red-backed Shrike had been found in the Point Field on Farlington Marshes! If it is still around there early tomorrow morning, I just might have to make a pip stop before heading to Fishlake Meadows.
The Moth Box:
A Rusty-dot Pearl in Spring is nothing to be sniffed at. I usually see these in Autumn, so I am pretty chuffed to get one at this time of year.
Two new moths were added to my year list this morning: a Rusty-dot Pearl and a Common Pug; both are relatively common to my garden, but the former moth is normally found in the Autumn rather than the Spring and so I consider this a rather good record for my garden. The moths present this morning included the following:
Rusty-dot Pearl x1
Common Pug x1
Angle Shades x1
Light Brown Apple Moth x1
White-shouldered House Moth x1
Ruddy Streak x1
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
The Harlequin Ladybird I found in Pembroke Road this afternoon.
Fifteen species were recorded today at Pembroke Road and the best of them had to be the Jay that appeared out of the blue opposite where I was standing, on my second shift this afternoon. All the usual birds were seen, similar to yesterday and the Wren was belting out a tune most of the afternoon. I found a Harlequin Ladybird in a bush close to where I was standing this afternoon as I like to keep an eye out for interesting insects when the sun is out and now a lot of the plants are in bloom.
Birding pal Andy Fisher took this photo of a Nut-tree Tussock today.
Andy Fisher sent me a moth photo to ID and it was a fine Nut-tree Tussock (see photo), a fine looking moth that is regularly seen in the Spring. Hopefully, a Hawk-moth will arrive soon especially with the weather warming up next week. There was a lot reported on Hants Birding today with a host of migrants being seen, so tomorrow is looking good for a good days birding with some great friends. Hopefully, a good array of moths to kick off the day with and then some good birds. Fingers crossed.
Shelduck flew west over the Solent on my sea-watch this morning.
I thought the weather was a bit more grey than yesterday and there was still a bit of a chill in the air first thing this morning at Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth. There was a light southerly wind, which helped me pick up the distant birdsong, which was always a pleasure to listen too when there were no cars moving down the road. After my first shift, I took myself back over to the shelter on Southsea seafront for a two hour sea-watch to check if anything was on the move or coming in off the sea. Over on Hayling Island, Sandy Point was getting some coverage this morning by a couple of Hampshire’s 'Top Guns' and notching up a nice little list of birds going through too.
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
I managed to notch up around 13 species this morning, but it was a bit slow going at times and nothing really out of the ordinary this morning either. I did enjoy watching a Wren perched on a traffic sign close by and then bursting into song a few times. I actually got within about 6 feet from the bird and so left it alone to proclaim its territory. The usual pair of Pied Wagtails were joined by a Starling on the Bowling Green before the first Bowlers turned up. On my second shift, as expected, the temperature rose into double figures and was quite comfortable standing in the sunshine. A Swallow was a pleasant surprise as it flew along the road heading westbound until disappearing over the rooftops.
Southsea Seafront:
Having just caught a fish, this Sandwich Tern flew off west along the shoreline.
Though there was hardly any wind to speak of, the sea was nearly flat calm, but visibility was a bit restricted with a lot of sea on the horizon. However, during my two hours here in the Shelter, it was rather peaceful with hardly anyone walking or jogging past, though I did have a nice chat with a couple who live near me and chatted about the Swifts and the nest boxes in their road. I have not seen any Swifts yet so far this year, but I am sure they should be here over the coming days. Over 300+ were recorded at Staines Reservoir already!
There was a nice variety during my 2 hours here, including a few birds arriving in off the sea and also a Harbour Seal popped its head up out of the calm sea fairly close in and for a minute or so, it checked its surroundings before it sank back into the sea. The bird life seen this morning included the following:
Black-throated Diver: I picked up two distant Divers heading east over the Solent and as they passed Horse Sands Fort, I could clearly see their plumage details and was happy that they were both Black-throated Divers. A good record here for a Spring sea-watch.
Sandwich Tern: A couple of pairs were fishing just offshore throughout my stay and at least 8 more were seen out in the Solent either passing east or west.
Mediterranean Gull: It is always nice to see the Med Gulls passing by and today I had three small groups flying east, with one pair flying westbound low over the sea.
Whimbrel: Three single birds were seen during the two hours all heading east.
Above, small numbers of Med Gulls flew through and below, a Mute Swan sails gracefully eastbound. Last week, I had a Black Swan drifting past and today, a Mute Swan. What next?
Above, the female Sparrowhawk coming in off the sea and below, a flock of Oystercatchers head east over the sea.
Above, a Seal poked its head briefly out of the water.
Common Scoter: A pair was seen to fly low over the sea heading west.
Shelduck: A flock of four birds were seen to fly west.
Oystercatcher: A flock of 8 birds headed east over the sea.
Great Crested Grebe: Not often seen here during a sea-watch, but a pair were seen flying fast westbound.
Swallow: Three single birds came in off the sea and then straight on north over the promenade. Fantastic to see them flying over the sea, having probably had a good feed on the Isle of Wight on route.
Sparrowhawk: A real surprise and a species I rarely encounter on a sea-watch. This female bird was luckily picked up when I was watching a Sandwich Tern fly by. I watched it carefully in case it was something much rarer, but the bird was getting more obvious as it eventually flew over my head.
Earlier, as I was making my way to the seafront from Old Portsmouth, I watched a small flock of four Grey Lag Geese flying west high over Southsea. Meanwhile, over at Sandy Point (Hayling Island), Gary Fennemore and others, had a Great Skua off the Point and the bird actually sat on the sea for some time. Also, a pair of Cattle Egret went past as did several Fulmars, Kittiwakes and a Red-throated Diver on the sea. Mark Francis had 3 Arctic Terns among Common Terns off Hill Head and 3 Hobbies were over Fishlake Meadows today along with a Cuckoo and Grasshopper Warbler.
This week's 'Blast from the Past' was from 22 years ago when I 'twitched' my second ever male Black-headed Bunting. The bird showed very well over on the Selsey Peninsula and a warm sunny day. I had earlier seen one on the Isle of Sheppey a year before that, but I could not resist making my way to see this colourful bird. Here are my notes on the bird:
The weather was pretty much just like yesterday, but I wasn't prepared for all that rain and wind last night as I had put my Moth Box on. The garden was in a bit of a mess from the flower pollen from my neighbours tree which was everywhere. The Moth Box was unscathed as I checked the area thoroughly for Moths. Pembroke Road was fairly uneventful with the bird life there, though still a tad cold during my first shift there.
The Moth Box:
One of two Angle Shades moths.
There was nothing new for the year within or by the Moth Box early this morning. A total of 8 moths of 5 species were recorded that included the following:
Angle Shades x2
Double-striped Pug x1
Brimstone Moth x2
Shuttle-shaped Dart x1
Bloxworth Snout x1
Light Brown Apple Moth x1
Pembroke Road, Southsea:
A total of 15 species were recorded over both shifts here today and though to be honest, there was nothing out of the blue seen today. However, I enjoyed a Wren singing its heart out close to where I stood and it's amazing how loud they are when just a few feet away! The sweet sounds of a male Blackbird perched on the rooftop opposite rounded off my day in Pembroke Road this afternoon.
My stepson Russell filmed these Fox cubs at his workplace today.
When I got home, I let the dogs out in the garden and watched a Holly Blue butterfly exploring my garden before flying off into my neighbours garden. In Hampshire today, at least two Grasshopper Warblers were at Fishlake Meadows and some nice photos have been taken of the birds over the last few days. I do hope they linger till Saturday. A lot of migrant birds have been seen in Hampshire including good numbers of Lesser Whitethroats.
One of several Garden Warblers at Fishlake Meadows. Photo by Emma Parkes.
There were a few Starlings in the Cemetery this afternoon including this bird clinging to the perimeter wall searching for food.
It was back to Pembroke Road in Old Portsmouth after my Easter Break and although it was bright and sunny, it was still rather cold at first thing and with a breezy south-westerly wind blowing down the road, my poor hands were freezing! After my second shift, I took the dogs for a leisurely walk around Highland Road Cemetery to not only give them a bit of exercise but also to see if any migrants might have turned up.
Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth:
The view from my office window!
Finally, the Water Company responsible for the utter mess in Gordon Road (bottom of Pembroke Road) had finally cleared up and moved on, leaving a straight through run to the end of Pembroke Road. It only took about 6 months!!!! As mentioned, looks can be deceiving when it comes to the weather as I was damn cold first thing this morning at 8am, but the birds came in thick and fast as I notched up 16 species during my hour there. A pair of Jackdaws were unexpected as they flew overhead and made their way north over the houses. This is a very uncommon species here; the last being a large flock in the Autumn of last year. A Chiffchaff was heard briefly singing somewhere near the Bowling Green and a pair of Pied Wagtails were actually on the Bowling Green until flushed by a Groundsman.
This afternoon, the only bird added was a Black-headed Gull to make it 17 species here for the day. At least it was a bit warmer this afternoon!
Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:
Several Robins were seen including this individual searching for food.
It was rather pleasant here in the afternoon though the wind was still a bit breezy. There were a few bird species of note that kept me happy as me and the dogs walked round that included my first Swallow over the Cemetery this year. I simply didn't have time to grab a photo of the bird as it flew low over the northern end and within seconds, it was up and away over the rooftops! An adult Med Gull was seen flying east high overhead, calling in while doing so, but apart from all the usual suspects, all was fairly quiet.
Above, Common Field Speedwell grows abundantly and below, one of the Collared Doves preening on a rooftop.
Above, this male Blackbird was on the search for food and another Robin posing in the sunshine.
There were a lot of insects flying around including a couple of Small White butterflies and a few Hoverflies (Syrphus species and a few Drone Flies) and Bees were on the wing too. The Green Alkanet was now in bloom by the Mausoleum and plenty of Common Field Speedwell put on a fine show around some of the graves.
Above, an Andrena species of Mining Bee and below, this is a female Syrphus species of Hoverfly.
I heard some interesting news this afternoon when I found out that this Maccao Duck that was present on Ibsley Water, Blashford Lakes, was actually confirmed by the Hampshire Ornithological Society as a 1st winter Ruddy Duck!!! This constituted my 171st species in Hampshire for the year and also put a very big smile on birding pal Andy Fisher's face no doubt. More interesting news is that a Little Bittern had been found on the River Stour near Bournemouth today and is still present this evening. I have only ever seen one Little Bittern and that was many, many years ago down at Dungeness and even then, it was a crap view of the bird!
