Emsworth harbour. 2 sandwich terns, 2 whimbrel and a cuckoo calling over the reedbeds. The orchids at Redlands House were great to see - a good afternoon, thank you.
I was at the Hayling Oyster beds from about 9.30 to 10.30 this morning, not as an official warden, but just interested to see what I may have missed yesterday when I should have been there! Sorry about that. I met Ian, the official warden today.There was plenty of activity on "Tern Island" though most of the birds I could see were Black-headed Gulls, with a good number clearly sitting on nests. The other birds
which we hope will nest there (ie, Little Terns, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher and Common Terns) were clustered together at the southern end of the south island.Little Terns, of which I counted a maximum of 14 on the island at any one time, were coming and going for much of the time, many returning with small fish which I presume they were feeding to potential mates. There were also two Common Terns, two
Oystercatchers and three Ringed Plover. Brian Fellows
At Farlington 11.00 this morning, a Spoonbill looking stunning in the sunlight on the main lagoon, Harry
Portsmouth & Portsdown
A cuckoo was calling at Hookheath on Wednesday. Others were heard on Thorney Island on May 1st, Stansted on 2nd and Leigh Park on 4th.
Sea radish and seakale is in flower on Eastney Beach.
Orange tip butterflies and 2 or 3 bats have been visiting Portsdown gardens this week.
A buzzard over Milton Common on Sunday 4th was chased off towards Hayling Island by crows. A
little gull was on one of the ponds hawking for insects and settling on the pond to preen and catch flies.
Havant hayling & Emsworth
A little egret, possibly a juvenile, at Langstone was caught by a fox this week. Nearby on the pond the cygnets there on 2nd May have gone probably having been led away
by parents to a safer area.
A water shrew was found at Brook Meadow on April 30th. Water voles continue to do well there.
On Monday 28th nightingales were singing at Marlpit Lane as were blackcaps and willow warblers.
A handful of little terns have been visiting the oyster beds and slightly more the RSPB islands. On 4th May there were up to 15
whimbrel showing well with another group on the Northney shore. Also reported from the oyster beds were 10-12 ruffs.
Two little gulls were at the Budds farm lagoons on 2nd May. One was off the mouth of Langbrook Stream.
Lesser whitethroats were heard on Thorney Island on 1st and the oyster beds on 3rd. At the latter site there was also a garden warbler
on 2nd.
Holly Blues have been seen at Brook Meadow, in a Havant garden and at Langstone.
On 3rd May a turtle dove was present near Broadreed farm Stansted.
On Sunday 4th 5 swifts were over Westbourne village.
New flowering plants found this week include the following. Water horsetail, wintercress on Brook meadow;
field and marsh horsetail at South Moors; dame’s violet at the oyster beds; Smith’s pepperwort, shepherd’s cress, sea campion and tree lupin on Sinah Common;
red campion at Stansted; pale pink hybrid campion among white campion on the Hayling Saltmarsh Lane shore.
Fareham and Gosport
There was an unconfirmed report of a honey buzzard over Gosport on 2nd May. The next day an
Iceland gull was seen.
On 3rd there were 2 peregrines and a black tern
at Titchfield Haven.
Waterlooville and the South Downs
On May 2nd dingy and grizzled
skippers and green veined whites were seen on Chalton Down.
There are now quite a few swallows about including the usual breeders at Catherington. A holly blue
was seen on the Down on 26th April. On 1st May a turtle dove was heard and Cranesbills were doing well in the fields above the down and cowslips on the Down.
| If you would like to have these notes in your e mail inbox, usually on a Monday morning e mail me. The file will be a pdf for which you will need Adobe Reader. If you have not already got it you can find it on magazine cover discs or download it at www.adobe.com/acrobat. |
