SE Nature Notes - w/e Sep 20th
21 September 2009
PORTSMOUTH & PORTSDOWN
There were 24 greenshanks at Farlington Marshes on 18th and another at the mouth of the Lymbourne Stream in Langstone on 15th.
On 19th a zebra spider was seen on a fence post on Portsdown.
HAVANT HAYLING & EMSWORTH
Dark bellied Brent geese are appearing in the harbours but are likely to be birds in transit to more westerly sites. On 15th 2 flew into Chichester Harbour and 2 were seen off the Warblington shore. On 16th Langstone Harbour had a flock of 13 and by 18th 49.
Other new arrivals include wigeon and pintails. On 16th September there were 400 wigeon and 35 pintails in Langstone Harbour.
The only hirundines over Budds Farm on 14th were sand martins.
A large female wasp spider was seen on Langstone South Moors on 14th.
There were 41 Sandwich terns among over 250 common terns entering Langstone Harbour to roost on 15th September.
Coots are moving back to coastal locations as evidenced by a combined count on 15th of 58 on the Slipper Mill and Peter Ponds at Emsworth.
Cetti's warblers have been heard at Sandy Point and Langstone Pond this week.
A juvenile mistle thrush was seen in Brook Meadow on 15th.
The mute swans on the Budds Farm pools still have their 5 cygnets but those in the mouth of the Langbrook Stream appear to have lost one recently.
Ravens have been seen again over Sinah on 14th and 17th.
On 18th an osprey was seen over Langstone Harbour.
On the same day buzzards were seen over Havant Thicket.
Arctic skuas were seen from Sandy Point on 15th, 16th and 18th. On the 18th there was also a little gull in the area. A guillemot was there from 14th to 18th.
The Sinah Lake garganey was still present on 19th.
Dragonflies in the Havant area this week have included the expected southern and migrant hawkers and common darters. There were 15 of the latter at Brook Meadow on 14th.
Interesting flowers in the Havant area this week included narrow-leaved pepperwort in pavement cracks by the A27 Langstone roundabout; lesser sea spurrey by the slip road from the west to the same roundabout; corn cockle and dwarf spurge near Stoughton village; and shaggy soldier at the Prinsted market garden.
FAREHAM AND GOSPORT
A blue-winged teal that flew into Titchfield Haven on 16th might well be the bird that was in our area at the end of August.
A little stint was at Titchfield Haven from 18th to at least 20th.
Two tree sparrows were showing well at Titchfield Haven from 17th to 19th and another was among house sparrows at Black Point Hayling Island on 14th.
On 20th a beautiful male bearded tit was seen from a new viewing platform at Titchfield Haven and Cetti's warblers were also recorded.
