SE Nature Notes for w/e 31st October
2 November 2009
Ladybirds have been making a nuisance of themselves in the past week seeking hibernation sites in homes.
Portsmouth & Portsdown
A group of 26 red-breasted mergansers was seen from Milton Common on 14th October. Ten were off Farlington Marshes on 17th and 15+ from the oyster beds on 24th.
Two visitors to the Spinnaker Tower we5e surprised to see a juvenile peregrine flying very close to the observation windows this week.
On Friday a little gull was seen flying past the windows of a Portsmouth high rise building.
Possible wintering Sandwich terns have been seen from Southsea Castle this week. A female black redstart was at the castle on 28th. Others have been at the Explosion Museum in Gosport and at Sandy point Hayling Island.
A fresh painted lady butterfly was in a Portsdown garden on 25th.
Bay Boletes were showing well under a small oak on the Crookhorn golf course on 1st November.
Havant hayling & Emsworth
Up to 8 black-necked grebes have been in Langstone Harbour this week.
There were 3 pintails on the Emsworth shore on 26th. A party of 8 velvet scoters was seen flying close to the shore at Sandy Point.
A large white butterfly was seen in a Havant garden on 27th. A holly blue was seen on Hayling Island on 29th or 30th. A hummingbird hawkmoth was in Emsworth on October 29th.
Small groups of avocets were back in the channel east Thorney Island being seen from Nutbourne Bay on 27th and 29th. There was also a spotted redshank at Nutbourne on 29th.
There were 700 golden plovers on Thorney Island on 29th and a black brant has been on the Island since 14th October.
The number of black-tailed godwits at Emsworth was up to 112 on 29th October.
Sweet violets have shown a fresh outburst in St. Faith's churchyard in Havant. Yellow flowered strawberry and the first winter heliotrope are also in flower elsewhere in the town.
A single meadowsweet was in flower by the stream by Barton's Road playing fields.
Four firecrests were seen around Sinah Lake on Hayling on 30th and 2 at Sandy point on 31st.
A roe deer was seen in the fields between the oyster beds and the main road and two more in the Southleigh Farm fields north of the A27 at Emsworth.
Among many fungi this week were fly agaric in Hollybank Woods and shaggy parasol in the Ems valley.
Fareham and Gosport
The first report of a black brant goose from the Gosport area was on October 25th.
On 31st a peregrine was seen resting on the mast of HMS SOUTHAMPTON at Priddy's Hard, Gosport.
Common darter dragonflies were seen at Gosport on 3 days this week and also at Emsworth on 25th. Butterflies seen in Gosport include a small copper on 23rd and 26th; a holly blue on 27th; 11 red admirals; 13 painted ladies on 27th and 2 on30th; and 10 speckled woods on 25th.
