Nature Notes for SE Hampshire w/e 7th November
9 November 2009
Portsmouth & Portsdown
Up to 11 avocets have been seen from Farlington Marshes this week. Other birds included a greenshank, a female ruff and a single kingfisher.
Five Sandwich terns were seen at the mouth of Langstone Harbour on November 3rd.
Four purple sandpipers were at Southsea Castle on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th.
Havant hayling & Emsworth
Green sandpipers have been seen at Budds Farm and flying over the Hermitage Stream in Leigh Park.
On 2nd November there were 2 firecrests in yews close to Stansted House and on 5th there were 3 near the entrance to Sinah Warren.
Two common darter dragonflies were seen at Brook Meadow Emsworth on 3rd. Another was in Gosport on the same day.
Good sized flocks of black-tailed godwits are being seen now including one of 130 at Nore Barn on 5th. On 7th a large flock of bar-tailed godwits flew over the Northney shore.
A shorelark was on the beach at Sandy point on Hayling Island on November 5th. A black redstart was back on the houses on the nearby Eastoke Promenade on the same day.
A wheatear was in the same area on November 2nd.
A dozen bearded tits were giving good views on Thorney Island on 5th and there were half a dozen at Farlington Marshes the next day.
Red admiral butterflies were seen in Havant and on the Billy Trail on Saturday 7th.
Stream Water-crowfoot was just managing to flower in the overflow sluice from the Bedhampton Water Works at Havant on Nov 4. Other local plants with flowers included early dog violets in the Eastern Rd cemetery; St John's wort in the station car park; 50 sweet violets in St Faith's churchyard; apple of Peru outside the United Reformed Church and holly and yellow pimpernel in Hollybank Woods.
Fungi in the Sling at Stansted on 3rd included porcelain fungus, oyster mushrooms, shaggy foliota, magpie inkcaps, clouded agarics, wood blewit and hedgehog puff balls.
Fly agaric could also be seen in the forecourt of Havant Station.
In Hollybank Woods there were buttercaps, parasol mushrooms, slippery jack and tawny funnel caps.
Fareham and Gosport
A leucistic Canada goose is back in the Fareham areas for its third winter.
Small copper, comma, speckled wood holly blue and common blue butterflies were at Gosport on 31st October.
On November 4th 56 red-breasted mergansers were seen in Portsmouth harbour from Gosport.
Waterlooville and South Downs
A flock of 26 fieldfares flew over Old Winchester Hill on November 5th
