Nature Notes for SE Hampshire w/e 14th November
16 November 2009
Portsmouth & Portsdown
Two bullfinches (right) were on the Farlington Marshes reserve on 6th November.
On 7th November comma and peacock butterflies were seen at Hilsea Lines.
Purple sandpipers have arrived back at Southsea Castle with 9 there on 9th, 6 on 10th and 4 on other days. A wheatear was in the area on 9th.
It was estimated that there were 250 wigeon present around Farlington Marshes on 11th. A count of 95 snipe present on 12th was unusual. The black-tailed godwit flock had dropped to around 400 on 6th.
On 10th November a chiffchaff was in a silver birch on Portsdown.
The flock of avocets in Langstone Harbour was up to 21 on November 12th.
A Dartford warbler was seen at the SE corner of Farlington Marshes on 15th November.
Forty Brent geese seen flying off Southsea on 11th may have been new arrivals contributing to sightings of larger flocks in our area. So far there is no evidence of a successful breeding season in the summer.
Havant hayling & Emsworth
Latest additions to the Havant plants list on Nov 15 were Cow Parsley and Shining Cranesbill in the Langstone/Warblington area.
Large flocks of wood pigeons along the coast included one of nearly 3,000 birds at Broadmarsh.
A painted lady butterfly was at Havant Station on 9th November.
The first goldeneye seen in the harbour was one on 6th November. On 12th there were at least 99 great-crested grebes in Langstone Harbour including 45 off the oyster beds and up to 77 red-breasted mergansers. On the same day there were 2 long-tailed ducks off the oyster beds and a single Slavonian grebe in the harbour but no sign of black-necked.
Large flocks of curlews have been using the fields of Wade Court Farm recently with 68 there on 14th. Others have been seen flying inland over Portsdown.
On 14th there were around 40 teal on the flooded fields north of Langstone Pond and 75 on 15th.
An attractive Rhodatus palmatus fungus was found in Pook Lane on 15th.
Fareham and Gosport
A magpie inkcap fungus was photographed at Portchester Crematorium on 11th.
Gosport remains a hot-spot for insects (or insect watchers!) with common darters on 9th, clouded yellows on 12th, common and holly blues on Nov 5th, 20 red admirals on 9th and a painted lady on 12th.
Waterlooville and South Downs
One hedgehog has yet to hibernate and was still visiting a Waterlooville garden up to 9th November.
