Nature Notes w/e 22 November
26 November 2009
Portsmouth & Portsdown
On 20th there were 7 purple sandpipers at Southsea. A marsh harrier which may be settled in the area was seen at Farlington Marshes on 16th. Farlington Marshes birds on 22nd included a Cetti’s warbler, peregrine, 18 avocets, 2 greenshanks, 2 sandwich terns and a spoonbill.
A Slavonian grebe was seen from the Eastern Rd shore of Langstone Harbour on 17th.
Havant Hayling & Emsworth
A male pochard seen on the Budds Farm pools on 15th had a blue ‘J’ bill tag. This bird was tagged in France and was seen at Budds Farm in January this year. A painted lady butterfly was at Sandy point on 15th and a clouded yellow on Thorney Island on 17th. Also on 15th a Slavonian grebe, 5 goldeneyes and a long-tailed duck were seen in the Chalkdock area of Langstone Harbour. Two hybrid Ferruginous x pochard hybrid ducks were on the Budds Farm pools while what was believed to be the bird that has regularly visited Budds Farm was seen on the Sinah gravel pit.
At least 2 great northern divers were around South Hayling on 15th. On 19th singles were in the Emsworth Channel and on 21st off the oyster beds. There were about 270 sanderlings at Black Point Hayling Island on 17th. Also present was a bar-tailed godwit in summer plumage and 9 Sandwich terns were fishing off shore. Another Sandwich tern was off the Emsworth western shore on 20th. On 17th the male and female black redstarts were still present at the east end of the Eastoke Promenade. On 19th one was by the Inn on the Beach. On 19th a pheasant was in gardens behind the Havant Health Centre. On 20th 54 shelducks were seen from the Northney shore on Hayling Island. On the same day a flock of 3,000 golden plovers were on the old Thorney Island airfield. A flock of 13 avocets was seen from the eastern shore path of Thorney Island on 20th. In the Great Deeps, probably on the other side of the Island, there were 22 greenshanks. On 21st there were several goldeneye and red-breasted mergansers on view from the oyster beds.
Flowers still showing in the Havant area include dove’s foot, small flowered and hedgerow cranesbills, storksbill, black medic, dog rose, wood avens, hemlock, wild angelica, water figwort and vipers bugloss. Winter heliotrope, the first of ‘next year’s flowers, is in full flower beside the main road through Emsworth.
Fareham and Gosport
A Slavonian grebe was in Cams Bay on 14th. On 18th a great northern diver was off shore at Hill Head. A Sandwich tern was in Haslar Creek on 21st. Four swallows were seen at Titchfield Haven on 21st. Geese on the reserve included a cackling (small) Canadian goose 6 barnacles, 8 greylags and a cape barren. Gosport butterflies included a clouded yellow on 15th & 17th; a holly blue on 17th & 19th; a peacock on 15th and 2 speckled woods on 17th.
