SE Nature Notes w/e Dec 28th
30 December 2009
Portsmouth & Portsdown
A house in Drayton has had up to a dozen wrens roosting in its eaves overnight recently. A spoonbill, a Dartford warbler and 34 avocets were at Farlington Marshes on 22nd. Ten avocets were along the Broom Channel west of the reserve on 26th. The frequently visiting marsh harrier was seen over the Point Field on 26th and on the same day a merlin was roosting on N. Binness Island. Seven Mediterranean gulls were seen from the Portsmouth/Fishbourne ferry on 22nd. There were 9 purple sandpipers and a rock pipit at Southsea Castle on Christmas Day.
Havant, Hayling & Emsworth
On Sunday 20th 2 long-tailed ducks were seen in the north of Langstone Harbour and a male goldeneye was seen displaying off shore by the Ship Inn. A common sandpiper was in the stream by Langstone mill. (There are thought to be at least 2 wintering in the area.) Buzzards were seen perched in Warblington on 20th and flying over fields and landing in a tree close to the A27 at Bedhampton on 24th. On Sunday 20th the number of coots in the Town Mill Pond at Emsworth was up to 90 birds. A black redstart was on the Hayling Island promenade and Sandy Point fence on 22nd. Three green sandpipers flew over Havant on 22nd and the next day 1 was seen at Langstone South Moors. On 24th a firecrest was by the Sinah gravel pit. A goldcrest has been singing briefly in a yew tree in the Havant Eastern Road cemetery. On Sunday 27th a male pheasant spent ½ an hour in an Emsworth garden. Also on 27th 10 avocets were seen in Nutbourne Bay. A ’red-head’ goosander was seen on the Sinah gravel pits on 27th. Coal tits have been present in Cosham and Portsdown gardens for some weeks and appear to have invaded Havant gardens this week.
Flowering plants this week in the Havant area include lesser celandine by the Lymebourne Stream; goat willow on South Moors and dogs mercury in Pook Lane In addition to the early hazel catkins in Langstone there are now some along the avenue in Staunton CP.
Fareham and Gosport
A great-spotted woodpecker was heard drumming at Titchfield Haven on 19th. Two pale-bellied Brent geese were reported at Portchester on Boxing Day. Also on Boxing Day a green sandpiper was seen in Upper Titchfield Haven just south of the Bridge St car-park. There were also redwings and a chiffchaff in the area.
