SE Nature Notes w/e Jan 4th
4 January 2010
Portsmouth & Portsdown
At Farlington Marshes on 28th there were 28 avocets showing from the western side of the reserve. On New Years Day 33 were roosting on Little Binness Island. On 31st December there 13 purple sandpipers at Southsea Castle. Three velvet scoters flew past the castle on the same day. On 2nd January there were 43 sanderlings there.
Havant, Hayling & Emsworth
Bullfinches were seen by the Broadmarsh cycle track on 24th. A barn owl has been watched since Dec 27th over the North east field of Warblington Farm and was still around on 3rd January. A great white egret was at Sinah gravel pit from 29th until at least Sunday morning but was not visible in the afternoon. Blackcaps are present in many gardens now. A new one was in an Emsworth garden on 29th. Goldeneyes and red-breasted mergansers were seen displaying in the north of Langstone Harbour on 1st and 2nd January. A cormorant on the Budds farm lagoons on 1st had full white patches of breeding plumage on its thighs. A green sandpiper was in the Hermitage Stream just below the Wayfarers Walk bridge in Bedhampton and a common sandpiper on the Langstone shore north of the sailing club on 1st January. Fifteen avocets were in Nutbourne Bay on 1st January. On 2nd January a Dartford Warbler was showing well on the common to the south of Staunton Rd on Hayling Island. A spotted redshank was among ordinary redshanks at the oyster beds on 2nd. The Nore Barn bird was there on 3rd. In the harbour entrance at Sandy Point on 3rd there were 3 Sandwich terns, a shag, 4 common scoters, a Slavonian grebe and a peregrine. A black redstart was on sea front houses and siskins flew overhead. A firecrest was on the reserve on 2nd. On Sunday 3rd there were around 200 golden plovers with the lapwings on the West Lane Hayling Island fields. Black earth tongue fungi were showing in a Havant garden on December 31st.
Fareham and Gosport
Birds at Titchfield Haven on 28th included a peregrine, 3 avocets, snipe, Cetti’s warbler, cackling goose and several bullfinches. A bittern was there on 28th December and 3rd January. Also on Monday and Tuesday there was a black brant goose on the HMS SULTAN fields. On the latter day there was also a Mediterranean gull with around 600 Brents.
Waterlooville and South Downs
Bullfinches were seen in a Denmead garden and at Queen Elizabeth CP this week. There was also a marsh tit and siskins in the CP. A magpie was seen chasing a smaller bird in sparrowhawk like style on 28th.
