SE Nature Notes for w/e Jan 30th
1 February 2010
Portsmouth & Portsdown
Long-tailed tits were collecting nesting material in a Portsdown garden on Monday. A white squirrel was in the same garden on Thursday and a live frog was in the pond and another in leaf litter.
There have been up to 2 pale-bellied Brents at Farlington Marshes most of the week but they are not easy to pick out. There have also been sightings of merlin and peregrine, mainly on the islands, and bearded tits.
A black redstart has been present in Wykeham Road Portsmouth for about 2 weeks now.
A Mediterranean gull with numbered rings and a ‘game' leg that has been seen at Eastney for some years was seen again on Friday when there was also a shag at Eastney. 25 fieldfares and 11 redwings were on the grass nearby.
There were 35 avocets off the SW sea wall of Farlington on Saturday.
A female merlin was seen on a tower block in Portsmouth on Sunday.
Sunday's birds at Farlington Marshes included a marsh harrier and a water rail while a Slavonian grebe and a seal were noted in the harbour.
Havant hayling & Emsworth
On Monday there were 3 firecrests and a woodcock at Sandy Point on Hayling Island. A short-eared owl was there on Wednesday.
A black-necked grebe was still at the entrance to Chichester Harbour with a Slavonian and an eider. There has been a flock of up to 21 black-necked grebes and a velvet scoter visible from the oyster beds all this week.
On Tuesday a marsh harrier flew east over the Thorney Island Great Deeps.
On Wednesday 2 pale-bellied Brents, probably the Farlington pair, were at the oyster beds.
On Thursday one observer recorded a count of 330 shelduck in Langstone Harbour viewing from Budds Farm mound. This is a lot to see from that view point.
Ten goldeneyes were seen displaying from Broadmarsh on Friday.
A green-winged teal and the regular ‘fudge' hybrid ferruginous x pochard duck were at Budds Farm on Saturday. Two green sandpipers were also present. In nearby Southmoor Lane there was a bullfinch.
A greenshank was seen off Emsworth on Sunday as well as the regular spotted redshank at Nore Barn. A large flock of redwings was seen between Emsworth and Westbourne. Blackthorn bushes had new flowers on 27th.
Two hawfinches were reported from Stansted on Sunday.
Fareham and Gosport
There have been 3 velvet scoters off Titchfield Haven and 5 scaup on the river there this week
Waterlooville and South Downs
A marsh tit was photographed at the Rowans Hospice on Tuesday.
A pair of Egyptian geese flew east over Purbrook on Friday.
A bit far away but worth a mention were 2 red kites at East Meon on 30th. The reporter reckons there were also over 20 buzzards in the area.
Velvet shank fungi was seen in Queen Elizabeth Country Park this week
