SE Nature Notes for w/e 20th March
22 March 2010
Portsmouth & Portsdown
A velvet scoter and 3 common scoters were seen off Eastney Point on Tuesday. A male wheatear and 2 Mediterranean gulls were seen on shore.
Among 6 little grebes on the Milton Common lakes one was in breeding plumage and nest building. Other birds around were a reed bunting, a Cetti's warbler and 3 redwings.
There were 19 purple sandpipers at Southsea Castle on Wednesday. A few days earlier they had been on a green buoy off shore. There were a lot of greenfinches in the trees and shrubs along the promenade. On Thursday 3 wheatears were around the castle.
Two sand martins were seen at IBM North Harbour on Wednesday.
Birds seen in the Southmoor area on Wednesday included a redwing, 7 song thrushes, a green sandpiper, kingfisher and a greenshank.
A pale-bellied Brent goose was at Farlington Marshes on Thursday and there was a wheatear on the eastern side of the reserve.
Two Dartford warblers were showing well at Fort Cumberland on Thursday.
In Thursday evening's rain 4 toads were converging on a Portsdown garden pond.
Havant hayling & Emsworth
A sparrowhawk managed to surprise a blackbird in a Hayling Island garden that was too busy attacking a rival on Monday.
The giant butterburs by the Langbrook Stream are now at about their best. The ‘ordinary' butterbur is just emerging.
Mediterranean gull are showing well at the oyster beds. There were at least 80 there on Monday.
Three Sandwich terns, one in breeding plumage were off Sandy Point Hayling Island on Monday. On shore there were single wheatear, stonechat and a black redstart. The latter was still there on Wednesday. Wheatear numbers were growing along the shore as the week progressed.
On Tuesday lesser celandine were in flower at the top of Leigh Road and along East Street Havant on Tuesday.
On the same day a red admiral was on the Billy Trail behind the oyster beds.
A water vole was seen at Brook meadow early on Wednesday morning.
A drake scaup was on the Sinah gravel pit on Thursday and Friday.
Up to 5 chiffchaffs were at Sinah over the week end with 4 firecrests on Sunday 21st.
Fareham and Gosport
A small white butterfly was seen in Ann's Hill cemetery Gosport on Monday.
Ten redwings were seen on school playing fields in Nashe Way Fareham on Tuesday afternoon.
A Dartford warbler was seen along the Titchfield Haven Canal Path as well as firecrests and chiffchaffs. Three sand martins were in the area on Wednesday.
A bittern continues to show well at Titchfield Haven. A swallow was over the reserve on Sunday.
Waterlooville and South Downs
A little owl was in a tree at Little Denmead Farm on Friday morning. Chiffchaffs were seen and heard singing in White Horse Lane.
