SE Nature Notes w/e May 8th
10 May 2010
Portsmouth & Portsdown
A common sandpiper was an unusual sighting at Baffins Pond on Wednesday.
On the same day turnstones and whimbrels were noted on the nearby Milton Common shore. Birds on the common itself on Thursday included 6 sedge warblers, 2 reed buntings, 12 reed warblers, 20 swifts and single wheatears and lesser whitethroats.
An osprey flew over the Eastern Road Portcreek Bridge on Thursday afternoon.
A cuckoo was seen south of Fort Widley on Portsdown on Thursday morning. Once upon a time this would not have been worth a mention!
Purple sandpipers were still being seen at Southsea. There were 5 by the Castle on Friday. Two rock pipits were also still there.
A temminck's stint was on The Deeps at Farlington Marshes on Saturday. Near the stream there was a male garganey.
Havant hayling & Emsworth
A single Brent Goose continued to be present in the N E of Langstone Harbour at the beginning of this week.
On Monday the early purple orchids at Long Copse Hill (the far eastern end of Hollybank Woods) were looking good.
Swifts are now showing up in various locations across our area.
On Wednesday morning both nightingale and turtle doves were heard in Marlpit Lane Funtingdon.
There were 58 sanderlings at Sandy Point on Thursday. On Friday birds there included 2 whinchats, 2 willow warblers and a yellow wagtail. Birds passing by included a little gull, 20 bar-tailed godwits, 4 whimbrels, 2 grey plovers, a common scoter, an unidentified auk and a sparrowhawk. Additional species on Saturday included 60 Sandwich, 300 common terns and a single black one.
At Mill Rythe Hayling Island on Saturday an osprey was seen resting on a post between the holiday village and Gutner Point.
Two Dartford warblers were seen on a guided walk near the Inn on the Beach on Hayling Island.
One lucky family had "a stunning" view of a firecrest among the redwoods near the Coach House at Staunton CP on Sunday. There was also a pair of mandarin ducks with young on the lake.
Fareham and Gosport
A red-rumped swallow was with 20 swifts just west of Portchester Castle on Wednesday.
The velvet scoter seen last week is still present off shore west of Portchester Castle.
Four hobbies were seen at Titchfield Haven on Thursday.
Butterflies seen in Gosport this week included 22 holly blues at Ann's Hill Cemetery. A small copper was on the Gosport Ramparts on Thursday.
Waterlooville and South Downs
A hobby flew over a Waterlooville garden on Friday evening.
