SE Nature Notes for w/e July 31st
2 August 2010
HAVANT, HAYLING & EMSWORTH
Increasing numbers of little egrets are roosting overnight at Langstone millpond, with 124 counted on Friday evening. 7 plants of a rare arable weed, Spreading Hedge Parsley, were flowering in a Wade Court, Havant garden.
Mammals spotted this week at the same site included common shrew and bank vole, while a small flock of juvenile goldfinches were seen every day.
Thorney Island has produced some interesting observations this week, starting with a hare on Saturday 24th July. Plants newly in flower on Thursday near the Great Deep included sea plantain and slender hare's ear.
A whimbrel was heard calling in flight, while insects spotted included a bloody-nosed beetle plus small copper and common blue butterflies.
The uncommon coastal pointed snail Cochlicella acuta was found clinging to grass stems. Over 1000 swallows and a few sand martins were perching on boats off Emsworth on Monday evening, before moving off to roost in the reed beds at Thorney Island, where a hobby was seen to catch one of them.
Coming in to roost via the entrance into Langstone Harbour on Wednesday evening were 706 common terns, a single black tern and a single roseate tern.
Two juvenile wheatears were seen in the south of Hayling Island on Tuesday.
PORTSMOUTH & PORTSDOWN
Glow worms were still shining at night in some places, such as on the southern slopes of Portsdown Hill on Wednesday, indicating that they have not yet mated. Good views were had of a nightjar and glow worms at Fort Purbrook on Friday.
The most notable sighting at Farlington Marshes this week was an adult spotted crake, first reported on Friday. 15 greenshank and at least 114 black-tailed godwits were counted earlier in the week.
Wednesday was a good day for butterflies near the Paulsgrove chalk pit, with numerous chalkhill blues, a few small blues and one common blue.
Bush crickets were starting to appear, with the great green and speckled species reported.
Bastard toadflax was still flowering well and the harebells included a couple of white individuals.
GOSPORT & FAREHAM
An adult roseate tern was observed from Monday onwards at Hill Head and Titchfield Haven. Other reports from Titchfield Haven have included a juvenile avocet,a water rail and both green and common sandpipers on Friday, while a wood sandpiper was seen on Wednesday.
9 common scoter were seen offshore from Lee-on the-Solent on Friday.
WATERLOOVILLE & SOUTH DOWNS
A treecreeper was seen in a Denmead garden on Monday. 17 species of butterfly were observed in Creech Wood on Wednesday, including brimstone, small copper, small heath and purple hairstreak.
