SE Nature Notes w/e 17th September
19 September 2011
Portsmouth & Portsdown
Brent geese are back. A flock of 23 were seen from Farlington Marshes on 16th and 81 in Chichester harbour on 18th.
On 13th a golden plover and a juvenile curlew sandpiper were seen at Farlington Marshes. On 18th at least 50 bearded tits were in the reed bed south of the lake at Farlington. Other birds there this week included merlin, common and Sandwich terns, spotted redshank, greenshank, snipe, little stint, a whinchat, reed buntings, white and yellow wagtails, common and lesser whitethroats and wheatears.
Flocks of meadow pipits and siskins flew south high over Southsea on 14th. A hobby was over Highland Rd cemetery on 16th.
A rosemary leaf beetle (Chrysolina Americana) was seen on top of a car at Eastney this week.
A grey phalarope was seen from the old jetty off Eastern Rd on 15th and a black tern from Southsea Castle. There were 6 wheatears on the common.
Whinchats and a stonechat were seen on Portsdown on 15th. There were over 50 wheatears mainly around Fort Nelson.
On 16th a Dartford warbler and 4 stonechats were at Fort Cumberland.
A crane flew along the coast on Friday being seen first off Eastney and then Titchfield Haven. Later it was seen in the Lymington area before it flew north up the Avon valley.
There are some giant puffballs on the Crookhorn golf course.
Havant hayling & Emsworth
A pair of ravens were being seen over a Rowlands Castle garden this week and a woodlark was on the stubble field behind the garden.
On 11th a wasp spider was on her web at Brook Meadow Emsworth.
Northney continues to be hot spot for migrants. On 15th these included whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, wheatears and blackcaps. Waders on the shore included 2 curlew sandpipers, 2 greenshanks and 3 bar-tailed godwits.
Two whinchats were on the Hayling coastal path on 15th.
The cattle egret is still on Thorney Island and on 17th was seen to kill a yellow wagtail. On 16th there was a wryneck on the western shore. The following day a Sabine’s gull was also on the western shore and a grey phalarope off the Prinsted beach. A turtle dove had turned up on the north of the island on 11th.
Sometime this week 198 little egrets were roosting at Langstone Pond.
Interesting Havant area plants this week include sand spurrey at Sinah, slender hare’s ear at Warblington and chicory beside Marine Walk Hayling Island.
Fareham and Gosport
The Trust walk round Titchfield Haven on 16th saw an eel in the Canal and a roesel’s bush cricket.
On 17th a marsh harrier was at The Haven.
Waterlooville and South Downs
A hobby and a spotted flycatcher were on Old Winchester Hill on 18th.
