The return of B6WWWW, and an Old Portsmouth diversion

B6WWWW at Southsea Castle

I took an afternoon trip into town to successfully twitch the widely reported black redstarts (Phoenicurus ochruros) which are frequenting the sea buckthorn in Broad Street, Old Portsmouth. Before getting to Broad Street I stopped briefly at Southsea Castle to count the 14 purple sandpipers (Calidris maritime) feeding on the sea defences at low tide.

I was also pleasantly surprised to re-find my old friend the sanderling (Calidris alba) B6WWWW a bird that was originally ringed in Hampshire in 2011 by Pete Potts. I last saw the bird on the 2nd March 2015 since then it has lost the blue tag on its lower right leg.

Patch-birding-southsea-seafront 2nd March 2015

Having said farewell to this frequent flyer, I then headed to Old Portsmouth and spent some time watching the very showy black redstarts, of which three were present.

Local patch - weekend round up

Two med gulls (Ichthyaemus melanocephalus) an ad + 2nd sum, on Swan Lake, Milton Common on the evening of the 10th. A single foraging pipistrelle (Pipistrellus sp) was seen along the path and foreshore shortly after. Cetti's (Cettia Cetti) were still calling across the site.

On the 11th a walk into the city centre, produced my first singing willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) of the spring, amongst a mixed flock of five willow/chiffs at the entrance to Victoria Park.

A welcome return to Compartments 1 & 2 on Portsdown Hill on a sunny but somewhat blustery afternoon - produced singles of comma (Polygonia c-album), orange tip (Anthrocharis cardamines), and brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni); along with seven each of small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), and peacock (Aglais io); a flighty white failed to nail the ID.

A single whitethroat (Sylvia communis) in song at the top of Compartment 1 and two very vocal blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), and a half dozen chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collibyta) made it a four warbler day! And a five warbler weekend.

A late start on the 12th found two swallow (Hirundo rustica) flying through at Milton Common Ca. 11:30 a pair of med gull, Ca. eight cetti's warbler (Cettia cetti), willow warbler, chiffchaff and a half heard blackcap added further interest.

Fort Cumberland between and 12:00 and 13:00 was generally quiet, although four very mobile linnet (Carduelis cannabina) were very noisy. The site did produce my first reptile sighting of the year, with five common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) found sunning themselves on a scrap of wooden pallet, half hidden in the gorse (Ulex europaeus).

... just what I've been waiting for!

Taking the time out for some local patch birding today, I was keen to catch up with the dartford warbler (Sylvia undata) that has been reported at Fort Cumberland since the 13th of this month.

Within moments of getting out of the car at Fort Cumberland (Open Space) car park, I picked out the distant call of the dartford warbler. I was very excited. I have been hoping for a contact with this species at Fort Cumberland since I first started birding there some years back, the interpretation board holds a tantalising photograph. But, I was beginning to believe it was mythical creature until the Portsdown Hill Countryside Ranger recently confirmed that he had seen this species on the site.

Closing in on the location of the calling bird amongst the gorse, I was caught out by it's sudden appearence in a scrubby thorn, against the sun, the camera not yet set up properly.

However, patience played off, and having positioned myself the sunward side of the gorse block, I was able to secure some record shots within the half hour.

Having left Fort Cumberland a happier man, I dropped into Milton Lock foreshore and picked out a single mediterranean gull (Larus melanocephalus) amongst the gull roost on the mudflats.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) Portsdown Hill, Compartment 1

Three small copper were recorded in Compartment 1 on 29th July 2014 (week 18 transect) - bringing the current butterfly spp total to 25 recorded spp across Comp 1 & 2 this year.

Although having returned from a weekend in Dorset - I was gripped to see a report of Queen of Spain
fritillary (Issoria lathonia) seen below Fort Southwick on the 26th July 2014, the record reported on:

http://www.havantnature.net/

Today, I caught up with John Goodspeed - who runs the website, and he knows the reporter and was satisfied with their account of the species. This is a very exciting record - and it will certainly keep me on my toes for the next couple of visits.

Not a Queen of Spain fritillary - small copper
recorded 29th July 2014

Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe L.) at Milton Common

two of three wheatear found Ca 17:00
this evening at Milton Common

Amongst the gulls - Eastney, Portsmouth

two Mediterranean gulls (Larus melanocephalus)
in a mixed roost with black-headed gull
(Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and common gull (Larus canus)

black-headed gull & common gull



Mediterranean gull in flight

White light, white heat

Pieris brassicae (L.)

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus L.), Farlington Marshes

glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) at Farlington Marshes

glossy ibis with Canada goose (Branta canadensis)

glossy ibis, Canada goose and bar-headed goose (Anser indicus)

Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides L.), Spice Island, Portsmouth

♂ black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) also in same location

woad betide the caterpillars



small white (Pieris rapae) caterpillar



small white caterpillar



woad (Isatis tinctoria)



I got to the bottom of what was eating the recently planted woad, when I spotted five caterpillars of the small white butterfly hugging the central ribs of its leaves. The woad needs to grow on before I am happy to sacrifice it for butterfly food, so the caterpillars were removed to a suitable plant nearby.

Note the yellow dorsal stripe, and the two small yellow dots on each segment of the caterpillar, which distinguishes it from the similar green-veined white (Pieris napi) caterpillar.

Caterpillar ID was achieved using Lewington, R., 2003 Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland British Wildlife Publishing, Dorset

more back garden birding

The back garden was busy with birds this morning around 09:00 after I had restocked the bird table with seed, and topped up the flower pots with mealworms.

Four blackbirds (Turdus merula) comprising the resident ad ♂, two young birds grading into adult moult, and an obviously imm bird with the light brown speckled chest. A definite "pecking order" was apparent with the adult ♂ chasing off the younger three birds, and the youngest bird only getting food when the others were not around.

Counted 13 (prob 15) house sparrow (Passer domesticus) including 5 (poss 7) juveniles. They were very motile making an exact count impossible.

A single starling (Sturnus vulgaris) made repeated sorties filling it's beak to bursting before flying off over the roof-tops. It's presence made the sparrows very jumpy. I suspect it may be feeding young on the nest, having that frantic look of a new parent about it?

I noticed three recently fledged blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), sitting with the young sparrows on the trellis of my neighbour's garden, they didn't venture into the garden but flew off into a nearby tree. Although, an adult made its way onto the bird table shortly afterward.

This is the week of the RSPB nature count garden survey (June 4th - June 12th). The survey is similar to the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, comprising a point count of garden birds over a single hour, but with additional information requested regarding other taxa which visit the garden on a regular basis; see: http://www.rspb.org.uk/naturecount/ 

I plan on conducting my survey tomorrow morning, around the same time, having restocked the food reserves.

recently fledged House Sparrows (Passer domesticus L.)

Earlier in the day we had watched three imm. sparrow and 2 ad ♀ sparrow feeding on the bird table. The young birds gaping and begging in order to be fed by the ads. My effort to photograph the activity, only succeeded in flushing the birds.

However, this time a full washing line, provided an impromptu hide from behind which I could snap these two young house sparrow as they settled on the back wall of the garden  - you can clearly see the yellow of their gape.

( N.b. The lighting of these photos is a little odd because of the haze of the washing line in the foreground).

garden biodiversity - a welcome respite from exam revision

This is the first time that I have seen the collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) feeding as a family group on the bird table. The two adults arrived first, shortly followed by a first and then second juvenile.

Underneath the bird table a house mouse (Mus domesticus) foraged blatantly in the full afternoon sun. Running swiftly to and fro from its lair beneath the decking, and taking cover under the flower-pots whilst it fed.

The scabious (Scabiosa cultivar) is in full purple flower attracting a variety of pollinators (including this unidentified bee species).

A single ♀ holly blue (Celastrina argiolus) butterfly patrolled the garden, alighting albeit briefly on the redcurrent bush and displaying its distinctive patterning of black spots.

a fledged Blackbird (Turdus Merula L.) and a golden songster

It's just great to see a juv. blackbird clearing meal-worms out of the flower pots, shortly after I have re-stocked them. This is the first juv. bird I have noted in the garden this year.

I was as pleased, when I then heard a goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) in full voice, and spotted the songster on a neighbour's TV aerial. Maybe it will take the time to investigate the bird table? I have still not seen this bird in the garden, although flyovers are infrequently recorded.

"the boys are back in town .. the boys are back in town .. spread the word" ..

Yesterday, at work, I was greeted by my colleague with the simple statement "the swifts should be in today!" as she walked into our meeting.

We have been competing for the last .. hmmm .. umpteen years, as to who sees the first swifts (Apus apus) in Southsea. Usually my colleague wins, hearing them screel over her street, at the very least a day before I first pick them up. Living only half a mile further south in the city than I do, it is perplexing as to why there is a 24hr delay to my sightings?

To add further to this discrepancy my colleague always keeps a record of the date when the swifts first appear each summer. From year to year she is able to recall this information. In contrast, whilst I have been known to scribble the date in my "little black book", and have even gone as far as retaining the flurry of texts that we exchange on my mobile phone, I have never been able to recall the actual date of the swifts arrival.

Yesterday, despite my colleagues assertion the swifts still failed to show.

However, this morning, as I walked into work along Campbell Road I heard them ahead, and over. They are here. And then, I see them. Chasing each other through the blue are five summer herald swifts, screeling and scything over the Elm Grove and Victoria Rd North junction. I am joyful. Texting my colleague with the news, I find out that she is watching three swifts chasing down Stafford Street. It is the same cohort, we are watching the same birds at the same time. We call it a tie.

But then. It is not about the competition. It is about the swifts, and they are here. Glorious.

Langstone Harbour, Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina L.)

Photographs taken from approx 350m away. So no apologies for the unashamedly poor quality of these record shots.

garden birding

A minimum of 12 house sparrow (Passer domesticus) on the feeders this morning, also 1 x ♂ blackbird (Turdus merula) the local singing male, and a single collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto).

garden butterflies

at least 2 x large white (Pieris brassicae), 1 x holly blue (Calestrina argiolus) and a single unidentified small white butterfly on the wing over the back gardens this afternoon.

garden butterfly

Large white (Pieris brassicae) in strong flight over the back gardens this morning.

Mus domesticus L.

This little fella has been seen several times recently helping itself to the RSPB garden bird seed-mix from the feeder hanging in a bush at the end of the garden.

It (they?) appear to be living quite successfully under the decking, accessed from a small run in the corner of a raised bed which is utilised as compost heap, sunflower plot, and site of a recently planted hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) "hedge". This multi-functionality all within an area approx 100 x 80cm square!