Southsea

From the car, on the approach to Southsea (heading for the Pompey v Burnley game) - Oystercatchers on the shore and on the college grounds, where there were also Brent Geese and a single Curlew.

Last Butterfly of the Year?

17th November - saw a Red Admiral making the most of the late autumn sun.

Red Kite

Fantastic view of a Red Kite swooping down over the A289 into a field, just south of Cocking. Unmistakable plumage (rust, dark grey and white) - and a distinct and wing and tail shape. Majestic!

Gale on Aldwick Beach

October ended with a fierce gale and a walk down to Aldwick beach in the driving rain. Two Turnstones were flying backwards and forwards along the shoreline, just feet above the waves despite the strong winds giving little margin for error. A single Cormorant was perched on a shore beacon struggling to keep its balance in the wind.

Pagham

Late afternoon quick walk round the lagoon and east side of harbour. Little Egret, Great-Crested Grebe and Little Grebe on the lagoon. 1 Curlew, 2 Redshanks, 10+ Greenshanks and 20+ Great-Black Backed Gulls along harbour. Flocks of 20 Lapwings and 15 Brent Geese flying around.

Locals

Events conspiring to stop me getting out much - just a couple of interesting local sightings - a Great Spotted Woodpecker in Rose Green and a Willow Warbler in the back garden. Plus a very friendly Robin who will take a worm as a gift.

Thirsty

After about a month without any decent amount of rain, it's noticeable how the birds are frequenting one of our water features for a drink. Pairs of Blue Tits, Great Tits and Greenfinches are continually quenching their thirst there.

A pair of Glossy Ibises have been showing up along the south coast, including the Breech Pool at Pagham (Source: SOS). I saw a couple of large black birds in the distance flying over Nyetimber yesterday, normally I would have put them down as Cormorants, but it did strike me that their flight was different, more ragged and less direct than I'd associate with Cormorants. Maybe....

Tephritis Onopordinis

Tephritis Onopordinis is also known as Celery fly and our garden has been swarming with them for 3 days. It seems they also like parsnips - ours are all totally blighted and teeming with larvae. This one is sitting on our asparagus.

Nuthatch

Good view of a Nuthatch high up in one of the trees along The Avenue in Chichester. First Nuthatch of the year.

Summer Catch-up - Odds and ...

Summer Catch-up - Butterflies

More butterflies.....

Summer Catch-up - Birds

Been rather quiet on the birding front....

Summer Catch-up - Caterpillars

Couple of nice juicy ones...

Summer Catch-up - Moths

Moths all over the place, every time you go to water a plant or move something in the garden.......

Halnaker Butterflies

With temperatures reaching 28.5 Celsius, a shady walk at Halnaker proved another good trip for butterflies. Few birds seemed to be around in the midday heat - wren, magpie, goldfinch, a pair of yellowhammers and chaffinch were the only sightings.

Many butterflies were active including several Large Skippers, Small Heath, Gatekeepers and Meadow Brown, as well as a single Large White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and Comma.

Several Nursery Web Spider cocoons were on show.

A fine Pyramidal Orchid.

On the way back, a female Roe Deer sprang into the 'gulley' and ran off ahead.

Balmy June

Bit of a catch up - over a couple of good weeks of warm weather, sightings included common orchids at Kingley Vale, Small Magpie moth at Aldwick and a good evening at Pagham Harbour - Sedge Warblers, Sand Martins, House Martins, Swallows, Mute Swans, Pochard, Shelduck, Goldeneye, Cormorants, Common Terns, Little Egrets, Greenfinches.

Goodwood

Another very hot day with brilliant sunshine.  In the woods in Goodwood Country Park, very few birds to be seen, but some success with butterflies.  Several Speckled Wood, a Brimstone, a Red Admiral with a chunk of its wing missing and a Light Emerald moth.  

Speckled Wood

Red Admiral

Light Emerald

Had another close encounter with a deer which came out onto the path about 15 yards ahead of me, not seeing me at first.  After it had bolted it spent the next few minutes baying like a dog with a sore throat.  I thought it was a female, but maybe it was a young deer cut off from its parents.

Halnaker in the heat wave

With temperatures in the mid twenties, a quick walk up on Halnaker Hill proved good for birds - with Blackbirds, Wrens, Woodpigeon, Great Tits, Buzzard, Corn Bunting and Red-legged Partridge seen.  The Corn Buntings were in a group of four which seemed to like perching on the telegraph wires overlooking the south-facing slope.

One of the two Red-legged Partridge spotted down the farm track.

The hot weather has been good for the insects - butterflies seen included several whites, a Brimstone and Speckled Woods - but not a Painted Lady in sight! This Spotted Cranefly was missing a hindleg.

In the gulley on the way back down from the hill, a deer was chewing at the hedge just 10 feet away from me - so close that I thought it was a calf or a goat at first. 

In Aldwick - an as yet unidentified moth practising camouflage.

Painted Ladies

24-31st May - Catching up on the end of May - a good spell of weather, the daily strong winds finally petering out by the end of the month. Painted Ladies were numerous throughout the week, apparently England has been invaded by thousands which have made the long journey from North Africa onto Spain and France to breed and then their brood have now reached our shores.

On a trip up to Kingley Vale we saw dozens of Painted Ladies, one Orange Tip and one Brimstone.

The aphid population is taking off. Hopefully this Pine Ladybird will eat a few.

This female Blue-tailed Damsel Fly has taken up residence by the pond.

Sun & Wind & Visitors

Lovely sunny day in Aldwick, the wind is unabated (that must be 3 weeks of unusually strong winds now).  The Goldfinches are still around, but less frequent and less obvious now, maybe they're nesting somewhere.  A pair of Greenfinches visited the plum tree, which looks set to have a bumper crop this year, and found plenty to eat.

Also enjoying the sun were a Painted Lady on a flowering Choisya (Mexican Orange Blossom).

and a Large Red Damselfly

Swifts are still reeling around the rooftops, quite low.  Woodpigeon is sitting on an exposed nest just near to the house.

Swifts & Goldfinches

A pair of Goldfinches appear to have taken up residence - unusual for a suburban area?  NOt sure where they'll want to nest.  Counted 7 Swifts wheeling overhead - lower than usual, but maybe the strong winds are to blame?

Pagham Lagoon

Monday 3rd: Warm sunny bank holiday weekend.  In early evening, heard Cuckoo near Pagham lagoon.  Tufted Ducks on lagoon, several Swallows overhead.  Common Terns off Pagham beach.  Saw Green woodpecker in Aldwick Felds area.

Eartham Butterflies

Sunday 19th: Gorgeous spring day in Eartham Woods where the butterflies were out in force. The sun still flooding into the woods as the leaves haven't come out yet, especially in the beech areas. Butterflies sighted included Peacock, Orange Tip, Brimstone, Speckled Wood and Small White. Also plenty of Dor Beetles (dung beetles). Highlight of the birds was a Willow Warbler in full song. Also Buzzard, Robin, Crow, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Great & Blue Tits.

Barlavington

Sunday 22nd - the balmy weather didn't continue - overcast and a bit chilly. A circular route on two wheels took us around the Barlavington, Burton, Sutton area. Heard woodpeckers drumming on two separate occasions and unintentionally flushed four Herons into flight. Saw two buzzards overhead.

Slindon

Saturday 21st - the warmest day of the year by far, for a truly sping-like walk from Slindon up to the folly. Hazel catkins are in all their glory. Along the way we saw Pheasants, Long-Tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Greenfinches, Robins, Crows, but the highlight was definitely a fine view of a Merlin sitting on a post preening itself in the sun, blissfullly unaware of our approach until about 25 yards away (why didn't I take the camera!). When it spotted us, it unhurriedly took off and flew to a nearby tree.

Aldwick Beach

A quick Sunday afternoon walk down to Aldwick beach turned out to be a gull session, with 3 Great Black-Backed Gulls, Common Gulls, Herring Gulls and Black-Headed Gulls. A Goldcrest was flitting around in the shrubs when we returned home.

Halnaker in the snow

A lunchtime walk up on Halnaker hill in the thawing snow gave some stunning views and good photo opportunities. Plenty of active birds to be found: Chaffinches, a pair of Willow Tits, a flock of about 10 Skylarks with a single Yellowhammer in tow, a flock of 22 Goldfinches, Kestrel, Blackbirds, Robins, Crows and on the way back a Great Spotted Woodpecker giving away its location at the top of an oak tree with a repeated alarm call.

Some footprints that need identifying, the one on the left being just under 10 inches end-to-end.

Halnaker looking towards Chichester.

White Out!

February 2009 starts with the heaviest snow we've had for a long time. A fairly light covering on Sunday afternoon were followed up overnight with a total covering with more continuing to come down as the day is progressing. Water and fresh seed put out for the birds - Blackbird and Robin in back garden have already been drinking the water, which keeps re-freezing over. I've counted about 7 Common Gulls sitting around on the rooftops, with the odd juvenile Black-Headed Gull passing over and wheeling around on scavenging forays.

A small flock of about 6 Fieldfares have just flown past, out of the white snowflake sky on their way inland.

Starling Display

Huge flocks of Starlings have been putting on a dusk 'gyroscoping' show recently, the first time I've ever witnessed these wonderful displays.

Glad to say the Hedge Sparrow has made an appearance in the back garden again, as have the long-tailed tits. Also saw a 'flock' of 12 Long-tailed Tits while I was at National Tyres on the Shripney road.

Other sightings recently have been from the car - a Stonechat on the A259 Bognor/Chichester road, plenty of Lapwings, Buzzards, and a Red Kite on the journey up to Upton-on-Severn.

RSPB Garden Watch

We did the RSPB Garden Watch on a very dull Sunday afternoon. Sadly, no visits from the Hedge Sparrow (did it survive the harsh cold snap we had?) or the Long-Tailed Tits. All the usual suspects turned out, plus a group of chaffinches passing through.

4 Common Gulls
4 Chaffinches
2 Crows
1 Robin
1 Blackbird
2 Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
2 Woodpigeons
1 Magpie

Eartham Fallow Deer

A sunny Sunday afternoon walk around Eartham woods was rewarded by great views of a Fallow Deer stag and six does. Very few birds visible, only saw Chaffinch, Buzzard, Robin, Crow and Kestrel. In the morning a confused Red Admiral decided to wake up and sun itself....butterflies in January?

Edit: 22/05/09 I've just read on the Sussex Butterfly Conservation website that the first Red Admiral of the year was sighted at Lewes on 17th January, three days earlier.

Bullfinch at last!

A quick wander around Boxgrove produced the first Bullfinch that I have seen for several years - a female flitting around the hedgerow along the main road. A grey, gloomy day and a thick drizzle set in. Other birds sighted included Rook, Crow, Greenfinch, Robin, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Kestrel, Magpie, Starling, Mallard, Pheasant and a formation of 12 Common Sandpipers (id by flight and call) passing southwards overhead.

2008 Garden List

3 new additions to our very small garden list in 2008. The total number of species for the year was 19.

Blackbird
Blue Tit
Collared Dove
Common Gull
Crow
Goldcrest (new)
Goldfinch (new)
Great Tit
Hedge Sparrow
Herring Gull
House Sparrow
Long-Tailed Tit
Magpie
Robin
Sparrowhawk (new)
Starling
Swift
Woodpigeon
Wren

No Greenfinches this year and have probably been a bit lazy looking skyward for swallows, martins and passing waders and ducks.

Siberian Chiffchaff

After a brief thaw yesterday, the cold weather continues with a vengeance today and -3C and a thick frost again this morning. Unusual winter visitors are getting more and more media prominence and a Siberian Chiffchaff hit the headlines when it dropped in at a nature reserve in Stoke Newington, Hackney. Sounds odd, but it's an oasis in that part of London apparently. The bird at least had the good sense to settle at a supervised reserve, so he'll be better protected from twitchers than the poor Snowy Owl in Cornwall.

The RSPB have made news out of the cold snap, getting some coverage on GMTV about rare visitors with pictures of Waxwings as the headline. The Waxwings have certainly had plenty of coverage on hoslist. No doubt you have to be very lucky to see these things.......or start twitching.

Cold snap

Looking out at the frosty garden has got me thinking about the birds a lot lately - have been putting water and food out but have few takers at the moment. The Common Gulls are an ever-present and dive down for the kitchen scraps, the blackbird was pecking at the apples on the lawn before the sunrise and the Blue Tits and Great Tits have been foraging around the bay tree. Haven't seen our resident Hedge Sparrow for a few days.

The cold spell has lasted longer than any for 10 years and warnings are being put about for people to avoid disturbing lake and shore birds and thus wasting their precious energy.

A snowy owl has been staying in Cornwall for a few days, but being thoroughly pestered by some twitchers - it appears from postings written on Birdforum - I think I'll keep the next Snowy Owl I see in Sussex to myself.