FRIDAY
SEPTEMBER 16 - 2011
EMSWORTH
HARBOUR
27 Shelduck, including
at least 4 juveniles, were on the mudflats off Nore
Barn at low water this morning. Possibly locally bred
families? 54 Black-tailed Godwits were on the shore
immediately below the marina seawall at 11.30. Many of
them had their legs in water making it difficult to
read colour-rings. However, I managed to identify the
following combinations: G+BY and G+BG - These are new
this season, not seen here since Nov 2010. W+WN - This
is regular this season. At 11.45 all the godwits flew
over Thorney Island towards the deeps.
GARDEN
I sat in the garden
for an hour this afternoon, watching butterflies
feeding on the Perennial Verbena flowers, including
two Red Admirals, a Comma, a Speckled Wood, a Large
White and a Small White. What a fantastic plant this
is for attracting insects. In contrast, bees and flies
were attracted to the flowers on the Ivy hedge
immediately behind the Verbena. The Red Admiral and
Comma are probably preparing themselves for their
winter hibernation. A female Common Darter rested
briefly on the table, too quick for a photo.
WAYSIDES
NEWS
For all the latest
waysides news go to . . . http://www.emsworthwaysides.hampshire.org.uk/few-NEWS.htm
WRYNECK
ON NORTH THORNEY
Jonathan Bills
reported on Hoslist that he found the Wryneck today in
scrub adjacent to the deckhouses at the north of
Thorney Island at Grid Ref: SU 753 050. Paul James
also posted a message to this effect on the SOS
Sightings. No photos yet? This is probably the same
bird that was reported by Keith Marriot near the
Little Deep on Sep 14.
I went down at about
6.30pm and joined Richard Somerscocks who had been
looking in vain for the Wryneck for some time. We
continued looking for the next 30 minutes or so,
around the deckhouses, along the track towards Little
Deep and along the NRA track with no success. Later
Richard sent me some pictures he had taken of birds in
flight near Great Deep, including this cracker of a
Greenshank.
GREY
PHALAROPE AT PRINSTED
Tony Wootton had some
luck with another rare bird today. He found a Grey
Phalarope further along the coast at Prinsted. Head
towards Nutbourne he says and it's on the beach at the
first right hand curve. Not far away from where the
Snow Buntings were in January. There is no mention of
this bird on the SOS Sightings list, so maybe Tony has
had a catch! There was a sighting at Pagham Harbour
yesterday. Same bird, who knows? Grey Phalarope is
pelagic for much of the year and is said only to come
inshore when blown by storms.
THURSDAY
SEPTEMBER 15 - 2011
BROOK
MEADOW
I went over to the
meadow this morning mainly to take photos of the
conservation work session.
Frogs
and Toads
A number of Frogs and
Toads were disturbed during clearance work on the
south eastern corner of the south meadow. I do not
think any were damaged and plenty of dense vegetation
was left as a refuge for them. They were fairly easy
to distinguish, as the Frogs had a smooth greenish
skin, as opposed to the warty dark skin of the Toads.
The Frogs also jumped away, whereas the Toads
crawled.
Here
is a Toad crawling away.
Plants
Before the session
began I showed the group the location of the 20 or so
Pepper-saxifrage plants on the eastern side of
the Lumley area, so they can be avoided in any
clearance work in that area. While we were there we
admired the attractive seedheads of the Bristly
Ox-tongue plants.
Water
Vole
I spent a few minutes
in Jeff's spot on the west bank of the river in
Palmer's Road Copse this afternoon at about 5pm. There
was some disturbance in the water to the north of
where I was standing and I spotted a Water Vole almost
hidden in the dense vegetation on the east bank of the
river. I recall Jeff telling me that this was a
favoured place for a Water Vole. The vole did not come
out further and disappeared when I moved closer to get
a better look.
This
is the best photo I could manage.
NORTH
THORNEY
Tony Wootton skipped
this morning's work session on Brook Meadow and went
looking for the Wryneck on the west side of Thorney
Island this morning, but to no avail. However he had a
smashing morning in the warm sunshine with lots of
good sightings. He heard about four Cetti's Warblers
on the path from the sewage farm to the deeps. And
then, amongst others,100's of Starlings ,Chiffchaff,
Grey Heron in a tree, Kestrel, Swallows, Bearded Tits,
Sedge Warbler, Greenshank, Kingfisher, Sandwich Tern
catching fish, Little Egret, 4 Wheatears and
Black-tailed Godwits (no identifiable rings). Wow!
Insects included Southern Hawkers, Peacocks, Red
Admiral and 2 Small Heaths.
WAYSIDES
NEWS
A Grey Wagtail
was on the Westbrook Stream on the Bridge Road Wayside
this afternoon, the first I have seen there for some
months.
There is a good clump
of flowering Red Bartsia on the southern verge
of the Bridge Road Wayside. This is a new plant for
this site, taking this year's total for the wayside to
148 and the all-time total to 161.
FISHBOURNE
MEADOWS
Heather and Derek
Mills paid a visit to Fishbourne Meadows as they will
not be able to attend the Havant Wildlife Group walk
there this Saturday. They were pleased to see two
baby Water Voles and possible stirrings of some
adults. This is despite the presence of grazing cattle
treading some of the banks down.
Here
is Heather's Vole, similar to mine from Brook Meadow,
but a much much nicer photo.
WEDNESDAY
SEPTEMBER 14 - 2011
EMSWORTH
I found 25
Black-tailed Godwits in the harbour just below the
marina seawall at about 10.30 this morning. The tide
was rising quickly and the birds were pushed close to
the shore; none had any colour-rings.
There was no sign of
the Green Sandpiper on the Deckhouses Pond that
Richard Somerscocks has seen recently. Just a few
Moorhens and Mallards and a Grey Heron which flew off.
I cycled down to the
end of Thornham Lane, but there was no sign of Cattle
Egret (or cattle) in the field or Osprey on the
landing lights. But I enjoyed my coffee, sitting on
the bank with Swallows swooping around me. Martin and
Margaret Baggs were picking blackberries along the
lane and they said there had been cattle in the field
earlier, but no Cattle Egret.
WAYSIDES
NEWS
For all the latest
waysides news go to . . . http://www.emsworthwaysides.hampshire.org.uk/few-NEWS.htm
WRYNECK?
Keith Marriot left a
phone message for me while I was out this morning to
say he had seen a Wryneck 'very close' at 8.30am
between Little and Great Deep. It was with a Wheatear
and a Stonechat. I had a walk down to Great Deep this
afternoon and saw the Wheatear, but there was no sign
of the Wryneck. I told Thorney Conservation Warden,
Barry Collins, about Keith's sighting and he will have
a look tomorrow morning. Barry saw a Wryneck south of
Wickor Point on Saturday afternoon and wonders if this
could be the same bird.
Wheatear
was very obliging
Wrynecks were once
common breeders in Britain, but are now only seen, and
rarely at that, on passage to and from their wintering
quarters in Africa. In our area, they are sometimes
seen in spring, but more often in the autumn. So this
is clearly a good time to look out for them, though
only 9 were recorded in the whole of Sussex in 2009.
I remember well the
last Wryneck I saw on Thorney way back in 1997 just
north of the Little Deeps. It was mostly in the trees,
but occasionally came down onto the track. It was
there from 31 Aug to 4 Sep 1997. If it remains true to
form, then today's bird may be with us for a few days
at least.
SOUTHERN
HAWKER
Tony Wootton got this
excellent image of a male Southern Hawker dragonfly in
Havant Thicket. Males have blue end segments to their
abdomen. Males have the habit of hovering low to
inspect you before returning to their regular beat.
MONDAY
SEPTEMBER 12 - 2011
EMSWORTH
HARBOUR
Richard Somerscocks
got a nice picture of the Green Sandpiper this
evening on the pond by the deckhouses near Emsworth
Marina. No sign of the bat though!
It was very windy in
the Harbour. Richard could see about 40 Black-tailed
Godwits - most were quite a long way off although
there was a group of 17 that were a bit closer but he
couldn't see any colour rings.
BROOK
MEADOW
Jeff Fleming was back
at his quiet spot on the river bank in Palmer's Road
Copse this lunchtime and was in luck with another
Water Vole sighting. Jeff also saw the
Treecreeper which he has previously seen from
this spot. There were also some substantial Brown
Trout in the river.
SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 11 - 2011
HAYLING
ISLAND
Jean and I had a
bracing walk in a strong wind around the south west
corner of Hayling this morning. Starting at the small
car park at Sinah Point we read the new information
board about the use of the area as a decoy battery for
Portsmouth Harbour during the 2nd World War. The area
was bombed and several soldiers died. Common
Stork's-bill was flowering on the grassy area
north of the lakes. Wood Sage was in flower on
Sinah Common in the Gorse area, where Viper's-bugloss
had mostly gone to seed, looking very grey with a few
bright blue flowers remaining. A few plants of what I
assume was Great Mullein were standing tall,
mostly grey, but for a cluster of yellow flowers at
the top.
About 50 Grey
Plover many with black 'waistcoats' were on the
high water roost at The Kench along with some
Oystercatchers. Thrift was still in flower on the
shore and Evening Primrose along the edge of Ferry
Road.
The seas were
dramatic along the shore with a strong SW wind
whipping up the waves. A Wheatear flew past with white
rump showing well and a small flock of around 20
Dunlin flew around on the shingle.
BROOK
MEADOW
Plants
The central part of
the north meadow is a glorious mixture of yellow and
brown of Common Fleabane flowers and seedheads,
with the bright flowers of Hoary Ragwort also
showing well. Right in the centre is the clump of
Hemp Agrimony with its pretty pink flowers. The
Square-stalked St John's-wort is looking very
attractive with its red seedheads. The dead heads of
the Teasels are stiking against the trees of
the Lumley Copse and the array of flowers on the
Lumley area.
Wasp
Spider
Today, I found my
first Wasp Spider (Argiope bruennichi) of the
season on a web adorned with several stabilimentum. I
did not recognise it at first as it was showing its
underside, which has two yellow lines down each side
of its abdomen, in contrast to its more familiar
wasp-like upper surface.
SATURDAY
SEPTEMBER 10 - 2011
BROOK
MEADOW
Common
Lizard
On my way to Brook
Meadow, I spotted a Common Lizard (Lacerta vivipara)
resting on a patch of dried grass on the side of the
path leading from the end of Seagull Lane to the
railway arch. Like the Lizard that Jane Brook and I
saw on the path from Washington Road to the Emsworth
Recreation Ground on April 18, this one also had the
end of its tail missing. The Lizard looked healthy,
though did not move away as I approached to take a
photo.
Tail
autonomy
From information
available on the internet, I gather that Lizards have
evolved what is called 'tail autotomy' as an escape
strategy when they are threatened by a predator. The
predator is distracted by the tail which may carry on
moving when the Lizard itself remains still. The tail
will regrow in time rather like human tissue and skin
grow when damaged. Tail loss is costly as it
represents a loss of fat and protein, both that stored
in the tail and that which is needed for the regrowth
of a new tail. During this time, young lizards
especially are at higher risk for being preyed upon
(there may be little or nothing else to drop). During
the recovery period, they stop growing. If it happens
to an adult, their reproductive life goes on hold.
Plants
A small patch of
Field Madder (Sherardia arvensis) was flowering
on the side of the path leading from the end of
Seagull Lane to the railway arch. This is on the edge
of the Brook Meadow site. This takes the total number
of herbs on the Brook Meadow list to 222 and the grand
total of plants to 332 of which 249 have been recorded
so far this year.
The full plant list is
on the web site at . . . http://www.brook-meadow.hampshire.org.uk/bm-list-plants.html
Gipsywort is
now in flower on the east bank of the river north of
the north bridge just before the patch of Branched
Bur-reed.
Water Mint is
doing very well on Brook Meadow this year. There is
some on the north meadow and lots on the Lumley area
and a new patch on the south meadow.
Pepper-saxifrage
is now showing well on the eastern side of the Lumley
area, tall umbellifers with some flowers still open. I
counted 20 plants on the Lumley area and another 4 on
the Lumley Stream side of the path where they are
flowering well.
Michaelmas Daisies
are just starting to open their flowers and will
be the main source of colour on the meadow in the
coming weeks. Michaelmas Daisies have been flowering
for some time on the banks of Peter Pond.
Most of the Common
Fleabane is now browning, but is still looking good on
various parts of the meadow. The tall Wild Angelica
and Hogweed are also on the wane, but still going
strong.
2011
BREEDING SEASON AT LANGSTONE HARBOUR (FIRST DRAFT)
From
RSPB Warden Chris Cockburn
Summary
numbers for Langstone Harbour as a
whole
|
|
2011
|
2011
|
2010
|
2010
|
|
|
Pairs
|
Fledged
young
|
Pairs
|
Fledged
young
|
|
Mediterranean
gulls
|
498
|
0
|
400
|
218
|
|
Black-headed
gulls
|
5119
|
411
|
5484
|
6181
|
|
Lesser
black-backed gull
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
|
Sandwich
terns
|
175
|
11
|
205
|
112
|
|
Common
terns
|
181
|
27
|
161
|
91
|
|
Little
terns
|
57
|
1
|
61
|
47
|
Compared to last year
2011 was a very poor breeding year for seabirds in
Langstone Harbour. Almost all the young fledged were
from the Hayling Oysterbeds site. There was almost
zero productivity on the RSPB Islands due mainly to
disturbance from foraging fox. Productivity was low on
the Hayling Oysterbeds site due mainly to poor weather
conditions.
Summary
numbers for RSPB Islands
|
.
|
2011
|
2011
|
2010
|
2010
|
|
.
|
Pairs
|
Fledged
young
|
Pairs
|
Fledged
young
|
|
Mediterranean
gulls
|
498
|
0
|
400
|
218
|
|
Black-headed
gulls
|
4581
|
2
|
5023
|
5167
|
|
Lesser
black-backed gull
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
|
Sandwich
terns
|
161
|
0
|
205
|
112
|
|
Common
terns
|
57
|
0
|
81
|
7
|
|
Little
terns
|
56
|
1
|
60
|
47
|
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
.
|
|
Oystercatchers
|
33
|
0
|
31
|
2
|
|
Ringed
plovers
|
8
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
Summary
numbers for Hayling Oysterbeds
|
|
2011
|
2011
|
2010
|
2010
|
|
|
Pairs
|
Fledged
young
|
Pairs
|
Fledged
young
|
|
Black-headed
gulls
|
538
|
409
|
461
|
564
|
|
Sandwich
terns
|
16
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
|
Common
terns
|
135
|
27
|
69
|
84
|
|
Little
terns
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
FRIDAY
SEPTEMBER 9 - 2011
EMSWORTH
Harbour
I checked the harbour
at low water this afternoon. One unringed Greenshank
was feeding in the channel east of the Emsworth
Sailing Club building. I counted 21 Black-tailed
Godwits in the main channel, but too far away to
see colour-rings.
Palmer's
Road Copse
At about 3.30, I went
to see Jeff Fleming in 'his quiet spot' on the river
bank on Palmer's Road Copse where he was spending the
whole day waiting and watching for Water Voles.
He had kept a log of
the sightings as follows: 9.15, 9.50, 10.40, 11.50,
12.50, 13.10, 13.30, 14.45. I stayed with him for
about 30 minutes, but there were no further sightings
while I was there. Jeff saw the voles in two places on
the east bank, one to about 10 metres the north of
where he was sitting and one about 5 metres to the
south. Jeff threw several apples into the river to
attract the voles. He also saw an occasional Brown Rat
on the same bank as the voles. Jeff took a number of
photos of the voles and the rats. He hopes to get a
computer to provide me with digital photos fairly
soon.
As for birds, at 10.25
Jeff saw a Kingfisher fly up stream. Robin and
Wren were regular visitors as was a female Mallard
on the river with a pale plastic ring on its right
leg with no inscription. From its tameness I suspect
it was an escaped domestic bird.
Slipper
Millpond
Four Cormorants and a
Grey Heron were on the main raft which now has a
luxurious growth of vegetation on it. The southern
raft has shifted its position and is now situated near
the main raft and quite close to the east bank. I was
able to get a good view and some nice digiscoped
photos of a juvenile Common Tern which was
perched on this raft. This is probably a bird from the
Hayling Oysterbeds colony. The orange at the base of
the bill is diagnostic; in the juvenile Arctic Tern
the bill is all black.
North
Thorney
Richard Somerscocks
was down on Thorney late this afternoon. He found a
few waders in the Harbour but nothing out of the
ordinary. However, he did spot what he though was a
Green Sandpiper on the small pond in the area
of the deckhouses. It flew off before he could get a
picture. He said the wing colouring was correct and
the white rump showed as it flew which clinches the
identification as Green Sandpiper.
Flying
Bat
Richard also watched a
bat flying around the pond, just a few inches above
the water, catching insects. After a lot of difficulty
he managed to get a photo of it, the first I have ever
seen of one in flight! He was not sure of the species,
probably Common Pipistrelle.
I sent Richard's photo
to bat expert Nik Knight who replied as follows: "Very
nice photo. That's a great achievement. It could well
be a pipistrelle, but we can't be certain without the
chance to see the details of the ears, measure the
wings and analyse the echolocation. We can discount
the long eared bats and the dark belly rules out
Daubenton's. Soprano pipistrelle is more common over
water, but common pip is still possible. Wing shape
looks like pipistrelle."
THURSDAY
SEPTEMBER 8 - 2011
EMSWORTH
Canada
Goose
Maurice Lillie spoke
to David Gattrell this morning about the Canada Goose
that has recently appeared on Peter Pond. David said
he did not bring the goose onto the pond and described
it as a 'loner'. Apparently, there are quite a lot of
lone Canada Geese currently around Chichester Harbour
awaiting their short migration as far north as
Petersfield.
Mystery
fungus
I found a small group
of quite large fungi on the ground near the south gate
to Brook Meadow on Sunday September 4. The chestnut
brown cap was roughly 10cm across and slightly zoned.
The edges were wavy and upturned showing a pale
underside with a hint of decurrent gills. My best guss
is some type of Lactarius.
I went back to have
another look today, however, all the fungi had
withered away but for the one I photographed. The
chestnut cap of this one had darkened and completely
turned in on itself, producing a funnel effect,
revealing the decurrent gills. Cutting the fungus down
the centre revealed a creamy brown flesh.
Wheatear
Colin Vanner took the
following cracking photo of a Wheatear on Thorney
Island recently. I would guess a first winter bird
from the warm buff colour of the underparts and white
fringes to its wings.
LEAST SANDPIPER - a very very rare
bird
Posted on Hoslist this
evening by Keith Betton, County Recorder
"One Least Sandpiper
was found on a private part of the Farlington Marsh
reserve today by Jason Crook. Access will not be
possible to this specific area, but there is a
reasonable chance that the bird may show in public
areas tomorrow (high tide is at around 1000 hrs).
Please note that there are parking restrictions on the
site and ONLY 12 car spaces are available, so you are
best advised to park at the Broadmarsh car park
(SU702053) or in Farlington town itself and walk from
there. Anything that is known about the bird's
location will be posted on the noticeboard at the
reserve information centre (SU685047). There is only
one previous record for Hampshire - one spent the day
at Farlington Marshes on May 22nd 1977."
An American species
and vagrant to this country. Averages one annually in
Britain and Ireland.
For
your interest this is what the bird looks like
WEDNESDAY
SEPTEMBER 7 - 2011
BROADMARSH
I walked west from the
Broadmarsh slipway to the main car park. The seawall
was lined with the yellow flowers of Golden Samphire.
Then I climbed up onto the mound which was a glorious
spectacle of colour with Bristly Ox-tongue, Common
Ragwort and Wild Carrot in fine flower.
Also, in flower were
Common Knapweed, Red Clover, Red Bartsia and Yarrow.
Lots acorns on the Oaks and sloes on the Blackthorns
in the hedgerows.
Hairy
Vetchling
On the northern side
of the mound I spotted a small patch of what I thought
was Grass Vetchling, But Ralph Hollins informs me that
the flowers I saw were, in fact, the very rare (only
site in Hampshire) Hairy Vetchling. Hairy Vetchling
has pink flowers, whereas Grass Vetchling has scarlet
flowers and only has a short flowering period (around
mid-May to mid-June) but suddenly bursts out over
acres of suitable ground (including Broadmarsh
mountain).
Large
Bindweed
Further along the path
towards the Hermitage Stream I was surprised to see
lots of Large Bindweed flowers with pink stripes on
the outside of the petals. This reminded me of the
Hairy Bindweed (Calystegia pulchra) that grows along
Appledram Lane (south) in Fishbourne, but closer
inspection of the flower stems showed no signs of
hairs which would be present if it was this plants.
Blamey, Fitter and Fitter say that Large Bindweed does
sometimes have pale pink stripes, so that explains it,
though I personally do not recall having seen this
before.
A Little Egret was
poised on the far bank of the Hermitage Stream by the
'tunnel', no doubt a favoured fishing spot. A Grey
Heron was on the same bank further north, waiting and
watching.
Bedhampton
I crossed the bride
over the obscenely noisy A27 trunk road, though I am
equally guilty by driving along it. To the north of
the bridge, Robins were singing along the path. On the
left, just before the railway bridge, I took what is
clearly a casual dog walking path that I had not
noticed before into a field. It transpired the path
just went around the edge of the field, but it was not
without interest. There was a fresh growth of False
Brome, in tufts with pale green leaves, along the
edge of the field by the railway line. Timothy was
also growing well in the same area. A fine growth of
Traveller's Joy was festooned over the hedges
by the railway, with both flowers and seeds (aka Old
Man's Beard).
Near the centre of the
field was a group of two or possibly three Horse
Chestnut trees which were loaded with conkers,
with many on the ground, seemingly undiscovered by the
local lads. Maybe kids are not allowed to play conkers
these days?
SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 4 - 2011
EMSWORTH
Richard Somerscocks
reports the following observations
Brook
Meadow
I haven't seen a great
deal on the Meadow recently. I did however spot the
Brimstone on Friday and there were also several Red
Admirals around as well as a number of Whites.
Among the birds seen
were a group of Long-tailed Tits. I also had some in
the garden yesterday - perhaps they were the same
group. As a matter of interest I noticed that the
river along the railway embankment had completely
dried up on Fri - it was just a stony river bed with
not a drop of water. It was flowing again (just) today
though. Any reason why it might have dried
up?
Slipper
Millpond
On Slipper Mill Pond
the main raft has had up to 9 Cormorants at
times as well as a couple of Little Egrets. The
Canada Goose was also sitting on one of the rafts this
afternoon.
Emsworth
Harbour
I have seen a
reasonable number of waders in the Harbour recently.
At lunch today there were about 15 Black Tailed
Godwit, but none with colour rings. There were also
around 10 Greenshank including 2 ringed birds: OO+YY
which I had seen on 6 Aug and LY+GG which I had not
seen before.
Other waders included
Turnstone, Grey Plover, Curlew, Knot and lots of
Redshank.
North
Thorney
On the Thorney shore
there have been Wheatears and also Willow Warblers,
and a Cetti's Warbler has been quite vocal near Little
Deep, but I haven't managed to spot it. The Kingfisher
has been seen regularly, including today at Great
Deep.
Another bird of
interest is the Starling which seems to be
using the reed beds beside Little Deep as an overnight
roost. I have noticed them every evening that I have
been down there from about 6.30 pm onwards. There must
be many hundreds if not thousands descending on the
reed beds. At the moment they seem to be coming in
small flocks, flying around a short while and then
landing. They don't seem to be merging into very large
flocks or putting on much of a display, but perhaps
that will change as more birds migrate here to
overwinter.
BROOK
MEADOW
Jennifer Rye's report
of the workday session on Brook Meadow this morning
included the following wildlife observations: "a small
brown frog and two tiny 'field mice' in a nest, which
was disturbed in the cutting but was returned to the
right spot in the hope that they might
survive."
Harvest
Mice?
From the description
of the nest the mice might have been Harvest Mice. We
have occasionally come across nests on Brook Meadow
during the clearance of vegetation. Here is a photo of
one such Harvest Mouse nest that was discovered on
Brook Meadow in December 2007.
Mystery
fungus
I took a photo of a
fungus growing on the ground near the doggie bin at
the south gate. I am not sure what it is. Any offers?
SATURDAY
SEPTEMBER 3 - 2011
CHICHESTER
MARINA AREA
Ten members of the
Havant Wildlife Group assembled at Chichester Marina
car park for their Saturday morning walk through
Salterns Copse to Copperas Point. The weather was fine
and warm though overcast.
Marsh
Mallow
Our best find at
Copperas Point was several plants of the rare Marsh
Mallow, to the south of the main seat in front of
the saltmarshes at Grid Ref: SU 829018. Most of the
plants had gone to seed, but one still had flowers.
Marsh
Mallow (Althaea officinalis) on the edge of the
saltmarshes
As Marsh Mallow
(Althaea officinalis) is noted as being a 'missing
scarce species' in the New Flora of Sussex I have sent
this record to Mike Shaw, the botanical recorder for
West Sussex.
Please
go to the Havant Wildlife Group page for the full
report with photos
. . . Saturday
walks - reports
FRIDAY
SEPTEMBER 2 - 2011
EMSWORTH
HARBOUR
High water 15:05 Ht
4.9.
10:30 - There was very
little to be seen on the western mudflats from the
viewpoint by the Emsworth Sailing Club building; just
a few Curlew and Oystercatcher, one Lapwing and the
usual gulls. Similarly, nothing of interest in the
channel east of the sailing club or on the mudflats.
From the millpond
seawall a flock of about 20 Swallows flew
overhead, skimming down to the surface of the millpond
and then going east over the harbour.
The Mute Swan
family was still together in the channel beneath
the quay with mum and 3 cygnets all healthy, despite
the news from Tony Wilkinson that one of the cygnets
had been attacked by a dog.
11:30 - From the
marina seawall I waited for the tide to push the
Black-tailed Godwits closer to the shore. I got
23 in total with just one colour-ringed bird: O+OL
which has been a regular in Emsworth this autumn.
Also, feeding in the
same area were about 15 Redshank and 6 Turnstone.
While I was watching the godwits a couple of
Knot arrived. I have seen Knot with godwits
before and have assumed they had joined up with them
in Iceland and came down to Britain together. Knot
breed in Greenland and call into Iceland on passage.
This could also apply to the small group of 7 Knot
seen in Emsworth Harbour by Richard Somerscocks on Aug
25. Two Grey Plover were also in the harbour.
I heard a Cetti's
Warbler song from the bushes on the seawall. This
was not the first Cetti's Warbler I have heard from
this site, probably up from Thorney Island.
Peter
Pond
The lone Canada
Goose is still on the pond along with the regular
Mallard and Coot. This makes me wonder whether this
bird has been brought here by David Gattrell from a
captive population elsewhere. I will ask David when I
see him.
The very dense
growth of orache on the east bank of the pond
looked at first like Common Orache, but with some of
the lower leaves spear-shaped, it is probably
Spear-leaved Orache.
On the east side of
the pond, the Crab Apple trees in the Lumley
Road gardens are laden with small red apples - all
ready for the Fieldfares when they arrive in the
winter (hopefully).
I spent a very
pleasant 20 minutes or so watching the channel and the
stream from the Lumley Path footbridge. Two male
Common Darter dragonflies were flying over the
channel between the reeds on Peter Pond, usually with
some distance between them, but occasionally coming
close in a skirmish. There was also a male-female pair
of Common Darters in tandem, with the female
constantly flicking the end of her abdomen onto the
shallow water, and occasionally onto wet stones, at
the edge of the channel, presumably laying eggs.
The Mallard
family with 4 ducklings that I have seen several
times recently swam beneath the bridge where I was
standing and into the Lumley pool to the north. A
Moorhen was pootling around in the channel,
occasionally flicking its white tail. Meanwhile, a
Green Woodpecker called constantly from the
tall trees in the garden of Gooseberry Cottage. A
large Grey Mullett swam lazily beneath the
bridge. Wood Avens was flowering on the Lumley
Path.
Brook
Meadow
The Lumley area is an
amazing spectacle with the flowers of Common
Fleabane creating a bright yellow carpet with the
red flower spikes of Red Bartsia poking through here
and there and the large umbellifers of Wild Angelica
towering over them all.
Walking through Brook
Meadow I happened to meet Heather Archer who was doing
a butterfly transect. She called me over to see a very
fresh Brimstone feeding on Common Fleabane
flowers on the edge of the Lumley area. This insect
was clearly part of a newly emerged summer brood,
which will be now be preparing themselves for
hibernation by gorging on nectar, well into November.
Garden
At home sitting in the
garden this afternoon, we had a good selection of
butterflies feeding on the Perennial Verbena,
including 2 Commas, 4 Large Whites, a Holly Blue and a
Red Admiral. In my experience, Verbena is the
best of the garden plants for attracting insects, far
better than the famed Buddleja.
OTHER
NEWS
Clouded
Yellow
Ros Norton was at
Thorney Great Deep this afternoon where she saw a
Kingfisher perch on posts over streaming water by the
West Gate. After a few minutes it flew back north.
Best of all, Ros saw a Clouded Yellow butterfly (the
first I have heard of) and some Small Heaths near the
Little Deeps .
Young
Whitethroat
Tony Wootton went down
Thornham Lane this morning looking for Osprey, Cattle
Egret and Marsh Harriers but to no avail. However,
Tony got this splendid photo of a juvenile Whitethroat
scoffing some blackberries. The photo shows a softer
more evenly buff colour to the plumage and dark brown
eyes of a juvenile.
THURSDAY
SEPTEMBER 1 - 2011
EAST
HEAD
Jean and I had a walk
round East Head at West Wittering this morning. We had
not been here for a couple of years and really loved
the great views one gets of the harbour and the downs.
Sea
Heath
We looked for the rare
Sea Heath (Frankenia laevis) which we
found here on our last visit (15 Oct 2009). The
inconspicuous low growing plants were in the same
place as last time, nestling on the east side of the
dunes, right opposite the small island on the
saltmarshes, at Grid Ref: SZ 7680 9909. The plants had
runners which were creeping over the wet
sand.
We could not find any
flowers on the plants. Despite its name the plant is
unrelated to Heathers and is a member of the Rock Rose
family with very similar flowers (but a pleasant pink
colour rather than yellow). Here is a photo from the
internet of Sea Heath in full flower on Anglesey.
Other plants noted
included Sea Rocket, Prickly Saltwort, Sea
Spurge and large clumps of Sea Rush. Eight
Sanderlings were on the beach briefly until
disturbed by the many dog walkers.
BROOK
MEADOW
Hoary
Ragwort
This year there has
been an astonishing explosion of Hoary Ragwort on the
north meadow. I counted a good 80 flowering plants on
the orchid area plus another 30 or so on the area to
the west of the orchid area. Before this year Hoary
Ragwort was largely confined to the area immediately
above the causeway from the Lumley gate. I counted
about 70 plants in that area today, making a total of
180 plants. Apart from a single plant on the Lumley
area I think that accounts for all the Hoary Ragwort
on Brook Meadow. In contrast, Common Ragwort is
relatively scarce on Brook Meadow.
For
earlier observations go to .
.
August
2011