WEEKLY SUMMARY

(Link to previous week’s summary)

Waders have now been moving for some time but this week we begin to see our summer passerines starting to leave us with Wheatear and Willow Warbler newly back at coastal sites and Redstart, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail and Great Spotted Woodpecker also on the move. Bird news also includes some thoughts on the life of a Swift (and the death of a Sparrowhawk). Going back to the shore birds Snipe are now appearing on the shore, as are small groups of Golden Plover, and Hampshire has its first autumn Wood Sandpiper. Oddities include an unseasonal Great Northern Diver and a 'blonde' baby Cormorant in a nest at the Blashford Lakes

At Havant Thicket Dwarf Gorse was flowering earlier than expected, as was Black Nightshade in Havant. Other new summer flowers include Clustered Bellflower and Common Valerian, Ploughman's Spikenard and Carline Thistle, Sneezewort and Water Mint. Also reported was Violet Helleborine but it was not clear if it was yet in flower.

Other Wildlife has the first sighting of a Basking Shark in our central part of the Channel plus a find of a rare Devil's Fingers fungus near Midhurst

(Skip to Insects)

Great Northern Diver: One was seen off Christchurch Harbour on July 16, a very unusual date for the species (I think it was flying east). Another unusual recent report was of a Red-throated Diver off north Kent on July 1.

Storm Petrel: The recent spate of sightings seems to have dried up with just one new report of three Petrels off Christchurch Harbour on July 14

Gannet: On July 15 more than 300 were off Selsey Bill as they had been on July 11. On July 19 the number off Selsey was thought to exceed 500 and another estimated 500 were fishing off Christchurch Harbour that same day. Perhaps more unusual was the sight of 140 off the north Kent coast at Seasalter on July 18, when around 250 off the west Solent

Cormorant: Bob Chapman has a real 'ugly duckling' on offer at the Blashford Lakes at Ringwood - in a Cormorant's nest there the only youngster is a pale leucistic specimen, not the standard black

Cattle Egret: In early April there are said to have been 33 of these in Britain (19 together in Cornwall and possibly breeding) but nothing has been heard of any of them since June 1 (other than an unconfirmed report of one at Farlington Marshes on June 23) but now we have a report of one flying south over the Dorset coast at Swyre Head (another name for Durdle Dor, just west of Lulworth). Since that report in mid-week I have heard of one being seen at Radipole (Weymouth) on July 18 and another being seen flying away from the Sidlesham Ferry pool (Pagham Harbour) on July 19

Little Egret: While checking details of the Northward Hill reserve on the RSPB website I noticed that the site is supposed to have the largest breeding colony of Little Egrets in Britain (50+ pairs nesting with 150+ prs of Grey Heron). Not sure of which year that claim refers to but I see that a flock of 77 Egrets was on the shore of the Swale estuary at Oare Marshes north of Faversham, a long way east of Northward Hill on the Isle of Grain near Rochester. Here in Hampshire I gather that there are three Egret breeding sites (Elson Wood at Gosport, Langstone pond, and another un-named site). Locally 37 birds were at Langstone pond sometime during July 16 and I counted 28 juveniles (and no adults) at Langstone Mill Pond during low tide on the evening of July 17 (presumably all the adults were away fishing, as they normally would be, but the youngsters have not yet plucked up the courage to leave) - this number of young helps to validate my guess of up to a dozen pairs having bred there this year.

Grey Heron: Latest report of a Heron forcing an oversize meal down its throat come from Pulborough Brooks on July 16 when one caught and (eventually) swallowed a near full grown Mallard duckling (whose legs were seen to be still desperately paddling away as they vanished from sight)

White Stork: One was seen in the Sopley area north of Christchurch and just south of the Avon Causeway on July 19 by a taxi driver taking a fare to Bournemouth airport - the driver could not stop for a better look but others have since reported the bird to be staying in the area

Spoonbill: On July 14 Lee Evans reported a total of 18 birds currently in Britain (including 7 in Poole Harbour and 6 at Cley in Norfolk with singles elsewhere). One of the singles was on the Lymington shore on July 19 carrying colour rings showing that is the same bird that was there from Mar 11 to May 10, but it is a different bird to that which was at Lymington on July 5. On July 19 all seven birds were still in Poole Harbour and another juvenile was at Brading Marshes on the IoW having arrived on the Island on July 18

Pochard: Quite a few of these remain to breed in southern counties but a report of three pairs arriving at Weir Wood reservoir in north Sussex on July 15 and of two birds flying west along the north Kent coast on July 18 seems to show that birds that bred abroad are already returning.

Honey Buzzard: A sighting of two passing over a garden in the Thanet area of Kent on July 18 suggests that autumn passage may now be underway. I also hear this week that a pair have bred this year to the north of the Sussex Downs not too far from the Hampshire border

Sparrowhawk: I have just been sent a really gruesome picture of a juvenile Sparrowhawk which had come to a very nasty end in a local Havant garden. The sender suggested the hawk had flown into something and broken its neck, fallen to the ground, and then had its heart neatly removed though a hole drilled into the back of the hawk - possibly the work of a Magpie. The pictures show the hawk on the ground, wings outstretched and neck twisted back so that the beak rested on its back just in front of the gaping bloody hole through which part of its innards had been removed. I could not come up with a better suggestion but I did add a quote from a recent contribution to the Hoslist internet newsgroup (not, I think, applicable to a suburban garden in Havant but nevertheless interesting) which emphasised the fact that all raptors are in the business of killing other birds. The quote came from Lee Evans, and read ..

"Some raptors do a lot more damage to bird populations than some people realise and perhaps none more damaging than Montagu's Harriers. Once a male Montagu's finds a nest (perhaps of Corn Bunting, Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Grey Partridge or Woodlark) and is feeding young, he returns time and time again until he has taken each and every nestling. I have observed this behaviour on many occasions, particularly of the pairs that nest near me in the Home Counties. Yellow Wagtails have been virtually wiped out from my area.

Northern Goshawks are even more dangerous and totally obliterate bird populations in a radius of a nest site. Not only do they take many fledglings, they also kill many adult birds that stray into their territory (not for food, but for territorial reasons) and do not tolerate Eurasian Sparrowhawks. Last year, I witnessed a Goshawk blind and scramble a female Honey Buzzard to the ground in the New Forest, the buzzard never seen again and presumed killed".

Peregrine: I think the pair which breed on Chichester Cathedral normally adjourn to Pagham Harbour after the young have fledged but a reported sighting at Pagham on July 19 seems to show that the family has split up by now (and maybe reveal the cause of the spilt). At the start of June there were four young close to fledging in the cathedral nest and I have heard no more of them until this report of a family of two adults and two juveniles seen together at a kill on the shore of Pagham Harbour on July 19 - the report claimed that a dominant juvenile drive the adult male off the kill, and this may suggest that the observer was mistaken and that the four birds were all juveniles which may have stayed together while the adults have left them to enjoy a well earned rest from family squabbles.

Avocet: A pair has bred this year at the Selsey West Fields RSPB reserve in West Sussex - the pair hatched four chicks on June 24 and the young left the nest area on July 14. The first pair to breed in the county in recent years did so in the West Wittering area in 1996 and a second pair nest at Sidlesham Ferry in 2003 - this year's pair are only the third to do so

Golden Plover: A returning adult was seen in the Thanet area of Kent on July 15 but the first flocks are not expected on the south coast until mid-August - having written that in mid-week I see that a flock of 12 arrived in the Thanet area of Kent on July 17, and on that same day there were three at the Pett Pools and another four at Rye Harbour

Lapwing: A sudden influx brought 750 to Sandwich Bay on July 16 and 30 were at Sidlesham Ferry (Pagham Harbour) on July 19

Pectoral Sandpiper: One at Elmley Marshes (Sheppey) on July 13, another at Swineham Point in Poole Harbour on July 17 to 19 and a third report from Dungeness RSPB reserve on July 20

Common Snipe: The last report of the 'winter' came from Christchurch Harbour on May 1 and the first to arrive back on the south coast was seen at Christchurch on July 17 with 'first back' reports from the Lymington area and Pulborough Brooks both on Jly 19

Black-tailed Godwit: Another Thames esturary reserve at which Blackwit numbers have been building up recently is Northward Hill on the Isle of Grain north of Rochester. Counts there have been 352 birds on July 10 and 430 on July 13 with a count of 425 on July 15 at the Oare Marshes north of Faversham. Since writing that in mid-week Oare Marshes has reported a dramatic sighting of 900 birds all put up by a Peregrine on July 17. In Hampshire a flock of 120 was back at the Lymington Marshes on July 16 while a flock building up at Sidlesham Ferry had grown to 36 birds on July 19 - also seen on that day were 14 birds at Pulborough, four of those flying on south to show that they regard Pulborough as a staging post and not a destination.

Redshank: By July 17 a flock of 80 were back in Emsworth Harbour with another 72 at Sidlesham Ferry

Lesser Yellowlegs: Lee Evans current rarity list shows one of these in Suffolk on July 13 plus a Terek Sandpiper in Cumbria that same day.

Wood Sandpiper: The first autumn bird in Hampshire was at Lymington on July 18 and 19

Mediterranean Gull: These are well known for preferring to feed inland rather than at the water's edge on the coast, and so now they are free of domestic duties at coastal nests many can be found inland by day - John Shillitoe found a flock of 56 feeding at a piggery in the Hoe Cross area near Hambledon (Meon Valley) on July 14

Common Gull: Four were back at Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight by July 18

Roseate Tern: One has been at Rye Harbour from July 13 to 15 while others have been seen at Titchfield Haven on July 13 and Selsey Bill on July 15. By July 16 three birds were at Brownsea Island in Pooles Harbour and by July 19 there were two (maybe three) at Titchfield Haven.

Little Tern: It would seem that these have now abandoned attempts at breeding and are heading back south. All tern species use the entrances to our Solent harbours as good places to spend their nights when on passage and by July 13 up to 140 Little Terns had been recorded at Black Point on Hayling (with a bonus of a single juvenile being seen passing Hayling Bay on July 17 - where did that one come from?)

White-winged Black Tern: One has been at Rye Harbour on July 14 and still there on July 19 (it may have been there since July 12)

Puffin: Just one was seen from Portland on July 15, the first to get a mention on the south coast since one was off the Purbeck coast on June 14 though a very few do breed there and 5 were seen from a boat trip round Durlston Head on May 30. Thereafter Portland reported singles on July 16 and 17 with 2 seen there on July 19

Cuckoo: Two birds were still to be heard calling on the north Kent coast as late as July 17

Swift: Looking back through my records since 2000 to try to measure the apparent decline in the number of local breeding Swifts I realised how difficult it is to get an overall measure of their breeding success. Unlike most bird species where the parent birds stay around the nest area and can with luck be seen going towards the nest carrying material or food, and whose offspring will usually be seen in the nest area for a few days after fledging if they have not already been seen or heard in the nest, Swifts leave very few clues as to exactly how many nests they have in an area, and very few people ever see a juvenile Swift well enough to distinguish it from an adult.

There was an exception to this this week when one youngster failed to get airborne at the first attempt and ended up on the ground - once there the short legs and long wings make it impossible to get airborne but this one was lucky enough to be rescued and spent a night in a cardboard box before being thrown up into the air next morning - that was all that was needed.

The first difficulty in evaluating Swift breeding success is that, while we may see and hear Swifts dashing around our houses, their speed of entry to their nest is such that you are very unlikely to see one actually enter a nest, and even if they are carrying food for young it is not easy to see the swollen throat which is the only clue. Another confusing factor is the ability of the young and eggs of this species to survive the absence of the parent birds for two or more days during periods of bad weather (giving the impression to a regular watcher that the nest has been deserted) - and when the young do emerge from the nest you have at most a couple of seconds from the time they appear at the entrance to the nest to the moment when they have flown out of sight (never to touch the ground again for perhaps their first two years during which they feed, sleep and eventually mate on the wing).

Their skill, speed and stamina at flying allow them to think nothing of crossing the channel to collect food to bring back to any young, and this same habit of wide-ranging flight introduces other complications in assessing breeding numbers. It is my understanding that, during the summer months when the Swifts are in northern latitudes, the great majority of the birds are at all times somewhere in the air above us, only coming down to the heights at which we can see and hear them in special circumstances. I suspect that non-breeding birds can normally find enough insect food above 3,000 metres, and will only come down when they are aware of a particular feast available in e.g. a wetland where flies are just emerging en masse, though inquisitive youngsters in their pre-breeding year will also come down to find out what their elders are up to down at their nests, giving rise to the screaming parties we see on some evenings (doubling or trebling the number of apparently breeding birds that we see on more normal evenings).

Two of the new reports I have seen this week were of (i) a screaming party of at least 16 birds high over my garden on the evening of July 15, matching (ii) a report of 18 birds over Emsworth that same evening, apparently increasing the number of 'local birds' at each site from a maximum of 8 seen so far this year to a new figure of 18. One interpretation of this was that the increase was due to the fledging of local young, another was that the additional birds had just 'dropped in' from above to interact briefly with one group of breeding birds in Havant and then with another group in Emsworth (the interaction being in the 'screaming').

Other reports during the week show the large numbers of birds circulating above us - on July 17 a stream of 730 flew southwest over Thanet and 120 went over Dungeness; on July 18 Sandwich Bay estimated 2000 birds over there with 200+ over Reculver (north Kent) and 870 over Dungeness. In the past I recall reading how one Hampshire birder happened to be gazing skyward with his binoculars at this time of year and suddenly realised that the whole sky from horizon to horizon held a broad line of Swifts all moving in the same direction but so high up that he would never have been able to see them with his naked eye. I suspect the reason that most of the reports of large numbers on the move come from coastal bird observatories is because the birders there are continually scanning the skies for migrants whereas the majority of other birders don't spend their time scanning empty skies.

Great Spotted Woodpecker: The appearance this week of 'out of place' birds at Portland, Dungeness and Reculver on the north Kent coast shows that post breeding dispersal is under way.

Yellow Wagtail: Dungeness started to report these passing over on July 11 and by July 18 they had been seen moving on five days with a peak day count of 10 so far

Robin: When did you last see a Robin? Their song ceased locally on June 24 and I do not have any record of seeing one (or even hearing it 'ticking') since then. I am pretty sure there are plenty of them still around but keeping a very low profile during their moult. Last year their song ceased locally on June 19 but I heard one singing briefly at dusk from July 4 onwards with several singing their autumn song by the end of the month so it may be worth a stroll around at dusk when the strong winds die down next week.

Common Redstart: A juvenile had been seen moving south in the Avon valley on July 12 and July 19 brought two separate sightings of birds on the Sussex Downs, already moving south

Whinchat: Just two birds have been seen on the coast since the beginning of June - one turned up on the Isle of Wight on July 4 and now a second has been seen at Amberley Wild Brooks (south of Pulborough) on July 13. Since writing that in mid-week passage birds have been seen at three more sites on July 16 and 18

Wheatear: What seems to have been the first migrant to be spotted on the south coast this autumn was a bird at Durlston on July 18

Willow Warbler: Portland reported the first bird back at the coast there on July 15 with three present by July 18 when both Durlston and Dungeness had their first passage birds. On July 19 a group of 8 were seen on the Sussex Downs.

Willow Tit: These are effectively extinct in most of Hampshire though there are (probably) a few pairs still breeding in the north of the county. Last year at least three pairs were breeding at Hurstbourne Common near Andover and there were also reports from the Hannington and Overton areas west of Basingstoke. This year we heard of one bird singing in the Test Valley near Mottisfont on Apr 11 and now (July 14) an experienced birder has been surprised to come across two family groups within a couple of miles of each other, also near Basingstoke but in unlikely territory just east of the M3 Popham interchange (though not far from the Candover valley)

Crossbill: Numbers seem to be increasing with a report this week of a flock of 40 or more seen on July 14 going over the village of Ashurst (on the edge of the New Forest as you head from Totton to Lyndhurst). In Sussex two smaller flocks were seen on July 13 - 17 near the coast at Seaford and 9 over the Downs south of Pulborough. Ten more reports have been made from July 16 to 19 with numbers ranging from 1 at Portland to 11 at Folkestone, 16 at Arne and 18 over Thanet.

(Skip to Plants)

(Skip to Other Wildlife)

Traveller's Joy (Old Man's Beard): First flowers open in Havant on July 15

Annual Wall Rocket: First flowers open in Havant on July 15

Halberd-leaved Orache (Atriplex hastata): This common species described under this name by Francis Rose has now been re-named Spear-leaved Orache (Atriplex prostrata) and the original is delared to be illegal. Whatever its name it is now starting to flower in so far as any Goosefoot does 'flower'.

Dwarf Gorse: I do not expect to find this in flower until August but several plants were in flower on July 14 when I visited the Havant Thicket area.

Yellow-flowered Strawberry: The plants in the roadside grass of Juniper Square in Havant had several bright red (but rock hard) fruits as well as a few yellow flowers on July 15

Stone Parsley: Several plants had their first tiny white flowers open in Havant on July 15

Burnet Saxifrage: First flowers reported by Durlston on July 14

Pepper Saxifrage: Also flowering at Durlston on July 14

Lesser Water Parsnip: Plants in the Lymbourne stream where it passed Wade Court at Langstone were in full flower on July 19

Black Nightshade: One plant flowering in Havant St Faith's churchyard on July 15 was the first for the year (ignoring the oddity at Warblington flowering in the winter)

Water Mint: First flowers at Emsworth on July 18

Clustered Bellflower: First report comes from John Goodspeed who found it on the Sussex Downs at Kingley Vale on July 11

Common Valerian: First flowers also seen at Kingley Vale on July 11

Canadian Goldenrod: First flowers of plants long established in the wild at Emsworth seen on July 15

Ploughman's Spikenard: First report of flowering from Durlston on July 17

Canadian Fleabane: Unlike the Guernsey Fleabane which never seems to stop flowering I noticef fresh flowers on Canadian Fleabane for the first time on July 15

Sneezewort: Several plants flowering on the Gipsies Plain at Rowlands Castle on July 14 - probably had been out for at least a week.

Woolly thistle (Cirsium eriophorum): One of these huge plants was in flower at Durlston on July 17

Carline Thistle: Another first from Durlston on July 17

Hawkweed (Hieracium ) species: Two apparently different types, both with many leaves up the stem but with varying degrees of hairiness, in the Havant Thicket area on July 14

Orange Hawkweed (aka Fox and Cubs): Fine examples flowering by the gateposts of the entrance gate to the Havant Thicket carpark on July 14

Violet Helleborine: First report of (presumably) flowering plants comes from the Ebernoe Common church site north of Midhurst on July 12

Basking Shark: The first to be reported at Portland this year was seen there on July 15

(Link to previous week’s summary)

High winds have increased the sightings of Storm Petrels and Shearwaters (including possible Cory's and Sooty) along the Channel coast as winter birds start to show there (e.g. Wigeon, Common Gulls and Shags). The winds also seem to have scattered Black-tailed Godwits returning from Iceland but large flocks are now starting to assemble in our harbours. New passage birds include Black-necked Grebe and Wood Sandpiper, and departing migrants include Golden Oriole. Something I learnt from this week's news is that some juvenile Shelduck appear to accompany the adults to their moult area on the north German coast. Recent news includes some interesting comments on the contrasting breeding success of Little Terns and Mediterranean Gulls. There is also some good news of Corn Buntings, at least in Sussex.

Moth news includes the emergence of the dreaded Brown-tail and good news of Scarlet Tigers doing well in Eastbourne gardens when they were thought to be extinct in the county's countryside. Local butterfly news has the first Painted Lady of the year to be seen on Thorney Island (though others have been seen sporadically elsewhere) while two Clouded Yellows have been seen at Portland and a minor influx of Silver Y moths has been noted in Kent. The Hastings area continues to boast of its success with providing habitat for insects that are uncommon elsewhere in Britain. Among other insects we have news of the appearance of adult Grasshoppers and Bush Crickets (including the Great Green which may be found on Portsdown)

Plant news includes a find of Least Yellow Sorrel growing through tarmac in a tiny Emsworth urban garden and Pencilled Cranesbill in Havant roadside grass near where Blue Pimpernel is said to be a common garden weed. A mass of flowering Chicory and a plant of Phacelia tanacetifolia were good finds in Warblington cemetery extension with Dropwort flowering in the uncultivated Warblington farmhouse garden The first Autumn Hawkbit is a sign of the passing season.

Other Wildlife includes a Thresher Shark and a Sunfish off Portland and a couple of Hares successfully 'crossing the road' during the Silverstone Grand Prix

(Skip to Insects)

Black-necked Grebe: A summer plumaged bird was seen on Ibsley Water at Ringwood on July 5 but could not be found there next day so presumably it had just stopped off for a rest on its autumn passage journey to an unknown destination - the last report of one at this site was on Mar 21.

Cory's Shearwater: There were unconfirmed reports of one off Portland on both July 6 and 7. On July 6 there was also a report of two 'possible' Cory's off Worthing

Sooty Shearwater: One of these was also reported off Portland on July 6 but not confirmed

Manx Shearwater: Plenty of these around all week with a peak of 330 seen from Portland on July 7 and 20 as far east as Dungeness

Baleric Shearwater: Also seen daily with a peak count of 30 at Portland on July 7

Storm Petrel: Watchers at Christchurch Harbour logged 75 or more passing on July 8 when at least two were seen from Sandy Point on Hayling - that was just the high point of continuing daily sightings of these Petrels and of Balearic and Manx Shearwaters

Gannet: Peak count of 680 off Dungeness on July 12 but more than 300 off Selsey Bill on July 11

Shag: Several were newly back from breeding to be seen at Christchurch Harbour on July 8 and singles were reported at Selsey and Dungeness during the week

Little Egret: Numbers in coastal roosts increase at this time of year as adults and juveniles leave their nest sites. Rye Harbour commented on this but the numbers leaving that roost on July 10 were only 27 against a minimal count of 20 there on May 24. Also on July 10 the high tide count at Langstone Pond was at least 28, including at least 5 juveniles - I guess these were all birds that have bred there but now none are around nests in the trees - they were either around the pond edge or on the adjacent pony field.

Grey Heron: Some minor post-breeding dispersion with reports of singles going south across the Channel from both Christchurch and Portland on July 12.

Spoonbill: The last report of a group of five in Poole Harbour was on June 28 after five or six had been regularly seen there from May 5 to June 15. It seemed they had dispersed but on July 12 a group of 7 were reported there - the bird which showed up on the Lymington shore on July 5 was probably one of this group which have now re-united.

Shelduck: The majority of these have probably now left for their summer moult on the north east German coast. Reports of 544 at the Cliffe Pools (southwest of Sheppey in the Thames estuary) and 400+ there on July 7 probably indicate that this RSPB reserve acts as a staging post where some birds assemble before crossing the North Sea. I suspect that our South Coast birds have a different route but nevertheless feel the call to move at the same time - in Langstone Harbour Jason Crook noted parties of Shelduck flying purposefully east over the Hayling Oysterbeds on both July 8 (12 birds) and July 10 (27 birds including 2 juveniles). I had previously assumed that only adults made this journey, the young remaining here in groups made up of the young of several different pairs with just one or two adults left as 'supervisors' - this does happen but I suppose that Jason's evidence shows that it depends on when the young were hatched with only those too young to make the jounrney staying here.

Wigeon: July 6 brought the first two reports of Wigeon returning from breeding - one was at Pett Level on Rye Bay and the other in the Kent Stour Valley

Hooded Merganser: The first summer male bird which unexpectedly appeared in the Weymouth area on June 6 was still there on July 12 and can be seen in the Radipole area of the town.

Grey Partridge: Two pairs on the Susex Downs south of Amberley have had a good breeding season - they had 21 young birds between them on July 7

Quail: Two birds first heard by the River Arun in the Pulborough area on July 7 were still there on July 11

Avocet: On July 5 a total of 305 birds were present at the RSPB Cliffe Pools reserve on Sheppey in the Thames estuary and on July 8 there were 140 at Elmley Marshes (also on Sheppey) - not sure if these were part of the flock from Cliffe.

Black-tailed Godwit: Many Iceland birds are now back (around 250 summer plumaged birds on the Lymington shore on July 7, and I guess the flock of 330+ at the Oare Marshes near Faversham in north Kent on July 4 were of the same origin), but it seems that the high winds of the past few days have scattered some of the birds which are turning up in small groups at unexpected places. On July 5 two arrived at Dungeness and one at Ibsley Water at Ringwood, On July 6 two summer plumaged birds were 'new' in the Kent Stour valley, one was at Rye Harbour and twelve were at Pulborough Brooks. July 7 saw one at Worthing and four struggling west against the wind over the Adur at Shoreham with three more turning up in Christchurch Harbour. On July 8 three were seen at Pulborough Brooks and on July 9 a birder sheltering from the wind in his car at Pett Level near Hastings watched two parties of six and four birds fly in to join a party of six already there.

Since the above was written for my mid-week summary the first birds have arrived back in the Emsworth area (24 on July 11) and around 50 were seen at Slimbridge on July 10. As usual with these birds they remain flighty and will move unpredictably between sites - the 250 that were at Lymington on July 7 had disappeared by July 11 (increasing depth of water in the pools there may have made it difficult for them to feed) - 11 of these 250 may have formed a small group flying east over the Hayling Oysterbeds on July 11.

Whimbrel: Passage now increasing with 16 new reports this week

Redshank: The presence of 20 birds in Esmworth Harbour on July 11 indicates a return to the sort of number seen there in winter months

Wood Sandpiper: Although a single bird was in the Kent Stour Valley from June 5 to 13 autumn passage seems to have started in earnest with birds at both Dungeness and Radipole (Weymouth) on July 5.

Common Sandpiper: These are now widespread along the coast with a peak count of 11 at Christchurch Harbour on July 8

Pomarine Skua: The first to be reported since June 5 was off Dungeness on July 6

Great Skua: After only four Bonxie sightings on scattered dates in June we now have four sightings in the three days July 6 to 8 at sites ranging from Portland and Christchurch to Ventnor (IoW) and Dungeness

Mediterranean Gull: One of the gulls breeding at Rye Harbour has a colour ring (Red 47K) showing it was hatched in Hungary in 2002 and has been at Hayling Island for some time in 2004 and was back there in March 2007 before heading for Pett Level (Rye Bay) in April 2007. This year it has settled to nest at Rye Harbour and now has one fledged chick. Barry Yates comments that it is unusual for any bird to nest at a site hundreds of miles from where it was hatched (this is one of the features allowing the great extension in range of the species in recent years). Barry also commented on another significant feature of Med Gull behaviour adding to their breeding success - unlike other gulls and terns which carry food to their young held in their bills (from which they can easily lose it to Skuas or other gulls) the Med Gulls swallow the food and their young then have to extract it from their throats.

Black-headed Gull: A leucistic bird with pure white plumage all over other than red bill and legs was photographed in the centre of Portsmouth on July 10 and has been in that area for some time

Common Gull: Single adult birds were back at Sandown (IoW) on July 6, at Durlston on July 9 and at both Weymouth and Christchurch Harbour on July 10 - the forerunners of many we will soon see all along the south coast

Yellow-legged Gull: The first juveniles were seen at Dungeness on July 9, maybe the progeny of the few birds that new breed in Britain

Sandwich Tern: Some 300 pairs have raised 450 chicks at Rye Harbour despite the parent birds losing much of the food intended for their young to Med Gulls which have learnt that waiting among the Tern nests is easier than flying to find their own fish.

Roseate Tern: Passage is picking up with singles in Poole Harbour on July 8, at Christchurch Harbour on July 11 and 3 at Dungeness on July 12

Little Tern: Last week the Hayling Oysterbeds still had one Little Tern chick on the brink of flying but when Brian Fellows returned to the Oysterbeds for his turn at wardening on July 8 there was not a Little Tern in sight and he learnt that as soon as he left on July 1 the one chick vanished - its parents returned with fish for it but could not find it and themselves left the area. Unlike the Med Gulls (see above) which have developed survival strategies resulting in a significant expansion of their numbers and range the Little Tern species is unable to cope with the problems that confront them when breeding and in my view human efforts to protect their nests, eggs and young do nothing to solve the problem that is in their genes and behaviour - Lee Evans tells us that wardens at the Yarmouth Little Tern colony have even tried putting wire cages over the chicks to save them from Kestrel predation while allowing the parents to feed them through the bars of the cage, but to no avail (I do not know the details of this scheme but I can see many problems with it including the inablity of the parents to shelter their chicks from rain or cold nights).

Cuckoo: A juvenile at Rye Harbour was close to fledging on July 10 so we may expect to see young birds almost anywhere in the next month or so

Swift: Widespread reports of birds heading south, apparently leaving a wet and windy Britain, included counts of 1500+ heading south on July 6 but that was matched with a report of 500 coming in off the sea at Worthing that day. Locally no birds were seen over Havant between July 7 and 11 but one or two have been seen on July 12 and 13.

Sand Martin: Daily reports of these leaving Britain since June 29 with a count of 500 at Dungeness on July 11 - I think these are genuine departures.

House Martin: The few local breeding birds had the first of their young airborne over my garden on July 12 - previously two or three adults were seen on most days but July 12 brought 5 birds over and twice I saw what I assumed to be a youngster being fed in mid-air.

Yellow Wagtail: A report of more than 50 at the Elmley Marshes on Sheppey (north west Kent) indicates that some still breed in southern England. Another report from Dungeness on July 11 indicated that at least one bird was already leaving us.

Common Redstart: A juvenile seen at the Blashford Lakes on July 12 was presumably already leaving us

Golden Oriole: The last reports of arriving migrants were on June 8 and now, on July 1, the Dungeness RSPB reserve reports the first female heading south

Corn Bunting: A winter flock of up to 52 birds was seen at Cheesfoot Head near Winchester from January 9 to 12 and this was followed by two more reports (from the Fareham and Andover areas) in March but since then the only report of Corn Bunting in Hampshire that I have seen was of one heard singing at Old Winchester Hill in the Meon valley on May 23. Unlike their apparent demise in Hampshire it seems that reports from Sussex have actually increased this summer - I have 16 reports of them since April 1, including reports from Chidham and the Funtington area both close to the Hampshire border. Latest encouraging news is of an estimated 10 territories in a small area of the Downs south of Amberley on July 7

American Robin: A second hand report of one in a garden close to the Southampton Docks on July 8 could possibly be of a ship-borne arrival (but could equally be a case of mistaken identity caused by the reddish tinge of a juvenile Blackbird's plumage)

(Skip to Plants)

30 species named in recent reports including a hint of migrants with Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady (plus several migrant moths)

(Skip to Other Wildlife)

Square-stalked St John's Wort (Hypericum tetrapterum): This was flowering in the marshy SSSI at Warblington on July 10 and at Brook Meadow in Emsworth on July 12 - my thanks to Brian for unknowingly correcting my wrong identification of the Warblington plants which I put down as Hairy St John's Wort without checking (Hairy grows in dry places, Square-stalked in damp meadows)

Corn Cockle: The 'wildflower garden' at the south end of Lymbourne Road in Havant now has a great show of these

Ragged Robin: Plants still flowering at Warblington on July 10 included one with pure white flowers

Red Goosefoot: Starting to 'flower' on July 10 along with Common Orache and Sea Purslane

Marsh Mallow: Flowering at Rye Harbour on July 12 and so probably to be found on the west side of the Cobnor penninsula in Chichester Harbour under the oak wood close to Cobnor Point.

Pencilled cranesbill (Geranium versicolor): I found a plant of this flowering in the roadside grass of Pook Lane (north of the A27) on July 10, the first time I have come across this species. No doubt originally of garden origin this had established itself in the roadside grass where it is regularly mown, so not as large a plant as it would be in a garden - luckily I came on it when there had been sufficient time since the last mowing for it to put up flowers

Least Yellow Sorrel: A very good find on July 5 by Brian Fellows of plants growing up through tarmac in the 'garden' of a house on a busy Emsworth road. Brian Fellows took a photo contrasting this species with the common species Procumbent Yellow Sorrel (Oxalis corniculata) side by side, bringing out the three significant points of difference used by botanists to separate the species (1 Overal size of plants, 2 Flowers of Least are borne singly - in the common species they are usually in twos, 3 Leaves of Least are plain light green in colour, those of the common species are often brown or bronze) Looking at these photos has made me want to revisit the two sites where I have found what I believe to be the Least species - at both the plants satisfy the first two criteria but do not have the pure green leaves (maybe they are a garden cultivar?)

Alsike Clover: I came on this for the first time this year flowering in the Warblington area on July 10

Hairy Vetchling (Lathyrus hirsutus): Plenty of this flowering on the Broadmarsh 'mountain' (its only Hampshire site) on July 11 after it started to flower there on June 7 this year.

Rowan: Berries now ripening on all tree - the first to be bright red were seen on July 11

Blackberry: The first fruit were edible by July 10 on what I believe is known as the Himalayan Giant species which flourishes by the Hayling Billy trail in Havant

Dropwort: This plant has probably been flowering at various downland sites (including Catherington Down in our area) since mid-May but the first mention of it comes from Durlston on July 9. On July 10 I came on a cluster of plants flowering in the uncultivated 'garden' of the Warblington Farmhouse in Church Lane.

Horse Chestnut: By July 10 the conker cases on trees in the Havant area appeared to be full size but the leaves on nearly every tree are very badly damaged by the larvae of the moth Cameraria ohridella which has spread through Europe in recent years and reached Britain as recently as 2002 but is now to be found everywhere.

Wild Angelica: Flowering in Brook Meadow at Emsworth on July 10

Amphibious Bistort: A pink raft of these flowers on a pool in the Brede High Wood area (Rother Valley near Rye) on July 6 is the first mention of this species in flower this year

Blue Pimpernel: I have not yet personally come across this plant growing in the wild but on July 10 I was told of a garden in the Warblington area of Havant where it is prolific and has come up there for many years

Phacelia tanacetifolia: On July 10 I came on a couple of plants in flower in the Warblington cemetery extension where it was presumably introduced with last year's sowing of Wildflower seed.

Teazel: Although reported to be in flower at Durlston on June 24 there have been no other reports of it until the first local sighting at the Hayling Oysterbeds on July 8

Corn Marigold: Single flowers were seen on July 10 at two places where wildflower seen was sown last year - the Lymbourne Road 'triangle' and the Warblington cemetery extension

Chicory: A large mass of plants is now flowering at the east end of the Warblington cemetery extension, presumably after being successfully introduced there last year

Autumn Hawkbit: First flowers found in Havant on July 10

Lesser Hawkbit: This had started to flower at Durlston on July 4 and I found the first local examples at Warblington on July 10

Common (Harbour) Porpoise: Two seen off Ventnor on July 6 were only the second report of the year after a single was seen off Portland on May 6

Long-tailed Thresher Shark (Alopias vulpinus): First report for year is of one off Portland on July 12. Used to be called Common Thresher and is still sometimes called Fox Shark this one was probably after Mackerel. One caught by a trawler off Cornwall in Nov 2007 was 5 metres long and weighed 568 Kg to set a British record

Roe Deer: These usually have a single kid but one seen at Durlston on July 12 had twins with her

Sunfish (Mola mola): These large fish with the shape of a round dinner-plate swimming on its edge are not uncommon nowadays in the western end of the Channel and the first I have heard of this year was seen from Portland on July 9

Cuttlefish: Plenty of Cuttlefish 'bones' washed up on the Warblington shore on July 10 but the earliest report this year came from the north Kent coast on May 29 when 160 were counted in a 200 metre stretch of beach.

Hare: Any Formula One enthusiast watching last week-end's Silverstone Grand Prix on July 6 will have seen two different Hares out-running the racing cars which left the track in the rain and disturbed the Hares from their trackside vantage points

(Link to previous week’s summary)

Increasing numbers of Balearic Shearwaters led me to refresh my memory on the recent history of this species. The only rarities this week have been Black-winged Stilt at Beaulieu and Melodious Warbler at Portland but most of the week's news is taken up with the beginnings of autumn passage.

Golden Ringed dragonflies are new this week, as are Lulworth Skipper, Chalkhill Blue and Grayling butterflies. New moths include the Yellow-tail (close relative of the dreaded Brown-tail) and a very rare Sussex Emerald which is not to be found in Sussex

Three very colourful new flowers this week are Marsh Woundwort, Betony and Round-headed Rampion. Another very colourful plant, Red Hemp-nettle, is only likely to be seen at Rye Harbour (or on the Rye Bay website), but the local high spot of the week was a find of Moth Mullein at Prinsted (also locally noteworthy was Crown Vetch at its only Havant site). Common plants that everyone can enjoy from now on include Great Willowherb, Fleabane, Vervain and Golden Samphire on the harbour shores

(Skip to Insects)

Red-throated Diver: One seen off the north Kent coast on July 1 was very unexpected so far south at this time of year - it was not in breeding plumage so presumably one of last year's young

Black-necked Grebe: The last report of winter birds in Langstone Harbour which got into any news that I see was of 9 birds seen from the Oysterbeds on Feb 24 but a couple of these birds were reported at the Blashford Lakes near Ringwood up to Mar 21 and a single bird was in the Pagham Harbour lagoon until Mar 31. That seemed to be the end of the winter birds but a few occasionally stay on in southern England and they have bred in Hampshire but an isolated report of one at Rye Harbour on May 19, and now in this week's news a report of one in Langstone Harbour on June 6, are more likely to be of vagrants rather than breeders.

Balearic Shearwater: On July 3 Portland reported 40 of these offshore and on July 4 that number increased to 60, beating an estimated count of 50 seen passing Portland on Jan 13. As these birds are said to be a rare and endangered species, while at the same time apparently increasing in number in the English Channel each year, I have had a look into the available info on the species.

It seems that until about 30 years ago the Shearwaters found in the Mediterranean were regarded as variants of the Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus), but they were then separated off as Mediterranean Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan), and when Birds of Hampshire was published in 1993 these two are the only ones which are listed, the Mediterranean Shearwater having only four Hampshire records to its name. The situation was similar in Sussex with a single bird seen in 1992 and then none until 1996 when 6 were seen, and in 1997 another 5 appeared while 1998 saw the start of the more frequent sightings nowadays with more than 25 seen.

The 1999 Sussex Bird Report is the last to list Mediterranean Shearwater as P. yelkouan, sightings in the 2000 report are under the same English name but with P. mauretanicus as the scientific name, reflecting the designation of these western Mediterranean based birds as a separate species (P. yelkouan is still the name for the birds found in the eastern Mediterranean but they do not come into the English Channel - and never did!)

Coming back to the increasing numbers seen off our south coast I have no firm information - global warming? lack of food in the Mediterranean? more and better observer coverage here?

Storm Petrel: Still being seen in the Channel - on June 29 one was seen from Sandy Point on Hayling and on July 2 one flew west past Christchurch Harbour

Mute Swan: The saga of the six cygnets continues. I think we can be sure that the Langstone Pond pair do have six surviving cygnets and that they do wander away from the Langbrook stream mouth at times but the pair seen with six young on a couple of occasions in Emsworth Harbour do not necessarily come from Langstone as on July 4 I saw a family of this description on the Thorney Little Deeps and I doubt the Langstone family would climb the high Thorney seawall to get to the Little Deeps - so maybe a pair did breed on the Little Deeps in some new hidden nest site and it is this family that has twice visited Emsworth Harbour.

A second 'surprise' Swan family was 'discovered' on July 2 by Brian Fellows in Emsworth marina where they must have nested late as their four cygnets are still tiny compared to the family of six. Two of these four have the pale white down of 'Polish' birds.

Brent Goose: Fewer than usual seem to have stayed in Langstone Harbour this summer. A group of 13 seen at the mouth of the Langbrook stream on Apr 22 were thought likely to be staying but the only reports since then have been of a group of three birds seen in the harbour on June 6 and 14,

Tufted Duck: These are late breeders and the first brood of ducklings was seen at Rye Harbour on June 26 with a second brood of five tiny ducklings on the Thorney Little Deeps on July 4

Goosander: One or two pairs have bred in the Avon valley in recent years and so reports of a single female at the Blashford Lakes near Ringwood on June 2 and 22 are not unexpected - hopefully they do not reflect failed breeding.

Red Kite: On June 15 one flew low over a conservation work party at Brook Meadow in Emsworth and waggled its tail in approval of their efforts.

Eagle species: On June 28 a non-birding couple were driving from South Harting over Harting Down towards Chichester and had to slow down and swerve to avoid an Eagle hungrily devouring prey and not going to let anyone else muscle in on its meal. The bird was almost certainly an escape (maybe one recently lost in France) and perhaps its familiarity with humans accounted for its lack of fear when the car came close to it. A similar sighting on June 29 of an Eagle eating carrion on the road near Kirdford (headwaters of the R Arun some 25 km north east of Harting Down) may have been the same bird

Osprey: I have now seen eight reports of Ospreys heading south since the first was seen near Canterbury on June 11. On June 29 one reached Langstone Harbour and was still there next day, seen fishing from the Hayling Oysterbeds. Latest reports are of one in Poole Harbour and another heading for the coast at Worthing, both on July 1. Late news of a bird staying in Chichester Harbour during June comes in Keith Betton's monthly summary of Hampshire birding for June - he reports sightings from the Black Point area of Hayling on five dates between June 7 and 28.

Kestrel: A family of four young in a nest on Christchurch Priory were said to be near leaving their nest on July 4 and I assume other broods are currently fledging which means that we may soon enjoy the sight of the parents teaching their young to catch prey by hovering - during this process lines of up to half a dozen Kestrels can be seen hovering, spaced out up to 100 metres apart, over open country such as Sinah Common on Hayling

Peregrine: The people of Paulsgrove, an area of dense housing by the M27 at the foot of Portsdown, are currently able to watch a pair of adult Peregrines perching on electricity pylons as a base from which to catch local pigeons and take them to two young still in their nest high on the chalk cliff of the big Chalk Pit that is visible from anywhere in the Portsmouth Harbour area.

Quail: Two heard in crops at Over Wallop near Andover on July 1- the fourteenth site where they have been reported this year

Oystercatcher: Recent correspondence on HOSLIST has shown that it is not uncommon for Oystercathers and other wader species that would breed on shingle beaches to nest on flat rooves of buildings, especially if the rooves are covered with pea gravel (intended, I think, to prolong the live of the tarred felt roofing material, not to simulate a beach environment). Oystercatchers have nested on a Fareham roof for several years and now Geoff Farwell tells us of a pair doing so on a Portsmouth office roof

Little Ringed Plover: An increase in the number of adults at The Vyne (National Trust estate at Basingstoke) is said to be a sign that these birds are already moving south on their autumn passage

Ruff: One was back at Rye Harbour on July 4, the first seen there since Apr 6 and so presumably on autumn passage

Lapwing: Many birds have now left their breeding sites and returned to the coast so I was surprised to find 6 birds still present on the Gipsies Plain south of Havant Thicket on July 1 (there may have been more as I did not look at the areas where most birds have been seen on previous visits)

Black-tailed Godwit: The arrival of 5 summer plumaged birds at Christchurch Harbour on June 28 seems to mark the start of the return of the Iceland birds. On June 29 Pulborough Brooks reported some back there and 3 were back at Ferrybridge (Weymouth). On July 2 some 20 were seen at Farlington Marshes, probably returning birds but the report did not say if they were summer plumaged to confirm this. Looking at reports from the Oare Marshes (near Faversham in north Kent) I see that the flock there has been increasing since mid-June (when just one bird was present) to a total of 330+ on July 4 but I am not sure if these are returning Icelandic birds, non-breeders with no settled abode, or even birds of the main race (not the Icelandic sub-species). Looking further back I see that the Oare Marshes attracted around 200 birds in mid-April but then presumably left to breed and are now returning.

Whimbrel: The first autumn passage bird flew over Sway (New Milton) on June 28, another went over Wareham Forest (west of Poole Harbour) on June 29, a third was heard over Durlston on June 30 and the first passed over Portland on July 3. One or two summering birds have remained in Chichester Harbour (two seen on June 3), Langstone Harbour (3 on June 6) and Southampton Water (1 on June 9)

Spotted Redshank: The first arrived back in Kent on June 9 but it was not until June 30 that the first returning bird was reported elsewhere on the south coast (one summer plumaged bird at Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour)

Greenshank: Two at Christchurch Harbour on July 3 were said to be the first there for some time and both Brian Fellows (on July 2) and myself (on July 4) heard their calls at the Thorney Deeps. On July 5 two more were heard ont the shore of Southampton Water indicating a general movement of passage birds

Green Sandpiper: These two are starting to move through in good numbers - on July 2 5 were at Pulborough Brooks and by July 4 the count at Rye Harobur was up to 7 - on July 5 the first was seen at The Vyne near Basingstoke

Common Sandpiper: These are now numerous and widespread along the south coast

Med Gull: Juvenile Black-headed Gulls are now being seen at several coastal sites and no doubt we will soon be seeing the duller plumaged juvenile Med Gulls locally as 34 juveniles were already fledged at Rye Harbour by June 28 when 3 juveniles were visible at Newtown Harbour on the IoW. Another sign of the times, following the end of the breeding season, is the gathering of gulls at their 'summer holiday resorts' where they can feel safe during their moult to replace all their worn feathers with a new set to carry them through the coming winter. One such place for Med Gulls is the Badminston Common gravel pits in the south east of the New Forest area near Fawley, and on July 2 more than 174 Med Gulls were already there.

Black-headed Gull: On June 30 ginger plumaged juveniles were seen locally at Budds Farm pools and in Langstone Harbour at the mouth of the Langbrook stream and on July 4 a gathering of more than 100 Black-headed Gulls on the Thorney Little Deeps was a reminder that they too are coming to the end of their breeding season and moving to moult areas (the water of the Little Deeps is not one of these but there are big areas of open grassland around the Great Deeps which will suit them)

Yellow-legged Gull: This species breeds in the Mediterranean (a few now breed on the south coast of England, sometimes pairing with local Herring Gulls) but many arrive here post-breeding and a sizeable flock builds up at the head of Southampton Water (Eling Great Marsh area) from July onwards. On July 2 the first seven of these gulls could be seen looking across the water from Redbridge on the Southampton side and by August the flock may increase to the peak of 174 seen there in 2004. Other sites they favour are Poole Harbour (177 there on 31 July 2007) and Pagham Harbour (108 present on 2 Aug 2007).

As an aside here some Hampshire birders will recollect that the leucistic Herring Gull which has been seen in Southampton Water for five years or more was originally found (I think) by Richard Bonser when he was a student at Southampton University and the bird became unofficially known as Larus argentatus bonserii. When making a Google search for Yellow-legged gull for this summary I mis-spelt Larus michahellis as Larus micahellis and Google gave me a link to Richard Bonser's current website (as he had made the same spelling error) so if anyone who has lost touch with him wants to know of his recent birding they should go to http://www.freewebs.com/richbonser/

Little Tern: Just one of the thirty chicks hatched at the Hayling Oysterbeds was still alive on July 1 but it has already been seen airborne (just lifting briefly off the ground as it exercises its wings) and it seems to know where to take cover from aggressive gulls when its parents are away fishing so there is a good chance that it will survive

Ring-necked Parakeet: These remain rarities in Hampshire so a sighting of one eating apples in a garden five miles from Alresford on July 3 is of interest.

Tawny Owl: On July 2 I was told that hesitant hooting coming from the trees lining the Hayling Billy Trail just north of the A27, where the track runs parallel to Lower Grove Road, suggested that a recently fledged young owl had recently moved in there. I suspect that the night-long noise from the A27 may not be to the liking of the owl's sensitive hearing and the bird may well seek a more peaceful site elsewhere.

Swift: Increased numbers are being seen at many sites, presumably reflecting the increased need for parents to being food to nests which now contain hungry young. This was reflected locally by the presence of 8 birds over my part of Havant on the evening of July 1.

Sand Martin: More than 800 flew south at Sandwich Bay on June 29 - failed breeders leaving already? By July 4 there had been reports of birds moving south at six other sites and a report of 9 juveniles at Cuckmere Haven near Beachy Head indicates that this is a normal end of breeding movement, not just the departure of failed breeders.

Whinchat: A male at Culver Down (near Bembridge, IoW) on July 4 is the first indication of the autumn departure of this species

Long-tailed Tit: On July 3 a combined flock of 38 Long-tailed Tits, accompanied by Blue and Great Tits, moved past the Sandwich Bay Observatory

Corvid flocks: On July 4 the Sandwich Bay Observatory reported a mixed flock of 560 Crows and Jackdaws in a field near the Observatory and on July 5 a flock of 100 Crows were on the shore of Southampton Water at Weston

Crossbill: Latest reports are of 7 at Wareham Forest on June 29, 11 over Christchurch Harbour and 3 over Durlston on June 30. Since then July 3 brought 13 to Portland and 7 to Stedham Common near Midhurst

(Skip to Plants)

(Skip to Other Wildlife)

White Water Lily: I don't know how long these have been flowering but they first went onto my list on July 1 when I visited the Leigh Park Gardens Lake

Slender St John's Wort: Plenty of these colourful plants newly flowering in Havant Thicket on July 1

Fat Hen: This very mundane plant had started to flower by July 4

Glasswort species: On July 2 the Rye Bay website carried a piece by Cliff Dean outlining some of the history behind the use of these species in the glass making process. The use of Glasswort as a source of soda ash required as a flux in the glass making process was seemingly first recognized by Venetian glassmakers recently arrived in England but use of the plants ceased in the late 18th century when the necessary soda ash began to be produced on an industrial scale after one Nicholas Leblanc patented a process using salt, sulphuric acid, limestone and coal. This process caused so much pollution that it led to the first modern air pollution legislation, when the British Parliament passed the first of several Alkali Acts in 1863.

Spanish Broom: This must have been in flower for some time but I first noticed it at Emsworth Marina on July 4

Crown Vetch: The plants which have survived the mowing of the council flats 'garden' in Wakefords Way here in Leigh Park were in full flower on July 1

Great Willowherb: First reported from Emsworth on June 25 this was flowering abundantly by June 30

Hoary Willowherb: First flowers seen in the Havant Thicket area on July 1

Small Nettle: First sighting of this in flower was at Prinsted market garden plot on July 4

Hop: First flowers seen on a male plant here in Havant on June 30

Fool's Parsley: Started to flower in the Havant area on June 30

Knot-grass: First flowers seen in Havant on June 30

Pale Persicaria: First found in flower in Stansted East Park on July 3

Black Bindweed: First flowers seen in Havant on June 30 in new soil introduced after road works

Rhododendron ponticum: The wild 'pest' species had started flowering in the Havant Thicket area on July 1

Yellow Loosestrife: The native species (not Dotted Loosestrife) was in flower at two places in the Havant Thicket area on July 1

Vervain: First found flowering on Thorney Island on June 30

Marsh Woundwort: First flower found at Brook Meadow in Emsworth on June 29 and a good show seen in the Havant Thicket area on July 1

Betony: First found on July 1 on the Gipsies Plain south of Havant Thicket.

Round-headed Rampion: Flowering on Old Winchester Hill in the Meon Valley on June 28

Fleabane: Very nearly out on July 1 in more than one place - fully out in several places by July 4

Golden Samphire: Starting to flower on the Thorney seawall on July 2

Michaelmas Daisies: Flowers on garden escape plants in Havant on June 30

Shaggy Soldier: Plenty of this flowering in the Prinsted market garden plot by July 4

Scented Mayweed: Also found at Prinsted on July 4

Lesser Burdock: Flowering at the Hayling Oysterbeds on July 1

Lesser Hawkbit: First report of flowering from Durlston on July 4

Stinking Hawksbeard: Protecting plants at Rye Harbour from rabbit grazing with wire net fences has resulted in a good show of this rarity despite drought conditions - well in flower by July 3

Slow-worm: A photo of one swimming at Rye Harbour proves that they can do so (as if anyone thought they could not!)

(Link to previous week’s summary)

I hear that there was a Cattle Egret at Farlington Marshes this week, a Hoopoe was seen near New Milton and the first brood of Tufted Ducklings has hatched at Rye Harbour. Of more significance it seems that Black-tailed Godwit have started to return from Iceland. Among the many birds now starting to move south through our region are Osprey, Golden Plover, Whimbrel, Spotted Redshank, Common Sandpiper and Black Tern. Juvenile Avocet and Black-headed Gull have started to move from their nest sites. Local observation of non-breeding Swifts regularly night-roosting in an artificial House Martin nest has shattered my long held belief that Swifts always sleep on the wing unless they have an active nest. The Crossbill irruption continues in low key and the week's rarity was an Eastern Race Subalpine Warbler at Portland

Brown Hawker, Red-veined Darter and Small Red-eyed Damselfly have all made their first appearances this week and the second Common Darter that I know of turned up in my Havant garden. 31 butterfly species were seen during the week including the first Purple Emperor, Essex Skipper and Gatekeeper while it seems that second broods of Green-veined White, Small Copper and Holly Blue are now flying. White Admirals and Silver Washed Fritillaries are now common in several woods. (Do check out the web reference to the 'Purple Empire' website to see how some people can get carried away by the sight of a Purple Emperor). 37 new moths were added to the year list including Garden Tiger and Chimney Sweeper (beauty and the beast) while Sussex seems to have acquired a new species with Scarlet Tiger in Friston Forest

Plant news includes the first Basil Thyme (a personal favourite) and the sight of Bell Heather in profusion on the Hayling Golf Course plus a reminder that there may still be hidden treasure near Black Point on Hayling in the shape of Sea Heath (Frankenia laevis) - see the photo on the Rye Bay website and then go and find it on Hayling if you can!. Common summer flowers making their first appearance include Rosebay and Great Willowherb plus Marjoram.

(Skip to Insects)

Balearic Shearwater: A count of 22 off Portland on June 28

Storm Petrel: After a gap in sightings from June 7 to 22 there has been another run of reports from Christchurch Harbour with counts of 1 on June 25, 4 on June 27 and at least 8 on June 28 (when singles were also seen at Portland, Selsey and Worthing)

Cattle Egret: After almost daily reports from Dorset and Sussex during May (with rumours of a small breeding colony having established itself in Cornwall) I have only seen two June reports - June 1 brought the last report from Poole Harbour and now I am told that one was seen at Farlington Marshes on June 23 (though I have seen no confirmation of this)

Little Egret: By June 24 it seemed that all the young had left their nests at Langstone but at least two pale legged juveniles were still to be seen standing at the edge of the pond with seven more birds of uncertain age perched in the trees. My next visit there was on June 27 at high tide when I saw at least 22 birds including one definite juvenile.

Spoonbill: It looks as if the group of six birds in Poole Harbour may be starting to break up as on June 28 only 5 were seen in the harbour with 1 at Lodmoor.

Shelduck: A count of 495 Shelduck at the RSPB Cliff Pools reserve on the Thames estuary just east of Gravesend on June 21 caught my eye - I don't know if this is a normal number to be there at this time of year but it did make me wonder if this site is a regular gathering point for birds about to fly east to moult off the north east German coast, or even if some birds stay at this site to moult.

Tufted Duck: These are late breeders compared to some duck species and June 26 brought the first report of a brood seen on the water at Rye Harbour

Hooded Merganser: The bird of obscure origin which turned up at Weymouth on June 6 was still there on June 24 and has since been reported near the Gurkha restaurant in Weymouth - I hope it does not end up on the menu! It is now being identified as a first summer male

Osprey: A sighting of one over the Elmley Marshes on Sheppey in northwest Kent on June 14 probably marks the start of southward movement by non-breeding birds. The next sighting was on June 26 in the Thanet area of Kent with a further sighting over the Pevensey Levels on June 27

Avocet: The first juvenile has been seen away from its nest site - on June 28 one seen at the Oare Marshes north of Faversham in Kent was said to have flown across the wide Medway estuary from a nest on Sheppey

Ringed Plover: A total of five pairs are nesting at the Hayling Oysterbeds - one has already lost its young, a second nest is yet to hatch and three more nests have yet to be found

Golden Plover: One at Portland on June 23 was the first to be reported on the south coast since May 1 and presumably marks the start of autumn passage

Black-tailed Godwit: Five birds in full summer plumage seen at Christchurch Harbour on June 28 are probably the first returning Iceland birds (In 2006 the first arrived at Pulborough Brooks on June 27 but in 2007 the first major return was of 170 at Titchfield Haven on July 11 with 70 at Farlington and 19 at Lymington both on July 13) A report of 200 at Elmley Marshes on Sheppey on June 18 (presumably non-breeding birds) may also be of interest to our Godwit devotees.

Whimbrel: The first returning bird flew over Sway (near New Milton) on June 28, disrupting a village cricket game while Steve Keen (one of the players) took time out from concentrating on the game to search the skies.

Spotted Redshank: First back at Elmley Marshes in north west Kent on June 9

Redshank: 28 were back at Christchurch Harbour on June 24

Common Sandpiper: Single birds were back at Lodmoor on June 16 and on the northwest Kent coast on June 20 but a group of 5 new in at Christchurch Harbour on June 25 was a definite indication of return passage

Black-headed Gull: Christchurch Harbour is the first to report the arrival of a juvenile Black-headed Gull away from its nest site on June 22 and another was seen at Highcliffe on June 23 (probably having flown from the Lymington area)

Iceland Gull: One seen at Portland on June 22 was unexpected and the first anywhere on the south coast since May 6

Common Tern: By June 24 there were 30 pairs nesting at the Hayling Oysterbeds, quite a few of them displaced from South Binness island out in the harbour by high tides or Fox predation

Little Tern: On June 24 only 3 chicks remained alive at the Hayling Oysterbeds out of the 30 present a week before - cause of death in each case is either assassination by a few rogue Black-headed Gulls or more justifiable predation by Kestrel (so far the precautions against the rats which ate most of the eggs last year seem to have worked). No information so far about breeding on the Langstone Harbour RSPB Islands but we are told that the breeding colony in the Lymington area has 43 pairs this year compared to around 57 last year. In Sussex the Rye Harbour site has no birds nesting there for the second time since the reserve was set up in 1970 (no breeding in 2000 or in 2008) and I have little hope of hearing of successful breeding at Pagham Harbour where around 8 birds were seen on June 3.

Black Tern: Since the unexpected report of two at Paxton Pits near Bedford on June 16 (with another back at Dungeness that day) there have been three further reports of returning birds at Selsey, Dungeness and the Oare Marshes (Medway estuary)

Swifts: The presence of two or three birds flying over my home area, usually just before sunset, on most recent evenings seems to show that they are breeding somewhere in or near to the Manor Close houses. To add to the interest there were five birds concurrently in the sky at dusk on June 24, three of them giving the impression of being a family group. This led me to check the time it takes for young to leave their nest, and I see this varies from 8 to 11 weeks (3 weeks incubation followed by a variable time in the nest depending on the food supply which is mainly determined by the weather) - egg-laying by Apr 29 is possible and would permit young to be flying now if we take the minimum time of 8 weeks and the first reports of of Swifts in Hampshire this year were on Apr 15 and 16, just allowing a 10 week period.

While looking up the details of the breeding cycle I noticed that my reference book mentions that Swifts will occasionally nest in House Martin nests (and Sand Martin burrows), giving added interest to the recent report of Swifts 'night roosting' in an artificial House Martin nest on a house here in Havant - maybe they were checking it out as a potential nest site for next year?

Further news of the 'night roosting' birds confirms that they have been entering the House Martin nest box at dusk each evening for at least 10 days, and I am told that a mirror has been used to look into the nest to confirm that there is no sign of nest material or eggs. This destroys my long held belief that Swifts always sleep on the wing except when they are forced to spend the night in a nest with eggs or young but it also sheds new light on the behaviour of the Swifts which I see over local houses each evening towards dusk. In past years I have occasionally seen the Swifts gather in the sky as dusk approaches and I have then seen them form a loose ball which gradually rises into the sky until lost to view - I assume they remain in this loose ball through the night, sleeping as best they can - but on the majority of evenings the birds which have been flying low suddenly disappear, which would tie in with them entering roost places in or on houses. I use the word 'on' with reference to the Alpine Swift which was seen to 'cling to the County Hall' building in Lewes during the nights of May 28 and 29 this year, something that House Martins regularly do overnight when on passage (and probably every night).

Hoopoe: One was reported to be in the Sway area near New Milton on June 27

Wood Lark: A report of two birds singing at an atypical site in Sussex led me to look at the photo of the site - certainly not the sandy heathland woodedge with pine trees but also not atypical of habitat used by the birds in the local Forestside area. The picture showed the edge of a broad leaved woodland abutting on abandoned arable fields now growing a thin (not dense) crop of tall weeds

Sand Martin: A report from Dungeness of 27 Sand Martins flying over on June 24 presumably marks the start of their autumn departure

Cetti's Warbler: On July 4 in 2005 I heard harsh 'tucc, tucc' calls from reeds around Langstone Pond and at first thought a family of Blackcaps had got into this atypical habitat but I was later assured that the calls came from a brood of young Cetti's Warblers just out of their nest. I mention this as on June 26 the Dungeness website reported that the first juveniles were out of their nest there, and as Cetti's Warblers have probably been breeding at several local sites these calls made by the young may soon be heard here.

Red-backed Shrike: A new report of a female seen in Morden Bog (just west of Poole Harbour) on June 23 - possibly a failed breeder on the move

Jay: Two adult birds appeared in my garden (where I cannot recall seeing them ever before) at dusk on June 24, pecked at some unripe Rowan berries and apples, and moved on.

Crossbill: This year's irruption continues with reports now received from 23 sites across southern England since mid-May though no large flocks have been reported (one of 40+ and one of 50+ might have been local birds near Lymington and Midhurst).

(Skip to Plants)

Butterflies (31 species mentioned in this week's reports - one person saw 16 species in an day in Sussex)

(Skip to Other Wildlife)

Rough-headed Poppy: First seen on Portsdown on June 23

Rose Campion: This was flowering profusely on Sinah Common at Gunner Point on June 26

Sea Beet: This started to show the yellow anthers of its flowers on June 24

Little Robin: I could only find one plant on the shingle at Gunner Point on Hayling on June 26 - admittedly I did not make much of a search but it has been fighting a losing battle for some years against grass and Restharrrow advancing over the open shingle

Spiny Restharrow: I pricked my fingers on some this when on Sinah Common on June 26 to be sure of its identity among masses of common Restharrow.

Strawberry Clover: First flowers seen on Hayling on June 26

Hare's Foot Clover: I first saw this on Hayling on June 26

Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea: First flowers seen on Portsdown on June 23

Tall Melilot: It is always difficult to separate Tall and Ribbed Melilot until the seed appear but I judged by the equal length of all parts of the flowers that I found the first Tall Melilot on Portsdown on June 23. Brian Fellows had found the first Ribbed Melilot at Eastney Beach on May 29

White Melilot: Flowering at several places on Hayling on June 26

Bladder Senna: The 'wild' bush on the east side of the Kench (south Hayling) was in flower on June 26

Wild Strawberry: Fruits were seen in Hollybank Woods on June 23 by Brian Fellows (John Goodspeed had also found fruit on Chalton Down on May 28)

Lax Sea Lavender: I wrongly reported this in flower on June 24 (early stages of flowering of common Sea Lavender can be mistaken for Lax) but by June 26 flowers were starting to open on a distinctive plant just below the seawall path passing Langstone Mill Pond (look immediately opposite the 'dog fouling' red bin by the 'duck feeding point')

Great Willowherb: Flowering at Brook Meadow in Emsworth on June 25 but not seen elsewhere yet.

Rosebay Willowherb: One plant flowering on June 26 on the seawall of the Hayling Coastal Path passing Stoke Bay but not elsewhere so far

Large flowered Evening Primrose: Plenty out on Hayling on June 26

Sweet Chestnut: This last tree of the year to flower revealed that it was now doing so in a photo of two White Admirals taken in the Emsworth Hollybank Woods on June 26 (it has probably been flowering for some time)

Bell Heather: I used to think of this as an autumn flower coming out after other Heathers but it is in fact the earliest and a mass could be seen on the Hayling Golf Course opposite the Kench on June 26

Sea Bindweed: Flowers were out on south Hayling on June 26

Round-leaved Fluellen: This had started to flower in Warblington cemetery on June 27

Hybrid Water Speedwell: Flowering in the River Ems at Emsworth on June 28

Red Bartsia: First flowers seen on Portsdown on June 23

Basil Thyme: A better than usual showing of this lovely plant at five locations on Portchester Common (Portsdown) on June 23

Marjoram: First flowers on Portsdown on June 23

Black Horehound: Flowering profusely in many places by June 28

Wood Sage: Flowering in the Hollybank Woods at Emsworth on June 23 and on south Hayling on June 26

Harebell: Surprisingly the first of the year was seen on Brook Meadow at Esmworth on June 22

Danewort: The first open flowers seen by the Billy Trail in Havant on June 27

Teazel: Reported as in flower at Durlston on June 24

Small Scabious: First seen on Portsdown on June 23

Sticky Groundsel: Flowering on south Hayling on June 26

Sea Mayweed: First noted on the shore at Emsworth on June 22

Perennial Sowthistle: The tall golden flowers of this started to open at Langstone on June 24

Marsh Helleborine: First report of flowers from East Kent on June 21

Marsh Frog: A small colony of these is established in the Shatterford area of the New Forest near Beaulieu Road station and it was most likely these that attracted the attention of a birder who saw them on June 28 and asked for help in identifying them. They were seen here on June 2 in 2007 and in May of 2005. No one has commented on the noise they make though they are said to be very noisy at this time of year in the Rye Bay area. How long they will survive may depend on the spread of a disease called Chytridiomycosis brought in on American Bullfrogs and Alpine Newts

Slow-worm: I found one Slow-worm road casualty on Wade Court Road this week

(Link to previous week’s summary)

Local bird news this week includes the story of a Barn Owl living in a Council Flat (or at least a nest box provided by Havant Borough) and an observation of adult Little Egrets teaching their young to fly (or at least hop out of their nests onto nearby branches), plus an observation of Swifts apparently night roosting in artificial nest boxes designed for House Martins. News for more serious birders is of a White-rumped Sandpiper and a breeding Spotted Crake, both in Kent, and a Red-breasted Flycatcher on Portland with numerous indications of the start of autumn passage

24 butterfly species have been seen during the week including the first Small Skipper, Purple Hairstreak and Dark Green Fritillary while summer broods of Small Tortoiseshell and Comma (probably plus Holly Blue and Green-veined White) have started to emerge. Fourteen new moth species are reported, including Scarlet Tiger, the nationally rare Olive Crescent and two species of Burnet Moth (I now think that the Burnet Moth which I saw on the Langstone South Moors on June 16 was a Narrow-bordered Five-spot and not a Six-spot hiding its sixth spot under the fifth!). A second migrant Spurge Hawkmoth for the year has been found - in a bedroom of a house at Winchester.

New flowers include Musk Mallow, Sea Lavender, Marsh Ragwort and Ladies Bedstraw with the jury still out on a Broomrape found by John Goodspeed in the carpark shrubbery around the Havant Tesco store carpark - it seems to be Ivy Broomrape but may be a new species or form specialising in the nourishment to be found in wood chippings and being spread around the country by landscape gardeners.

A garden in my road at Havant still has the blessing of hosting a Hedgehog and further afield the first report of a Smooth Snake comes from birders listening for Nightjars on Ambersham Common near Midhurst

(Skip to Insects)

Manx Shearwater: An estimated 25,000 were seen from Portland on May 1 as the majority of these birds arrived in British waters at the start of thiei breeding season. Since mid-May there have been no three figure counts along the south coast until Portland recorded 100 on June 18 and then 300 on June 21, presumably marking the start of dispersal of failed breeders

Balearic Shearwater: Counts at Portland of 11 seen on June 19 and 14 on June 21 are the highest along the south coast since January and may also reflect the arrival of failed breeders

Bittern: A group of Kent birders spent the whole night from June 13 to 14 observing the nightlife of the Stour Valley marshes with regular reminders to keep awake from a booming Bittern

Little Egret: As I was passing Langstone Mill Pond on June 16 I was left in no doubt that at least two of the Egret nests had young in them. In both cases I saw an adult bird flapping its wings, then making a short jump/flight to a nearby branch, followed by a juvenile imitiating its action - after this short flying lesson the adult soon flew off, no doubt to collect food with which to reward the youngster and give it strength for longer flights. In one of the two cases where this occurred three birds were involved and I could see that one was an adult when it flew off but I could not be sure that both the other birds were juveniles though I think they were (at least one was seen to be a juvenile). By June 20 more juveniles had left their nests and had moved to more exposed