Last weekend news broke of a pair of Dippers having successfully raised two juveniles on the River Test in Romsey. The last time that Dippers successfully bred in the county was 32 years ago and sightings of this highly local bird in the county are fleeting. Over the years records have come from the many chalk streams associated with the rivers of the Avon, Test and Itchen, but many have been brief sightings or suppressed in the belief that disturbance would endanger the bird or birds remaining.
Though the week I have seen photographs and videos of the adult birds feeding the young on the banks of one of the side streams that flow through the War Memorial Park in Romsey. The park assumes a diamond shape with these side streams of the Test creating an island. The best place to view the Dipper was apparently from the bridge over the main stream along the Meads.
I had arranged to meet Ian close to the location and we found a car park where we could leave the cars. We made our way to the bridge with a high degree of expectancy. The stream was nothing like a stream that you would expect to find Dipper on. No real places to perch in the middle of the stream such as a rock or branch, and a river that while it was fast flowing was maybe a little deep.
Needless to say as we reached the bridge there was nothing. A walk around revealed white chested birds but these were the many dodgy Mallards that were using the stream. We looke around to see if there was any other access point to be able to view more of the river but with no success so we returned to the bridge and jumped at any bird that flew across the river.
As we waited we were serenaded by a very vocal Firecrest behind us. Interestingly some other persons who had turned up to see a Dipper appeared comp0letely oblivious to the Firecrest. As you will know we can't resist a Firecrest so once it was located in the tree, it was time for some more images of this beautiful little bird.
There were in fact two birds, the other being on the other side of the bridge alongside the river and both birds were trying to out play each other with song.
We wandered the river heading down stream, but there was nothing showing. Discussion with those present started to put together the situation. On Friday only one juvenile had been seen prompting thoughts that the other had perished. It had also taken some while before any bird was seen. On the Saturday only a single adult was seen after seven hours of searching.
It was time to return to the still singing Firecrest and this time there was a little more interest from the assembled birders. The Firecrest was now much closer showing realy well on both sides of the river.
I love the final two images, the crest showing well and almost a quiff.
After having had enough of the Firecrest we set off on a tour of the park, following the two streams that flow past it. The smaller stream had a habitat that appeared more like that you would expect to see Dippers on, with weirs that produced shallow flowing water. But there was no sign of any Dipper. We did though have a Red Kite circling above us.
While the only bird on the river we found was this Moorhen
We returned to the bridge once more and there still had not been any sighting of the Hampshire Dipper. However we did learn a little bit more. Apparently the Dippers may have been around in 2021 but didn't manage to breed. The nest itself was in one of the gardens on the island and was not viewable from the bridge. The river itself on the bend consists of lower water and a few rocks that were visible with the low water.
This is what you couldn't see courtesy of Google Maps
The Dipper have seen along the river north and south as far as Broadlands so they cover a lot of distance and now with the young either gone or perished there is nothing to keep them here. With this in mind we decided to call it a day and hope that they return next year and that the water levels stay at a depth that they like.
While in the area it would have been amiss not to have visited Fishlake Meadows. An Osprey had been reported through the week and although it wasn't reported on Saturday we would give it ago.
Not surprisingly it wasn't there. The only items of interest from the road side viewing point were two Common Terns a few Egyptian Geese and this Great Crested Grebe family.
We headed back to the canal path and made our way towards the cross over path. The one common warbler to elude us so far this year is the Garden Warbler. As we walked the path a scratchy song came from a willow tree. There is always a moment of doubt, is that a Blackcap? Is the song scratchy or with flutey notes? This one seemed a good candidate for the Garden Warbler and eventually we pinned the bird down and sure enough it was.
A little further along we came across a Blackcap and you can instantly hear the difference, however you never confuse a Garden Warbler singing for a Blackcap, it is always the other way around.
Butterflies and dragonflies have been far and few between today so it was nice to finally find a Banded Demoiselle in a sheltered warm spot alongside the canal.
Walking down the centre path there were plenty of Reed and Sedge Warblers both singing and darting about amongst the reeds. The most numerous though were the Reed Bunting and their insipid song, but delivered from a prominent perch with, like the other buntings the head thrown back and the beak wide open.
We had been hearing cuckoo as we walked the canal path and there had been reports of two from early morning. As we walked along the centre path one call quite close, but it took a while until Ian found it sitting low down between two bushes.
It was then joined by another and both birds disappeared. They were not actually seen again but were heard frequently.
The pair of Common Terns we had seen from the road side viewpoint were sitting on the Osprey platform and from there would fly across the open water in front of the screens to fish.
Leaving the screens and walking back there were more Reed Buntings, Sedge and Reed Warbler and the explosive song of the Cetti's Warbler. Walking along the canal path we picked up Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and a Kestrel.
The final thing of interest as we approached the car park was a Common Blue Damselfly, the sun was breaking through more and the warmth was bringing them and a few Large Red Damselflies out.
June is always a difficult month especially at the start, but today was extremely quiet. It could have been made to be brilliant if we had seen the Dippers but it wasn't to be. Fingers crossed for next year.
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