13th November - Alresford, Hampshire

I didn't want to venture too far today so decided to go and try for the Water Pipits that can be found around the watercress beds in Alresford, a short drive from home.  There has been a lot of work by the farm to erect fences but it was possible to view the beds at Pinglestone Farm, but when I arrived there was nothing to be seen.  I decided to walk around the area following the footpaths to see if I could view some of the other beds that were filled with water diverted from the River Itchen.

It turns out that the farms have done a much better job of screening the beds and the views were extremely limited.  When I could see the beds there was nothing on them.  I was left with a Red Kite drifting over.

And a small flock of Redwing, one of which I was able to catch as it flew past.

I declined the possibility of walking back along the road and retraced my walk back to the watercress beds by the road.  The appearance of a Pied Wagtail raised my hopes a little and then I heard a Grey Wagtail and found it amongst the beds.

A female bird it made its way along the concrete wall flicking the tail in the characteristic wagtail manner.

A further scan around the beds located another speciality in this habitat a very distant Green Sandpiper.

The scope was invaluable and eventually it found what I was looking for a single Water Pipit, distant, on one of the concrete walls.  I was able to identify clearly.  Larger than the Meadow Pipits seen earlier and with dark legs, not pink in Meadow Pipits.  Fortunately the location almost certainly eliminates the possibility of confusion with Rock Pipit, but the it was more brown above and the underparts were a clean white with sparse streaking.

I tried to get a record shot but as I switched from scope to camera it disappeared so I wasn't able to get anything.

I waited for some time, but the beds had returned to their original state and when some workers arrived I knew the cause was hopeless.  Rather than leave for home I risked my safety by walking to the watch point over Alresford Pond.  A large body of water that was created for the Bishop of Winchester in the 12th Century to provide the Bishop with a fresh supply of fish.  Today the pond is shallow with a huge build up of silt, but it provides a home for duck and gulls and also proving that there must still be a good supply of fish, Cormorants.

When I arrived there was a large flock of Long-tailed Tits in the trees above me and out on the water in front was a good number of Teal and Gadwall.

I think my last visit here must have been for a roosting Hen Harrier back in 2017 and this could be seen at the back of the pond.  I scanned the reeds and trees and picked up a raptor that at first I thought was a Buzzard, but as it came closer I realised that it was in fact a female Marsh Harrier.

Not a bird I expected to see when I decided to come here, it only goes to show how well these birds are doing now after being at one point almost extinct here in the United Kingdom.

It drifted over the trees at the back of the pond, then came out across the water.

It was then joined by a Red Kite, this one an adult with the dark streaks a reddish under parts.

A Buzzard had been present and very soon it tangled with the Marsh Harrier with both birds prepared to use their talons.

Eventually both birds going their own way.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls had joined the small gull roost on the water.

The number of gulls was then swelled as a good number of Common Gulls arrived.

The teal had drifted closer to me while I was watching the birds of prey, as they roosted they set off some lovely reflections in the still water of the pond.

I decided to walk back to see if the Water Pipit had returned, as I reached the farm and the gate to the beds from where I could view a Red Kite drifted over, coming down the valley.

There was still two workers on the beds and there was no sign of any birds, although the green Sandpiper was still in the same place.  It had been an interesting visit and I will be back soon as I want to be able to get a photograph of a Water Pipit.