Ian and I had arranged to meet today, but plans changed on Monday night as Ian had to take his van in for a service issue, this was near to Testwood Lakes so we agreed to meet there. It was a lovely morning, cold but sunny. In the car park Redwing flew over and we were surprised by a pair of Rose-ringed Parakeets that flew over calling and quickly disappeared from sight.
We walked around to the hides, stopping to watch the thrushes including Redwing and Fieldfare along the way. A young buck Roe Deer appeared at the back of the field as well.
Opening the windows in the hide spooked the Wigeon feeding on the grass bank and they all took to the water, there was around a hundred present.
They quickly returned to the grass bank to feed.
The view wasn't brilliant with the low sun shining intot he hide. Looking around the pools were Teal, Lapwing, Shoveler, Mallard and a few Gadwall. Moving to view Meadow Lake there were quite a few Cormorant, the closest taking in the sunshine and drying wings on the posts.
Good numbers of Coot feeding around the Wigeon.
A Great Egret flew in from behind us and settled on the grass in front of the hide.
Once upon a time this was one of the places you would come to to see Great Egret, now they turn up almost everywhere there is water.
Then flew off with a lovely black background.
With little else around Ian and I decided to walk around the lakes. Plenty of alder catkins were an attraction to a good sized flock of Siskin.
A Grey Heron standing high up in a willow tree.
As we picked up the main path towards the car park there were several Chiffchaff catching insects from the bramble bushes.
As we watched the Chiffchaff we heard the Rose-ringed Parakeets again, they appeared to be behind us and a dead Oak tree looked a likely candidate. Once we eventually found them they flew into the bushes below which made it a little difficult to photograph them.
They were definitely a pair, the male, the one with the black chin markings appearing to be feeding the female.
The female, lacking the dark markings.
They then flew back up to the old oak, the female going to a suitable nest hole. Eventually she went inside.
While the male sat close by.
The male then went to the nest hole, staying outside.
Rose-ringed Parakeets start nest building in January and will lay eggs early in the year. The nest is lined with bark and chippings.
The male spent a lot of time like this and appeared to be chewing away at the wall of the hole inside and on the edges.
At last a chance to see the whole bird, body and beautiful tail streamers.
The male then flew off and the female appeared at the hole.
And eventually I got the money shot with a lovely shadow.
They both flew off and we walked back to the car park. After lunch, with Ian's van still under investigation we decided to walk around Lower Test Marshes. we walked down the path and over the river. We remarked that the few times we come here we usually see a Grey Wagtail at the start of the board walk and one duly appeared!
The boardwalk was officially closed but we walked as far as we could. The bird life was almost non existent, a Kestrel the only highlight. Looking across the reeds there was a stark contrast between the reeds of nature and the docks of man!
Coming back a male Stonechat was on the posts.
We decided to walk in the other direction towards Redbridge, this was probably even worse. A few Meadow Pipits and Long-tailed Tits and closer to Redbridge groups of Canada Geese and Greylags.
Turning back we headed to the dealership where Ian's van was having to stay in overnight so I took him back home to Stubbington. What could have been a dire day was brightened by the presence and plumage of the Parakeets.
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