30th August - Fishlake Meadows, Hampshire

At this time of year you would expect to see Osprey moving through the county, but this year it has not been as prolific as it has been in previous years.  Not deterred I had arranged to meet Ian at Fishlake Meadows, one of the prime locations for Osprey over the last few years.  There have been sightings but very far and few between.  Yesterday an Osprey was seen to fly up the Test valley, which would have taken it through Fishlake so we were hopeful.

We walked around to the roadside viewing point first and scanned the dead trees, unfortunately nothing to be found.  Around the trees were a Great Black-backed Gull and Herring Gull.  On the trees were Grey Heron and Cormorants.

We could hear calls in the distance and we picked up a large flock of geese, that soon became Greylag Geese and they flew in and landed on the lake.

These geese were then joined by another flock and counting them all together it was just over one hundred geese.  One interesting thing we picked up was the amount of fungi at the base of the dead trees.  It was a long way off, but looked like Chicken of the Woods.

We returned to the canal path and walked north.  It was quiet a lot different to the last time I was here, when there were Chiffchaff, Blackcap,Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warbler singing.

There was a Cetti's Warbler singing partially, and we managed to catch a quick glimpse.  By the first viewing platform there was another tree with a clump of Chicken of the Woods at the base.

A thick, fleshy bracket fungus, bright creamy yellow with bands of orange when young, fading to cream with age. It has succulent, soft and moist crumbly flesh. The upper surface is velvety, and underneath it has very small pores. It has a strong ‘fungusy’ smell.

Chicken of the woods is a vital species, supporting a host of wildlife. There are some specialist beetles which only feed on bracket fungi like chicken of the woods, including the hairy fungus beetle.

Chicken of the woods fungus is edible, although it does not agree with everyone. It has been known to cause dizziness and stomach upset in some people.  It is also thought to cause issues when growing on the very poisonous yew tree. Some sources state this is due to the fungus absorbing toxic alkaloids from the yew, while others report it's more likely due to the fungus not being cleaned properly before consumption.

Walking on we came across an unusual sight, a Great Spotted Woodpecker perched on the overhead cables.

Walking along the lateral path from the canal there was a large flock of feeding warblers.  They would dart around disappearing into the bushes.  We could see Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Long-tailed Tits, while behind us there were calling Whitethroat.

We walked down to the screens where it was a surprise to see a lot of water.  There were Gadwal, Mallard and Teal about all in eclipse plumage.  Common Tern flew around the reed bed and there was an immature Marsh Harrier quartering the reeds distantly.

A Great Egret came out of the reeds and flew across the water.

Strangely extending the neck rather than the relaxed 'S' curve normally seen.

It could have been that the egret had seen another and this was a threat.

There was another egret and they soon engaged around the edge of the reeds.

There was a group of House Martins flying over the open water and there were dark clouds away to the south that threatened rain.  We decided to walk back and when we reached the meadow in the north east corner of the reserve we were surprised to see so many Clouded Yellow butterflies around the plants and flowers.  The estimate was somewhere between twenty three and maybe thirty of these migrant butterflies, a concentration I have never seen before of this lovely yellow butterfly.  They were all distant and continually moving so we were never able to get a photograph.  The best we could do was this view of the meadow.

It wasn't any different walking back down the canal path, very quiet.  Looking from the viewing platform we could see a distant Great Egret on one of the dead trees, and it was then joined by three others, making four in total.

So no Osprey and very little else other than Great Egrets, but a chance to catch up, listen to some tracks and just put the world to right.

27th December - Wicor Mill Lane and Titchfield Haven

On Christmas Eve, the presence of a male Cirl Bunting was confirmed in an area of paddocks just outside Portchester.  It was seen to be favouring an area of bushes around Wicor Pond an area that seems to have been created to support a new housing estate.  The first time I could get there was today.  It had been seen the previous day, but had also been seen flying away high, before a late report in the afternoon.

Cirl Bunting in Hampshire is very rare, the last report was of one in 1985, forty years ago.  They have been moving east over the last few years with breeding in Portland and closer in Durlston.  In fact Ian and I saw a pair back in April at Durlston.

We met just after nine and parked up, Starlings were singing in the tree tops, making the most of the sunshine.

We then walked around to where there was a collection of birders looking over the pond into some bushes.  The bad news though was that it hadn't been seen all morning.  We stuck around looking at Greenfinch and Goldfinches, but no Cirl Bunting.  

We decided to walk around the paddocks where there were House Sparrows and the odd Redwing.  A male Blackcap was seen feeding on crab apples and Linnets were singing in the bushes.

We went back to the pond, but still no sign of the Cirl Bunting.  A Redwing, curtsey of its eye stripe, had us hoping.

But by 11:00am we had decided it was gone.  Reports were coming in of nine White-fronted Geese on the East Meadows at Titchfield so we decided to head there.

We parked on Cliff Road and walked around to the visitor centre.  Out on the beach there were Brent Geese and a good sized Sanderling flock, while out to sea were six Eider.  We checked in and headed down the east side boardwalk.  The best views of the geese were apparently from the Knight's Bank hide and the number had increased from nine to forty two.

With the wind change to easterly and temperatures in Russia of minus 40 degrees there was a significant influx of wild geese along the south and south east coasts.  In Hampshire there were good numbers across the county and with them a few Bean Geese.  It seemed like the geese were now making there way back east.

The Geese were showing well in front of the hide.

There are two races of White-fronted Goose, these are the "Russian" White-fronted Goose, the bill is pink as opposed to that of the "Greenland" which has an orange bill, the Greenlands are also darker and have more bolder darker bars on the belly, with the Russians a little more variable.

There were also a good number of immature birds, these lacking the white at the base of the bill that gives the goose its name.

There was plenty of drinking by almost all the geese.

And plenty of stretching.

The White fronts were in amongst a large flock of Canada, but also a few Greylag, which is a similar looking goose, a little larger and with an orange bill.

There were also of course the Egyptian geese.

Also around the meadow was a Marsh Harrier that seemed to have caught something and was eating it in the grass.

And there was one of the Curlews.

Some more of the White fronts, before we left to walk around to the west side.

From the harbour bridge a drake Gadwall in the sunshine.

Very little from the Meon Shore hide, the north wind keeping everything at the far end of the scrape.  This drake Teal was an exception.

From the Pumfrett hide there were views of the Teal and Wigeon, but nothing close.  This Little Egret standing in the sunshine.

And on the north scrape a Grey Heron, doing much the same.

The Lapwing, as usual were jumpy with large flocks taking off all together before settling back down.

We walked up to the Spurgin hide where a distant Kingfisher raised some hope, while a Marsh Harrier flew up and down over the reed bed.

Another Grey Heron in the reeds.

There was plenty of time to admire the reeds against the dark background.

There were three Marsh Harriers up at one time, this female coming the closer to the hide.

A report of fifty plus White fronts heading east from Warsash had us checking the skies and we saw the group heading over the Posbrook area.  We popped intot he Meon Shore hide, these two drake shoveler on one of the islands.

Walking back to the car we passed the Turnstones, Ian checked through them and found this one Dunlin amongst them.

Disappointment with the Cirl Bunting, but good to get the White fronts and in good numbers and close.

13th November - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

I have said it before so I will say it again, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and thinking you will get a different outcome.  So with a clear blue morning with a lovely autumnal sun and light winds I headed back to Titchfield Haven and made my way to the Spurgin Hide in the hope that just maybe the Penduline Tits would show.  They were seen briefly the day before, albeit at the back of the pong amongst the reedmace.  The view from the hide as I settled in was very different from the last visit on Tuesday.

The only bird in the first hour was a Grey Heron standing on the branches in the water.  The reflections in the water complimenting the scene.

Later it seemed to be throwing a pellet.

The one bit of excitement through the morning was a female Stonechat appearing on one of the dead branches a Penduline Tit had been photographed on the day before.

After three hours I had enough and, insane I moved on.  The Pendulines were not seen all day so my decision was justified, but that doesn't say I won't be back.

Walking around the path the sun was warm and so was the air, bizarre for almost the middle of November.  To emphasise the point a male Common Darter settled on one of the sawn logs.

I decided to check out the Meon Shore Hide, where the Teal were still present in the huge numbers.

A Marsh Harrier cruised above the reeds alongside the river.

A drake Shoveler feeding on the water close to the hide.

Low tide had just finished and the water was starting to creep back up the beach.  It was stunning day.

Along the tide line and across the mud was a good sized flock of Sanderling.  It was a case of kneel down low and let this lovely waders come to you, and they did, completely accepting of me.

The Sanderling flushed by a dog.

Brent Geese were flying up and down the beach as they were also disturbed by the dog walkers.

A Black-headed Gull was with the Sanderling, looking like a  mother hen guarding here chicks, but this gull was looking for a free meal delivered by the Sanderling.

A Little Egret fishing in the surf.

Back to the Sanderlings on the beach.

Leaving the beach I returned to the road and checked out the bay.  A Redshank in the reed reflection.

And a Little Egret was fishing in the shallow water, the white plumage enhanced by the deep blue of the water.

A Grey Mullet just under the surface of the water.

Again the wonderful reflections around the Little Egret.

Taking off to hunt another area.

There were a couple of Common Gulls on the posts, one flew off and headed out to the sea.

A drake Shoveler snoozing in the sunshine.

At the harbour bridge there were three Little Grebes.  Again some lovely reflections of the reeds and blue sky.  

From the bay I walked around to the east side of the reserve and headed to the Meadow Hide.  In front of the hide were two Curlew feeding in the long grass.

About 10 years ago there would be good numbers of Curlew on this meadow, but their numbers dwindled and in the last few years they were not seen here.  Last year one Curlew appeared, this year the number has increased to two, and even a report, not ratified of four in the meadow.

Scanning the meadow, amongst the Canada Geese were Egyptian Geese.  I counted 28, which is the highest number I have seen here at Titchfield.  The numbers of Egyptians is gradually increasing everywhere in the county.

Also amongst the Canada Geese were three Greylags.

The five Glossy Ibis were present in the morning, this afternoon I could only see two at the back of the field.

Another feature of the meadow was the flock of Stock Dove, this was just a small group of a large number of doves in the meadow.

As I left the reserve I thought I would check the beach behind the sailing club.  The tide was still out, but rising.  Once again there were Sanderling feeding amongst the pools along with Turnstone and Ringed Plover.  Again it was a chance to get low with the Sanderling.

Its the time of year when Sanderlings show so well.

A larger pool with some reflection.

So, no Penduline Tits, but some great photo opportunities in some great autumnal light.