Male Pintail Anas acuta |
Wednesday 30 December
An early morning visit to the main Honda dealer in Eastleigh this morning to have a broken mirror glass replaced meant that I could be back nearer home and down at the Titchfield Canal car park by shortly after 9.30. Another calm and cloudy morning butat least some signs of a break even if no sun. Basically, all very quiet and with the trees still to shed their leaves no exposed view of the Barn Owl's nesting site, so not sure whether or not the pair have been successful this year or even used the traditional nesting hole.
Looking over to the now full flooded lake a good number of both Black-headed Gulls and Wigeon along with a few Coot. A Magpie was floating around near me and then both Carrion Crows and Wood Pigeons. Back to the water and using the scope able to find a single Egyptian Goose along with a few Teal and Gadwall. Meanwhile, a Buzzard was feeding on the adjacent grassy bank and, I suspect, looking for worms.
Record shot of the distant Buzzard Buteo buteo |
Further on down the path I was able to take a look at the far lake where I found about 100 Canada Geese along with Wigeon, Mallard, Teal and Shoveler pus a dozen Pintail. On the other hand, it seemed out of place to discover just a quartet of Brent Geese having seen such large flocks yesterday. Near to the water's edge a couple of Black-tailed Godwit and then a small number of Blackbirds feeding around the edge of the path through the trees.
Pintails Anas acuta |
Moving through the trees I recorded a number of Blue and Long-tailed Tits before a couple of Jay flew across in front of me. More Carrion Crows and a small flock of Jackdaw before discovering another pair of Egyptian Geese at the very far end of the big lake.
Very distant Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca |
Making my way back to the car park I did find a Herring Gull amongst all the Black-headed Gulls and there was a resting Kestrel on the wires. Once the scope was back in the car I took a leisurely stroll through the small spinney behind the car park. A Cormorant flew overhead and a Robin was posing at the top of a large bush. More Blue Tits before the "Bird of the Day." At the back of the spinney near the (what is it?) brick building I saw a movement in the shrubbery growing over the fence and raised my bins expecting to find a Dunnock or even a Wren. Much to my surprise I was rewarded with a Chiffchaff, a great way to end my short visit.
Birds seen:
Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pintail, Cormorant. Buzzard, Kestrel, Coot, Black-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow.
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