Romsey and Fishlake Meadows

Friday 2 February

Dry and cloudy to start the day with a light breeze but not as cold as expected.  Off to Fishlake Meadows, Romsey for the morning but first a slight detour to visit the nearby allotments to view the long-staying pair of Waxwing. And judging by the amount of berries still available they may well remain on site for another few days.  Also present a Goldfinch on a neighbouring small tree plus more distant Woodpigeon, Magpie and  few Starling.  A handful of Robins, Blackbird and even a visiting Black-headed Gull were recorded before my departure to the nature reserve at Fishlake Meadows.

Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus

Hardly out of the car park, and wearing Wellington boots in readiness for the far footpath which is (and was!) bound to be a good few inches under water from the overflowing lakes, and I had already recorded Magpie, Woodpigeon, Great Tit and numerous Robins.  Walking the canal side path towards the distant wood I also noted both Blue and Long-tailed Tits.  A high Buzzard was seen in the distance and then a second resting atop an electricity pylon - and remained there for the whole morning.  Looking over the reeds to the lakes I picked out both Mute Swan and Cormorant and then a Great White Egret flew to the water managing to excrete its waste whilst coming in to land.  Not sure we humans could accomplish that fate!  Finally, a pair of both Canada Geese and Mallards also made their way to water across the reedbed.

Buzzard Buteo buteo

Making way across the back of the reserve to the footpath leading to the viewing site I noted both Heron and Carrion Crow and as I waked the flooded path towards the hide screens first a female Marsh Harrier above me to my left and followed on the return walk by seeing the male. On the first pool a pair of Mute Swans and Coot and once at the larger screen on the left I counted two  more adult and two cygnet Mute Swans.  

Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus

Making my way back to the car park by the same route I first encountered a lone Pied Wagtail whilst at least two Cetti's Warblers were giving the hearing a great test.  A single Chiffchaff by the gate and then, looking up, first an over-flying Kestrel quickly followed by a quartering Red Kite.

Red Kite Milvus milvus

Back at the car out of the "wellies" and back into trainers before collecting the scope and heading off along the canal and under the road bridge to access the main road and the two viewing points.  At last plenty of birds to be seen.  A dozen resting Cormorants and over two hundred Black-headed Gulls on the water.  Also present were a pair of Common, a single Lesser Black-backed and a quartet of Herring Gulls.  In addition to another Mute Swan, ducks were represented by a handful of Gadwall, a score of Wigeon, a few Mallard, probably a score of Teal and Pochard but nearer thirty Tufted Ducks and Shoveler.  But just the one Great Crested Grebe.

Male Siskin Carduelis spinus

As I walked back to the car through the tees, first Blackbird and Great Tit followed a feeding flock of ten Long-tailed Tits and a half-dozen feeding Siskins in the branches above me.  The last bird to be recorded was a Dunnock feeding on the path in front pf me followed by a second in a bush next to the exit gate.

Dunnock Prunella modularis

But how could I not resist returning home via the allotments to take a final look at the Waxwing as they are bound to have departed by the time I get back from Somerset next week-end and then, almost immediately, it s off o Spain to stay with youngest son and, hopefully, a little birding in Valencia.

The Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus pair

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Great White Egret, Heron, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail, Waxwing, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, Goldfinch, Siskin.

Robin  Erithacus rubecula

The beautiful Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus

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