Fishlake Meadows

Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti

Friday 17 May

Arriving a Fishlake Meadows, Romsey a few minutes after 8.30 this morning, I spent the next two and a half hours walking alongside the canal in a northerly direction as far as the path leading to the screens before returning by the same route and on under the bridge and up to the main road to take a short look at the main water before returning to the car and journeying home. Beautiful, warm and sunny weather and ideal for  birding with a multitude of birds singing away to brighten up the visit.

Immediately recording Robin, Blackbird, Wren and Chiffchaff, I then stopped to check out the distant trees towards the lake with a couple of Woodpigeon passing over and found a resting male Cuckoo.  A Magpie was flitting around in the trees to the front with the first Garden Warbler to my left.  Then the first of many Cetti's Warblers both calling and seen and ere long a Great Tit and Dunnock.

Male Cuckoo Cuculus canorus

Time to stop at the first viewing point and take a good scan of the area and there, above the trees towards the main water, a Common Swift and Carrion Crow, the latter making its way to its nest.  A quartet of Greylag Geese flew low towards the south and on the rooftop of the house on the opposite side of the canal a House Sparrow.  Whilst looking a the dead trees I found a pair of Egyptian Geese on one of the feeding/nesting platforms in their midst.  Many more small bids sighted as I made my way to the second viewing point including Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat and once at the platform a Cormorant was noticed resting on  tree in the far distance.  Above the trees a Red Kite was quartering the area

By now I was, in addition to the small birds already recorded, finding a number of Reed Warblers, Blackcap and Song Thrush.  Both Wrens and Cetti's Warblers were very vociferous and even a distant Pheasant heard.  Suddenly a Cetti's Warbler landed close in front of me and rested long enough to take a few photographs whilst it sang its little heart out.

The singing Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti

The only new species for the rest of the outward walk were the first Mute Swans, a Mallard duck with her seven ducklings and a lovely male Stonechat.  

Male Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

Then, making my way back to the canal path, a pair of Herons flew over heading to the main water.  Back alongside the canal, more Chiffchaffs and Great Tit along with many Whitethroat and Cetti's Warblers.  A couple of distant Canada Geese were noted and then a male Reed Bunting in the reeds off to my right.  In the far distance, the distant Great White Egret I had seen at the start of the walk was moving north the turned to head back towards the trees and, presumably, a hidden stretch of water.

Departing Great White Egret Egretta alba

As I approached the road bridge I was back in Chaffinch territory and once at the viewpoint overlooking the main water from the road, at least thirteen Mute Swans plus a handful of Greylag and Canada Geese.  A couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls resting in the middle and just behind a pair of Tufted Duck with a couple of Great Crested Grebe to the front.  In addition, another three Mallard were recorded.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus

Making my way back to the car park I stopped just before the underpass to the road bridge to watch a few Great Tit and House Sparrows on the feeders of the garden on the other side of the canal with both a Robin and a pair of Dunnock on the nearby garden fence.  The latter seemed to be a juvenile being fed by an adult.  In front of me another couple of Great Tit along with the first Blue Tit actually seen during my walk.  A lovely time spent at this reserve with a final tally of 37 species.

Dunnock Prunella modularis feeding youngster

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Great White Egret, Heron, Red Kite, Coot, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Cuckoo, Swift, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Red Bunting.

Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti

A vertical take-off by this Robin Erithacus rubecula

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