Titchfield Meon Shore

Turnstone Arenaria interpres

Saturday 25 January

Calm and sunny this morning even if only creeping up to 1C! What with off late this afternoon for an overnight visit to St Malo as part of the pre-maiden voyage of Brittany Ferries new hybrid ferry from Portsmouth (well, somebody has to take part in the free trial!) and the next storm expected tomorrow afternoon and heading straight up the Channel, best to take an early morning visit to the Meon Shore at Titchfield Haven to see if any sea ducks are about. Not a sausage never mind a duck.  On the other hand, resting on the roof of a house on the other side of the road, Starling, Rock Doves and a couple of Woodpigeon.

Approaching the shore a resting Kestrel and a pair of Greylag Geese flew over away from the reserve.  From the cliff top overlooking the Solent no ducks or divers to be seen so back to the car park on the shore and a look at both the waters of Titchfield haven and the Meon harbour.  The lagoon seen from the viewing area produced a couple of Shoveler and Gadwall plus a trio of Little Grebe and a Coot.  Plenty of immature and a few adult Herring Gulls but it needed the scope to look beyond the lagoon and into the reserve proper to find a couple of Canada Geese and Shelduck plus a small number of Lapwing and Teal.  on the far bank below the hide a score of grazing Wigeon, handful of Black-tailed Godwit and a single Snipe.

Moving on to the road bridge for a different angle of the reserve I picked up the trio of Mute Swan below me plus a pair of Magpie.  An Oystercatcher flew over from the beach and into the reserve. In the trees beyond the hide a resting Buzzard at the top of a tall tree. Next a walk through the Visitors Centre back yard to the marina, noting more Starlings and House Sparrows trying to protect their nest boxes plus a pair of Blue Tits.  As I was leaving a pair of calling Brent Geese flew up river.

Sanderling Calidris alba

From the marina sea wall a good view of the roosting Sanderling and Turnstones.  At least a couple of score of both.  In the harbour itself many Mallard and a few more foraging Turnstone plus a score of more Black-headed Gulls.  Stopping for a last look at the Solent before heading back to Warsash a lone Cormorant fishing in mid-water and near the toilet black a trio of Carrion Crows. 

Most of the main Sanderling Calidris alba flock

One last sighting as I headed back through Posbrook towards Titchfield village the local Rooks were foraging o their usual field and it would appear this was first sighting this month so taking my annual species total up to 99.  Just one to go and only a week let in January! And the final sightings cam e just round the corner as I turned onto the Titchfield - Warsash road with a tree holding a dozen Jackdaw and on the opposite side of the road another tree holding a score of Starling.  Amazing what you can see in a minutes over an hour.

Turnstone Arenaria interpres

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Buzzard, Kestrel, Coot, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Sanderling, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow.

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