Fishlake Meadows, Romsey

Friday 21 March 

Picked up just after 8.30 by Richard Osman and off to Fishlake Meadows, Romsey on a cool but calm morning with slightly overcast cloud and hazy sunshine.  Arriving at 9.20 in time to hear and find a number of Chiffchaff plus Robin, Goldcrest, Blue and Great Tits along with  Starling, Carrion Crows, Magpies and Woodpigeons. Ere long we added both Long-tailed Tit and Cetti's Warblers.  A Wren was seen then a distant Cormorant flying over the site.

Moving on down the canal a couple of Carrion Crows passed over along with the sighting of many Woodpigeons. A couple of Dunnocks and a Blackbird on the other side of the water and then the turn towards the back path, where we recorded a pair of Stonechats in courtship display, leading to the left turn to the viewing screens. On the small pool to the left after passing through the gate a pair of Mute Swans accompanied by a pair of Greylag Geese, a couple of Teal and a pair of Shoveler.  A Coot was foraging on the far side of the water. As e moved on down the narrow path a pair of Jays flew across from the woods to our right.

Greylag Geese Anser anser

Arriving at the the viewing screens the first produced a Moorhen and then the larger water a number of Greylag Geese plus a couple of Shelduck, six Pintail, eight Gadwall and a trio of Shoveler.  A Little Egret was hiding in the reeds in front of us and a single Great White Egret flew across the water from left to right in front of us.

Shoveler Anas clypeata (left) and Shelduck Tadorna tadorna

The return walk produced another Moorhen plus many of the smaller birds seen on the way out plus a trio of very high Buzzards.  However, half-way back along the canal path we found two resting Buzzards in nearby trees. Continuing on past the car park and under the road bridge to access the main road, we stopped at the two viewing points to check the birdlife on the main pool.  Gulls included a single Black-headed, eight Lesser Black-backed and a couple of Common Gulls.  Out on the water a good number of Tufted Duck along with a couple of Coots and a pair of Canada Geese.  Two Great Crested Grebes also recorded at the back of the pool along with more Greylag Geese and a dozen resting Cormorants.  Meanwhile, we had a handful of Long-tailed and a couple of Blue Tits foraging in the hedges and trees in front of us.

Female Mallard Anas platyrhynchos with 2 of her 6 ducklings

Back to the car park and having been informed that a pair of Peregrine Falcons had retuned to last year's nesting site atop the tower of Romsey Abbey we made the four minute journey to check out the site.  Fortunately, we were able to have a distant view of the male Peregrine resting atop the ladder leading to the tower roof before it made its departure.  Meanwhile, a half-dozen Jackdaws on the grass below and a couple of Blue Tits in the hedge next to us.  What a way to end the morning an even a pub within a couple of hundred yards to help both refresh and reward ourselves!

Distant record shot of the Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus atop the ladder

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pintail, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Bittern, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting.

Shovelers Anas clypeata but note the Pintail Anas acuta in the background

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