Titchfield Canal

Saturday 29 April

Lovely warm start to the day with a little cloud but no wind as I drove over to nearby Titchfield Canal.  No sooner out of the car and, not so much the singing Blackbirds, Robins, Chiffchaffs, Greenfinches and both Blue and Great Tits, but the handful or more Common Swifts up above me.  And before heading of down the canal to the Barn Owl viewing point I had also added both Carrion Crow and Woodpigeons.

Arriving at the viewing point having also added Wren to the daily list, I discovered that the Barn Owls were not to be seen but about three metres away from their nest hold a pair of resting Stock Doves.  On the wires above me a singing Whitethroat.  Off at the bottom of the meadow at the Bridge Street Floods a few Canada Geese were to be seen along with Gadwall and Coot then a pair of Shelduck.

Whitethroat Sylvia communis

Only a few Black-headed Gulls at first but then I noticed the Lesser Black-backed Gull resting on top of a gate in the water and alongside it a Yellow-legged Gull. Continuing on the first of many Cetti's Warblers along with both Wren and Robin and stopping just before the bridge I noticed the first heron of the morning. Lovely to see the recently completed Long-tailed Tits' nest and, come the return walk, fortunate enough to see one of the adults returning to the site.  In the meadow to my left  a departing Magpie and a couple of Mallard.  So on to the Posbrook Floods where I discovered more Canada Geese and a good number of Tufted Duck.  Also on the water a number of Mallard along with a pair of both Teal and Mute Swans.  A few more Coots before continuing on to the end of the hard track.

Tufted Ducks Aythya fuligula 

At the end of this section of the walk a scope of the meadow and water in front of me produced another pair of Mute Swans along with Mallards on the water and both Woodpigeon and a cock Pheasant in the meadow.  Around me a number of both Robins and Blackcaps before making my way back.  Two more Herons were at the water's edge and in the horse field to my left both Jackdaw and Starling.

Male Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Having noted the Long-tailed Tit I stopped to admire the male Kestrel resting on the wire above me and then back to the car, passing once more the resting Stock Doves, for the return drive to Warsash.

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus

Birds seen:

Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Heron, Kestrel, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Common Swift, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Greenfinch.

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

Stock Doves Columba oenas

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