Warsash - Workmans Lane

Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Thursday 13 April

With clear blue skies and a shining sun I decided to put back my visit to Fareham until late morning and instead take a walk down Workmans Lane to the coast, along same to Chilling Head then back up the gravelled path to Workmans Lane for an anti-clockwise walk around the horse fields to Hook Lane and back to the car.  Almost three miles in lovely weather and home well before the first of the afternoon showers.

Parking at the top of Workmans Lane I immediately recorded Blackbird, Robin, Chiffchaff, Great and Blue Tits. Then, as I walked down the lane I quickly added both Magpie and Carrion Crow.  A Kestrel was resting near the top of a nearby tree and on the lane in front of me a pair of Woodpigeon.  At the end of the roadway the bungalow's feeder held both Great and Long-tailed Tits with Blue Tits on the feeder of the house next door.  After adding the first Dunnock I continued on down the path to the shore, passing the small pond on the left which held a solitary Moorhen, where I fund the tide fully out.

Time to check the muddy and shingle beach but very little bird life with just  trio of Brent Geese, half a dozen Oystercatchers and a few Black-headed and Herring Gulls.  However, no sooner had I started to walk northwards to Chilling Head when meeting a fellow birder I was informed that a Whimbrel had landed on the shingle island just off the shore and now exposed by the low tide.  First of the year.  A Barn Swallow passed overhead and inland as on to Chilling Head to take the path inland where I picked up  Pied Wagtail.  Walking up the path I had singing Sky Larks above me and then a stop just before the large  Little Owl nest box to watch, not so much the Robins, but the Common Redstart that was using the fence and posts as an observation point in its feeding activity.

Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Then it was off to take the anti-clockwise walk around the horse field and, my word, the track and fields were wet and, indeed, very muddy in many places. I had already recorded both Song Thrush and Wren in the nearby trees and undergrowth and now I was looking at a pair of Canada Geese and at least twenty Carrion Crows feeding on the wet grass.  Rounding the top of the field to head off towards Hook Lane I was able to find another four Canada Geese and a quartet of Tufted Duck on the hidden pond at the very back of the field.  To the left the parent Egyptian Geese were resting with five well-grown youngsters (I believe there had originally been seven goslings).

Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca

Looking up a Buzzard was circling above us and then a Raven appeared to head our way before turning to land on top of a distant pylon which held its nest for the year.  The nearby horse had attracted a small number of Starling and two Jackdaw.

Buzzard Buteo buteo

So, onto the lane for the final walk back to the car with more Robins and Wrens and a yaffling Green Woodpecker for company.  Indeed, more Chiffchaff, Robin and both Blue and Great Tits as I neared the car and with a final tally of 32 species for the morning.

Birds seen:

Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Whimbrel, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Sky lark, Barn Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Redstart, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling.

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