Another Double-birding Visit

 Tuesday 2 May

Up, up and away and arrived on the Meon shore at Titchfield Haven by just after 7 in time to check the beach, the lower Meon River, harbour and just inside the Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve.  Just as well I arrived before the early dog walkers as I was able to see both Sandwich and Common Terns along with a couple of Oystercatchers and a trio of Mute Swans on the shingle bar before they were disturbed by you know what. A couple of Carrion Crows were patrolling the beach and a lone Cormorant flew south low over the water.  

Sandwich Terns Sterna sandvicensis watching the approaching Oystercatcher

A couple of Greylag Geese flew off the water into the reserve and then the near bushes and trees produced Blackbird, Robin, Wren and a Great Tit.  Next up were Chiffchaff and a number of Woodpigeons plus a pair of Magpies.  A Goldfinch landed in the trees and far away to my left near the chalets a lone Jackdaw.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo with Black-headed Gull

Walking past the harbour produced a trio of Turnstone and  handful of Mallard before checking out the feeders in the VC garden.  Here I recorded Blue Tit, Blackbird and a trio of House Sparrows. Then it was time to view the lower river and reserve from both the footbridge and the viewing point.  Hundreds of Black-headed but only a couple of Herring Gulls. A couple of Coot along with Gadwall, Teal, Shelduck, Shoveler and Mallard on the water. Cetti's Warblers were calling and then a Sedge Warbler before I found the distant pair of Avocet and a lone Canada Goose.

Tome to move on and drive back to Warsash to complete my Workmans Lane circuit. Approaching from Hook along Hook Lane to the destination parking point I stopped for a short look at the wood on my right and soon recorded Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Robin and Wren.  As I was about to move away a very loud Song Thrush above me and the passage of a couple of noisy Carrion Crows.  Continuing on to the now nearby Workmans Lane I also observed a Dunnock, Great and Blue Tits plus a handful of Starlings.

More Woodpigeons and many Carrion Crows as I walked down Workmans Lane and then a stop to check over the hedge into the horse field on my left where I found fifteen Canada Geese and a pair of Shelduck. In the meadow behind the hedge to my right the first of seven Magpies for the morning plus a grazing stag Roe Deer. The first Whitethroat put in an appearance and after watching the singing Sky Lark above me I entered the main horse field to walk along the track to the far end.  More Song Thrushes along with a Linnet and to my left the first of a handful of Jackdaw. I could just about make out the local Raven on her nest and the a quartet of Barn Swallows as I made my way back to the lane also noting and extra pair of Canada Geese in the far distance along with a handful of feeding Back-headed Gulls.

Stag Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus

Once back on the lane confirmation that both large owl boxes had been taken over by breeding Stock Doves.  At the back of the meadow a single Herring Gull and finally found the roosting Little Owl in a large tree to the front of Beam Cottage's garden.

Little Owl Athene noctua

Continuing on down to the shore I noted a Collared Dove as I passed the mobile homes and a single Mallard was seen on the pond at the bottom of the lane.  Walking north along the shore the Cetti's Warblers were calling to my right and at Chilling Head I started to pick up more Whitethroats along with  Moorhen in the marshy area and then both Greenfinch and Linnet as I made my way back to Workmans Lane.

Greenfinch Carduelis chloris

Once back in the lane another Greenfinch and the ladies I met earlier to show where to find the Little Owl were still present, albeit the bird had now moved to the left of the tree, no doubt fed up with the mobbing Blackbirds as the Little Owl was quite exposed.  However, they had not been there all the time as they, took, the track at the bottom of the horse field and unlike me manage to come across a mega sight when a Hoopoe landed to feed quite close by before moving away across the field, but not before one of the ladies had managed to get a lovely photograph.  Yet another one I missed! For me it was back to the car and no luck trying to find the Hoopoe at the other end of the field but I did add a couple of Chaffinches.

Little Owl Athene noctua

Birds seen:

Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Mute swan. Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Cormorant, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Little Owl, Sky Lark, Barn Swallow, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet.

The singing Sky Lark Alauda arvensis

Stock Dove Columba oenas now the new owner of the large nestbox

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