Titchfield Canal and Mean Harbour

Friday 16 August 

A late morning visit to Titchfield canal on a bright, warm and sunny day arriving a for an 11 o'clock walk along the canal to the end of the avenue and back.  All very quiet to start with apart from the circling Buzzard with its mate sitting on a dead branch above the Barn Owl's nesting tree and continually calling.  Just a few Woodpigeons to start and not a single corvid seen all morning. Difficult to see Bridge Street Floods but I did pick out a Coot and Mallard.

Buzzard Buteo buteo

Once down into the avenue I soon recorded a Robin and then, looking over to Posbrook Floods a pair of both Mallard and Gadwall along with a total of 5 Grey Heron and 9 Little Egrets. Singing away around me both Blue and Great Tits along with a Nuthatch. At the far end a little walk through the tall grasses at the back of the water produced a single Reed Bunting.

Gadwall Anus strepera

Making my way back I then added a Lapwing moving across the reeds along with a couple of Cormorant.   Finally, with all the Little Egrets and Herons in sight also the long-staying Glossy Ibis. A couple of Wrens along with Chiffchaffs were then noted and once back at Bridge Street Floods an Egyptian Goose was standing at the muddy edge.

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

Next it was a drive down to Titchfield Haven and the Meon estuary.  From the cliff top overlooking Hill Head beach  many Black-headed along with a few Herring Gulls plus a single Little Egret and a dozen Oystercatchers.

Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus with gulls

Walking down to the estuary I picked up a score of Turnstone plus double that number of Mallard.  From the bridge and viewing point, the pool held Cormorants, many Coot plus both Mallard and Gadwall.  Also present both Little and Great Crested Grebes along with a Mute Swan and her four cygnets.  Only a handful of Black-headed Gulls along with a quartet of Common Tern.  Beyond the fence in the reserve proper I could see a good flock of both Canada Geese and Black-tailed Godwits. Then a single Woodpigeon plus over seventy Starling flew across the road towards the harbour above my head.

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

Birds seen:

Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Mallard, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Heron, Buzzard, Coot, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Tern, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Starling, Reed Bunting.

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