Titchfield Canal

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

Wednesday 29 October 

Steady light rain forecast from around 9.30 so out and over to Titchfield Canal just before 8 and managed to get in 90 minutes birding and on the way home before the rain arrived. Not many birds but lots of good news - eventually.

Walking down the canal path towards the Barn Owl sighting area (and no seen) a Blackbird and Great Spotted Woodpecker in the tree on my right and a Water Rail on the other side. Also present a number of Woodpigeon and Carrion Crows but looking over to the almost dry Bridge Street Flood a gathering of over 40 Jackdaw, 50 resting Black-headed Gulls and a lone Lapwing.  Beyond them a handful of Rock Doves (Feral Pigeon).

Continuing on down the path to the avenue many Blue and Great Tits plus a quintet of Magpies and a single Jay.  Once alongside the canal in the avenue the first Wren and a number of Robins.  the Posbrook Flood area was completely dry but I did observe a couple of Herons resting in trees on the far side.  Nothing else to record other than a single Chiffchaff and many more tits as I made my way back to the car.

Leaving the scope I the car I decided to take the short walk up the canal path on the other side of the road.  Just part the stables a pair of Moorhen and, almost at the footbridge over the can, no less than five feeding Glossy Ibis in the horse field on my right.  What a wonderful sight and still convinced that two were young of the year.

Could the Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus on the left and right be juveniles?

Back to the road noting a Dunnock in the garden on the opposite side of the canal and crossing the road to walk down to the river bridge I looked up to see the five Glossy Ibis in flight over the stables.  A couple of circles and the birds decided to land on the bare tree to the river side of the stables, so pushing away the resting Carrion Crow.  However, only two of the Glossy Ibis actually landed and the other three disappeared from sight below me.

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus in the tree

Moving on down towards the bridge I noted the female Kestrel on the wires crossing the horse field but nothing other than Jackdaws, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon in the mucky field to the right.  Then, as I returned to the car park, the Kestrel had been replaced by a Grey Wagtail but, although it was present for a time, not quite long enough for me to retrieve the camera from my rucksack - but still a lovely sight.

Female Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Birds seen: 

Glossy Ibis, Heron, Kestrel, Water Rail, Moorhen, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow.

More of the Glossy Ibis showing, I think, the two youngsters

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