Titchfield Haven

Male Teal Anas crecca

Wednesday 4 November

It seemed very cold this morning when I left Warsash at 8 'clock to visit the Meon shore at Titchfield Haven.  Once out of the car a trio of Great Crested Grebes out on the Solent along with a couple of Black-headed Gulls.  Makin my way past the harbour with the tide on the turn an just beginning to recede, a handful of Mallards and trio of Coot on the small exposed gravel then straight to the observation area overlooking the lower Meon river and the small island.  A dozen Lapwing on the island along with six Cormorants on the surrounding posts plus more Black-headed Gulls.  Resting near the island a few Mallard with over a score of Shoveler sheltering under the reeds on the far bank.  Out of the open water a number of Gadwall and then the arrival of the resident Mute Swan family.

Use of the scope found the lone Snipe feeding at the edge of the reeds behind the island along with three Little Egrets.  A Moorhen put in an appearance on the island and then the pleasure of watching the departing Kingfisher along the back of the water.

A walk along the harbour wall to check the far side produced over twenty resting Turnstones along with ten Ringed Plover on the opposite side of the estuary but just the one Oystercatcher.  Two Herring Gulls seen then the arrival of a pair of Mute Swans that landed just off shore beyond the harbour entrance.

Resting Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus (top) and Teal Anas crecca (water's edge)

Time to check-in at the office to visit the Titchfield Haven Reserve and a Little Grebe fishing in the water in front of the building.  As I approached the reserve entrance the receding tide was beginning to expose the shore and a few Oystercatchers had arrived.

Once in the Meon Hide overlooking the Scrapes, other than well over 100 Teal and at least fifty Lapwing not a lot to be seen.  Just the one Canada Goose of an island and the edge of that island a number of Black-tailed Godwits and a few Redshank.  Most of the Oystercatcher flock were tightly packed here too.  At the back of the scrape I saw the arrival of another thirty Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of Carrion Crows made their departure.  No sooner gone and they were replaced by the arriving dozen Starlings.

Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa

Parking time just about completed and as I made my way back to the car a Cetti's Warbler added to the species list.  Once back at the car in front of the exit and up against the sea wall, I took the opportunity to once more check the beach and the water's edge.  Now many more Oystercatchers and a few Herring Gulls to be seen and at the top of the beach a pair of Pied along with a single Grey Wagtail plus a Meadow Pipit.  Six Brent Geese flew over heading south but a little further away to the north, I finally found the quartet of Sanderling that had flown over as I reached the car.  Not quite finished birding as approaching Titchfield village on the way home at least thirty Rooks in the field on my right and, as expected, a number of Jackdaws on the roof tops in the village itself, so giving a final tally of 35 species for the short stay.

Birds seen:

Canada Goose, Brent Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal,  Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Sanderling, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Cetti's Warbler, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling

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