The closer the working week gets to Saturday the ever watchful eye concentrates on the weather forecast. We all like a beautiful sunny day but on our days' off it becomes even more cherished.
Once again we were in luck. After a mixed week of rain,sun, snow and sleet. The rain took a day off and sun was back in it's place. It was cold but we came dressed for the occasion.
I had agreed to meet Chris at the opposite end of the canal path from Titchfield Haven. Our plan was to walk here first in search of a roosting Barn Owl, some elusive Water Pipits and anything else that should care to cross our paths.
The light was excellent as the sun ascended the sky but in the shade of the trees many birds were busy feeding and making the most of the day already. Time and good weather are precious when trying to survive.
Blue Tits, Great Tits, Goldfinch and even the now rarer Greenfinch were to be seen in the canopy above us. A couple of Goldcrest were here too, making life as difficult as ever to photograph.
We heard the sound of the Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming high in the Oaks and the alarm calls of the others as they did so.
Opposite the canal path is the broad shallow valley that leads down to The Haven nature reserve a mile away. The River Meon traverses this way to it's extinction into The Solent and it's course is bordered by many pools and flooded fields.
Black Tailed Godwits are one of many waders and wildfowl that take advantage of this. This flock was very skitish and flew around frequently before finally settling for a while then off again towards the main reserve itself in the South.
The Canada Geese are always a common sight in amongst the Teal, Wigeon and Pintail ducks in Winter here.
As the sun rose further it provided a wonderful contrast between the golden leafless Oaks and the still frosty grassland.
We left the main path for a moment to view if Posbrook floods had much to offer. A rare overwintering Chiffchaff gave us the run around. By the time Spring and Summer have arrived there will be so many here it will be such a common sight we wouldn't normally give it a second glance but one in winter is a rarity. This is the best shot I could muster, pitiful!
Back on the main path, the reflections in the canal were breathtaking in the low sun.
Being a quiet area bordered also by farmland the Roe Deer stay fairly calm and unperturbed.
Looking back across into the valley Chris spotted a distant Marsh Harrier hunting just above the reeds. Once an unusual sight here, it would be considered very unlucky if you were not to see one these days. Surely just a matter of time until they breed here too?
I'm a sucker for sunlight on reeds, my lens always gravitates towards them. The sound of the wind through them also demands my attention.
Having decided to double back to the car park and head for the shore, a Wren popped up for a quick hello while an ever elusive Cettis Warbler remained firmly out of sight bar a quick 'catch me if you can' opportunity. I'm sure I saw it poke it's tongue out at us.
No Barn Owl or Water Pipit either this time so we headed to the Haven and parked at the harbour wall.
This photo looks exactly what it seems, cold and breezy as you look across to Fawley power station where I was walking before Christmas and into the New Year. Just too far to see if the Peregrine was sitting on the roof.
The tide was almost in but what shore was exposed was being utilised by a favourite wader of ours. The Sanderling. I photographed these at roost here on the 2nd of January but the sun was out and these enigmatic little birds just refuse to be ignored. Like wind up toys they never seem to stop running back and forth with the motion of the waves
We only stopped taking pictures because of disturbance by dog walkers. Probably a good thing this time I noted to Chris, we could have been there a lot longer!
We carried on heading West, up along the path which leaves the shore and takes you up along Brownwich Cliffs. Some great views are afforded across the Solent from here but our attention was to be inland and across the arable fields. A rare Little Gull has been seen here for a couple of weeks now and no sooner had we started looking, I found it in amongst the other gulls.
Now to some people, gulls are all the same and easily overlooked and all called 'Seagulls' Which for one is a little misguiding. Many associate themselves with the sea but many more are to be seen inland and take advantage of human nature wherever possible and in varying habitats so it is a bit of a misnomer. They have adapted themselves to the change in food sources especially around refuse tips and farmland. They have also gained notoriety at seaside resorts for their cunning in finding a meal and also gained hugely exaggerated headlines for their undoubted intelligence. I think they should be admired not denigrated. The blame largely falls at our own feet.
I am guilty of overlooking gulls when out walking but this being the smallest of gulls and a rarity here gave it some weight and although in Winter plumage I find it a lovely bird. It's Summer plumage will see it with a black head similar to a Black Headed Gull or Mediterranean Gull that frequent these shores. You won't find them here then though. They don't breed in this country and are usually seen down here in Autumn and Winter in single numbers.
Happy with our sighting and photos we headed back to the harbour. The Snow Bunting I have pictured here many times before was still around and Chris wanted to find it again.
Normally all you have to do to find this camouflaged little creature is to look for birders pointing their telescopes to the floor. And sure enough that is how we found it this time.
I was determined I had taken enough photos of it but the light was so good and you always take the opportunity given and search for that perfect shot....so never to look a gift horse etc etc...
The tide was now in and the spit at the end of the harbour is always a great chance to see some roosting waders.
The wooden groynes act as great barriers to hide behind so as not to disturb the settled birds. So in a covert operation Chris and I managed some very pleasing shots!
A Black Headed Gull in Winter plumage to start and then the Turnstones who favour sitting on top of the groynes
Some can be very flighty if you are not careful. This Ringed Plover shot isn't the best but I like the colours giving it a bit of an abstract feel.
Peering over the ridge, as suspected, were the Sanderling we had seen feeding on the shore earlier
More Ringed Plover and on the left are a couple of Dunlin too
The wooden groynes gave wonderful shelter from the wind and a great sun trap and perfect covered viewing for us.
Occasionally the birds would get spooked but always return to the same shore. We carried on shooting from behind the groyne, sitting and lying on the stony shore.
The Turnstones did their best impression of 'See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil!'
This lone Dunlin couldn't care less...
As the Sanderling settled to roost, we extricated ourselves from the horizontal position with much groaning as we did so.
Walking back along the beach, the Bunting looked at us again and said,'You know you want to!' Oh alright then! You never know when you would see one again.
We were back in the prostrate position on the stones and hoping we weren't laying in something undesirable.
It was worth it as it popped it's head up I got a great shot in between the split plank on the groyne. I was playing 'Peek-a-boo' with a Snow Bunting, laying on the beach, in winter, in my thermals with my friend next me!
Many shots later we decided enough was enough, hoisted ourselves once more to more groans and creaks and decided on the next move.
Testwood Lakes to the West had reports of a Bittern and a rare duck, the Scaup. Chris suggested this and I was happy to go there. I hadn't seen a Bittern in quite a while.
We parked next to the reserves main building and walked towards the hides that bordered the lakes.
The boardwalks are a haunt of the Wren and a couple flitted around scolding us for disturbing them.
There are two hides here, fairly close together. The views across the lakes showed a few wildfowl but this is a strange place, always flattering to deceive. It should be buzzing with life but it remains quieter than it should be. There were 3 Pochard here which are now red listed being of major concern in the drop of numbers.
A large group of Shoveler ducks were rotating clockwise together like some bizarre feeding ritual. This continued for minutes, then they eventually broke by mutual consent. Very odd behaviour but it must have provided something to enhance their feeding routine.
Comorants sat drying their wings on the tern rafts and even a passing Grey Heron gave cause for excitement.
Other than that, little was about. Even a normally regular Kingfisher failed to show and if the Bittern was around it was doing what they do best and look inconspicuous.
I was getting itchy feet which Chris could sense. I was convinced there wouldn't be much point in staying.
As it turned out, 2 hours later the Bittern did put in an appearance, but would we have managed all that time there? Probably not but hindsight is always good.
I fancied walking on so we agreed on Lower Test where I was last week.
With the tide fully in, most birds were roosting. Having popped into the container hide where last week on low tide I saw Kingfisher and Green Sandpiper, there was nothing around so we opted for a circular walk. The bridge overlooking the marshes gives a great view. Over my shoulder is the main road and over that is the container terminal at the apex of Southampton Water.
The railway line hugs the eastern side of the reserve and as we walked this part our first raptor glided into view...a Buzzard
We crossed the railway line at the unmanned crossing where you have be ultra cautious. The trains sneak up unheard on the bend. It's easy to see how people get caught out here.
On the opposite side the view across the reedbeds into the setting sun was quite sublime. It's that reedbed thing again!
We stayed here a while and squelched around the boggy ground by the River Test disturbing Snipe as we did so. One time Chris called out 'Jack Snipe!' as it flew up from our feet. This is the smaller and rarer cousin of the Common Snipe. One I have failed to get more that just a fleeting glimpse of. Today was no different as it shot up into it's zig-zagging flight so fast, it could out manoeuvre a Star Wars Tie Fighter.
Into the middle of the reserve along the boardwalk gave good views of the cranes unloading a recently arrived container ship in the port.
We were now almost full circle. The female Goosander I saw last week in the gloom was still here roosting on the river bank and the other was just a few yards further on doing the same.
The morning part of our walk was breathtaking in it's moments of timing and beauty. The afternoon less so but as I remarked to Chris, given the opportunity, I'd rather be outside having at least the chance to see something, especially when at work wishing I could be there.
The title of this post is a line taken from the poem 'Peek-a-Boo' by Prasad Natarajan
