Titchfield Haven - 17th Sept

The weather was warm and sunny. Highlights were Marsh Harrier, Arctic Tern, Mediterranean Gull and Bearded Tit.

From the road there were several Redshank with a few Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Dunlin at the river bank. Lots of Geese came flying in. Mostly Canada, but with a few escaped Barnacle and Snow Geese among them. The shingle sea-shore had a small flock of roosting Turnstone and a Lesser Black-backed Gull on a groyne. Several Common Gull and 1 Mediterranean Gull were on posts on the river, while several Common Tern and at least 1 juvenile Arctic Tern were fishing over the sea. The Meon Shore Hide was fairly quiet. A few Gadwall and Teal, 1 Shelduck, 2 Snipe and some Mallard and Moorhen. After a while Lyz found a Marsh Harrier hunting over the back and it was joined by another! We then walked up the east side. The first hide overlooks the river. All the Geese were here. Canadas, a few Snow, one or two Barnacle, a few Gray-lag and 1 escaped Cape Barren Goose! Lyz spotted a Bearded Tit feeding on the exposed mud of the river bank and we got pretty good views of it. There was 1 Little Grebe and a female Tufted Duck on the river. The next hide looks out over fields and was very quiet. Just before we left a female Sparrowhawk whizzed by and put up a Snipe. The last hide overlooks the same fields as the previous one. There was a flock of Lapwings and 1 Wheatear on view. We also saw several Common Darter dragonflies in the sunshine outside the hide.
Simon Curson