Titchfield Canal & Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve: a focus on Black-Tailed Godwits. 12.02.
Updated: Feb 16, 2022
I reached Titchfield Haven by train (Brighton to Fareham) and bus. Last time I visited I took the Solent X5 bus from Farnham Train Station to Stubbington Village and walked from there via Hill Head to the eat of the Haven; this time I took the X5, in the other direction to Titchfield Village, and then walked down Titchfield Canal path to the west of the haven.
Birds seen: Black-Headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Great Black-Backed Gulls, Blackbirds, Long-Tailed Tit, Starlings, Grey Heron, Little Egrets, Mallards, Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Shelducks, Shovelers, Little Grebes, Mute Swans, Coot, Moorhens, Marsh Harriers, Brent Geese, Canada Geese, Curlew, Turnstones, Lapwings, Sanderlings, Avocets, Black-Tailed Godwits, Snipe, Redshanks, Carrion Crows.
Titchfield
Titchfield is a very interesting and attractive village alongside the River Meon, in the western part of Fareham. It was an important medieval market town and port, although it is now three miles inland from the sea. Its prosperity was based on its commercial activities and presence of the abbey nearby. Today the village is a conservation area; the streets have many historic buildings (some dating from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries) Titchfield area information (fareham.gov.uk)
St Peter's Church ... contains substantial remains of the original church that was built in the 7th Century. Altered many times during the Middle Ages, the church now contains work of almost every period. It has an elaborate Norman doorway, a 14th Century chapel and a magnificent north aisle that is one of the finest examples of perpendicular architecture in Hampshire. Titchfield area information (fareham.gov.uk)
It is believed that this is the second oldest canal in England, completed in 1611 (Exeter was the first). It lies close to Titchfield Haven, well-concealed by a bridge with the remains of a sea-lock at the south end. A footpath follows the canal to Titchfield village. It was used for trade purposes and also for flooding the water meadows on each side. The Earl of Southampton ordered the river to be sealed off from the sea by a wall which was an unpopular move with the villagers as it ultimately ended Titchfield's role as a port. Titchfield area information (fareham.gov.uk)
Gulls, ducks and a Little Egret in the top part of the Meon, south of Titchfield Village
Blackbird in the hedgerow aside the canal; the canal runs parallel with the river Meon
A pair of Mallards in the canal
Coots and Wigeon in the Meon
A Little Egret
The canal
Long-Tailed Tit in the hedgerow aside the canal
A pair of Marsh Harriers
Titchfield Haven shore
Shovelers sheltering by the reeds from the biting winds
Brent Geese flying over
Turnstone on the Titchfield Haven Beach
Gadwall in Hill Head Harbour
Brent Geese on Hill Head Beach
Sanderlings on Hill Head Beach
Little Grebe in Hill Head Harbour
Mute Swans in HIl Head Harbour
Cowes from the Meon Shore
Fawley Oil Refinery from the Meon Shore
Titchfield Haven - west hides
From the Meon Sore Hide
Black-Tailed Godwits
Black-Tailed Godwits and Avocets
Avocet and Moorhen
Black-Headed Gulls and Lapwings
Teal, Snipe and a Redshank
Snipe
Black-Tailed Godwit (iclandia subspecies)
with Black-Headed Gulls and Teal
Black-Tailed Godwit and Teal
Redshank and Black-Tailed Godwit (and Teal)
Snipe and Lapwing
close-up
Lapwing and Black-Tailed Godwits
Black-Tailed Godwits
Black-Tailed Godwits and a Blacked-Headed Gull
Grey Heron
Male Shoveler
Lapwings, B-H Gulls, Starlings, B-T Godwits and a Moorhen
A pair of Teal
Lapwing ,a Teak and a Shelduck
Avocet from Spurgin Hide
From Meon Shore Hide (2nd visit)
From the Titchfield Haven Beach - Brent Geese flying
East Side
Canada Geese and Black-Tailed Godwits on "The Meadows"
Gull flying over
Information boards about Black-Tailed Godwits in Knight's Bank Hide
