Titchfield Canal & Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve: a focus on Black-Tailed Godwits. 12.02.

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