25/6/17

There was a report of 2 Red Kites flying over the SF this afternoon. This is a rare patch bird, and one i need for my year list. But one I need to get, though it breeds in the farmland to the east of the SF, it is a rare bird close to Winchester.

19/6/13

Winnal Moor held about two singing Reed Warblers and 1 Sedge warbler also singing. One Cettis Warbler was heard. One male and female Reed Bunting were seen. A Garden Warbler and a Blackcap were all sighted. The best bird was a male House Sparrow, despite being relatively common throughout the city, this is the first sighting of a House Sparrow for Winnal Moor. A Song Thrush was also heard singing.

18/6/13

St.Catherines Hill had a fly over Herring Gull as well as 5 fly over Black Headed Gulls. Four Yellowhammers were singing from scrubs on the south side. Three Green Woodpeckers (a juvenile and a pair) were flushed from the top of the hill. A Greenfinch was singing in the valley, which is a surprisingly scarce bird for the hill.

The Sewage Farm had the pair of Shelducks still and this time I saw the one baby. About 30 Lapwings were present. The Heron was still there from yesterday. But there was no sign of the Green Sandpiper. The lone Canada Goose was also there. It has now been there for about a month. Two Black Headed Gulls were on the SF ( an adult and an juvenile).  There was good numbers of Gadwall present (c.15) and the first few males starting to go into eclipse plumage.

17/6/13

St. Catherines hill had 2 Bullfinches ( a pair), which were flushed on the north side. This is an unusual summer visitor to the hill. About 30 Starlings were feeding on scrubs in the south side of the hill. A Stock Dove was flushed from the valley. And 3 Lesser Whitethroats were singing on the dongas on the south east side of the hill. Several Common Whitethroats were also singing. Two Buzzards were circling the hill also.

The Sewage farm held a Green Sandpiper which seems to have been present a week now. A flock of about 30 Lapwings were roosting on the bank of the SF. A Heron was standing on the edge also. Two Shelduck were also roosting on the SF, though I could not see the chick any more, so sadly it might have died. There has also been a report of a  Little Ringed Plover on the SF on and off this week along with several reports of a Cuckoo.

The patch

My patch consists of many different habitats.
Here is a list of some of the habitats and regular birds I see there.

Winnal moor - A semi large area of reeedbed, Cettis warbler are found there throughout the year. A small wintering population can also be seen. Siskins are sporadic winter visitors to the alders close by. Reed and sedge warblers are common birds here in the summer. Blackcap, whitethroat, chiffchaf and willow warblers are also found here.

Crab wood - A pristine well kept ancient woodland.  Marsh tits are common here. Treecreepers and Great spotted woodpecker are common birds here also. Lesser spotted woodpeckers were once breeders but are no longer found here.

St.Catherines hill - Chalk downland. Yellowhammers breed in summer. Lesser whitehroat are occasional visors to what is known as the dongas on the hill.Willow warbler breeds here.It gets exciting in Autumn when many Autumn migs can be found in scrubs. Common Redstart, Winchat, Wheatear, Spotted flycatcher, ( also a spring mig), and some other scarcer birds.

Winchester Sewage farm - The place where I get the largest number of bird species and it produces the rarest. It is a closed reservoir which I view from the side. There is often mud around the edges. Teal, Shoveler and Snipe are common winter visitors. Lapwing are found throughout the year but large flocks ( c. 500) form in winter. Passage is good for waders getting Little ringed plover, Green and Common Sandpipers. Rarer passage waders include Black tailed Godwhit and Greenshank. A large gull flock can be found in winter containing Common, Hering, Lesser Black Backed, Black headed and sometimes Great black backed gull. This attracts a normally yearly Iceland gull. Goosander is a scarce visitor here in winter months. A Barn Owl can be seen hunting in the meadows above the SF in late winter evenings. Spring can get passage Sand Martin as well as Lesser Whitethroat. House Martins and Swallows are common throughout the summer. Whitethroats breed on the fence by the SF.  Shelduck are rare breeders.

Farmland - Meadow pipits breed here, along with Skylarks. Red-legged Partridges are found here also. Woodcocks winter in dense but small woodland by Farmland.

East part of patch -  Firecrest breed here, as well as not confirmed Spotted flycatcher.

Water Meadows - Little egrets winter here, Kingfishers breed here and Grey Wagtails also.