#woolston

03/01/2022-Blog 1 of 2: Riverside Park and Woolston 

There has been a Black Redstart at a building site around Woolston sewage works lately which we decided to go and try to see today, we didn’t see it. We called into nearby Riverside Park on the way a walk there a key part of our week off in January last year. Soon upon arrival here it was great to spot the charming Black Swans that are frequent sights here. We got some lovely intimate sights of five of these birds, seeing their delicious looking plumage and hearing their exotic call seeing some at a jetty area where there is always a feeding frenzy with Mute Swans, Black-headed Gulls and Feral Pigeons. It was interesting seeing both species of swans having pecks at each other, including the Black Swan having a go at the larger mute. I always enjoy seeing these birds here and it was a fun time today. I took the third picture in this photoset of a Black Swan, fifth and sixth of them with Mute Swan in shot too, ninth of a Black Swan and fourth of a Mute Swan. 

On a small walk along the River Itchen here which looked full and feisty with wind creating some interesting little waves I took the first, second, seventh and eighth pictures in this photoset of views here, we saw a decent few more species and got the bonus of seeing a Fox on grass the other side of the river and skulking into foliage. A smashing moment with this adorable mammal, a third species for my mammal year list so far and one of my favourites. Considering I only saw my first of 2021 less than a month ago at Pennington in December it felt really good seeing this one a memorable moment today. It was nice to see some mistletoe in trees here, some nice orange in trees mixing well with bits of reedbed in scenery and some pretty clouds. I have noticed a lot of empty bird nests in trees lately after I saw someone mention them on social media which has been nice. 

It was the nice gentleman we spoke to on Saturday at the Titchfield Canal path who we’d seen out before who first told us about the Black Redstart, we may well try again for it but it was nice to be at this spot and realise how close it is to a walk we do at Weston Shore. It was nice to see some sow-thistle I believe, horseweed, dock and in flower ragwort around here. I haven’t done a wildlife sightings summary for the Woolston part of our bank holiday Monday as I don’t recall seeing too many birds other than some gulls, Herring which it was nice to hear the evocative seaside call of too and possible Great Black-backed Gull. It was nice to see into the sea and see an unexpected reedbed here too. I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of a view from here. With the set up of the day with doing two posts as I had a lot to describe and the amount of pictures I took at each location, its the rare occasion that every photo I took at Riverside Park and Woolston is in this photoset. I did take a couple before leaving in the back garden of some bits of buds and the yellow flowers in a hanging basket that are still going very strong in the back garden which I tweeted on Dans_Pictures tonight.

Wildlife Sightings Summary for Riverside Park: My first Fox of the year, Black Swan, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Little Grebes and Cormorants sat on a structure two birds I’ve started the year well for, Mallard, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Starling heard and seen well and two nice Pied Wagtails well.

2nd January 2023: Blog 1 of 2-Woolston, Weston Shore, Titchfield Canal and home

We had a packed day today visiting a few places to look for birds, and saw lots more for the first time this year and some crackers. Firstly it was something we did on the bank holiday day at the start of last year too funnily enough, have a look at a building site at Woolston to unsuccessfully look for a Black Redstart that has been there. It was nice to see Starling, Feral Pigeon and a few Pied Wagtails here. I also enjoyed seeing pretty groundsel which the second picture in this photoset shows, spurge and some possible shepherd’s purse or mustard in the way of plants as well as some lovely leaves.

It was then onto nearby Weston Shore to see if we could see a Great Northern Diver there and we managed to, this shiny bird seen out to sea a jewel in the crown of my young year. We ticked Lesser Black-backed Gull here as well and saw a Common Gull on the sea. Also here it was entertaining to see a group of Mute Swans young and old at the car park enjoying the puddles I took the third picture in this photoset of three of the younger ones with grey feathers still, and the usual mob of Carrion Crows one shown in the fourth picture I took today in this photoset and Feral Pigeons were good to see with a feel good moment seeing hoards of pigeons on a feeding tray on someone’s car as well. Here we also saw; some of one of my favourite birds the Brent Goose and another the Little Egret, Cormorant, Oystercatchers nicely, a lovely bright Curlew and Black-headed Gulls. Some in flower gorse was good to see here too and I liked taking in beautiful coastal scenery with the welcome sun today painting the sea golden. I took the fifth picture in this photoset of a view here today. 

The next location was the Titchfield Canal to try and see the Barn Owls and for a seventh year running we saw one and also part of another next to it in the split tree. This is an amazing and stunning bird to see and a key moment of my year what a pleasure to see this favourite bird of mine so soon into the year again. I took the seventh picture in this photoset of them. There were three more year ticks here, a neat Gadwall on the water, excellent views of a charming Kestrel so close by on wires and structures shining in strong light and exhilarating views of it flying I took the ninth picture in this photoset of it and an unexpected pair of Egyptian Geese in flight from by the car park. In a raptor fest here we saw a Buzzard well in a tree including picking up a stick. Other birds seen here were another Common Gull on the water what a start to the year I’ve had for them for a third year running; as well as Black-headed Gull, Wigeon, Canada Goose, Mallard, Coot, Cormorant seen really well again, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit and Great Tit with Robin heard.

Cleavers or possible hedge bedstraw leaves and teasel seed heads shining in the sunlight as well as nettle leaves were nice plant sightings here. The sun was powerfully out whilst here which created fantastic winter sunlight partnered well by soft clouds that I enjoyed seeing well across the locations today. There were beautiful views of the green and blue landscape with a fair bit of water around. I took the sixth, eighth and tenth with the sun at the back of trees pictures in this photoset of views here. We got talking to some lovely people here as we did at Woolston.

At home today I enjoyed a sunny morning with silver moisture on trees outside, grass in a plant pot on the balcony lit stunningly, distant mistletoe the first picture I took today in this photoset shows this, flowers, a lovely spider in the hallway, Woodpigeon kissed by the sun on the roof visible from my room and House Sparrow in the buddleia bush out the front looking good. On the way to Woolston I ticked Mute Swan seen from Cobden Bridge at Riverside Park with Black Swans seen too and on my old school and college field by home we saw our first Rook of the year I saw a few well later in the day from the car too. I enjoyed seeing a lovely moon at home tonight too.