Monday 1 April 2013

Itchen Navigation to Twyford

Easter Monday 1st April 2013

Today's walk was from Hockley near Winchester under the M3 and along the Itchen Navigation to Twyford.  The bridge under the M3 is where swallows nest but there is still no sign of them, mind you I don't blame them for staying somewhere warm, it was freezing out again today and the wind was evil.  There were a fair few people out and about this morning so we didn't see much wildlife but we did see a heron, a number of moorhens, a buzzard, and a kingfisher along with an unidentified little greenish bird along the waters edge.



We walked across a couple of fields to the River Itchen and on to Twyford Church where there was a brilliant display of primroses on a bank in the churchyard.

River Itchen



Walking back across the fields we passed this small stream and it made me feel even colder just looking at it.   I'm sure in the summer it looks very fresh and inviting - but not today!



Shortly after this we saw a kingfisher fly along the Itchen Navigation and land on a tree branch.  Unfortunately it had it's back to us so we only have a photo of it from behind.  It sat for a little while on the branch then flew down into the river and back up onto another branch - still with it's back to us - whether it caught a fish we don't know but it didn't appeat to have one in it's beak.  It was lovely to see such a bright blue bird on such a dull cold day.

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