Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve is located to the north of Romsey and is managed on behalf of Test Valley Borough Council by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. The site covers over 60 hectares and is a mix of open water and standing water, reed bed and swamp, and flood plain marsh which is criss-crossed by rivers and ditches.
The habitats of Fishlake Meadows established themselves after farming of the land ceased over the last two decades. Unusually, the reserve now boasts a mix of floodplain habitats rarely seen in chalk river valleys. The wetlands are home to good numbers of wildfowl and the reedbeds are great for warblers, such as Blackcap, Grasshopper Warbler , Cetti’s Warbler and Sedge Warbler. Recent rarities at the site have included Glossy Ibis, whilst Great White Egret and Garganey are fairly regular.
A list of birds for Fishlake Meadows, provided by David Thelwell and Andy Lester in June 2015 and updated November 2015 can be found here.
A few external links about Fishlake Meadows:
- Fishlake Meadows on birdingplaces.eu
- Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
- Test Valley Borough Council
BlackbirdB
 |
Ubiquitous, but predominantly near the Barge Canal and wooded areas |
| Blog entries: 13 November 2021 |
BlackcapB
 |
Mostly near the Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 2 December 2021 2 June 2024 |
Blue TitB
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Mostly near the Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 14 November 2022 31 May 2024 |
BullfinchB
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Mostly near the Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 16 July 2022 |
BuzzardB
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In flight over most of the reserve, sometimes resting in trees near Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 13 March 2024 14 March 2024 |
Carrion CrowB
 |
Ubiquitous |
| Blog entries: 7 April 2023 |
Cetti’s WarblerB
 |
Mostly heard but not often seen in various parts of the reed beds, including the Barge Canal, the top road and the central screens |
| Blog entries: 12 July 2021 11 July 2022 13 January 2024 |
ChiffchaffB
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Mostly along the Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 14 June 2021 1 July 2022 18 October 2023 |
CootB
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Reed beds / canal near central path |
| Blog entries: 15 May 2024 |
CormorantB
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Often seen resting on top of dead trees bordering the main lake |
| Blog entries: 7 July 2022 |
CuckooB
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Mostly on dead trees near main lake |
| Blog entries: 3 August 2023 |
DunnockB
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Wooded areas, e.g. Barge Canal and top path |
| Blog entries: 19 July 2022 |
GadwallB
 |
Main lake |
| Blog entries: 24 March 2020 4 February 2022 5 February 2023 |
Garden WarblerB
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Wooded areas near Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 21 December 2021 |
GoosanderB
 |
Main lake |
| Blog entries: 13 April 2024 |
Great Spotted WoodpeckerB
 |
Trees along Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 21 August 2022 |
Great Tit
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Mostly wooded area near Barge Canal |
| No blog entries |
Great White EgretB
 |
Reed beds near screens |
| Blog entries: 24 January 2019 29 January 2020 26 March 2021 22 March 2022 24 April 2023 21 May 2024 |
Grey HeronNB
 |
Seen flying from one flooded meadow to another near the top path |
| No blog entries |
Greylag GooseB
 |
All lakes |
| Blog entries: 15 March 2021 5 March 2023 |
KestrelB
 |
often seen perching on electrical wires overlooking lakes |
| Blog entries: 1 March 2021 |
KingfisherB
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standing stick near screens |
| Blog entries: 14 February 2022 |
Little EgretNB
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Barge Canal. Also flying across the main lake |
| No blog entries |
Little GrebeB
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Lake near screens |
| Blog entries: 20 January 2021 |
Long-tailed TitB
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Trees near Barge Canal and top path |
| Blog entries: 11 October 2019 27 January 2021 |
MagpieNB
 |
Ubiquitous |
| No blog entries |
MallardNB
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Mostly in the Barge Canal |
| No blog entries |
Marsh HarrierB
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Flying over main lakes and resting on lookout points near them |
| Blog entries: 29 June 2022 |
Mistle ThrushB
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Trees near Top Path and Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 1 March 2023 3 March 2023 |
MoorhenNB
 |
Barge Canal |
| No blog entries |
Mute SwanB
 |
All lakes |
| Blog entries: 13 April 2023 14 April 2023 7 June 2024 |
NuthatchNB
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Trees near Barge Canal and top path |
| No blog entries |
OspreyB
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Dead tree overlooking main lake |
| Blog entries: 17 August 2022 |
PheasantB
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Dry part of the reed beds |
| Blog entries: 6 February 2022 16 April 2022 |
PintailB
 |
Main lake |
| Blog entries: 3 May 2019 1 August 2023 |
PochardB
 |
Main lake |
| Blog entries: 13 August 2020 |
Red KiteB
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Hovering mostly over wooded area |
| Blog entries: 21 July 2022 |
RedwingB
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Trees near Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 15 January 2021 |
Reed BuntingB
 |
Reed beds either side of central path |
| Blog entries: 17 July 2022 |
RobinNB
 |
Wooded areas, e.g. Barge Canal and top path |
| No blog entries |
Sedge WarblerB
 |
Wooded areas near reed beds |
| Blog entries: 9 July 2022 24 July 2023 |
ShelduckNB
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Lake near the screens |
| No blog entries |
ShovelerB
 |
Lake near screens |
| Blog entries: 25 May 2020 12 May 2022 |
Song ThrushB
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Woods near crossing of top path and Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 5 May 2023 |
StonechatB
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Mostly fields to the west of tyhe central path |
| Blog entries: 28 January 2024 29 January 2024 |
SwiftNB
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Flying over the northern part of the lake system |
| No blog entries |
TealB
 |
Lake near the screens |
| Blog entries: 23 March 2022 |
TreecreeperB
 |
Wooded area near Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 5 November 2022 |
Tufted DuckB
 |
Main lake |
| Blog entries: 9 November 2020 |
Water Rail
|
Mostly heard, but not seen near the central screens |
| No blog entries |
WhitethroatNB
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Mostly near the Barge Canal |
| No blog entries |
WoodpigeonB
 |
Mostly wooded area near Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 8 July 2022 5 February 2024 |
WrenB
 |
Wooded area near Barge Canal |
| Blog entries: 29 July 2023 30 July 2023 |
Marnix's Bird Gallery 