White-tailed Eagle at Fishlake Meadows
I took a trip out to the nature reserve in Romsey to see the White-tailed Eagle that's been resident for the last few weeks
There's been a lot of activity on the Facebook Hampshire birding group recently about a White-tailed Eagle that's been resident at the reserve for the last few weeks, and there have been some fanatastic photo's taken of it by lots of fellow photographers/birders. I've not been fortunate enough to see a White-tailed Eagle yet, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to get that tick on the life list of this impressive bird.
Fishlake meadows nature reserve in Romsey, Hampshire.
I've been to fishlake meadows in Romsey a number of times over the years, and it's always been a good experience. Today did not dissapoint. It was a bright clear day for October, about 8.5C and although fresh, there was warmth in the early morning sun. I'm an early birder as I like the light early in the morning and it's quiet, so it's good for the soul to be out while others are tucked up in bed.
One fear I did have was that when new gets round of a good bird on the birding groups, it tends to create a bit of buzz and draw birders en-masse, to either observe or take photo's. On arrival at the car park I was pleasantly surprised to see it was quite quiet, and the early risers like me were just going about their Saturday morning in a relaxed friendly way. In fact, I found the whole trip really enjoyable and met some friendly, knowledgable birders and photographers, who just like me, were there to get a glimpse of this amazing raptor.
Fishlake meadows nature reserve in Romsey, Hampshire. Can you spot the White-tailed Eagle?
Before I went into the reserve I headed out to the road that goes round the outside of the reserve, as there's a small unofficial viewing area that allows a good, if slightly restricted view of the lake. I had previously used it to see the Osprey that returns every summer. Some of the pictures on Facebook were also recognisable from that location, so it felt like a good starting point. On arrival there were already about five others there and they confirmed that the White-tailed Eagle had been showing earlier in the morning and was still around. On any visit like this, that's the first bit of information you need to know that it's not going to be a wasted trip. At least the possibility of seeing it is there. Now it's just a case of when, and from where.
Spotted it
I headed back into the reserve onto the single track that follows a U shape around the reserve that eventaully leads to the hide's situated at the other side of the lake. On visit's like this it soon becomes apparent where the bird is located, you just need to wait to see a group of fellow birders, binoculars in hand looking in the same direction. That moment came fairly early on along the path and there it was, perched on an old tree stump, a long way back into the reserve. It's only when you first see the Eagle, you realise just how big it is, even at distance you can feel the scale and size of it, as it surveys the world below.
White-tailed Eagle perched on an old tree stump at Fishlake meadows nature reserve in Romsey, Hampshire.
I'll openly admit that this isn't the best photo I've ever taken, but it's with the 600mm lens at full range, and hand-held, so it could have been a lost worse. I know that, because I took a lot of very blurry shots in the process of getting this one. For context, it's further down the path from the first photo in this post, that I took with my iPhone. If you look in the very centre of that image you will see a black blob on top of a tree stump. That's the Eagle. So it's slightly further away than that shot, but it seemed to be a slightly better angle.
Now I knew where the Eagle was I decided I wanted to try toget closer and goaround to the end of te path where the hides are. The initial converstion I had with a photographer when I first arrived suggested that the Eagle took flight regularly and that some good photo's had been taken from that vantage point. Moving to a new location is always risky, and you can then lose track of where the bird is, but it's always worth a shot and I wanted a closer look.
The view from the hide
When I got to the hide the view was great and it's a tranquil calm place to be. The other couple of birders there mentioned a few other good birds that were worth seeing, a Great white egret and a Kingfisher that had recently passed through, but as yet, no sighting of the Eagle.
Fishlake meadows nature reserve in Romsey, Hampshire. The view from the hide.
The Eagle in flight
After a short wait and look at the Great white egret as it flew to a different location in the reserve, the Eagle came into view and did a spectacular fly past. Again, I keep saying it, and it's a true description of what it feels like to see an Eagle in flight, it is big, very big, a flying barn door. Seeing those finger like primary feathers, make it unmistakenly an Eagle and it truly was an experience not to be forgotten. If I was going to be picky, and birding is always full of thw waht ifs, and the maybe's. I would have really preferred the light to be behind me rather than in front. From photographic perspective, that just results in silhouettes. It's an impressive silhouette and I'm still happy with what I have, but I can only imagine what I might have been able to get with the light behind me.
White-tailed Eagle in flight
On the up side, there is one detail you can appreciate and that's the translucency of the white tail feathers with the light behind them. That beautiful fanned tail and incredible wingspan, is something to behold.
White-tailed Eagle in flight
It was a cracking mornings birding and when it comes to trips like this to see a single species, there's always an element of jeopardy as to whether the morning you decide to go and see it, is the morning it decides to head for another location, and you'll be left, wishing you'd just found out about it sooner, and you'd taken the time and trouble to go, before it moved on. Thankfully that wasn't the case today, and I got the opportunity to see a very special bird. Shame the light wasn't better though!
Information about this Eagle
This bird is part of the White-tailed Eagle re-introduction programme by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation to return these magnificent birds to the south of england.
On the Hampshire birding facebook group Keith Betton, who is involved with the project, shared some information with the group about the individual at fishlake meadows. The bird is ringed and has a radio tracker, and Keith shared the following:
"I sit on the White-tailed Eagle Steering Group and can provide information. This bird (G625) was born at a nest in Sussex in 2023. Its parents (female G405 and male G471) were released as chicks on the Isle of Wight in 2020. They surprised us all by nesting at just three years old - a year ahead of schedule. They also nested in 2024 and 2025 rearing more chicks from their tree nest on private land in the Sussex countryside. There are two other settled pairs of released eagles, and one of these has nested and raised chicks. It's a long process! G625 has been travelling around central Hampshire a fair bit lately, including Alresford Pond, Blashford Lakes and the Beaulieu River."
Keith is a fantastic birder, author and speaker and you can learn more from him on X @KEITHBETTON.
Useful links
RSPB - White-tailed Eagle Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust - Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation - White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction in Southern England