Shepherd's Spring, on the northwest edge of Andover,
has been a favourite bird watching spot for many years, and takes its
name from one of the springs which fed the River Anton. The most
prominent feature is a lake, about a third of a mile long, which is
fed by springs to the north and by a stream which flows in from the
Charlton lake to the west. Tle site is bordered on the northeast and
south by housing estates and by fields to the northwest and east.
The springs to the north of the lake form a wet area
rich in water plants; a line of mature trees form a boundary with the
field to the northwest and there are extensive areas of hawthorn
scrub. Alder occurs on the banks of the lake and the islands.
One of the best times to visit Shepherd's Spring is
in the winter. Apart from the usual Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard
and Tufted Duck, it is possible to see Pochard, Shoveler, Gadwall and
Teal. Little Grebe, Moorhen and Coot are regular, and Water Rail are
sometimes to be found in the streams and lake margins. Great Crested
Grebe, Grey Heron, Snipe, Redshank and Kingfisher occasionally put in
an appearance.
Grey and Pied Wagtails, Yellowhammers and Reed
buntings are quite often present, and early in the year flocks of
Siskin and perhaps Redpoll. In the spring the migrants arrive - Sedge
Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, House
Martin, Swallow,Swift and Cuckoo. Other birds seen very occasionally
include Ringed Plover, Jack Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Sand Martin,
Osprey, Red-necked Grebe and Lesser Whitethroat.
My list of birds reported at Shepherd's Spring in
the 1980's consists of 112 species. Unfortunately some of the birds
seen on HOS walks with George Johnson in the 1970's, including Great
Grey Shrike, Tree Sparrow and Hawfinch, are now absent.
What of the future? Compared with 30 years ago,
Shepherd's Spring is now rather hemmed in with housing estates.
Fortunately, thanks to the interest taken by keen members of HOS, in
particular Len Weatherly and Bernard Sutton, and by the Hampshire
Wildlife Trust, the area is to given Nature Reserve status by the Test
Valley Borough Council.
There are at least three ways of gaining access to
Shepherd's Spring, as shown by the map.
a) by footpath from Knight's Enham to the north.
There is limited parking near the church.
b) from the large roundabout to the west of the main lake. A track
leads from this roundabout along the southern edge of the lake.
c) by parking south of Charlton village, and taking the footpath
eastward towards the large roundabout.
