Venus Pool .

[jada dulo]

4th February :- 2m Goldeneye , 2 Pochard , 1m Tufted Duck , 2 Great Crested Grebe , 1 Little Grebe , 19 Teal , Canada and Greylag Goose and quite a few Coot and Mallard . Grey Wagtail and Pied Wagtail seen regulary flying around . Kestrel , Sparrowhawk , Buzzard and Peregrine all seen today . Smaller bird's include Reed Bunting , Tree Sparrow , Yellowhammer , Bullfinch , Goldfinch , Redpoll ( both Mealy and Lesser ) and Linnet .

[Stuart]

Was at venus pool's on monday 2nd feb and saw the 3 corn buntings and 2 bramblings in the top field mixed in with the large finch flock!!

Stuart

[jada dulo]

Excellent Stuart ( I was there on the 2nd too ! ) .
There were 3 Brambling yesterday ( 17th Feb ) and 8 Corn Bunting . Redpoll flock has swelled to 50 and both Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer number's are now well in access of 100 !
Also yesterday :- 3 Oystercatcher , 2 Green Sandpiper , 1 Peregrine , 1f Ruddy Duck and 1 imm.m Goldeneye .

See ya there one day maybe ? ;)

[jada dulo]

Recent highlight's ( in the last 48 hour's ) have been Bittern , Water Rail , Merlin and there are 5 Bewick Swan's just down the road @ Cressage bridge !

[jada dulo]

Last 48hrs have produced several Bittern sighting's , a 1st winter male Scaup , male Pintail and male Gadwall !!
Possible Caspian Gull and American Herring Gull reports have come from the Telford area , though these haven't been verified !


N.B. Pochard number's have risen to 43 , Tufted Duck also to 43 and Teal to 48 !

[jada dulo]

Got Bittern this morning ( 05th March ) , also of note today was Goosander , Gadwall , Goldeneye and 4 Corn Bunting in the top field !

[Andrew]

Saw the Bittern in the year list thread and looked for it here, congratulations. I have only seen Bittern twice and on both counts felt exhilarated.

[jada dulo]

Cheers Andrew ! :) ... yes , I agree totally , whenever I see a Bittern it just takes my breath away . I think it's because it's a famous rare bird that everyone know's but not many get to see ... plus you can ID it positively not um and ar about it like you can do with unusual or rare warblers , waders , gulls etc etc ...

That is my 4th Bittern now , all in a 7 month period and all at Venus Pool !

[jada dulo]

As of 29th March : Bittern still showing well ( 3 sighting's today alone ) , a pair of White Wagtails have joined a pair of Pied Wagtails . Buzzard are regulary numbering anywhere around 7 and Sparrowhawk and Kestrel are regular around the reserve , while Peregrine is less frequent . Osprey made brief appearance last week ! Curlew are numbering around 50+ in the evening roost while Oystercatcher , Snipe , Lapwing and Little Ringed Plover are also easily picked up . Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting still numbering reasonably well while Corn Bunting are still being seen less frequently ! Chiffchaff and Blackcap are now being seen , Willow Warbler heard , Sand Martin and Swallow are seen regular . Slightly further afield , Barn Owl @ Eaton Consadine X-road and a Firecrest @ Priorslee Flash ( Telford ) and Mediterranean Gull @ the Mere/ Ellesmere .

[jada dulo]

Recent new appearences are ( as of April 9th ) :-

Osprey.
Yellow Wagtail.
White Wagtail.
Chiffchaff.
Willow Warbler.
Sand Martin.
House Martin.
Swallow.
Whinchat.
Little Ringed PLover.
Black-tailed Godwit.

More info when it happens .........

[tom mckinney]

Did you see the Osprey this morning? From what I read on shropsbirds it showed brilliantly and was fishing really close to the hide. I might go Monday if it hangs around.

[jada dulo]

Yes Tom , that was my post on Shropsbirds ! It is well worth a visit . I've seen the Osprey 3 times now , all in the morning @ 07:00 , 08:00 & today @ 08:15 ! Good luck if you should decide to visit .

[jada dulo]

Recent reports :-
Between 4 - 11 Dunlin , briefly 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1 - 10 Black-tailed Gowit . Up to 7 Little Ringed Plover and only 2 Common Sandpiper . Arctic Tern and Hobby seen briefly . As have Reed and Sedge Warbler ( although heard constantly ).

[jada dulo]

Ruff , Sanderling and Wood Sandpiper seen recently as have Common Tern , Garden Warbler and a Sandwich Tern @ Wood Lane .

[jada dulo]

Highlights ( incl. maxima ) of the last week @ VP are as follows :-

6 Little Egret .
17 Teal .
15 Shoveler .
1f Garganey .
12 Common Sandpiper .
2 Green Sandpiper .
1 juv. Wood Sandpiper .
1 Greenshank .
1 Dunlin .
83 Lapwing .
2 Green Woodpecker .
5 Sedge Warbler .
3 Reed Warbler .
2 Blackcap .
1 Garden Warbler .
3 Chiffchaff .
1 Willow Warbler .
1 Lesser Whitethroat .
2 Whitethroat .

[Mickymouse]

Hasn't that place got a splendid name, I want to go there one day for the name alone!!!!!

Mick

[jada dulo]

Just to add to yesterday's post ....

23 - Shoveler .
2 - Gadwall .
1 - Hobby .

That's it for now - and Micky , if you're ever up for a visit PM me & let me know & I'll PM you directions/location and meet you there & give you the local tour , so to speak , if you wish ?

.... and the same , of course , to anyone else wishing a visit & would like to know where to go etc !

[jada dulo]

As of 12/08 ...

5 - Little Egret .
5 - Greenshank .
1 - Green Sandpiper .
1 - Goshawk !

It's getting a bit good ... :D