RSPB Middleton Lakes (1 Viewer)

punta said:

Had a quick lunchtime trip down to Middleton yesterday - guess who forgot to take wellies It will be even worse today as its raining again :C

Click to expand...

Hi Punta, Nice pictures, yes wellies were useful. The reserve floods occaisionally most years, we were lucky last year.
I've had further thoughts on the year list TP asked for, I will most likely have to list what is seen on the Saturday 5th May bird count so will also add on the year list to save duplication.
Geoff

Water levels had gone down a bit since Monday and you could get around the paths OK. Highlights were a male Lesser spotted Woodpecker on the peanut feeder (my first since January) and 2 Grey Partridge were a year tick for me.
2 Dunlin were new in. There was said to be three Cuckoo on the reserve of which I saw one and there was a big influx of Swift and hirundines.
Geoff

Grey Plover still there at 12:30. On main spit of North Pit near the top by the sign.
Steve Atkinson

Grey Plover

SteveAtkinson said:

Grey Plover still there at 12:30. On main spit of North Pit near the top by the sign.
Steve Atkinson

Click to expand...

Nice one Steve, reported yesterday by Dean as Grey Plover sp (species), confusing the stages this wader goes through to be the handsome summer plumaged bird.
As you know the bird race is tommorrow, from experience the water on the north pit takes 3 days to go down fully with no rain. However it rained heavily yesterday evening Nuneaton so probably the same for Middleton lakes. So I would expect only a few tops of islands exposed tommorrow, the lower the water the better for waders which exposes mud. Although usually reservoirs are full with water in Spring however with the drought water levels are low. Draycote still low yesterday despite the Severn Trent taking water from the river Leam which low water is good for waders and keeps the waders a little further away from the busy with people Draycote unless the weather was bad like yesterday.
Waders coming from West Africa and going to Scandanavia or Russia have been flyng against strong NE winds this has made some tired, note now 2 Bar-tailed Godwit at Marsh Lane.

Regards, John

Sp = summer plumaged John. Never any doubt about id.

Afternoon visit, it was good to see the sum plum Grey Plover was still on the north pit and the first summer Little Gull was resting up there but was later seen hawking insects on the river by Fishers Mill Pool. A Dunlin and a Wheatear were also on the north pit, S.Haynes saw a Short-eared Owl so possibly 3 species of Owls for tomorrows bird count, all are welcome to join in the fun tomorrow. Around 77 species of birds have been seen over the last 4 days, so it's going to be difficult to beat last years count of 89 for the day.
Geoff

Grey Plover

Periwinkle said:

Sp = summer plumaged John. Never any doubt about id.

Click to expand...

Thanks Tom, Just clicked assuming sp Species and worked out Sum Plumage.

Regards, John

Geoff - re Blackwits, i had a flock of 20 at the end of April 3 years ago. Not sure of the date but could probably find the note book........But 70 that's an amazing number, did the finders manage to assign them to a subspecies?

Best of luck today for the all-dayer i tried to arrange a lift but could'nt persuade my mate to spend about 8 hours out, also just back from Maroc and a bit knackered.

Look forward to the day-list total.

Laurie:t:

Annual Bird Count Day

rollingthunder said:

Geoff - re Blackwits, i had a flock of 20 at the end of April 3 years ago. Not sure of the date but could probably find the note book........But 70 that's an amazing number, did the finders manage to assign them to a subspecies?

Best of luck today for the all-dayer i tried to arrange a lift but could'nt persuade my mate to spend about 8 hours out, also just back from Maroc and a bit knackered.

Look forward to the day-list total.

Laurie:t:

Click to expand...

Hi Laurie, Hope you enjoyed your holiday.
The birders didn't say what subspecies the Godwits were.
As it stands at the moment we are on 90 species with the highlights being 2 Black-necked Grebe and the Grey Plover on the north pit. There has been a lack of passage waders and were still missing Little Grebe, Little Egret, Coal Tit and Grey Partridge. I believe someone saw a Little Gull but awaiting verification, we also have Feral Pigeon on the list which some people disapprove of (we didn't see any last year).
Geoff

Paul Hyde had the little gull so that can be added.

Periwinkle said:

Paul Hyde had the little gull so that can be added.

Click to expand...

Total is now 95!

A few record shots of my trip to the north pit this pm

I was with a birder named Paul when we saw a 1st summer little gull over North Pit.
Steve

The full list is now on my blog.

geoffw1946 said:

Hi Laurie, Hope you enjoyed your holiday.
The birders didn't say what subspecies the Godwits were.
As it stands at the moment we are on 90 species with the highlights being 2 Black-necked Grebe and the Grey Plover on the north pit. There has been a lack of passage waders and were still missing Little Grebe, Little Egret, Coal Tit and Grey Partridge. I believe someone saw a Little Gull but awaiting verification, we also have Feral Pigeon on the list which some people disapprove of (we didn't see any last year).
Geoff

Click to expand...

Well done Geoff, looks like you have got a pretty good place up thereB
The final scores for the friendly competition
Middleton - 95: Belvide - 88: Upton Warren - 84: Marsh Lane - 83:
well done all teamsB John

upstarts1979 said:

Well done Geoff, looks like you have got a pretty good place up thereB
The final scores for the friendly competition
Middleton - 95: Belvide - 88: Upton Warren - 84: Marsh Lane - 83:
well done all teamsB John

Click to expand...

Hi John, You'll have to come and look around, it should be even better soon when we get the wader scrapes and hide.
Also a thank you to every one who attended yesterdays bird count, I hope you all enjoyed it, we have raised a bit of money towards the bird food fund as well.
Today I did a morning visit but didn't make the dawn chorus event (it was a 4:30am start). The 2 Grey Partridge were showing well but no sign yesterday. A Common Sandpiper was on the north pit but it looks like the Black-necked Grebes and Grey Plover have gone. The Little Gull was on new reedbed pool and a Short-eared Owl was still hunting at 11am in the middle section of the wetland trail. There seems to have been an influx of Sedge Warblers and they are showing better.
Geoff

2012 year list.

Tom Perrins of Tame Valley Birding asked me for the list of birds seen so far in 2012, birds marked with an asterisk were also seen on the 5th May bird count.
1*Little Grebe, 2*Gt Crested Grebe, 3*Black-necked Grebe, 4*Cormorant, 5 Bittern, 6 Little Egret, 7*Grey Heron, 8*Mute Swan, 9*Greylag Goose, 10*Canada Goose, 11*Shelduck, 12*Wigeon, 13*Gadwall, 14*Teal, 15*Mallard, 16 Pintail, 17 Garganey, 18*Shoveler, 19 Pochard, 20*Tufted Duck, 21 Goldeneye, 22 Smew, 23 Goosander, 24*Sparrowhawk, 25*Buzzard, 26 Osprey, 27*Kestrel, 28 Merlin, 29*Hobby, 30 Peregrine, 31*Red-legged Partridge, 32 Grey Partridge, 33*Pheasant, 34 Water Rail, 35*Moorhen, 36*Coot, 37*Oystercatcher, 38 Avocet, 39*LRP, 40*Ringed Plover, 41 Golden Plover, 42*Grey Plover, 43*Lapwing, 44 Dunlin, 45 Ruff, 46 Jack Snipe, 47 Snipe, 48 Woodcock, 49 Black-tailed Godwit, 50*Whimbrel, 51*Curlew, 52*Redshank, 53 Greenshank, 54 Green Sandpiper, 55*Common Sandpiper, 56 Mediterranean Gull, 57*Little Gull, 58*Black-headed Gull, 59 Common Gull, 60*Lesser Black-backed Gull, 61*Herring Gull, 62 Gt Black-backed Gull, 63*Common Tern, 64 Artic Tern, 65*Feral Pigeon, 66*Stock Dove, 67*Woodpigeon, 68*Collared Dove, 69*Cuckoo, 70*Barn Owl,71*Tawny Owl, 72*Short-eared Owl, 73*Swift, 74*Kingfisher, 75*Green Woodpecker, 76*Gt Spotted Woodpecker, 77 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 78*Skylark, 79*Sand Martin, 80*Swallow, 81*House Martin, 82*Meadow Pipit, 83*Yellow Wagtail, 84 Grey Wagtail, 85*Pied Wagtail, 86*Wren, 87*Dunnock, 88*Robin, 89 Redstart, 90 Whinchat, 91 Stonechat, 92*Wheatear, 93*Blackbird, 94 Fieldfare, 95*Song Thrush, 96 Redwing, 97*Mistle Thrush, 98*Cetti's Warbler, 99*Grasshopper Warbler, 100*Sedge Warbler, 101*Reed Warbler, 102*Lesser Whitethroat, 103*Whitethroat, 104*Garden Warbler, 105*Blackcap, 106*Chiffchaff, 107*Willow Warbler, 108*Goldcrest, 109*Long-tailed Tit, 110 Marsh Tit, 111*Willow Tit, 112 Coal Tit, 113*Blue Tit, 114*Great Tit, 115*Nuthatch, 116*Treecreeper, 117*Jay, 118*Magpie, 119*Jackdaw, 120*Rook, 121*Crow, 122*Raven, 123*Starling, 124*House Sparrow, 125*Chaffinch, 126 Brambling, 127*Greenfinch, 128*Goldfinch, 129 Siskin, 130*Linnet, 131 Redpoll, 132 Mealy Redpoll, 133*Bullfinch, 134*Yellowhammer, 135*Reed Bunting.
If you've got anymore to add please let me know.
Geoff

Fantastic list Geoff, must have taken a lot of work to compile!
Steve

2 Egyptian Geese still in field to west of North Pit at midday, also 2 Common Tern one at North Pit and one by Reed Pool.
Steve

Am popping up tda with a couple of mates for a few hours - first visit for over six months.....looking forward to seeing if/how things have changed.

Laurie -