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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Sandwell Valley (3 Viewers)

Kevin Clements

Well-known member
Report of "Nightingale male singing Sandwell Valley RSPB at old church". Anyone know any more.

Last county record was 1979!!!

Cheers.


Kevin Clements
West Midlands County Bird Recorder
 
This weeks sightings from the hide thanks to facebook -

BLACK HEADED GULL, BLACKBIRD, BUZZARD, CANADA GOOSE, CARRION CROW,
CHAFFINCH, COMMON TERN, COOT, DUNLIN, GADWELL, GOLD FINCH,
GREAT CRESTED GREBE, GREY HERON, HERRING GULL, HOUSE MARTIN
JAY, KESTREL, LAPWING, LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, LINNET,
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, LONG TAILED TIT, MAGPIE, MALLARD, MOORHEN,
MUTE SWAN, OYSTERCATCHER, PIED WAGTAIL, POCHARD, REED BUNTING,
REED WARBLER, SAND MARTIN, STARLING, STOCK DOVE, SWALLOW, SWIFT,
TUFTED DUCK, WHITETHROAT, WOOD PIGEON, YELLOW WAGTAIL,

Not bad for a small reserve please note the hide is closed all day on Monday's and open from 10-30am until 1pm the rest of the week (can be open on Wednesdays in the afternoon if volenteers are aviadable)
 
This weeks sightings from the hide thanks to facebook -

BLACK HEADED GULL, BLACKBIRD, BUZZARD, CANADA GOOSE, CARRION CROW,
CHAFFINCH, COMMON TERN, COOT, DUNLIN, GADWELL, GOLD FINCH,
GREAT CRESTED GREBE, GREY HERON, HERRING GULL, HOUSE MARTIN
JAY, KESTREL, LAPWING, LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, LINNET,
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, LONG TAILED TIT, MAGPIE, MALLARD, MOORHEN,
MUTE SWAN, OYSTERCATCHER, PIED WAGTAIL, POCHARD, REED BUNTING,
REED WARBLER, SAND MARTIN, STARLING, STOCK DOVE, SWALLOW, SWIFT,
TUFTED DUCK, WHITETHROAT, WOOD PIGEON, YELLOW WAGTAIL,

Not bad for a small reserve please note the hide is closed all day on Monday's and open from 10-30am until 1pm the rest of the week (can be open on Wednesdays in the afternoon if volenteers are aviadable)

For once a list of birds from Sandwell that have probably actually all been there! ;)
 
Took that list from the facebook page but do understand your reply Phil Andrews will be updating on what I see in future and not what is reported to have been seen.

I will try and update this thread once a month with a list of species seen from myself from around the reserve and forge mill pool may also include Swan Pool but I don't usually go around that area as I have a knee problem but if I do I will indicate what species were seen where.
 
Had a good morning weather wise at Sandwell this morning, had a good look round took my time to see what was around got there around 7.40am weather was sunny but a chilly wind blew across the reserve.

First port of call was the screen at the bottom of the little coppice just over the railway bridge on the left, not much to see down here at the moment the river was quite high for the time of year and very fast running. They have now made a little path through the coppice and added a couple of steps so be careful as there are no signs or suggestions that there are steps on the path, at the bottom of the coppice just to the right of the screen we have more steps taking you down to the river side this is now a overgrown scrub place with a small path through the scrub.

Next we approach the marsh and reed beds this has been newly refurbished this year and is now starting to look good unfortunately again the water levels seemed a lilt high but the general use of the area is now much more bird orientated only problem could do with a seat by the screen or something to rest your baggage on.

Walking round to the band stand was a very useful area what with the marsh and reeds to the one side and the river and open area to the other leading to the trees on both sides many species could be heard in this area from warblers to starlings.

Looking from the Band Stand across the pool was a little disappointing as they have taken out the reeds from just in front of the screen this used to be a great area to watch Warblers and Reed Buntings in the past but today you could hear them but no sightings in this area.

The walk along the rest of the reserve was very pleasant with the pool and the river providing some common species and a surprise or two (green woodpecker drinking from the river & a rook trying to chase a house sparrow on the footpath in front of me).
Outside of the reserve we have the second Island this as now started to grow back with a small amount of undergrowth starting to form on the island quite surprised to see 3 Little Ringed Plover on here though.

Now for the hide with island directly in front of the hide a little over grown it was hard to see anything on there but did see a Oystercatcher family there is only one chick as far as I could see but to the left of the hide on the pebbled area they have a sitting Little Ringed Plover, they also have a Common Tern and one chick on the raft just to the left of the island in front of the hide.

On to the feeding station now by the old centre again this proved to provide the regular garden birds and the regular Grey Squirrels in abundance many Finches and Tits in this area.

Will be putting some of the photographs of the views around the reserve on my flickr page from 15/06/2012 eventually left the reserve around 1.45pm.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1963adrian/

Here follows my list for today 14/06/2012

Dunnock, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Carrion Crow, Moorhen, Mute Swan & 4 Cygnets, Canada Goose, Common Tern & 1chick, Reed Bunting, Blackbird, Green Woodpecker, Reed Warbler, Jay, Black Headed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Kestrel, Oystercatcher, House Sparrow, Rook, Little Ringed Plover, Peregrine Falcon, Starling, Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Song Thrush, Blue Tit, Bull Finch, Common Whitethroat, Robin, Wren, Great Tit, Chaffinch & Green Finch
 
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Just a quick one I have now updated my Flickr page see above for link with photographs of the reserve so please take a look and feel free to leave a comment

Kind Regards

BCB
 
This is the list for the hide sightings week ending 16/06/2012
Please note I didn't visit this week so this was taen from the facebook page.

BLACK HEADED GULL, BLACKBIRD, BULL FINCH, BUZZARD,CANADA GOOSE*
CARRION CROW, CETTI’S WARBLER (HEARD), COMMON TERN*, COOT*,CORMORANT,
GADWELL, GOLD FINCH, GREAT CRESTED GREBE, GREEN WOODPECKER, GREY HERON,
HERRING GULL, HOUSE MARTIN, JACKDAW, JAY, KESTREL, KINGFISHER, LAPWING,
LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, LINNET, LITTLE GREBE, LITTLE RINGED PLOVER,
MAGPIE, MALLARD*, MOORHEN*, MUTE SWAN*,OYSTERCATCHER,
PEREGRINE FALCON, PIED WAGTAIL*, POCHARD, REED BUNTING, REED WARBLER,
ROBIN, SAND MARTIN, SEDGE WARBLER, STARLING, STOCK DOVE, SWALLOW,
SWIFT, TUFTED DUCK, WHITETHROAT & WOOD PIGEON
 
This is the list for the hide sighting for week ending 23/06/2012 -

BLACK HEADED GULL, BLACKBIRD, BULL FINCH, BUZZARD, CANADA GOOSE*,
CARRION CROW, CETTI’S WARBLER, COMMON SANDPIPER, COMMON TERN*, COOT*,
GADWALL, GARDEN WARBLER, GOLD FINCH, GREAT CRESTED GREBE, GREY HERON,
HERRING GULL, HOUSE MARTIN, KESTREL, LAPWING*, LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL,
LESSER WHITETHROAT, LINNET, LITTLE RINGED PLOVER*, MAGPIE, MALLARD*,
MOORHEN*, MUTE SWAN*, OYSTERCATCHER, POCHARD, REED BUNTING,
REED WARBLER, SAND MARTIN, SHOVELER, SPARROWHAWK, STARLING,
STOCK DOVE, SWALLOW, SWIFT, TEAL, TUFTED DUCK, WHITETHROAT,
WOOD PIGEON & YELLOW LEGGED GULL

Please note that the symbol * after a species name indicates young birds
 
Here are a few photographs of the reserve I took earlier this year
This first one is taken from the area known as the Band Stand looking towards the slipway which leads to the council run area of the reserve
 

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This photograph was taken just past the slipway showing the newly renovaited island that the council have done also in this area the council have know made and cleared small area's so as to allow visable access to the lake and opposite banking.
 

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This was taken from the old club house (now unfortunatly burned down) looking onto the marsh area this area as just been cleared out and refurbished as you look at the photograph to the left they have cleared a good sized waterway so as to allow the water to fill the area and with some luck allow for better breeding of the species within this area.

Just to let everyone know on these pages I have now taken over the Twitter account for Upton Water NR so please why not follow me and the other friendly people with updates evryday and very useful information from others and even add your own information all helps to make a happy birding community.
 

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I made a visit to Sandwell Valley RSPB the other day and to be honest I was a little worried the place seems to be over run with undergrowth I know it's breeding season just finished (in some cases still going on) but it's the untidiest I have ever seen the place.
It was mostly nettles and brambles they were all over the place but aside from this I had a fairly good day didn't venture into the hide today as time was getting short the species seen were as follows -


Black Headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bull Finch, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collarded Dove, Common Sanpiper, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Gadwall, Gold Finch, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Green Woodpecker, House Martin, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Pochard, Reed Warbler, Robin, Sedge Warbler, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler & Wood Pigeon

A total of 42 species seen not really to bad for a small reserve like Sandwell


Kind Regards

BCB
 
I made a visit to Sandwell Valley RSPB the other day and to be honest I was a little worried the place seems to be over run with undergrowth I know it's breeding season just finished (in some cases still going on) but it's the untidiest I have ever seen the place.
It was mostly nettles and brambles they were all over the place but aside from this I had a fairly good day didn't venture into the hide today as time was getting short the species seen were as follows -


Black Headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bull Finch, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collarded Dove, Common Sanpiper, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Gadwall, Gold Finch, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Green Woodpecker, House Martin, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Pochard, Reed Warbler, Robin, Sedge Warbler, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler & Wood Pigeon

A total of 42 species seen not really to bad for a small reserve like Sandwell


Kind Regards

BCB
Unfortunately Adrian that's what happens during the summer. Like at Upton warren, we can't get out and cut the grass while birds are breeding. On a positive note the bramble provides a glut of food for migrant warblers and species like blackcap are dependant on it for fat reserves. Many insects are also dependant on rank vegetation, making reserves too 'tidy' is what nature doesn't need, it's a human frailty and that's why farmland is mostly devoid of wildlife, because the farmers want it to look TIDY.:-C
 
I don't know whats happened to Sandwell Valley, not much seems to be reported from down there anymore. At one time it was watched everyday by the same regulars.

Is the site still being watched, or have TCH, PMH and DS moved on to pastures new?
 
I don't know whats happened to Sandwell Valley, not much seems to be reported from down there anymore. At one time it was watched everyday by the same regulars.

Is the site still being watched, or have TCH, PMH and DS moved on to pastures new?

As if by magic, a Great White Egret reported over this morning.
 

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