Bartley reservoir (1 Viewer)

[luckyosprey4]

A Common Sandpiper was along the southern shoreline today- certainly my first of this species in December at the site.

Chris

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

A Common Sandpiper was along the southern shoreline today- certainly my first of this species in December at the site.

Chris

The one here in October must be stopping for the winter. SR saw one here a few times last winter but it was quite elusive, spending a lot of time on the wet flashes near to the church. So you were n't chased off by the police today ?

 

[luckyosprey4]

No police today and very few people of any description apart from a few dog walkers.

Chris

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

No police today and very few people of any description apart from a few dog walkers.

Chris

At the rezza today little grebe off the dam, common sand showing very well at the south end of the dam, 3 goldeneye, c20 gt.crested grebes, jay. and a liitle egret on the walk home just off Barnes Hill.

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

At the rezza today little grebe off the dam, common sand showing very well at the south end of the dam, 3 goldeneye, c20 gt.crested grebes, jay. and a liitle egret on the walk home just off Barnes Hill.

The wintering common sand today on the southern shoreline. In the scrubby/grassy area a pair of stonechat ( not present since December), the first reed bunting and meadow pipits ( 6 ) of the year so it looks like there is some migration starting to happen.

 

[Carl50]

Meadow pipit this morning, but the highlight was close views of a stunning pair of pintail. First for me there

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

Meadow pipit this morning, but the highlight was close views of a stunning pair of pintail. First for me there

Pintail is a mega for Bartley.

 

[Rob_S]

No sign of Pintail this afternoon, but Shag fishing off the dam.

Sparrowhawk hunting over the horse paddocks and Raven over.

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

No sign of Pintail this afternoon, but Shag fishing off the dam.

Sparrowhawk hunting over the horse paddocks and Raven over.

Tonight at Bartley , 2 goldeneye, 4 gt. crested grebe, greenfinch and song thrush singing, female stonechat, 70 woodpigeon flew over to the NE, woodcock flew out of a hedge rather than off the ground, buzzard.

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

Tonight at Bartley , 2 goldeneye, 4 gt. crested grebe, greenfinch and song thrush singing, female stonechat, 70 woodpigeon flew over to the NE, woodcock flew out of a hedge rather than off the ground, buzzard.

2 LRPs on the concrete ramp on the southern shoreline late this afternoon, a spot where they've been seen before. The water level has dropped leaving a small amount of exposed shingle shoreline so there's the chance of more waders if it remains like that.

 

[Carl50]

Dunlin and two little ringed plovers still on the ramp this afternoon.

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

Dunlin and two little ringed plovers still on the ramp this afternoon.

and a common sand about 3.30pm.

 

[luckyosprey4]

First visit to Bartley for a while this morning.

1 Oystercatcher was on the concrete ramp, my first here.

Also 1 Common Sandpiper, 25 Canada Goose, 13 Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Goldeneye, 9 Great Crested Grebe & 3 Cormorant.

Chris

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

First visit to Bartley for a while this morning.

1 Oystercatcher was on the concrete ramp, my first here.

Also 1 Common Sandpiper, 25 Canada Goose, 13 Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Goldeneye, 9 Great Crested Grebe & 3 Cormorant.

Chris

The oystercatcher had gone by lunchtime and there was a male reed bunting on the south side but still no whitethroats or lessers. Prior to that I'd been over to Waseley Country park 3 miles SW of Bartley. I'd checked it out over the winter and saw great potential for migrants with lots of fences and posts, hawthorn hedges , scattered hawthorns and gorse on both sides of the main summit ridge , as well as some valleys on the west side. I could n't work out why there were so few records from this location .The last few weeks have provided a possible explanation ; after a certain point in the morning the park is rammed with people and dogs ,some of which I did see chasing magpies. There is one undisturbed valley on the west side outside the park boundary , and this can be scanned looking down the valley from the fence towards a wet flash and it was here that I found a ring ouzel this morning. At the main car park and visitor centre there is a cafe where you can buy food and actually sit on a bench ,unlike Clent where the National Trust have taped off every bench.

 

[luckyosprey4]

A trip to Bartley this morning produced another new bird for me at the site- a Wheatear sat on the wall of the dam (excuse the poor record shot).

Also 4 Common Sandpiper, singing Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat etc.

Chris

 

[luckyosprey4]

The oystercatcher had gone by lunchtime and there was a male reed bunting on the south side but still no whitethroats or lessers. Prior to that I'd been over to Waseley Country park 3 miles SW of Bartley. I'd checked it out over the winter and saw great potential for migrants with lots of fences and posts, hawthorn hedges , scattered hawthorns and gorse on both sides of the main summit ridge , as well as some valleys on the west side. I could n't work out why there were so few records from this location .The last few weeks have provided a possible explanation ; after a certain point in the morning the park is rammed with people and dogs ,some of which I did see chasing magpies. There is one undisturbed valley on the west side outside the park boundary , and this can be scanned looking down the valley from the fence towards a wet flash and it was here that I found a ring ouzel this morning. At the main car park and visitor centre there is a cafe where you can buy food and actually sit on a bench ,unlike Clent where the National Trust have taped off every bench.

Good work finding the ouzel- I haven't been to Waseley in years but if it's anything like Clent at the moment there will be too many people for my liking.

Chris

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

Good work finding the ouzel- I haven't been to Waseley in years but if it's anything like Clent at the moment there will be too many people for my liking.

Chris

Checked out yesterday morning the area around Frankley church and waterworks on the Worcs/B'ham boundary and found 2 spot flys and 2 willow warblers. The construction work at the waterworks has finished and Severn Trent have made an obvious attempt at habitat creation outside the boundary fence. This consists of a mound about 400m long by 50m across and 20m high. The elevation provides an excellent viewpoint for the gulls etc on Frankley reservoir. The mound is slowly regenerating with grasses and wildflowers. This improvement may be something to do with a collaboration between Severn Trent and Butterfly Conservation West Midlands whereby 60 ST sites across the midlands will undergo habitat creation with the primary aim of reintroducing the very rare Grizzled Skipper ,a butterfly which favours brownfield sites and disturbed ground. There is also a lot of rough grassland around the waterworks which is crying out for a barn/SE owl.

 

[Carl50]

Checked out yesterday morning the area around Frankley church and waterworks on the Worcs/B'ham boundary and found 2 spot flys and 2 willow warblers. The construction work at the waterworks has finished and Severn Trent have made an obvious attempt at habitat creation outside the boundary fence. This consists of a mound about 400m long by 50m across and 20m high. The elevation provides an excellent viewpoint for the gulls etc on Frankley reservoir. The mound is slowly regenerating with grasses and wildflowers. This improvement may be something to do with a collaboration between Severn Trent and Butterfly Conservation West Midlands whereby 60 ST sites across the midlands will undergo habitat creation with the primary aim of reintroducing the very rare Grizzled Skipper ,a butterfly which favours brownfield sites and disturbed ground. There is also a lot of rough grassland around the waterworks which is crying out for a barn/SE owl.

Spotted flycatcher still behind the church. Very confiding giving great views. Stock dove also.

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

Spotted flycatcher still behind the church. Very confiding giving great views. Stock dove also.

yesterday whinchat and wheatear on fenceposts in the field near the church which you can look down on from the top of the mound.The spot fly you saw was probably a new one.

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

yesterday whinchat and wheatear on fenceposts in the field near the church which you can look down on from the top of the mound.The spot fly you saw was probably a new one.

In mid-October there was a flock of house sparrows plus 2 tree sparrows,reed bunting and yellowhammer feeding on a stubble field adjacent to the reservoir on the Frankley Lane side. Just when it looked things might be getting interesting the inevitable happened ; the farmer ploughed the field right up to the fence covering up the food source so no more sparrows. They might have moved into nearby gardens but as yet the flock has n't been refound.