West Midlands/Warwickshire local patches. (2 Viewers)

[joser]

Speaking of Owls....can anyone PM me to say where the Barn Owls are at Brandon? I know they're sometimes seen over Newlands, but can anyone direct me to the tree they are being seen in?

Any chance someone could pm me with the same info aswell?! Any help very much appreciated.

 

[Duck_Pond]

I only know of the ones over by the golf course, but as Max says, it's difficult to see them because of the high vegetation along that path. Apparently you stand a good chance at dusk, when they come out to play...

There's another somewhere around though, but the chaps who mentioned it in the hide wouldn't say where, as they've had issues with photographers venturing too close for their shots, and threatening to disturb it. Terrible people these 'togs...

 

[senatore]

The Barn Owls at Brandon : There are apparantly 10 Barn Owls there at the moment (4 adults and 6 juveniles) which is pretty amazing.I haven't seen the golf course ones since May but I've been lucky to see upto 3 at one time from the location at the west end of the reserve.Pete is right the high vegetation makes it very difficult to get a good view.

PM me if you still want to know exactly where to look but the young are expected to fledge very soon.Yesterday I had a look several times and only had one short glimpse of a juvenile.

Max.

 

[joser]

Thanks for the info guys. Much appreciated. Will try my luck next time i venture out there.

 

[KayD]

Cheers Pete and Max for info on Barn Owls...good to hear they're doing so well there :king:

 

[RobinD]

Made a visit to Shustoke res this lunchtime and was fortunate enough to bump into Steve and Bob who had found a female/immature Redstart.

It led us a merry dance, calling, flying up and disappearing for long periods and never sitting in view the whole time I was there!

It was frequenting the hedgerows and tall oak tree to the east of the sailing club and will only be found by call and patience!

ATB

Robin

 

[draycotebirding]

Juv Med Gull Brandon

Any of you Brandon Boys got a shot of the juv Med Gull that has been seen there today and yesterday?

John

 

[jeff]

Any of you Brandon Boys got a shot of the juv Med Gull that has been seen there today and yesterday?

John

Nope

 

[nigeldphoto]

Evening all,
Anybody going to the birdfair apparently there is a unnoficial gathering of birdforum members in the catering tent between 12:30 and 1 each day , i shall be there on the sunday , what hasn't been said is how we will recognise each other so if you are there and see someone casting furtive glances your way dont worry it probably is a birdforum member wondering if you are a member too. LoL.
Nigel.B

 

[Steve Seal]

One of the resident Little Owls was showing well at Shustoke this mornig, but no sign of the juv B N Grebe , or yesterdays female Redstart.
more news on the Shustoke Blog at.
http://shustoke.blogspot.com/

The Bird Fair at Rutland was packed today, possibly due to the weather. (Sunshine):eek!:

 

[Upland Birder]

Little Owl Numbers-Shustoke Reservoir

Hi Steve,

Great photo's there. Thanks for sharing. Interesting Shustoke blog. How many Little Owls are known to be resident at Shustoke? I saw one last Sunday early evening at the opposite end of the reservoir from where the BNG was :t:

Dean

 

[senatore]

Great shots Steve.

Yesterday as the weather was good for a change I went over to Draycote Water.I decided to trudge down to Toft which turned out to be a mistake because,allthough it was nice to see the juvenile Wheatear again on the rocks near the red buoy,there were 5 Red-breasted Mergansers off Rainbow corner which would have been a tick for me.

After lunch in the company of Richard Mays I trudged over to Rainbow corner but we could see no sign of them.What a bummer :C:C.

Max.

 

[KayD]

Draycote this morning from 8.15am - on Farnborough bank we had 4 Yellow Wagtails, the fem Wheatear and the 3rd summer Yellow Legged Gull. In Toft bay GC Grebes, Little Grebe, Teal and Kingfisher, past the Alpaca fields there was a Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard. We had a quiet spell for a while on Draycote Bank but then we saw 5 Goosanders at Rainbow Corner. Nice to see John in the cafe and also to meet Richard Mays :king:

Popped to Brandon on the way back to have a quick look for waders and Med Gull. It was quiet though and we were now very tired from our 5 mile trek round Draycote! Highlights a Hobby, 2 Sparrowhawks, Kingfisher and 2 Green Sandpipers. Bumped into Jeff, nice to meet you again Jeff :t:

Also at Brandon I saw a bright red coloured dragonfly about an inch long - can anyone give me an ID on this please?

 

[draycotebirding]

Great shots Steve.

Yesterday as the weather was good for a change I went over to Draycote Water.I decided to trudge down to Toft which turned out to be a mistake because,allthough it was nice to see the juvenile Wheatear again on the rocks near the red buoy,there were 5 Red-breasted Mergansers off Rainbow corner which would have been a tick for me.

After lunch in the company of Richard Mays I trudged over to Rainbow corner but we could see no sign of them.What a bummer :C:C.

Max.

Not to worry Max they turned out to be Goosander (see Kay's post)
Nice to meet you and Max again Kay and will PM some ferry links shortly.

Regards

John

 

[jeff]

Draycote this morning from 8.15am - on Farnborough bank we had 4 Yellow Wagtails, the fem Wheatear and the 3rd summer Yellow Legged Gull. In Toft bay GC Grebes, Little Grebe, Teal and Kingfisher, past the Alpaca fields there was a Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard. We had a quiet spell for a while on Draycote Bank but then we saw 5 Goosanders at Rainbow Corner. Nice to see John in the cafe and also to meet Richard Mays :king:

Popped to Brandon on the way back to have a quick look for waders and Med Gull. It was quiet though and we were now very tired from our 5 mile trek round Draycote! Highlights a Hobby, 2 Sparrowhawks, Kingfisher and 2 Green Sandpipers. Bumped into Jeff, nice to meet you again Jeff :t:

Also at Brandon I saw a bright red coloured dragonfly about an inch long - can anyone give me an ID on this please?

Nice to meet you again.

Could be either ruddy darter or common darter, both were about today.

 

[KayD]

Cheers Jeff, I've googled both of those and I think it was a Ruddy Darter as it was very brightly coloured.

 

[senatore]

Not to worry Max they turned out to be Goosander (see Kay's post)
Nice to meet you and Max again Kay and will PM some ferry links shortly.

Regards

John

Thanks for that John.It's nice to know I didn't miss a tick after all.

I've been to Marsh Lane this morning.I hope you all did better than me because it was very quiet.

Max.

 

[Reader]

I hope everything is ok but for the last hour all I have heard are sirens around this area together with two Police Helicopters circling above the area close to Coombe Abbey (I live half a mile from there).

I have just phoned Central News to see if they had heard anything and they have told me it's a Plane Crash. They don't know if it's a passenger plane yet.

I hope everyone gets out of it ok.

John

 

[Reader]

Unfortunately two planes were involved and five people dead. Here is the story.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK...ween+Two+Light+Aircraft+Near+Coventry+Airport

John

 

[jeff]

You wanna get a telly John

Yeah, Coombe will be closed for a day or two i should imagine while the investigation takes place.