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

Coney Meadow and Adjoining Areas (3 Viewers)

The highlight this evening was a Peregrine - which caught a Starling from one of the pre-roosting flocks. A Snipe flew from Coney reedbed earlier.
 
A few very poor hand-held shots (thru bins) in poor light of the Little Egret. Wayne texted back to say it flew in to roost at Westwood later at ~16:30.

Also seen today, Snipe, Grey Wagtail, flyover Redpoll and Siskin, Kestrel, Buzzard and 2 Ravens. A Sparrowhawk had a go at the roosting Starlings.
 

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Review of 2013

Well, it's definitely been a bit of a mixed year on the patch but, on balance, definitely more highs than lows. In total, I managed to record 103 species - the graph below shows that April and May are definitely the best months to visit, based on range of species on offer:

Selected accounts for a few of the more notable birds seen during the year are given below:

Shelduck – a pair flew over on 7th May.

Red-legged Partridge – a single bird near Harford Hill on 20th April.

Little Egret – One flew over Tapenhall farm, Porter’s Mill on 22nd September. Another was reported near Porter’s Mill on the 6th December, two flew over Coney towards Westwood on the 7th December and, finally, one fed along the Salwarpe and adjoining fields next to Coney Meadow on the last afternoon of the year.

Bittern – a bird discovered on the evening of the 16th February showed on most evenings for the next 3 - 4 weeks. It was last reported in mid-March.

Red Kite – One over the small fishing pool near Tapenhall Farm, Porter’s Mill, on the 31st March and another drifted over High Park and Coney Meadow on 27th May.

Peregrine – One over Coney on 14th April, one circling over Porter’s Mill on the 8th September and another caught a Starling from a pre-roosting flock at Coney Meadow on 30th December.

Hobby – Regular sightings between May and September. This year’s first record was on 2nd May and it was last recorded on 1st September.

Oystercatcher – One flew over Coney Meadow on the 6th April. Two flew over Ladywood and along the Salwarpe valley on 6th May and another heard in flight over Coney on 5th June.

Green Sandpiper – Regularly seen around the New Mill area and around Ladywood sewage works in the first winter period up to 6th April. One present in this favoured area on 29th December.

Woodcock – One flushed from Gorsey Bank, Droitwich Community Woods, on the 19th January and again from the very same spot on the 24th March. Both of these sightings followed bouts of snow / freezing weather. Two Woodcocks were flushed from the damp scrubby area between New Mill and Harford Hill on the 6th April.

Common Tern – Two flew over Coney on 20th May. One flew over on the 6th August with another recorded on the 10th.

Barn Owl – One regularly seen hunting over Coney Meadow in February / early March.

Tree Pipit – One flew over Coney on 28th April, one over on 6th May and another on 12th May.

Yellow Wagtail – a good showing for this species this year with three separate records. The first was a flyover bird calling on the evening of the 17th April. A male flew over on the morning of the 2nd May and a juvenile lingered around Coney Meadow on the evening of the 8th July, perching on wires and flying onto the ground near the reedbed.

Waxwing – Up to three present in Droitwich Woods, perched in bushes near the canal and in ‘the thicket’ area on the 19th January.

Northern Wheatear – One first winter / female-type present around a mound of earth just north of Ladywood on 5th October.

Common Redstart – A relatively poor year with only two sightings, both in August.

Whinchat – Excellent spring passage for this species resulted in three records for the patch – one near Ladywood on the 25th April and two records from Coney Meadow on 27th April and 7th May. All were males.

Grasshopper Warbler – Up to three reeling males at Coney between 16th April and 5th June.

Cetti’s Warbler – One called from Coney reedbed on 20th April.

Spotted Flycatcher – Very late to arrive this year and no evidence of breeding (unlike the past 3 years). Perhaps the presence of breeding Sparrowhawks near Salwarpe church was a factor.

Crossbill – A single bird landed briefly in Droitwich Community Woods on the evening of 12th August after circling the eastern part of Coney Meadow. It then flew off west towards Salwarpe calling constantly.

No records of Curlew this year and only one record of Lapwing (hard-weather movement involving a flock 75 birds in January) both reflect local declines for these species. Owls, too, seemed more difficult with only a few records of Little Owl and only one of Tawny - both of which were more regular in former years. From a personal perspective, another low-point was missing much of the late autumn passage due to illness.

Non-avian highlights included the discovery of 2 extant Glow-worm colonies on the patch, the first patch record of Four-spotted Chaser, 100's of Common Toads in the spring, over 100 species of Moths recorded, loads of Grass Snakes, several Clouded Yellows and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth.

Here's to a great year for wildlife in 2014 - a very HAPPY NEW YEAR to all! B :)B :)
 

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An interesting round up of your patch year Dave, some interesting species there.

I think the Glow Worms must be the highlight though...what a find!

Hope 2014 is a good patch year for you mate.

Cheers
Jase
 
An interesting round up of your patch year Dave, some interesting species there.

I think the Glow Worms must be the highlight though...what a find!

Hope 2014 is a good patch year for you mate.

Cheers
Jase

Hi Jase,

If I'm honest, the Glow worms were the highlight of 2013 for me - looking forward to finding some more this summer.
 
A male Blackcap was in bushes along the canal between Salwarpe and Ladywood this morning. Other species seen this weekend - 10+ Siskins on alders by Salwarpe yesterday, flyover Meadow Pipits, Redpolls (2), Grey Wagtails, Kingfisher, loads of Fieldfares and Redwings, Mistle Thrushes, Bullfinches, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Buzzards, Grey Herons, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Coot, Reed Buntings, Nuthatch, 2 Treecreepers and Goldcrests.
 
I wonder if these are the same Egrets that were at Chateau Impney a couple of weeks ago.


Des.

Hi Des,

I thought the same - must be a high probability as the Chateau is only a couple of kilometers up the Salwarpe Valley.

They became quite mobile later in the morning - first flying over to the wet field by New Mill farm (record shot below) and then back up to Salwarpe, where they fed in a field just north-west of the village. At one point, I thought there might be more than two so I doubled back to check the other areas.

Year-ticks today included a female Kestrel, flyover Skylark and a male Pheasant.
 

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just some record shots of the Little Egrets Yesterday,just before the dog walkers turned up:-C still a patch tick for us:t:
 

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2 Little Egrets still on floods between Salwarpe and Ladywood. Probably been here all week. And a Lapwing - a rarity around these parts these days!
 
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A view of the Salwarpe Valley floodplain - taken yesterday.
 

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Unusually for a week day, I managed to get down for half an hour this evening. The two Little Egrets flew over Coney towards Westwood at approximately 20 past five, 14+ Snipes flew out of the reedbed and a few Canadas flew over. Also seen were two each of Raven and Buzzard and a couple of Goldcrests and Water Rails were heard calling.
 
The two Little Egrets were feeding in the flooded fields near New Mill Farm this afternoon. A decent-sized flock of Greenfinches (well over 100 birds) gathered around the nearby sewage works and a couple of Grey Wagtails flew over.

A Yellowhammer flew over Coney Meadow calling late afternoon and the two Little Egrets flew over towards Westwood at 17:15 - similar pattern as before.

I left soon after as the drizzle turned to light rain - as several Snipes were starting to fly out of their reedbed roost.
 
62 Species recorded on the patch so far this year:

1 Mute Swan 22 Green Woodpecker 43 Long-tailed Tit
2 Canada Goose 23 Great Spotted Woodpecker 44 Nuthatch
3 Mallard 24 Kingfisher 45 Treecreeper
4 Pheasant 25 Skylark 46 Magpie
5 Cormorant 26 Meadow Pipit 47 Jay
6 Grey Heron 27 Grey Wagtail 48 Jackdaw
7 Little Egret 28 Pied Wagtail 49 Rook
8 Common Buzzard 29 Dunnock 50 Carrion Crow
9 Sparrowhawk 30 Robin 51 Raven
10 Kestrel 31 Song Thrush 52 Starling
11 Water Rail 32 Fieldfare 53 House Sparrow
12 Moorhen 33 Redwing 54 Chaffinch
13 Coot 34 Mistle Thrush 55 Linnet
14 Lapwing 35 Blackbird 56 Lesser Redpoll
15 Common Snipe 36 Blackcap 57 Goldfinch
16 Black-headed Gull 37 Chiffchaff 58 Greenfinch
17 Herring Gull 38 Goldcrest 59 Siskin
18 Lesser Black-backed Gull 39 Wren 60 Bullfinch
19 Stock Dove 40 Great Tit 61 Yellowhammer
20 Wood Pigeon 41 Coal Tit 62 Reed Bunting
21 Collared Dove 42 Blue Tit

Highlights are the continuing presence of the Little Egrets plus Chiffchaff and Blackcap (usually scarce in winter on the patch - especially Chiffchaff)
 

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