Where to watch birds in Shropshire. (1 Viewer)

Thought this thread would be of some use?....
Here are a few sites that I use regularly....

Venus Pool - situated just outside of Cross House, nr. Shrewsbury, VP is my patch!! Over the years it has held boast to some cracking county birds, Purple Heron, Velvet Scoter, Spoonbill... this year alone it has had Bittern, Avocet, Temminck's Stint, Pectoral Sandpiper, Common Scoter, Honey Buzzard & Grey Phalarope!!
But usually it hosts a good collection of species, a 'normal' visit for me I'd look at clocking up 40 odd species - basically, a MUST!!

Priorslee Lake/Priorslee Flash - just off M54 (signposted Priorslee), between M54 & A5 - A good place for gull roosts, this year it has held Iceland & Glaucous Gulls, with Caspian & Ring-billed being seen here recently also!!..
Firecrest is a scarce regular, Willow Tit & Water Rail are usually found here, plus past rarities of Red-rumped Swallow!

Wood Lane NR - Found just outside Ellesmere, used to be the jewel of Shropshire, but seems pretty quiet of late? A permit to access the hides must be sought from the SWT. Large Lapwing flock here & breeding Shelducks, good for Water Rail & waders in passage.

The Mere/Ellesmere - Arguably the best gull roost in Shropshire with 1000's of gulls roosting here!! Recently held Iceland & Ring-billed Gulls in the roost. Good place for winter wildfowl, recently has had Grey Phalarope, Leach's Petrel, Black-necked Grebe & (this year), Great White Egret!! (Plus a Cattle Egret, also this year, just a mile or so away)...

Colemere - nr. Ellesmere/Wood Lane, only recent rarity I know of is a Ferruginous Duck!! But this year it held 6 Scaup! Always good for Goldeneye & Goosander. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker breed in the surrounding woodland & the marsh area used to be a hotspot for Jack Snipe!!

Bury Ditches - Situated just outside Clunton, in the south of the county, great place for Crossbill & Siskin. Tree Pipit breed in summer, always a great spot for Goshawk & I have had Ring Ouzel there in spring!!

Brown Clee/Titterstone Clee - both just outside Ludlow, Titterstone Clee is THE place for Ring Ouzel, whilst Brown Clee is always good for Great Grey Shrike & Black Redstart!!

Chelmarsh Reservoir - Outside Bridgnorth, has held a few rarities, Spotted Crake, Red-breasted Merganser & Black-throated Diver. & is also good for Jack Snipe & winter wildfowl!! (Great place for Common Scoter).

Catherton Common - nr. Clee Hill, recently has held Hoopoe & Woodchat Shrike!! Great spot for Tree Pipit & Whinchat!!

Long Mynd/Stiperstones - outside Church Stretton, both great places for heathland species like Merlin & Red Grouse. Dartford Warbler was seen on the Stiperstones in recent years (also Nightjar!!), whilst Dotterel made a welcome return to the Mynd last year!!

.....More locations to add (or please feel free to add your own!!), there are places like The Wrekin & Bridges which hold Wood Warbler, Redstart & Pied Flycatcher...
But I'm at work & I gotta log off before my boss shouts at me!!...
Later!!...

Hello all.

In September I'm probably going to study for a year at Harper Adams Uni/College.

I know there's a reserve not too far away (forget the name- 'something mere' is it?).

Just wondering what I might find there and am especially interested in birds that aren't found much in NI e.g. woodpeckers, marsh/willow tit, nuthatch, reed warbler and anything else you can think of.

Thanks

Hey

Currently at Harper Adams just finishing my degree. I presume your thinking of the Aqualate Mere in Newport. In all honesty it isn't great for birds but you will comfortably get Great Spotted Woodpecker and Green and also Lesser breeds there and has been seen with some regularity in late March/early April this year. Reed Warblers also breed, Nuthatch a formality on the feeders by the hide and Marsh Tit also. Willow in this general area is tough and there are better sites elsewhere in Staffordshire. Hope this helps.

Johnny

wilsonjonathan61 said:

Hey

Currently at Harper Adams just finishing my degree. I presume your thinking of the Aqualate Mere in Newport. In all honesty it isn't great for birds but you will comfortably get Great Spotted Woodpecker and Green and also Lesser breeds there and has been seen with some regularity in late March/early April this year. Reed Warblers also breed, Nuthatch a formality on the feeders by the hide and Marsh Tit also.

Johnny

Click to expand...

Thanks Johnny,

Sounds alright to me! I'm a "local patcher" rather than a twitcher and from the sounds of it I'd be happy enough with Aqualate Mere as a patch.

If I saw any of those species in NI I'd be very pleased- they'd all be lifers!

What degree you doing? I'm hoping to do Countryside and Environmental Management, already done two FdSc years here and a top-up year at Harper-Adams will get me a proper degree.

Aqualate Mere

Hi Stephen

You may find this web page of interest ...

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/AqualateMereleaflet_tcm6-1251.pdf

Regards

Mike

Thanks foxwood, had a read at that- looks like a v good potential patch for next year.

Hi, dont spose anyone knows anything about the supposed glossy ibis in newport, shropshire? its just that i live in newport, so any info would be gladly appreciated.

jada dulo said:

Thought this thread would be of some use?....
Here are a few sites that I use regularly....

Venus Pool - situated just outside of Cross House, nr. Shrewsbury, VP is my patch!! Over the years it has held boast to some cracking county birds, Purple Heron, Velvet Scoter, Spoonbill... this year alone it has had Bittern, Avocet, Temminck's Stint, Pectoral Sandpiper, Common Scoter, Honey Buzzard & Grey Phalarope!!
But usually it hosts a good collection of species, a 'normal' visit for me I'd look at clocking up 40 odd species - basically, a MUST!!

Priorslee Lake/Priorslee Flash - just off M54 (signposted Priorslee), between M54 & A5 - A good place for gull roosts, this year it has held Iceland & Glaucous Gulls, with Caspian & Ring-billed being seen here recently also!!..
Firecrest is a scarce regular, Willow Tit & Water Rail are usually found here, plus past rarities of Red-rumped Swallow!

Wood Lane NR - Found just outside Ellesmere, used to be the jewel of Shropshire, but seems pretty quiet of late? A permit to access the hides must be sought from the SWT. Large Lapwing flock here & breeding Shelducks, good for Water Rail & waders in passage.

The Mere/Ellesmere - Arguably the best gull roost in Shropshire with 1000's of gulls roosting here!! Recently held Iceland & Ring-billed Gulls in the roost. Good place for winter wildfowl, recently has had Grey Phalarope, Leach's Petrel, Black-necked Grebe & (this year), Great White Egret!! (Plus a Cattle Egret, also this year, just a mile or so away)...

Colemere - nr. Ellesmere/Wood Lane, only recent rarity I know of is a Ferruginous Duck!! But this year it held 6 Scaup! Always good for Goldeneye & Goosander. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker breed in the surrounding woodland & the marsh area used to be a hotspot for Jack Snipe!!

Bury Ditches - Situated just outside Clunton, in the south of the county, great place for Crossbill & Siskin. Tree Pipit breed in summer, always a great spot for Goshawk & I have had Ring Ouzel there in spring!!

Brown Clee/Titterstone Clee - both just outside Ludlow, Titterstone Clee is THE place for Ring Ouzel, whilst Brown Clee is always good for Great Grey Shrike & Black Redstart!!

Chelmarsh Reservoir - Outside Bridgnorth, has held a few rarities, Spotted Crake, Red-breasted Merganser & Black-throated Diver. & is also good for Jack Snipe & winter wildfowl!! (Great place for Common Scoter).

Catherton Common - nr. Clee Hill, recently has held Hoopoe & Woodchat Shrike!! Great spot for Tree Pipit & Whinchat!!

Long Mynd/Stiperstones - outside Church Stretton, both great places for heathland species like Merlin & Red Grouse. Dartford Warbler was seen on the Stiperstones in recent years (also Nightjar!!), whilst Dotterel made a welcome return to the Mynd last year!!

.....More locations to add (or please feel free to add your own!!), there are places like The Wrekin & Bridges which hold Wood Warbler, Redstart & Pied Flycatcher...
But I'm at work & I gotta log off before my boss shouts at me!!...
Later!!...

Click to expand...

Hi Jada
I don't know if you're still reading, but I'm considering a move to Shrewsbury and your post has been extremely useful. Many thanks indeed for taking the time to outline these places. I wondered if there are any good spots for waders near Shrewsbury? I'm used to birding on old gravel pits and reservoirs and big open lakes so it sounds like the terraine may be a little different over there in Shropshire.
Thanks again
Hobbes

If your thinking of Shrewsbury, then Venus Pools are very close and now have some brand-spankingly new hides.

As well as the above list, a short drive to Welshpool will bring up four good areas

http://www.montwt.co.uk/pwll.html
http://www.montwt.co.uk/hafren.html
http://www.montwt.co.uk/pond.html
http://www.montwt.co.uk/dinas.html

All these have hides.

Wimpy

Hobbes2 said:

Hi Jada
I don't know if you're still reading, but I'm considering a move to Shrewsbury and your post has been extremely useful. Many thanks indeed for taking the time to outline these places. I wondered if there are any good spots for waders near Shrewsbury? I'm used to birding on old gravel pits and reservoirs and big open lakes so it sounds like the terraine may be a little different over there in Shropshire.
Thanks again
Hobbes

Click to expand...

Nah, If I know Jada he's in the pub or still trying to add Cetti's Warbler to his Shropshire List.:t::t:

Wimpy said:

If your thinking of Shrewsbury, then Venus Pools are very close and now have some brand-spankingly new hides.

As well as the above list, a short drive to Welshpool will bring up four good areas

http://www.montwt.co.uk/pwll.html
http://www.montwt.co.uk/hafren.html
http://www.montwt.co.uk/pond.html
http://www.montwt.co.uk/dinas.html

All these have hides.

Wimpy

Click to expand...

Thanks Wimpy. That's a good start. I hadn't realised how much I take my local patch for granted and the thought of moving away and having to find other 'just as good' spots to see birds is a big hurdle to overcome.

PhilW said:

Nah, If I know Jada he's in the pub or still trying to add Cetti's Warbler to his Shropshire List.

Click to expand...

lol, thanks Phil. Ah, the elusive Cetti's Warbler....:-O

Thanks again
Hobbes

I thought considering the time of year that it is probably useful to expand on jasons post "where to watch in shrops". December/christmas seems to be "the time" for decent gulls in shropshire and the site has got to be Priorslee Lake. The gulls don't roost here but loaf and bathe after using the Telford Landfill sites, Granville to the north and Candles to the "southish", there is limited access to these sites, only the fortunate few have permission and access is no longer a possibility to "non-induction birders" I'm afraid. The lake is located on the left coming from jctn 4 M54 (priorslee & A5), and has a convenient lay by complete with Bacon butty van mon-sat!
Large numbers of Lesser black backs use the lake, scarcities you are most likely to see are Yellow Legged Gull. Iceland is the next most likely closely followed by Glaucous. Both species have been almost annual in recent winters, after a lean spell in the late 90's early 00's. Caspian is again worth looking for, if you can beat 'Pete & Dawn' christmas special most winters (they visit relatives at this time and usually bring a caspo in the boot of their car from Norfolk). Joking apart, if caspo's are reported at Belvide roost I'll bet good money its using the telford tips and therefore Priorslee!!
Last winter Kumliens graced Priorslee Flash and Granville tip the next day before roosting at Belvide. Another interesting bird from last year "viking Gull" (HerringxGlaucous hybrid)also appeared at the lake. Of the commer gulls Common is the opposite of its name, less than 10 individuals usually, Black Headed is well represented, Mediteranean is possible but rare, Ring Billed is mythical, Greater Black Back is scarce. Glaucous Winged (never say never!!) just remember where you read it first!!! Probably 1 prediction too far.....
The best periods are usually lunch early afternoon before they fly east towards Belvide Resr. If the lake is frozen all the better, you can really scrutinise them, the added security of the ice bring them closer to you, however youre never that far away, another god reason for going.
Its worth keeping your eye on the wildfowl, Red Breasted Merg. although a vagrant to shrops in recent years has occured during the winter, Red necked grebe was resident on Priorslee flash in january some years ago, probably the last twitchable bird in the county. Bittern has been seen within the last 10 years and the woodland/carr surrounding the lake often holds finches tits etc. You will not amass a huge species list but its worth a couple of hours any day during the week, other species are recorded in different seasons but I'm just trying to keep the details relevent to winter. Sunday is probably the 1 day to avoid a combination of toy boats dog walkers and the sailing club usually put pay to any birding.
Those of you still awake and know what to expect from Priorslee I apologise, anybody visiting friends or family in the area over christmas bring your scopes and have a look and remember to spread the news!!
cheers Andy