• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Bittell Reservoirs and Hopwood area (2 Viewers)

Craig (and others). I have had a play with a tighter cropped Bing Map.
Please see attached map.
Am I right in assuming that Craig's lower Red Circle is the 'bends area' which has a reputation of being prone to car contents theft?
Is the upper Black Circle the 'Reservoir Wall' that folk refer too?
 

Attachments

  • bittell map.jpg
    bittell map.jpg
    103.1 KB · Views: 273
Last edited:
Craig (and others). I have had a play with a tighter cropped Bing Map.
Please see attached map.
Am I right in assuming that Craig's lower Red Circle is the 'bends area' which has a reputation of being prone to car contents theft?
Is the upper Black Circle the 'Reservoir Wall' that folk refer too?

Right on both counts Sy.

It's a good place to walk round all-year round really, but parking is something of an issue. Not sure how easy it is to get a permit these days (gave mine up a couple of years ago as a) I didn't get there much and b) you're not supposed to broadcast news of any bird sightings). Not sure who the membership secretary is these days, but I think you just need to apply. About £30 a year I think.
 
Thanks Mike.
Whilst trying not to instigate a suppression/non-suppression debate.
"...you're not supposed to broadcast news of any bird sightings..." Why do people do this? Is it to maintain site privacy/environmental sensitivity? To protect breeding birds? In this case [Bittell] is it the fact that there are insufficient wardens to manage a twitch-related influx of birders in the event of the discovery of a MEGA?
 
Last edited:
In my opinion Sy it emulates exactly the bahaviour of those associated with the boating club, pure snobbery and possibly the most unwelcoming committee of stuck up ponces possible. I have walked these paths for 35 years and its a struggle to get a "good morning" from them. There is nowhere around these lakes that provides a member with any better views than is available from the paths/roads. God forbid if you manage to get below the wall for a quick shot of the Kingfisher on the white posts :)

There's some good stuff here for sure and you can rely on us to post any sightings of note. Keith, I think it was you I bumped into that day by the road and then the pumping station ?
 
..."In my opinion Sy it emulates exactly the bahaviour of those associated with the boating club, pure snobbery and possibly the most unwelcoming committee of stuck up ponces possible."........Yes Veracocha.....the above quote leads me to think it was me you met...He He...

As you are a mere beginner at walking these lanes it's hardly likely we had met before.

Down there today and met quite a few regulars (if I knew their names I would have forgot by now) and had no luck in seeing the Hawfinch around the old Pump house or in the lane but a couple of Goldcrest turned up...too fast for me in the bad light.
The Redwing and the Perergrine showed again but too late for the latter again.
A Redwing today in poor light.
BittellRedwing.jpg
 
Last edited:
Hi Sy V...had a go on google earth and tried to put the areas you can walk with the parking etc.
BittellMAPcopyjpgDDDD.jpg

A...4/5 cars can park here...it's a dead end so don't go past here.Also you can walk north up the track and over the fields on the North Worcester Path but some of the signs have "gone missing"..maybe THEY don't want us going past their palaces.
B...this is the dam- wall - bank etc and the only view you get of upper Bittell.
CParking along road and at end of the path between upper and lower Bittell.Watch out here as some cars have been broken into here.
D...the road between the 2 small resers.
EDon't walk down the path to the cottages along side the canal but use the towpath on the other side of the bridge.

I hope some of this is useful to you.
Keith
 
C - yes, mine. :-(

Whenever I've spoken to the manager (guy who walks the big alsatian dog) he's stressed not to say anything as they seem to live in fear of anyone straying into the boating club area.

Annoys me as it's local to me, and would provide some great photo opportunities, if access was permitted, even occasionally.

But, going back to the car break-ins, perhaps they have good reason to be worried. It's a wealthy area, around most of it, so will attract the local scum. And given the Police response to my incident, i.e. nothing even when I provide the details of the people who committed the crime (car plate and address!!), keeping quiet and hoping no-one will look might be the tried and trusted method of being secure.

I find the field, that is off to the left of the bridle path (as you walk from Bittell Farm Rd to Upper Bittell) that goes over to the railway, can be great for wildlife. Flocks of long-tailed tits in the hedges and sightings of the lesser spotted woodpeckers in the dead trees.

Also get skylarks and mipits in the field.

Best time is early morning after a snow fall. The area is beautiful and at such times, virtually folk-free.
 
......" lesser spotted woodpeckers in the dead trees"....I was speaking to one chap who turns up most days and he assured me that they had been absent for the last few years.
 
......" lesser spotted woodpeckers in the dead trees"....I was speaking to one chap who turns up most days and he assured me that they had been absent for the last few years.

Haven't seen one up there for a while either, can remember seeing them regularly, along with Willow Tit!
 
Thanks Mike.
Whilst trying not to instigate a suppression/non-suppression debate.
"...you're not supposed to broadcast news of any bird sightings..." Why do people do this? Is it to maintain site privacy/environmental sensitivity? To protect breeding birds? In this case [Bittell] is it the fact that there are insufficient wardens to manage a twitch-related influx of birders in the event of the discovery of a MEGA?

Not totally sure of the reasons, but I recall the lack of parking was one argument put forward within the paperwork that came with the last permit (that I declined to renew). This covered both the parking available within the sailing/fishing club itself and also on the narrow roads bordering the lower res. Mind you, as the road on the causeway seems to be gradually sliding into the res., perhaps parking there wouldn't be advisable anyway :-O
 
Juvenile peregrine harrying gulls at the far side of the upper Bittell. 30 minutes later took pigeon in recently sewn field beyond the railway crossing. Viewing from 60 yard was a privilege.
 
Must have been great to witness.
It's a good place for them here as the fields are always full of Gulls.Pigeons and Corvids.
 
Monday 12th Dec
The Redwing all around the site are showing better due to the lack of foliage but it just makes them even more jittery.
Every day I pop in to keep tabs on the Kingfisher(s) at Lower and hope to nab one on the rails around the outfall BUT yesterday just before leaving I went to have a last look and as I stuck my head over the hedge a few redwing flew over to the small tree by the No Fishing etc sign and then the Kingy followed from out of the trees in front of me.
No clear view but just as I thought he had gone he dived and caught a fish and back to the tree nearer to the sign.Stayed 1/2 an hour but he did not come out to play but got a couple of snaps through the gate and could make out it was a Male.He must have seen me going back/forth and being very me (noisey) but could not have given a toss.
One of the Redwing
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6507906683_11f66ec82f_b.jpg
and the Kingy hiding just below it.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7172/6508020727_b9566fe1da_b.jpg
 
Last edited:
I missed the Egyptian Geese and it's been SO quiet while walking around but the weathers been really bad.
Redwing and Fieldfare have moved off into the fields and all the usual small stuff in the trees.
Without a scope I do not see a lot at Upper but thought there was a Curlew on the far shore(?) but maybe not.
The only thing to cher me up is the flights of the flock of Lapwings.
Keith :t:
Lap1.jpg
 
On every visit this week I have had encounters with Kestrel both at the road from Hopwood to Lower Bittell (also Buzzard hanging around small resa)and also in Cofton Church Lane.
Also the Green Woody always puts in an appearance here as well.
In the Pines at the Boat Club I have seen Goldcrests but too fast to get any decent shots.
A lot of Song Thrushes about finding snails under all the leaves - great as they are one of my faves and I don't see as many nowadays.
Most of the weeks been very cold but O.K. in the sun except on the dam at Upper where it's eye streaming time.
Large flock of Goosanders near dam until I put my head up and they were off.
Think they were practising for the 100metres dash at London 2012.
Goosanderflock.jpg

Thanks
Keith
 
Week Feb 6th to 10th.
Very cold with one day really sunny and next grey.
Loads of Redwing,Fieldfare and both Thrushes in trees and fields around Boat club road.
Lapwings and the elusive Green Woody in field on one side of Cofton Church Farm by car park and on the other side a little Male Muntjac,which scuttled off into the hedges to the left.
Keith :t:

The Muntjac

Munt2.jpg


Munt1.jpg


One of the Thrushes

Thrush.jpg


and the Lapwing

Lapwing.jpg
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top