• 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.

Cookley & Caunsall (1 Viewer)

Thought I'd just drop this shot down of an area that up till now has been sympathetically cut for the benefit of all users of the canal ( leaving cleared areas for moorings a wide enough path for both walkers and cyclists and leaving a bankside strip of vegitation for wildlife at several points along its length : ) How long this balanced view of countryside management will last is sadly anyones guess.
 

Attachments

  • P1110835.jpg
    P1110835.jpg
    444.5 KB · Views: 86
Rather slow on the bird/butterfly front around the area today though did pick up Migrant Hawker and Banded Demoiselle along the canal nice to drop on and get a record shot of a Moth species for a change - Large Yellow Underwing I believe ?. Rode past the area that was totally trashed back in July have dropped down a shot of how nature can fight back if left to it ! know doubt the powers that be will have another "blitz" on the place before the onset of winter.
 

Attachments

  • P1110925.jpg
    P1110925.jpg
    590.2 KB · Views: 79
  • P1110937.jpg
    P1110937.jpg
    462.1 KB · Views: 93
Last edited:
Spent a few hours yesterday morning working the higher farmland area's to maybe pick up a late migrant passing through, the only birds of note were good numbers of Skylark around the stubble fields and a single mixed finch flock in the rough grazing paddocks ( nice to see a good proportion of youngsters in with them though.) For me this has been a very poor autumn for migration locally besides the common Warblers and good numbers of hirundines (missed out on the Hobby reported early sept.) the only birds of note have been one flyover Red Kite (just off patch) a couple of Whinchats (early autumn) and a flyover Yellow Wag. Here's hoping for better results in the last three months of the year.
 
Last edited:
06/10/15

A week off and the first chance to go on a birding specific walk for months. Toddlers and a new house are taking up a lot more time than anticipated!!

Highlights today include 2 patch firsts. One being 3 Coal Tits in a mixed flock along the Canal which also held a Nuthatch and a possible Chiffchaff but didn't get the best of views. Also saw a cracking Peregrine. It was perched in one of the fields near the paddocks at the top of Cookley in a large tree with exposed branches at the top. Sat quietly for a few minutes before stretching its wings and then flying east. Some excellent views were had.

Not a lot else, most of the expected species seen but not a lot else.

Cheers :t:

Dave
 
Managed to get out and about briefly over the first half of this week, small numbers of Mipits moving over the higher fields and House Martins through the Stour valley also nice to hear calling Tawny Owl and catch up with a small flock of Siskins along the canal ( my first for the autumn.)
Good to hear from you again Dave.
 
Managed to get out and about briefly over the first half of this week, small numbers of Mipits moving over the higher fields and House Martins through the Stour valley also nice to hear calling Tawny Owl and catch up with a small flock of Siskins along the canal ( my first for the autumn.)
Good to hear from you again Dave.

Yes, it has been a while!!

I also had a lot of Mipits on top of the Horse Paddocks as well as 2 House Martins over. I can hear a Tawny owl from home some nights so must be one in the woods off lea lane somewhere.

Cheers
 
Rather quiet again out and about today only things of note was a (second summer) Great Black-backed Gull catching the thermals with two L.B.B. Gulls ( size difference was quite distinctive ) my first seen locally. Also Finch flocks are building with good numbers of Goldfinch over the horse paddocks and a nice flock of 20+ Linnets seen over the stubble fields.
 
Last edited:
Good to get a few minutes observing a juv. Peregrine soaring over the higher fields today before moving off high up the valley.
 
Not been out today but had a group of 7 Buzzards circling over the house yesterday afternoon. Today we had a mixed flock visit the feeders which comprised of 15 Goldfinch, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Greenfinch and 1 Chaffinch.

I'm hoping over the coming months we get a few more visitors like GSW, Siskin, Redpoll and Nuthatch coming to the feeders.

Cheers

Dave
 
In relation to Daves post regarding Buzzards, had constant views of circling birds from the start to the end of my walk along the valley today even had a couple of males in display flights ( without doubt the most birds I have observed in one day locally.)
 
Only thing of note on a brief walk along the valley today was the first Redwings (20+) seen this autumn.
 
Last edited:
After a very quiet run into the year's end, thought I would motivate myself to get out there for the first weekend of the new year despite the drab weather - nothing outstanding but did pick up one or two common species (elsewhere) that can be a bit tricky to pick up in this "neck of the woods". Species noted :Mallard,Goosander,Pheasant,Moorhen,Herring Gull,L.B.B. Gull,Woodpigeon,Collard Dove,Green Woodpecker,G.S.Woodpecker,Wren,Robin,Fieldfare,Blackbird,Song Thrush,Redwing,Mistle Thrush,Goldcrest,L.t.Tit,CoalTit,BlueTit,Great Tit,Treecreeper,Jay,Magpie,Jackdaw,Rook,Carrion Crow,Raven,Starling,House Sparrow,Chaffinch,Greenfinch,Goldfinch and Yellowhammer. Managed to cover about 40% of my regular route before the "rain stopped play" so there are still a few (winter) regular's to catch up with as weather permits.
 
Been far too busy in recent months to go out watching the area, and the rain put me off a little over the weekend! I do intend on getting out on the patch more this year though, albeit have changed the area i'll cover to make it a bit more manageable.

The only birds seen so far are what i have had in the garden/overhead which so far for 2016 includes: Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Starling, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, GSW, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Redwing, Blue Tit, Great Tit, LTT and a new one for me at the house (and patch), a Lesser Redpoll. I can also hear a Tawny Owl calling most nights whenever i put the rubbish out!

Hopefully if the weekend is drier i can get out and have a good look!

Cheers

Dave
 
9/1/16

A 2.5 hour walk around the new patch area yesterday was longer than i expected, my feet are paying for it now!

Got the majority of the expected species but nothing out of the ordinary. List ended with: BH Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Goldcrest, GSW, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Pheasant, Redwing, Robin, Siskin, Starling, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Still a few obvious ones to get, will need to keep an eye out above to see if i get any flyovers too!

Cheers :t:

Dave
 
9/1/16

A 2.5 hour walk around the new patch area yesterday was longer than i expected, my feet are paying for it now!

Got the majority of the expected species but nothing out of the ordinary. List ended with: BH Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Goldcrest, GSW, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Pheasant, Redwing, Robin, Siskin, Starling, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Still a few obvious ones to get, will need to keep an eye out above to see if i get any flyovers too!

Cheers :t:

Dave
Talking of looking out for flyovers Dave, managed a brief visit on sunday morning along the canal and picked up a few Goosander buzzing over the valley ( if you need the species for your list. )
 
Talking of looking out for flyovers Dave, managed a brief visit on sunday morning along the canal and picked up a few Goosander buzzing over the valley ( if you need the species for your list. )

Thanks Glenn

Where about did you see it?

Weather is looking good for the weekend so hopefully will have a chance for a mooch around.

Cheers :t:

Dave
 
Hi Dave,

Out of interest how far down the canal are you coming when you spot buzzards?

I'm considering a personal project to try and look at the buzzard population in and around Kidderminster, probably looking quite hard at the Springfield/Wolverley area as I've seen them there for years. Just curious to see if you're seeing the same birds. And perhaps where the next territory may begin.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 7 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top