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Trench Wood and surrounding areas (1 Viewer)

Woodchat

Cogito ergo sum
As I plan to visit this area on a regular basis, I thought I'd start a new thread to log any sightings. My first ever visit to Trench Wood was circa. 1986. In those days, it was notable for its Nightingales with 10+ pairs still present in the latter years of the 1980's. I last recorded them here when I visited in 1993 but they were rapidly diminishing and in 1994 I failed to hear one. During those visits I also recorded a passage Wood Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, several Woodcocks and, in 1989, a Quail could be heard in the nearby fields.

The wood, itself, is now much more disturbed and often seems quite lacking in birds. However, over the past few years, I have made the occasional visit and started to explore the surrounding areas - some of which look quite promising and could produce some interesting birds at passage times. The following sites are worth checking out:

Lower Saleway Meadows and Paddocks

Lower Saleway Farm Meadows SSSI is a species-rich hay meadow supporting an array of wild plants including a few species of orchids. It is full of Cowslips and Yellow Rattle. The surrounding fields and paddocks are worth checking. Visits over the past few years have produced Cuckoos, Ravens, Peregrine, Yellowhammers, Linnets, Skylarks, Lesser Whitethroats, Common Whitethroats, Little Owl and Canada Geese. Yesterday, a Red Kite appeared over an adjacent field when the farmer started cutting his alfalfa crop.

Trench Wood (itself)

Still worth a visit. Recent trips have yielded Spotted Flycatchers (up to 4), Garden Warblers, Willow Warblers, Cuckoos and, in the evenings, both Tawny Owls and a Barn Owl. Roe Deers and Muntjacs are relatively easy to see.

Fields around Sale Green

On Sunday, 2 Curlews were in the fields between Sale Green and Crowle. A few of the fields look quite species-rich floristically with Yellow Rattle and other plants. Yellowhammers and Lesser and Common Whitethroats present.

Fields and woods between Netherwood Lane and the Droitwich - Birmingham Canal.

This is a varied and interesting area bounded by Trench Wood, Crowle Green, Tibberton and Oddingley. Some very interesting flower-rich fields with very thick hedges border the canal (where there are Cuckoos and Reed Warblers). On the other side of the railway embankment, the larger fields with wide ditches are surprisingly good, too. This area supports decent flocks of Lapwings (33 counted on Sunday), 15+ Mistle Thrushes, Yellowhammers, both Whitethroat species, a Curlew was present a week or so ago and a Marsh Tit in one of the hedges. Brown Hares seem quite common around here and spectacularly close views of a female Roe Deer and her fawn were obtained yesterday.

I will continue to explore the area and post my sightings.
 
Look forward to these reports as well, Dave. We don't get there much these days. Has the pond grown back again? It had just been cleard out last time we were over. There can be quite a number of (professional) dog walkers use it!
 
Hi Mary,

They have done a lot of work recently in Trench Wood, opening up quite large areas, including the area where they installed the small pond in the late 80's / early 90's.

Below is a map showing some of the areas of interest:
 

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Hi Mary,

They have done a lot of work recently in Trench Wood, opening up quite large areas, including the area where they installed the small pond in the late 80's / early 90's.

Below is a map showing some of the areas of interest:

Cheers for the map.
 
A Hobby over Netherwood Lane this morning.
38 adult Lapwings counted plus at least one chick - very difficult to see in the grass.
Curlew near Sale Green
Cuckoo near Oddingley
Yellowhammers, Raven, Skylarks, Common Whitethroats, Linnets, Swallows, House Martins, Willow Warblers etc.
 
A Spotted Flycatcher at Goosehill Wood this morning.
Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers in the Dean Brook valley.
3 Lapwings in a field near Himbleton.
Raven at Saleway.

Lots of Marbled Whites at Puck Hill near Goosehill Wood plus Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Large Skippers, Emperor Dragonfly and Broad-bodied Chaser.

Good numbers of Pyramidal Orchids and Common Spotted Orchids on the grass verg along Goosehill Lane by the Huddington crossroads. This strip of verge has an outstanding flora with loads of Yellow Rattle, Field Scabious, Perforate St John's Wort and others - it's a shame it's been partially mowed.
 
An hour in Trench Wood this morning produced:

Large Skipper, White-letter Hairstreak, Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Speckled Wood.

Banded Demoiselle, Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Emperor Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser.

Roe Deer, Slow-worm.
 
A couple of visits over the weekend:

The Lapwing flock along Netherwood Lane seems to have diminished / dispersed but still 10+ adults left. A pair with 2 well grown young found in a nearby field.

Curlews present along Netherwood Lane and around Sale Green still.

Yellowhammers, Ravens (4+), Common Whitethroats, Reed Warblers (along Worcs-Birmingham Canal), Swallows, House Martins, Kestrel, Linnets, Garden Warbler, Willow warbler, Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, 10+ Mistle Thrushes.

Roe and Muntjac (very close views of both) plus lots of Brown Hares.

Butterflies including, Marbled Whites, ringlets, Meadow Browns, Large Skippers, White Admirals (3), Silver-washed Fritillaries (lots) and Speckled Woods.

Nice to see several clumps of Flowering Rush in bloom along the canal.
 
A large Peregrine over Netherwood Lane on Saturday morning plus Kestrel.
3 Cormorants over Himbleton seemed unusual.
7+ adult Lapwings plus at least one well-grown juv seen yesterday.
Lots of Marbled Whites in the flower-filled meadows bordering the canal yesterday. One scarlet Tiger Moth seen near the railway bridge.
Singing Yellowhammers in various places and a couple of singing Lesser Whitethroats. Reed warblers along the canal.

Several Hares seen in the fields.
 
This morning:

Spotted Flycatcher at Dunhampstead Manor calling often and showed well.
A Hobby over Sale Green.
Marsh Tit at Keeper's Cottage, Trench Wood.
Curlew and 9+ adult Lapwing plus 4 juvs in fields along Netherwood Lane.
Yellowhammers and large numbers of Common Whitethroats.
Singing Lesser Whitethroat.
1 Cormorant over
 
Cornflowers

As I was walking the public footpaths between Netherwood Lane and the Worcs - Birmingham canal, I noticed these in a set-aside field.

A scan of the field revealed there were lots of them. Wild Cornflowers are quite a rare sight these days - but it just shows that the seed bank can come to life when the conditions are right.
 

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Noticeable large passage of Swifts yesterday afternoon - 100's in the air over a wide area between Tibberton and Broughton Green,
 
A Kingfisher perched along the Worcester-Birmingham canal near Oddingley yesterday. Plenty of Redwings, a few Fieldfares, Yellowhammers, Skylarks, Red-legged Partridges, 2 Ravens and a few Goldcrests. Most of the other birds keeping their heads down in the rain.
 
A quick circular walk along the Worcs-Birmingham canal and Netherwood Lane this afternoon:

1 Cuckoo
3 Lesser Whitethroats
4 Reed Warblers
5 Lapwings
Common Whitethroats
Swallows
Linnets
Reed Buntings
House Sparrows
Buzzards
 
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A brief visit late morning:

1 Spotted Flycatcher near car park feeding low down.
4+ Garden Warblers
2 singing Willow Warblers
Whitethroats
Treecreeper singing
7 Early Purple Orchids

In surrounding fields / areas:

2 Lapwings near Netherwood Lane
1 Little Grebe on pool at Crowle Green (Netherwood Lane)
Singing Yellowhammers
Whitethroats
A few House Martins and Swallows (not many!)
Female Roe Deer near Lower Saleway and a few Canada Geese plus small flock of Linnets.
 
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Circular walk from Oddingly along Worcs - Birmingham canal and back along Netherwood Lane:

Cuckoo, Reed Warblers, Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroats, Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings, 1 Curlew, 3 Lapwings, 1 Little Owl, 1 Raven, Linnets, Buzzards, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk with prey, Swallows and House Martins.

Trench Wood:

Cuckoo, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Marsh Tit, 2 singing Willow Warblers, 2 singing Garden Warblers, Treecreepers, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.

Saleway: Cuckoo, Linnets, Whitethroats, Swallows plus 2 Ravens.
 
A tatty Red Kite drifting over near Netherwood Lane just now.

6 Lapwings and 16+ Mistle Thrushes in bare field plus 2 Brown Hares.

Swallows feeding 4 fledged young along the canal.
 
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