Cookley & Caunsall (1 Viewer)

Igeotre said:

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.

Click to expand...

Hey

The one i saw on Saturday was in trees off Cookley Lane. I have seen groups of 4-5 on thermals over my house in Cookley on a couple of occasions last year and often see them around the canal by Cookley flying around the nearby woodland so lots about.

Cheers :t:

Only change of note on a recent visit to the patch was arrival of a good number of Siskins feeding on the alders along the canal ( no Redpolls seen though) nice to get a bit of winter movement for a change. One or two more species added to the year list = Grey Wagtail,Siskin,Dunnock,Buzzard,Nuthatch and Stock Dove.

Was hoping for a little more winter movement over the weekend but besides an increase in Redwings and a decent flock of Chaffinch (had a good mooch through for Brambling but no luck) the large flock of Siskins picked up last weekend seems to have moved on. Maybe the next flock through might hold a few Redpoll? Besides the usual suspects, added Cormorant,Kestrel,Sparrowhawk and Bullfinch to this years list.

Ah, where was the cormorant approx?

You are probably aware of this, but your patch is very near Brett Westwood's - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04xs4b0

Igeotre said:

Ah, where was the cormorant approx?

You are probably aware of this, but your patch is very near Brett Westwood's - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04xs4b0

Click to expand...

Last weeks bird and one I noted yesterday were both flyovers above the Stour Valley. In the past Cormorant used to be a regular winter "stayer" along the Stour, possibly they have been shot out in recent years ?
Regarding Brett Westwood have been visiting this area on and off for the last 30+ years, have seen him from a distance but have never had the opportunity to speak, pity seems a very interesting chap listening to his broadcasts.

14/2/16

Managed a couple of hours in the morning but nothing out of the ordinary. 31 species. I did see a sizeable flock of Linnet (70+) in fields near the top of Sion Hill. Also had some Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Greenfinch in there but no Brambling unfortunately. Another short walk later in the afternoon and i came upon a flock of mainly Goldfinches so they are roving about the area.

A few birds added to the year list. Was impressed to hear a couple of Skylarks singing away in the paddocks. GSW drumming in several spots, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock all in full song, spring is just around the corner.

Cheers :t:

6/3/16

Had a successful walk on Sunday seeing 39 species including several new species for the year and a new patch record for me.

Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goosander, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Wagtail, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, Robin, Rook, Siskin, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

2x Canadas were on the canal between Caunsall and Whittington along with 2 other geese, presumably escapes, all white with an orange beak. I have a picture i will try and attach later if time allows. The Cormorant (4) were atop a tree near Whittington just between the river and canal, new for the patch for me, expected a flyover but not 4 in a tree! Also a Yellowhammer was nice to see on Cookley Lane. The best place for seeing these last year were in an area of the patch i have cut out this year so glad to see i can still find them in the new parts. Also had 3 female Goosander on the canal between Cookley and Caunsall. I think there were more but around a bend in the canal and didn't see the others, just sounded as though there were more than 3 when they took off. Lots of Siskin flocks and Redwings getting ready to head north.

Year list for the patch now stands at 46. By the time i get a chance to head out on the next walk a few early migrants might just be possible.

Cheers :t:

13/3/16

Restricted to garden birding only this weekend but did manage 2 Buzzards soaring on thermals as well as regular flocks of Siskins and Goldfinches visiting our feeders.

Also had my first 2 butterfly of the year, 2 Peacock and 1 Comma.

Cheers :t:

Dave

26/03/16

Dreary and windy with birds seeming to want to stay sheltered most of the time. 3 new additions to the year list with Stock Dove and the first 2 migrant arrivals of Chiffchaff (x2) and Blackcap. Also today were good numbers of Nuthatch, Mistle Thrush and Buzzard. Still a few flocks of Redwing about although the only Siskin seen today was in my back garden.

Obvious omissions on the year list include Bullfinch and Kestrel.

No full list as the Birdtrack app was playing up. I like the new design in theory but it needs work. First time i used it all of the records were down as errors for some reason when i tried to upload. This morning no matter what bird i tried to add i could only select Grebes! Also, i know the naming is scientifically correct but i can imagine casual and amateur birders might find it tricky to add some species. It took a few seconds to realise Goosander was not on the list and had to search for Common Merganser instead. I'm sure i'll get used to it.

Cheers :t:

10/4/16

A freezing start, any summer visitors obviously thought they'd stay in warmer places for a while longer. No additional migrants noted since last week but was nice to finally add Bullfinch to the year list, a single female by Caunsall bridge. Lots of aggressive behaviour today, a lot of fighting for territory going on by Blackbird, Chaffinch, Wren, Blue Tit and Chiffchaff to name a few. Sadly no Wheatears yet, or anything else really of note. Did see male and female sprwak and buzzard together also.

Full list (44): Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Cormorant, Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Feral Pigeon, Green Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, GSW, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, Pheasant, Robin, Rook, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

In other news a pair of Coal Tits appear to be seriously interested in moving into one of our next boxes!!

Cheers :t:

Dave

12/4/16

Quick walk up to the paddocks yesterday and I finally connected with Kestrel (does a dance)! One flying around the farm buildings in the evening sun. No sign of any Wheatears which was the main reason for the quick visit but did have a new patch tick in the form of a loose group of about 10 Sand Martins flying north as I headed back. PWC list now up to 50 for the year.

Cheers :t:

24/4/16

40 species seen on a 2 hour walk this morning and a 20 min jog this afternoon (I need to lose a bit of weight!) New for the year were my first Whitethroat and House Martins. Other highlights include a pair of Yellowhammer, a singing Siskin, a close encounter with a Buzzard, mating GSW and an unidentified duck on the river!

Lots of Blackcap and Chiffchaff but apart from the single Whitethroat in the hedgerows along Cookley lane, not much else in the way of warblers. No Willow Warblers yet, they were thin on the ground last year but easy to get elsewhere, maybe they don't like the area.

I don't know how some of you manage to get so many species in your local patches based on Twitter, I could only dream of finding a Whinchat, Redstart, Yellow Wagtail or Ring Ouzel on my patch, despite a lot of searching I just can't see them, not even a Wheatear this year so far! Some nearby patches such as Lickhill, Iverley and Wassell Grove seem to get so many quality migrants and records, I admire your skills! I only manage to spend a couple of hours a week max on the patch and it is quite spread so not surprised that things would go under the Radar but can be disheartening at times!! I might just not be very good at it, I have never been birding with anyone before, always on my own so probably missed on the learning curve of visiting places with more experienced people.

I'll keep going, off to Weymouth from the 30th for a week or so, hopefully we get time to visit Portland, Radipole and Lodmoor as well as a few other places and see if I can bump this life list up a bit. I have been birding a couple of hours a fortnight for nearly 10 years but still only on 187 birds. Some of the ones I haven't seen are pretty embarrassing (Turtle Dove, Arctic Tern (probably have seen but not where I can say with 100% certainty), BNG, Cetti's Warbler (never connected at Middleton Lakes when I regularly went there), Corn Bunting (despite some being very nearby), Firecrest, Goshawk, Grey Partridge, Hawfinch, Whooper Swan, Wood Sandpiper, Woodlark, YLG).

Oh well, 58 for the patch this year (I missed a few out on the last count), onwards and upwards.

Cheers :t:

Good numbers of both Swallow and House Martin (no Sand Martin noted though) dropped down to feed over the sewage beds at Whittington Lock after the heavy showers this afternoon, also one poss. two Willow Warblers singing in the same area.

08/05/16

3 hours on the patch this morning and 2 years ticks, including a new patch tick with a Yellow Wagtail (finally) seen in one of the fields off Cookley Lane. Also had 2 Cuckoos over Whittington Bridge. 43 species seen, highlights of course being the Yellow Wag and Cuckoo. Also notable were Kestrel in the horse paddocks at the top of Castle Road, a few more Whitethroats, mainly on Cookley Lane where there must have been at least 5-6 individual Yellowhammers.

I'm still missing Willow Warbler and Wheatear this year where PWC list sits at 61 with a pair of Swift seen yesterday afternoon over the house.

Cheers

Dave

Not had a chance to get out and properly have a mooch for about 6 months for a variety of reasons but finally got out yesterday and was rewarded with a male Mandarin on the canal with about 20 Mallard. Only my second record on the patch and first of the year. It could have been around for months for all I know. Also had plenty of Redwing, Sparrowhawk and several Buzzard. Not a lot else but didn't expect too see all that much. Fingers crossed for some Waxwings soon!!

Cheers

Dave

Finally come across one or two winter visitors along the Stour Valley today besides a nice flock of Fieldfare also noted a flock of c30 Siskins on the alders along the canal and 3 female Goosander plus a flyover male on the Stour today my first of the winter of what has been without doubt my quietest year on record along the area that I cover. Hoping for a little bit more movement over the coming months.

After yesterday's report of a Yellow-browed Warbler's call/seen at Whittington Bridge, was on to an early visit this morning spent a good time ''grilling'' the large number of Goldcrest's that where present feeding on insects in the surrounding tree's near the sewage bed's but with no luck, thankfully returned for a second visit late afternoon and was put onto the spot by two other local birders and within 5 mins. had good views of the bird.

g.h.1 said:

After yesterday's report of a Yellow-browed Warbler's call/seen at Whittington Bridge, was on to an early visit this morning spent a good time ''grilling'' the large number of Goldcrest's that where present feeding on insects in the surrounding tree's near the sewage bed's but with no luck, thankfully returned for a second visit late afternoon and was put onto the spot by two other local birders and within 5 mins. had good views of the bird.

Click to expand...

Could you please provide directions.

Thanks.

YBW still present today near sewage work fence

Phil Owen said:

Could you please provide directions.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Hi Phil
Have sent you a P.M.
Cheers Glenn