[Rob Williams]

Where's Chatley?

[Woodchat]

Originally Posted by Rob Williams

Where's Chatley?

Hi Rob,

Chatley is a small collection of houses / farms just north of Mildenham and north east of Hawford along 'Chatley Lane' which leads to the A449. The fields around here are worth checking out at various times of year for Yellowhammers, Lapwings, Redstarts, Stonechat, etc. A few years ago, a reeling Gropper was in one of the more overgrown field margins. The small pool on the left hand side of Chatley Lane in the dip just before you reach a house called 'Penhallow' is always worth checking for ducks and Little Grebes.

[Woodchat]

MARSH TIT singing and calling in the garden of 'Abberley View' then flew into Lucy's Wood. This is at least a kilometer from Knight's Grove where they possibly breed.

One Green Sandpiper and one Snipe in drainage swales between the allotments and Copcut Rise earlier. Decent numbers of Meadow Pipits between there and Salwarpe.
One Siskin near the allotments.

[Woodchat]

Seven CROSSBILLS just flew over just west of Salwarpe village heading North-west. Mixture of red males - at least 2 - and green ones. Calling constantly.

[Woodchat]

A few other species seen over the weekend:

2 Kingfishers near Salwarpe yesterday.
Tufted Duck drake on small pool between Chatley and Hawford.
Yellowhammer near Chatley.
Buzzards, Kestrels, Grey Wagtails, Cormorants, Grey Herons, Greylag Geese, Nuthatches, Skylarks, Linnets, Fieldfares, Redwings, Mistle Thrushes, singing Blackcap, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

A few Pipistrelles active at dusk this evening.

[Woodchat]

I have just measured the distance between the most recent sighting of Marsh Tit and the previous ones in Knight's Grove on Google Earth. The distance is 1.48 kilometres (1.08 km from the nearest edge of Knight's Grove). Marsh Tits are notoriously highly sedentary and rarely wander more than 1km from their territories, although exceptionally they have been found to wander up to 5km.

[Woodchat]

My patch year list at the end of February advances to 75 with the additions of Little Egret, Stonechat, Marsh Tit and Crossbill. Hopefully, March won't disappoint. :-)

[Woodchat]

Singing Chiffchaff between Chatley and Hawford. Tufted Duck drake on the pool. Coot on Tapenhall pool.

[Jameswl]

Originally Posted by Woodchat

Singing Chiffchaff between Chatley and Hawford.

1st March was the date of your first Chiffchaff sighting on the patch in 2014, the earliest return date in your records

[Woodchat]

My first Little Owl of the year this morning - at Linacres paddocks.
A pair of Mandarin at the confluence.
Singing Blackcap and Chiffchaff along the canal at Tapenhall.
Siskin over -plus one yesterday.
3 Greylags, Coot, Tufted Duck, Nuthatch, Kestrel, Buzzards, Kingfisher, Skylarks, Grey Wagtail singing, Reed Buntings, etc.

3 Yellowhammers along Sinton Lane yesterday and a Sparrowhawk at Coney.

[Woodchat]

3 Teal (2 drakes) in the upper drainage swale at Copcut Rise. New for the year.
Green Sandpiper in one of the lower swales. 6 Snipes flushed from the wet grassland so far.

[Woodchat]

8 Shoveler just flew over Chawson Lane in the direction of Westwood - another patch year tick.

[Woodchat]

After talking to one of the residents at Chatley, it appears that the Egyptian Geese I saw near the confluence in December visited their farm pond several times during that week. They have very kindly sent me a couple of photos for my records - please see attached:

[Woodchat]

A few other species recorded over the weekend:

Raven, Meadow Pipits, Coal Tit, further Siskins, Jays, Rooks, Long-tailed Tits, Cormorants, Pied Wagtails, c1000 Starlings roosted on Friday, Buzzards, Sparrowhawks, Bullfinches, Linnets, Grey Herons, House sparrows, Goldcrests, Goldfinches, Greenfinch, singing Chaffiches, Mistle Thrushes, Fieldfare, Redwing in full song along Copcut Lane, Song Thrushes, Moorhens, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

[Woodchat]

A Peregrine this morning flew from a pylon near Middleton Grange over Copcut Lane.
A pair of Gadwall on flooded field near Linacre bridge.
A pair of Tufted Ducks on the canal at Hawford lock.
Coot on Tapenhall pool.
Chiffchaff singing between Chatley and Hawford.
Water Rail along the canal near Coney Meadow and Blackcap sub-singing in the hedge there.
Other species included Yellowhammers, Kestrels, Redwings, Fieldfares, Reed Buntings, Greenfinches, Linnets, Grey Herons and the usual Woodpeckers.

[Woodchat]

A couple of extra items from the weekend:

6 Snipe near Copcut rise again on Saturday and 1 there yesterday evening. A few Meadow Pipits there also.
2 singing Chiffchaffs between Mildenham and Hawford Lock yesterday morning.
Generally very quiet in the breezy weather.

[Fried Piecatcher]

Saw this white pheasant in the field on the other side of Linacre Bridge yesterday afternoon, saw him over there in October too

[Woodchat]

A pair of Goosander over Hawford fishing pools.
Singing Chiffchaffs at Tapenhall and between Mildenham and Hawford so far.

[Woodchat]

3 further redhead Goosanders just flew off the canal at Hawford Mill.

And 3 more on the Severn at Hawford Lock - 2 females and a male.

[Woodchat]

Further singing Chiffchaffs:

Egg Lane yesterday
Salwarpe yesterday and today
Gorsey Bank today

[Woodchat]

An Oystercatcher on floods near the confluence at Hawford - new for the year.

100+ ducks flying around - mostly Wigeon plus a few Gadwall and at least 4 Shoveler.

5 Greylags over.

1 Chiffchaff Tapenhall and 3 in the Hawford area.

[Woodchat]

Water Rail seen between Mildenham and Hawford yesterday morning plus another calling near Mildenham Lock. One also calling from Coney reedbed at dusk. 1 Raven seen over Tapenhall late morning. A few Meadow Pipits over.

[Philb50]

Single Peregrine on usual pylon at Middleton Bank

[Woodchat]

2 Little Grebes on Tapenhall pool this morning.
A pair of Wigeon on floods near the confluence at Hawford. About a dozen Gadwall flying around in 2 flocks.
An increase in Chiffchaffs - 1 Tapenhall, 3 around Hawford, 2 Egg Lane, 1 Knight's Grove, 3 Salwarpe and 1 Coney Meadow.
3 Ravens over Coney
Water Rail called
Grey Wagtail
3 Yellowhammers Sinton Lane

[Woodchat]

Female Wheatear at Copcut Rise perched on temporary metal fence around New development - showing well.

15+ Meadow Pipits also