Dowles Brook, Wyre Forest (3 Viewers)

keithr · Feb 3, 2013

Hi Sean...I know I left the mention of one species off my list but corrected it almost straight away - not sure if it was the Brambling.No worries though....

I have only visited this part of the forest twice and do not know any local names for places...I now know this as the bridge or the white house area....but do not know the Orchard (is it where the Fox was) or the Meadow that someone said had the Tawny Owl.
When I was there we saw the finches around the bottom of the trees but could not see any big Haw type ones.I stayed on the bridge as people had said they saw them from there earlier.
Keith :t:

Phil Andrews · Feb 3, 2013

GV - the Wyre can attract some quite large flocks of Brambling, albeit they can be very localised. I can recall seeing up to 200 in the arboretum down from the visitors centre several years ago

geoffw1946 · Feb 4, 2013

There were 2 Hawfinches in the orchard and a Marsh Tit at the feeders at Lodge Farm, 2 Dippers were along the brook but no Goshawks or Mandarins were seen.

Phil Andrews · Feb 4, 2013

geoffw1946 said:
There were 2 Hawfinches in the orchard and a Marsh Tit at the feeders at Lodge Farm, 2 Dippers were along the brook but no Goshawks or Mandarins were seen.

Nice one Geoff - looks like the Hawfinch are settling into a pattern :t: The problem with the Mandarin is that they be quite mobile along Dowles Brook. Hopefully no one would put out details on a public forum of the G-word.

geoffw1946 · Feb 4, 2013

Phil Andrews said:
Nice one Geoff - looks like the Hawfinch are settling into a pattern :t: The problem with the Mandarin is that they be quite mobile along Dowles Brook. Hopefully no one would put out details on a public forum of the G-word.

They have Goshawk watch points at other forests so why not the Wyre? I have seen them in other years at great distance flying over the forest.
Geoff

Reader · Feb 4, 2013

You beat me to it Phil on the not mentioning the G word.

John

Phil Andrews said:
Nice one Geoff - looks like the Hawfinch are settling into a pattern :t: The problem with the Mandarin is that they be quite mobile along Dowles Brook. Hopefully no one would put out details on a public forum of the G-word.

Reader · Feb 4, 2013

That's one of the reasons we don't advertise their existence because as far as I am aware they are not monitored there.

I remember a few years ago reporting one at another wood to RBA (I hadn't been birding that long) and they refused to mention it for the same reasons they wouldn't mention them if seen at the Wyre Forest.

John

geoffw1946 said:
They have Goshawk watch points at other forests so why not the Wyre? I have seen them in other years at great distance flying over the forest.
Geoff

Brian Stretch · Feb 5, 2013

Goshawks in the Wyre Forest are not really news worthy from a bird news services point of view because they are there all the time. At this time of the year there are almost certainly more Goshawks in the county than say Red Kites and Little Egrets and neither of these species occur with any regularity on Birdguides or RBA.

With regards to the lack of a watchpoint, this is no different to most sites that hold Goshawks. Obviously there are the well known sites such as New Fancy View in the Forest of Dean and this is arguably the best site in the UK anyway. Also with it being relatively accessible to the Midlands, south-west and Wales it helps takes pressure off other sites which don't have such a high vantage point.

Brian
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Birding Today

geoffw1946 · Feb 5, 2013

Brian Stretch said:
Goshawks in the Wyre Forest are not really news worthy from a bird news services point of view because they are there all the time. At this time of the year there are almost certainly more Goshawks in the county than say Red Kites and Little Egrets and neither of these species occur with any regularity on Birdguides or RBA.

With regards to the lack of a watchpoint, this is no different to most sites that hold Goshawks. Obviously there are the well known sites such as New Fancy View in the Forest of Dean and this is arguably the best site in the UK anyway. Also with it being relatively accessible to the Midlands, south-west and Wales it helps takes pressure off other sites which don't have such a high vantage point.

Brian
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Birding Today

Welbeck Park Raptor Watchpoint in Notts is slightly nearer I should think with 4 Goshawk and a Honey Buzzard reported in August 2012. Wykeham Forest Raptor Watchpoint in Yorks had at least 5 Goshawks and 3 Honey Buzzard in August 2012 (both per RBA).
As I said, we could do with a recognized Raptor Watchpoint in the Wyre Forest then perhaps more Honey Buzzards, Red Kites etc. would be seen. Perhaps we need to talk to the Forestry Commission?
Geoff

Brian Stretch · Feb 5, 2013

geoffw1946 said:
Welbeck Park Raptor Watchpoint in Notts is slightly nearer I should think with 4 Goshawk and a Honey Buzzard reported in August 2012. Wykeham Forest Raptor Watchpoint in Yorks had at least 5 Goshawks and 3 Honey Buzzard in August 2012 (both per RBA).
As I said, we could do with a recognized Raptor Watchpoint in the Wyre Forest then perhaps more Honey Buzzards, Red Kites etc. would be seen. Perhaps we need to talk to the Forestry Commission?
Geoff

Depends where you live of course. New Fancy View is only a third of the distance to Welbeck for me.

I don't know for sure, but I think the news services normally tag the Goshawk sightings on to the end of a Honey Buzzard message and rarely put them out as news in themselves. Of course Welbeck and Wykeham along with Acres Down are all recognised raptor watchpoints but these are only a tiny fraction of where Goshawks can be seen. The Wyre Forest is therefore not the exception to the rule, the vast majority of sites are not generally publicised.

Brian
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Birding Today

waterrailus · Feb 15, 2013

Had a really good afternoon in the forest yesterday. Had been to Upton Warren in the morning and decided to have a look for Hawfinch in the afternoon.Parked up at Dry Mill which was packed but luckily someone just leaving. As we walked up the old track we noticed that there was a complete absence of birds both visually and aurally! Once we reached the rail bridge it suddenly came alive, goldfinches in good numbers. We walked up to the old orchard and there were siskins, chaffinches, goldcrest, raven overhead, several brambling and finally a single female hawfinch which appeared to be following the small flock of chaffinches around. We also commented on how many greater spotted woodpeckers were around. all in all a good afternoon in lovely sunshine.

keithr · Feb 15, 2013

Well done on the Hawfinch......not being a local I do not know all the named areas here.I have been to the bridge by the white house but do not know where the Orchard or old meadow are.

Keith :t:

jackied · Feb 16, 2013

2 Hawfinch there again today. Keith, the Orchard/meadow is directly over the bridge, a footpath runs uphill from the farm, over the bridge and through the meadow. Lots of Yellow Ant hills.
Jackie

keithr · Feb 16, 2013

jackied said:
2 Hawfinch there again today. Keith, the Orchard/meadow is directly over the bridge, a footpath runs uphill from the farm, over the bridge and through the meadow. Lots of Yellow Ant hills.
Jackie

Thanks Jackie......Ah that must be the field I snapped the Fox in....see post # 108.

Thanks
Keith

jackied · Feb 17, 2013

I should add that the farms driveway is not a public right of way. The footpath is accessed from Knowles Coppice to the side of the farm.
Jackie

Neil Duggan · Feb 17, 2013

I had an enjoyable 2 hrs around the Brook at lunchtime. Saw a lovely Dipper and three Grey Wagtails.

Didn't catch Hawfinch in Orchard though. Well done jackied.

rjmartin · Mar 17, 2013

Spent a few hours at Dowles Brook earlier today, overall quiet with the highlights being 4 x Mandarin Duck (2m&2f) and a little earlier I had 2 x Treecreeper together.

jackied · Mar 31, 2013

A good day in the forest yesterday, with plenty of the usual woodland birds, plus 8 Brambling, Marsh Tit, and Lesser Spotted Woody at Lodge Hill farm. I also saw 2 Muntjac and a small group of Fallow Deer, and later on a Fox as well.
Jackie

jackied · Apr 20, 2013

Another good day, with another Lesser Spotted Woody (female), male Redstart, loads of Willow Warblers and at least 3 Tree Pipits singing. Also Common Lizard, Adder and loads of what I think were Palmate Newts. Are they the ones that fold their tails back along their bodies and shiver the tip to impress the ladies?
Jackie

rjmartin · Apr 21, 2013

I visited Dowles Brook on Friday evening, a male Adder was seen before I had one Dipper down on the brook. Also seen were a Muntjac fleeing as I disturbed it near to Lodge Hill Farm, quite a few bank or field (not too sure which?) voles in the scrubby grassland adjacent to the old railway line. Finally on the way back up the lane from the car park as it was getting dusk a Weasel ran across the road.

Dowles Brook, Wyre Forest (3 Viewers)

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