steve_zodiac
Well-known member
Swan pool today 2pm-3pm
1 Redstart
4 Blackcap
4 Whitethroat
2 Chiffchaff
1 Redstart
4 Blackcap
4 Whitethroat
2 Chiffchaff
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Sandwell Valley (8 Viewers)
- Thread starter Kevin Clements
- Start date
Ixer
Well-known member
Just seen about the all day bird race on the Upton Warren thread. A few reserves taking part around the midlands. Any one fancy helping to compile a decent Sandwell Valley day list this Saturday? Think we could possibly hold our own in such a contest. Would be good to show that there are genuinely some decent birds still around the Valley.
Any interest?
Mike
Any interest?
Mike
richarddavis30
Well-known member
Will give Saturday afternoon a few hours if that's any help.
Can I check what the boundaries of the area/reserve are? Is it forge mill lake area or are we 'allowed' the other side of the river by the golf course and sandwell valley park?
Regards
Rich
Can I check what the boundaries of the area/reserve are? Is it forge mill lake area or are we 'allowed' the other side of the river by the golf course and sandwell valley park?
Regards
Rich
Ixer
Well-known member
It's a good question. Lets just say whole Valley since we're doing it last minute and if there are any complaints we know better for any future attempts.
The actual reserve is so small compared to some other competitors that if we didn't do the whole Valley we wouldn't have a chance.
Mike
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Hi Mike - as the "daddy" of the Autumn All-Dayer at UW we include all birds seen from the reserve, plus the Education Reserve and Sailing Pool which are outside of the Wildlife Trust's ownership. I think if they are areas that you would bird as part of a visit to the RSPB reserve its not an issue.
richarddavis30
Well-known member
Well as start today only managed 41 species this afternoon.
bh gull, blackbird, blue tit, bullfinch, buzzard, can goose, crow, chaffinch, coot, cormorant, dunnock, gadwall, goldfinch, gc grebe, g tit, grey heron, herring gull, house martin, house sparrow, kingfisher, lapwing, lbb gull, little grebe, lt tit, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, pochard, ringed-neck parakeet, robin, sand martin, sedge warbler, shoveler, snipe, sparrowhawk, swallow, teal, tufted duck, whitethroat, woodpigeon, wren.
bh gull, blackbird, blue tit, bullfinch, buzzard, can goose, crow, chaffinch, coot, cormorant, dunnock, gadwall, goldfinch, gc grebe, g tit, grey heron, herring gull, house martin, house sparrow, kingfisher, lapwing, lbb gull, little grebe, lt tit, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, pochard, ringed-neck parakeet, robin, sand martin, sedge warbler, shoveler, snipe, sparrowhawk, swallow, teal, tufted duck, whitethroat, woodpigeon, wren.
Ixer
Well-known member
Thanks Richard. There is a couple that will add to the list. Unfortunately there were only 3 of us looking today because of my lack of organisation so I feel we'll be well down on others. I'll put the list together now but there are some frustrating misses.
Mike
richarddavis30
Well-known member
Well its a start Mike. We can get ourselves sorted properly for next time. I am sure those who were all leaving the hide as i arrived today would have been able to add to it. We will be better at this next time.
It is nice to see others taking an interest in Sandwell though, as it is my local patch.
Richard
It is nice to see others taking an interest in Sandwell though, as it is my local patch.
Richard
Ixer
Well-known member
Our final list for the day seems to stand at 63. We could have definitely have got to 70 if we had found some things that I know were about but went unseen. Here is the list:
1. Mute Swan
2. Canada Goose
3. Wigeon
4. Gadwall
5. Mallard
6. Shoveler
7. Teal
8. Pochard
9. Tufted Duck
10. Little Grebe
11. Great Crested Grebe
12. Cormorant
13. Grey Heron
14. Buzzard
15. Sparrowhawk
16. Moorhen
17. Coot
18. Lapwing
19. Snipe
20. Black-Headed Gull
21. Herring Gull
22. Lesser Black-Backed Gull
23. Feral Pigeon (do we count this?)
24. Stock Dove
25. Woodpigeon
26. Ring-Necked Parakeet
27. Kingfisher
28. Great Spotted Woodpecker
29. Green Woodpecker
30. Swallow
31. House Martin
32. Sand Martin
33. Pied Wagtail
34. Grey Wagtail
35. Meadow Pipit
36. Wren
37. Dunnock
38. Robin
39. Blackbird
40. Mistle Thrush
41. Sedge Warbler
42. Whitethroat
43. Blackcap
44. Chiffchaff
45. Willow Warbler
46. Spotted Flycatcher
47. Long-Tailed Tit
48. Coal Tit
49. Great Tit
50. Blue Tit
51. Nuthatch
52. Jay
53. Magpie
54. Jackdaw
55. Carrion Crow
56. Starling
57. House Sparrow
58. Chaffinch
59. Goldfinch
60. Greenfinch
61. Siskin
62. Linnet
63. Bullfinch
Worst misses: Treecreeper, collared dove, rook, reed bunting, willow tit and reed warbler.
Frustrating when I know that reed warblers and goosanders were seen yesterday. Also the med gull that has been about never showed its self and no water rails ever appeared.
I'd hoped to find some other possibles but there was no luck today. May be next time...
Mike
1. Mute Swan
2. Canada Goose
3. Wigeon
4. Gadwall
5. Mallard
6. Shoveler
7. Teal
8. Pochard
9. Tufted Duck
10. Little Grebe
11. Great Crested Grebe
12. Cormorant
13. Grey Heron
14. Buzzard
15. Sparrowhawk
16. Moorhen
17. Coot
18. Lapwing
19. Snipe
20. Black-Headed Gull
21. Herring Gull
22. Lesser Black-Backed Gull
23. Feral Pigeon (do we count this?)
24. Stock Dove
25. Woodpigeon
26. Ring-Necked Parakeet
27. Kingfisher
28. Great Spotted Woodpecker
29. Green Woodpecker
30. Swallow
31. House Martin
32. Sand Martin
33. Pied Wagtail
34. Grey Wagtail
35. Meadow Pipit
36. Wren
37. Dunnock
38. Robin
39. Blackbird
40. Mistle Thrush
41. Sedge Warbler
42. Whitethroat
43. Blackcap
44. Chiffchaff
45. Willow Warbler
46. Spotted Flycatcher
47. Long-Tailed Tit
48. Coal Tit
49. Great Tit
50. Blue Tit
51. Nuthatch
52. Jay
53. Magpie
54. Jackdaw
55. Carrion Crow
56. Starling
57. House Sparrow
58. Chaffinch
59. Goldfinch
60. Greenfinch
61. Siskin
62. Linnet
63. Bullfinch
Worst misses: Treecreeper, collared dove, rook, reed bunting, willow tit and reed warbler.
Frustrating when I know that reed warblers and goosanders were seen yesterday. Also the med gull that has been about never showed its self and no water rails ever appeared.
I'd hoped to find some other possibles but there was no luck today. May be next time...
Mike
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Good first effort Mike and Rich - please find a summary of sightings across the sites that took part (now revised to include Venus Pool)
Last edited:
Ixer
Well-known member
Thanks Phil. We'll be more organised next time and try and get more bodies on the ground. Between 70 and 80 should be possible on a good day around the Valley with enough people looking.
Ixer
Well-known member
We've had some late news for yesterday's day list effort from a non-Internet using birder. A couple of species that were missed by the 3 of us.
64. Treecreeper
65. Rook
66. Reed Bunting
67. Lesser Whitethroat
68. Goldcrest
69. Kestrel
All of which bring us to within spitting distance of that magic 70 that I had hoped for.
Shame we couldn't be sure of the possible lesser spotted woodpecker from one birder and an unknown warbler in the reeds (potentially reed or the elusive Cetti's).
A decent first showing I think. We can improve next time...
Mike
64. Treecreeper
65. Rook
66. Reed Bunting
67. Lesser Whitethroat
68. Goldcrest
69. Kestrel
All of which bring us to within spitting distance of that magic 70 that I had hoped for.
Shame we couldn't be sure of the possible lesser spotted woodpecker from one birder and an unknown warbler in the reeds (potentially reed or the elusive Cetti's).
A decent first showing I think. We can improve next time...
Mike
Rob Williams
Well-known member
Clearly you have too much time on your hands Mr Davis.
West Midlands Birder Boy
www.westmidlandsbirding.b logspot.com
Hi all, I'm new to birdforum so am just getting the hang of things. I regularly go round the valley and usually go round the RSPB reserve part of the valley every Sunday. So seen as I get to the area very often I should be posting sightings on here very often too. Main sightings from this morning (10:45- 12:00) were,
Med Gull (adult winter plumage) x1, Gadwall x1, Teal x3, Mute Swan 5+, Stock Dove x1, Little Grebe x1, Great crested grebe x3, Snipe x1, Pochard x1, Black headed Gull 50+, Lapwing x67, Lesser black backed Gull 5+.
Hope this helps.
WMBB
Med Gull (adult winter plumage) x1, Gadwall x1, Teal x3, Mute Swan 5+, Stock Dove x1, Little Grebe x1, Great crested grebe x3, Snipe x1, Pochard x1, Black headed Gull 50+, Lapwing x67, Lesser black backed Gull 5+.
Hope this helps.
WMBB
richarddavis30
Well-known member
WMMB - Welcome to the forum. It will be lovely to have some more input into the valley. More eyes the better. Lets see what we can have achieved for the year.
:t:
:t:
Ixer
Well-known member
It is good to see that there are others out there that still bird the Valley. I hope that we may be able to rebuild the reputation of a site that can be very rewarding. Yesterday's day list of 69 is a good start and hopefully regular reports can go some way to restoring people's confidence.
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Mike and Rich
next spring -first Saturday in May.
Time to get organised. I'll see you both at Upton soon, maybe?
I think you are the Mike I know, from the 'valley' get Peter H out there as well. Hopefully a renaissance for the place.B
john
benjaminbittern
Booooooooooom
Spent a couple of hours on the RSPB side this morning, Good few Hirundines - mainly House Martins, with a few Swallows, over The Golf Course & River Tame. Flock of c20 Shoveler on Forge Mill Lake, along with a few Teal, 60+ Lapwing on the RSPB Island, couple of Common Snipe, and a Grey Wagtail on the Tame about the best of it.
richarddavis30
Well-known member
I have just purchased Birds of Sandwell Valley. Published in 2000.
Interesting reading and I am now looking forward to finding some of the places they talk about within the book. The area within the book covers the 4 golf courses(both sides of the motorway) right up to handsworth cemetery, forge mill and swan pool areas.
I will scan the map in and put it on here just to show the area. Just really interesting as we were talking about what the area should be covered before the 'all Dayer'.
Roll on the first Saturday in may!!
Interesting reading and I am now looking forward to finding some of the places they talk about within the book. The area within the book covers the 4 golf courses(both sides of the motorway) right up to handsworth cemetery, forge mill and swan pool areas.
I will scan the map in and put it on here just to show the area. Just really interesting as we were talking about what the area should be covered before the 'all Dayer'.
Roll on the first Saturday in may!!
