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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Birmingham City Centre (1 Viewer)

lesser kestrel said:
Reminds me though of the time I was told by someone in planning, 'badgers in Birmingham, you don't know what you are talking about.'
Given Patterson's misguided and bloody offensive against badgers, it might be the only place left to see them.
Click to expand...

I also find Patterson offensive :C8-P
 
Also wants to have buzzards 'removed' from their nests to protect shooting interests. Nice euphemism if you can get it.
Worry is, if they can get away with badger genocide (they want a 70% kill rate, which could make local populations unsustainable and thus cause local extinction) and are now considering extending the 'trial' areas, what next for wildlife?
 
lesser kestrel said:
That was the place. Couldnae remember if it was Wednesbury or Wednesfield; early 1995.
Was carrying out a walkover mammal survey. Saw peregrine there.
At another location on the canal basin by Halesowen (Bumble Hole?)a male pied flycatcher stayed for a couple of days. Found a water vole colony nearby but on the Stour.
Also on the Stour at Cradley, there was clear evidence otters were present. They were known to be on the Stour but don't think anybody realised they were active so far upstream. This is going back to around 2001-2002.
Proves your point that brownfield sites are better for wildlife and have greater species diversity
Reminds me though of the time I was told by someone in planning, 'badgers in Birmingham, you don't know what you are talking about.'
Given Patterson's misguided and bloody offensive against badgers, it might be the only place left to see them.
Click to expand...
Wednesfield also held large numbers of Golden Plover in the 90s & 2000s at a site called Bowmans Harbour nr New Cross.
I worked opposite B H & it too had breeding LRPs. Skylarks & Lapwings.
Passage birds inc regular Wheatear, Whinchat, Yellow Wags & the occasional Ring Ousel, Redshanks & Dunlin. Stonechats regularly wintered there along with Linnet & Meadow Pipit flocks.
Peregrines would occasionally upset the hundreds of Golden Plover wintering aswell.
This site is still there but again the habitat has changed & it's due for more development. Yet more concrete & Tarmac with wildlife deserting in their droves.

Hughie
 
I remember going to see 'a lot' (can't remember the exact figs) of GP's at the derelict Patent Shaft works at Darlaston in the early-mid 80's and finding half a dozen Curlews in with them:eek!: I recall somebody finding a 'wrecked' Leachs' Petrel after a gale.

At present, in Stourbridge, there is a large derelict site where Sunrise Medical used to be. It has now been cleared and is several acres in size. Apart from some huge piles of rubble to be recycled there are large 'flashes' of standing water so i shall be paying them some attention over the Winter prior to some sort of development (probably housing) takes place.

It is adjacent to the canal opposite the Glass and Arts place if anybody is interested.

Laurie:t:
 
rollingthunder said:
I remember going to see 'a lot' (can't remember the exact figs) of GP's at the derelict Patent Shaft works at Darlaston in the early-mid 80's and finding half a dozen Curlews in with them:eek!: I recall somebody finding a 'wrecked' Leachs' Petrel after a gale.

At present, in Stourbridge, there is a large derelict site where Sunrise Medical used to be. It has now been cleared and is several acres in size. Apart from some huge piles of rubble to be recycled there are large 'flashes' of standing water so i shall be paying them some attention over the Winter prior to some sort of development (probably housing) takes place.

It is adjacent to the canal opposite the Glass and Arts place if anybody is interested.

Laurie:t:
Click to expand...

Is this between Vine Street and Marine Crescent Laurie?
 
If you exit Stourbridge towards Wordsley as you enter the dip there is the Chinese restaurant on the left, turn left towards Wollaston and over the canal bridge. Immediately on the left is the old Sunrise Medical site, i think the security check-in building is still there and you will see the whole of the site.

I don't know what the access is but you can view thru the fences on the canal, from the main road and probably from the bank overlooking so you don't need to enter the site as far as any larger birds would be concerned altho you would want to have a boot about for anything small.

This site is just down the cut from me and accessible in 10 mins on my bike so i thought i would start looking at the place particularly at roosting time. At present, after the recent rain there is a lot of standing water that resembles flashes and altho not deep might pull some passage or roosting Winter stuff down?

If i note anything i will post on the Withymoor/Amblecote thread.......

Laurie:t:
 
Here's a screen capture, an ariel view when the works was still there, the cut is just to the right.

Laurie:t:
 

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I took a look around Selly Oak, BVT and Shenley Green Saturday. Surprised at how many heron were present, one on Merrit's Brook at the back of Manor Park farm lake which had Tufted Duck present. Then one on the Bourn between Valley Parkway and Bournville park. Then a juvenille on the Valley Parkway boating lake, along with more than 10 male goosander. Grey Wagtails on the Wood Brook and Bourn.
 
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A heron regularly visits the pool at Kings Heath Park. Has become an attraction. Doesn't seem that bothered that onlookers are only metres away.
Don't know the link but there is footage on You Tube.
 
Any ideas?

Now it's starting to get light around 8am I've started taking my detour down the canal along fazeley street on my way to work. Had a few different bits and bobs, Greenfinch and Redwing being new ones this year for me in this spot.

I did get a bit stuck though. In one of the Buddleias near Moor St there was something (I couldn't see it however hard I looked) calling a loud, rounded and rich "ZAP" or "TSAP" type sound, fairly frequently but certainly not continuously.

My mind's gone a complete blank and everything I can think of with a "ZAP" call doesn't seem to fit the bill.

Any thoughts what my mystery bird could be?
 
lesser kestrel said:
A heron regularly visits the pool at Kings Heath Park. Has become an attraction. Doesn't seem that bothered that onlookers are only metres away.
Don't know the link but there is footage on You Tube.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. I know where it's from at Kings Heath park, a few heron live around a pond and lagoon not far away by the Rea, behind a hospital on Dog Pool lane. So it's only a short flight. I saw a heron sat on a railing just metres from people in Canon Hill park. But nobody could get to it so it was quite happy.
 
Digbeth Branch Canal area

Hi all! Not been on here in a fair while...all gone a bit quiet.

Have been walking down the canal most days recently. A fair bit of bird action. Still seeing the Peregrines and Kestrels infrequently. Plenty of noise from the finches (Gold, Green and Bull only though) and also from 2 or 3 Chiffchaffs each time.

Still not seen any Kingfishers since my chance fly over on the main Digbeth high street. Keeping my fingers crossed for some migrants as spring gets going more.
 
I covered 'ears and eyeball' forgot the fingers bit;) - Soz if i was 'stating the bleedin' obvious' (to paraphrase Basil Fawlty).......

Laurie:t:
 
I should probably use my eyes and ears a bit more than crossed fingers in all fairness - probably works a lot better.
 
Forgot to post that I heard what appeared to be a Tree Pipit over Jennens Road one morning (possibly Tuesday?) earlier in the week. A very strange record but couldn't think what else it could be :h?:
 

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