Today’s visit was quite uneventful with very little movement on the reserve.
Started at the sailing pool arrived around 7.20am the weather was a little unforgiving it was overcast with a very cold biting wind hitting me straight in the face, not much around at first sight so decided to take the count on my return after visiting the Flashes.
On to the Tower Hide on the flashes arrived around 7.45am after again tackling the path just past the Cuckoo Hide (Swamp alley as I call it) just be a little careful when you are trying to get round it as it was a little slippy.
First sighting were the Avocets moving in quite close to the hide and plenty of active gulls around, with a few larger gulls mixed in, a small flock of linnets appeared from behind the hide and flew across the front of the hide on a few occasions.
On my return to the sailing pool I popped in the Cuckoo hide and watched the feeding station for a while only to see the usual suspects at the feeders.
Revisited the sailing pool around 10.00am with better luck there was a very high increase in activity on the pool with 10 Great Crested Grebes the highlight.
Now onto the Moors again not too much t report from here as only the usual suspects around but the pool and surrounding area’s looking great after the Tuesday work parties work.
Species seen today with counts –
SAILING POOL –
/U]
Canada goose (21), Cormorant (1), Great crested grebe (10), Mallard (5), Black headed gull (17), Robin, Blue tit, Wood pigeon, Blackbird, Greylag goose (2), Magpie & Tufted duck (4)
FLASHES POOLS –
Blackbird, Carrion crow, Woodpigeon, Blue tit, Goldfinch, Robin, Wren, Jackdaw, Oystercatcher (2 a second pair arrived around 9.30 possibly from the moors pools), Black headed gull (140+), Lesser black backed gull (6 – 2 adult, 3 f/w & 1 2/w), Coot (12), Mallard (8), Moorhen (9), Avocet (15 – later seen at the moors), Pied wagtail, Linnet (7), Shelduck (1), Canada goose (18), chaffinch, Greylag goose (2), Bullfinch, Great tit, Song thrush, Reed bunting, Stock dove, Dunnock & Long tailed tit
MOORS POOLS –
Reed bunting, Blackbird, Song thrush, Robin, Blue tit, Wood pigeon, Kestrel, Canada goose (15), Mallard (18), Coot (41), Black headed gull (190+), Tufted duck (29), Cormorant (11), Pochard (15), Greenfinch, Dunnock, Moorhen (8), Chaffinch, Long tailed tit, Redpoll, Magpie, Great tit, Goldfinch, Redwing, Shoveler (12), Herring gull (4 – 2 adults & 2 f/w)), Gadwall (4 – 2 pairs), Lesser black backed gull (7 - 3 adults & 4 f/w), Oystercatcher (4), Greylag goose (1), Great crested grebe (4), Water rail (2 seen by Rob), Shelduck (2), Mute swan (2), Teal (1 seasonal pool), common snipe (1 – amy’s marsh area)
Off topic a little I think I may have found were the Lapwings are currently feeding just after Belbroughton Rail station heading towards Stourbridge there are 3 small pools one a old water mill pool the field directly behind this pool was covered in Lapwings first time I have noticed Lapwings in this location it usually only has a few mallards and gulls at most.
