Withymoor - Amblecote, Stourbridge..... (2 Viewers)

Oops - here are the attachments!

Local Iverley patchworker JimboBG had a Red-Letter morning ystda but i will not steal his thunder as he will post accordingly but it highlights what can be seen around here with dedicated patch-working.

I came a humble second with only Quail and a pair of Ravens. The weather was superb and was just very pleasant to be mooching and eyes to the skies. The top track above the hay field opposite the entrance to the old Iverley Tip is fine for access. Just squeeze around the gate-post - if you can't do that then maybe you should go and see a doctor! Do say hello to anybody in the field involved with horsiculture. I had a single Quail call once only, i don't think there is more than one?

Returning aircraft and helicopters were also a feature, i will post some pics tmrw. Also a couple of fast jets during the day but were too far away - bugger.

The remainder of the week including the weekend luks good, there has to be a goodie out there, locally, somewhere. If the MW stays i shall hopefully nail it on Wednesday morning:eek!:

Laurie:t:

For those intrepid and rich enough to make the journey to Bardsey for the 'Cretz' then beware of non-licensed boat owners offering a cheaper service by overloading the capacity.....you have been warned.

Hi all.

Again, been very busy with a holiday down to Devon with some mates from Uni and finishing off all my work for deadlines so 'the patch' has been relatively neglected until the last few days.

As Laurie hinted, Monday 15th June turned into a big red-letter day on patch (Sugar Loaf Farm/Iverley Park Farm). I decided (for once) to wake up fairly early (9 o'clock) and head up to the top of the hill along Sugar Loaf Lane and do a few hours of vis-mig because I haven't done much recently and also a lot of stuff has been a bit slow/late to come through this spring. It all started off when walking up Sugar Loaf Lane, when I had a HOBBY hunting hirundines near the tennis club. There has been a fair bit of Hobby activity in the area recently (I have seen them 5 times in the last 3 days) which is a hint that they are breeding again in the area...They bred last year (I had 2 ads and 2 juvs in the area for most of August and saw ads. on a regular basis all summer on what must have been feeding flights) in the Bunkers Hill area.

When I finally reached my vis mig spot (along the track on top of the hill opposite the dump) I sat down and setup the scope and started scanning. The Quail put in a brief appearance (song only) whilst I watched the horizon. After 30 mins, all I'd had was a bucket load of Common Buzzards, a Kestrel and a Sprawk. I then picked up my bins just to try and pick something out to grill with the scope. Again more Common Buzzards, and then a distant bird that was obviously not a Common Buzzard. I immediately got the scope on it. Originally over the Stourbridge/Pedmore area, it slowly started to close whilst obviously trying to get in the thermals.

As it came closer I could start to get features on it, and along with the general jizz of the bird there was only 1 thing it could be! HONEY BUZZARD! Cue the increased heart rate and the odd swear word.

The bird was slightly larger and less compact than Common Buzzard, which there were many of in the area, and at some points in the same scope view as the bird. The wings being longer and more rounded than Common Buzzard, and held in a fairly flat position. As well as thermalling/gliding the bird did break into several wing flaps, which were deep and fairly fluent, being unlike that of a Common Buzzard. Along with the flight 'jizz', one of the most noticeable features was the head, which was small and held in a very forward position. The tail was long in comparison to the rest of the bird. The bird continued to come closer, and at its closest was about 250/300 metres away. The bird then drifted towards the Clent/Hagley area, and dipped below the level of the Clent hills which were in the background which allowed me to get views of the upper parts; which were brown (indicating female sex) and I even managed to get a view of the dark band on the end of the upper part of the tail. When at its closest some barring was also visible on the under parts of the bird.

What a record for the patch! 2015 just keeps giving! This is infact the 2nd record for the patch after dad had one 6-7 years ago in early September when there was a mass passage invasion of them from the continent. I recall that there 200 seen in the country on that day or something ridiculous like that. Even still, its a mega bird for this area and one which is tough to see nationwide. Although I have seen plenty in Israel on passage, along with the odd few in Lesvos and South Africa.

That wasn't it though. After the Honey had disappeared out of view, a brief look to the south-west and I picked up a low RED KITE heading south. This is the 3rd patch record in as many weeks!

The Raptor fest doesn't stop there. We have also had a lot of Peregrine activity recently. The last sighting of one being today (16th) over the Stourbridge area, maybe they are breeding there?

I have been doing a bit more botanising over the last few days - nothing much to report but i have been poking about on bits of wasteground around Stourhole as this sort of habitat offers a changeable, dynamic, habitat from year to year. I have pencilled in a trip to the Worcs Wildlife Trusts excellent Eades Meadow grassland reserve tomorrow if the chauffeur doesn't get hammered this eveningB

I did, however, manage a mid-week trip over to the Marsh Lane area for an excellent hour or so with the Melodious Warbler. Ok not rare but scarce but a singing Spring bird and not that far away is a must. I toyed with the idea of public transport but it would have taken all day to get there but help was at hand in the form of a local birder with a very low list who needed it as a 'lifer'. His name has been omitted in order to protect his 'cred' with some of his associates down at the Goldfish Bowl.

The bird sang for virtually the whole period of the visit and gave some superb views to the grand total of upto 4 people. I also managed to speak to the finder, Alan Dean, who i don't believe i have seen since the hey-day of the Scillies in the 80's:eek!: We both concurred that, walking past, i would have stopped and thought 'Marsh Warbler' which is indeed what happened. Until, obviously, views were obtained. Alan didn't even say he found it how polite and unassuming is that? There aren't many of us left Half a dozen noisy Oystercatchers were noted as was a hunting sub-adult Peregrine.

I have been catching up with Springwatch and despite all the baited sites, nestboxes and guffawing i find enough of interest to hold my attention. I have a lot of time for Chris Packham who puts his money where his mouth is but will have been finger-wagged by the Beeb to not be controversial. Michaela Strachan is looking a bit ragged around the edges and i've never heard of the 3rd bloke who looks like Wolverine-lite! The Lowestoft Kittiwakes was an interesting article - i remember going and seeing them when they first colonised. Self-promoter David Lindo was on hand, you can see he is angling for a presenting job down at that Bristol place - he's the right colour but not gay so he might struggle. All round good bloke (who i've yet to meet) 'Biking Birder' Gary Prescott put in an appearance and somebody called Phil Andrews got a mention - who's he? Sounds a bit dudey to me

To those intent on crossing from the mainland to Bardsey don't forget to pay your respects and book thru Lee Evans .......... otherwise you ain't gonna get a seat - the boat owner is too busy counting his money to deal with the great unwashed and Lee has uncharacteristically stepped in to organise the fook out of it! I tried to book an appointment at my doctors ystda and was told they were bizzy and could i arrange it thru LGRE - WTF!

Laurie:t:

A couple of the 'boy' - phone-scoped but having seen some stuff on relatively cheap 'bridge' cameras the other day i shall be investing in one shortly and a record shot of Lee 'honorary boatman' Evans with members of the BB rarities committee Bardsey bound for the 'Cretz'.....Also, beware of rogue locals offering you cheaper trips - use tried and trusted Lee otherwise this could happen.....

My planned jaunt to Eades Meadow was changed to mooching the local high points and 'notspots' due to an erroneous report that the Vulcan bomber would be passing over the Kidderminster area! Further research after a bit of birding revealed it was going to show, on its' return from South Wales @ Wellsbourne ca16:30 which is well South of Kiddy:C

A mooch around the West Hagley Fields produced a calling Quail in the lower Barley field on the County Lane side and a single singing Corn Blob in the field further over - plenty of Whitethroats. By the time we got to Iverley fields the wind had really picked up and no Quail were heard but i haven't seen any reports for a few days now.

Just a reminder that it is the funeral of the late, great, Eric Phillips on Tuesday (tomorrow) at 1:30 @ Gornal Crematorium. People that have known Eric have already made their arrangements and i look forward to seeing a good turnout and clocking a few old faces. Most people will have lost hair and gained weight but hey we're still here! His memory lives on and their are tributes on Steve Nuttalls Belvide blog with 26 comments.

http://www.surfbirds.com/community-.../31/belvide-31-5-15-showery-wnw-3-4/#comments

Erics' knowledge, dry humour, warm personality (and his list) is something most of us can only aspire to.

Laurie:t:

I thought I would share this picture of a Great Spotted Woodpecker nestling I took last month, I could hear it chirping all morning one day when I was at work and saw the adult birds constantly coming back and forth from these set of trees....when I got the chance I went to investigate and found the hole in the tree very easily because the nestling was so noisy! Came back a few hours later with my camera and snapped this picture, http://i.imgur.com/YHmWLlD.jpg

It kept making the same racket for several more days until I assumed they fledged, pretty awesome to see though!

I haven't been on for a few weeks due to the fact that, for me, there has been nothing of note to report. It's that time of year, things are breeding and little is moving. I, personally, have been spending time, when the weather permitted, carrying out surveys of local areas for botanical purposes. I have been looking at 2 different habitats, so-called 'waste-ground' which happens to be the most species-rich and some of the more potentially interesting light sandy areas around here.

Unfortunately there isn't really much habitat offering lime-rich soils or basic rocks. The nearest formations are Sedgley Beacon and the Wrens Nest NNR but these are Wenlock series and not as rich as younger rocks e.g. Oolite or Carboniferous but still have some of the more unusual and indicator species.

As stated - the undeveloped old industrial areas offers, by far, a much greater diversity of flowers more or less the expected species but due to the range of extreme niches that these sites can offer they make an interesting challenge particularly for species that require getting down at ground level with a hand lens. The sandy habitats offer a range of plants that favour more acidic soils. The areas to look at are the tops of fields where both nutrients and what little soil builds up has 'migrated' down to the bottom of the slopes. This leaves much thinner soils where competing grasses do not smother wild plants. This can be most productive for annual species or the odd biennial. the perennials being concentrated in the deeper soils such as they are.

Birdwise things have started moving again with Black Headed Gulls back in moderate numbers joined by a sprinkling of Gingery juveniles. Second broods of, generally, Coot have been noted. Singing warblers now consist of the odd Chiffchaff and Blackcap. An hour or so down at Withymoor ystda, in the sun for a change, saw hawking Swifts, House Martins and a solitary Sand Martin which is good - in addition the 4 hatched Mute Swans still remain and are now larger and Greyer with each passing day. EDIT as has been pointed out, a bit like myself!

Juvenile large gulls are still thin on the ground and as this is the time for continental or South Coast Yellow-Legged Gull dispersal i have been checking the 2 local waters. Of note last week was a pair of adult Peregrines passing food, literally over my head, i wonder whether they are hunting and feeding 'out of the nest' juveniles locally? I also had a singing Quail up at the West Hagley Fields last Thursday which was nice but difficult to prove breeding but certainly the first i have had that has stopped over for a good number of years - this does follow a very good spring overshoot for the species though.

Hopefully with the inevitable change of season there will be more worth posting, not just from me but from anybody else who can chip in.

On the bright side i have just booked 2 weeks in Southern Spain for the best value bird migration in Western Europe as far as large spp are concerned. I am repeating last years Tarifa trip with 2x 5-day stints around the valleys and watchpoints with visits downs to the beaches and marismas first thing and a 4 day break further North at Cadiz with the Bay of Cadiz Natural Park as a backdrop - bring it on:eek!:

Laurie:t:

Chris Mills said:

Came back a few hours later with my camera and snapped this picture, http://i.imgur.com/YHmWLlD.jpg

Click to expand...

Nice one!!

I had a walk round the perimeter of bunkers hill wood yesterday from Whittington lane in an anti clockwise direction even tho the big hill at the far end is a lung buster. Within a couple of hundred yards I was rewarded with a flock of 15-20 mistletoe thrushes on top of the first big acer on the left eating the red berries. They were quite mobile and difficult to count but as I walked further up to the style on the right 13 of them flew out of the tree and out over the fields towards a449. I looked through bins back at tree and could still see two but there may have been more. The rest of the walk was fairly uneventful bird wise but saw a muntjac and a black rabbit which I have seen several times over the summer in the field by the little pumping station but seems to have now moved into the wood. Shame to see dead badger up by the sett at top of wood. Then finally just before end of lap I had a raven in top of a scots pine in fine vocal form. Regards Dennis

Obviously I meant mistle but iPad inserted the kissy stuff and I posted without checking. Made me chuckle tho. Oh dear a further edit, I meant Rowan not Acer. Never mind eh.D
Blooming eck, I meant stile....obviously

waterrailus said:

I had a walk round the perimeter of bunkers hill wood yesterday from Whittington lane in an anti clockwise direction even tho the big hill at the far end is a lung buster. Within a couple of hundred yards I was rewarded with a flock of 15-20 mistletoe thrushes on top of the first big acer on the left eating the red berries. They were quite mobile and difficult to count but as I walked further up to the style on the right 13 of them flew out of the tree and out over the fields towards a449. I looked through bins back at tree and could still see two but there may have been more. The rest of the walk was fairly uneventful bird wise but saw a muntjac and a black rabbit which I have seen several times over the summer in the field by the little pumping station but seems to have now moved into the wood. Shame to see dead badger up by the sett at top of wood. Then finally just before end of lap I had a raven in top of a scots pine in fine vocal form. Regards Dennis

Click to expand...

Super sightings Dennis!

We also did the perimeter walk around Bunkers Hill early yesterday afternoon, only managed one Mistle Thrush in the field by the old water pumping station but we did have 30+ Pied Wagtails in the horse paddocks just after you enter the woods, the majority were Juveniles and they were all very flighty! Birds seemed to be concentrated in a couple of areas of the wood with several mixed Tit flocks, Blackcaps and in one area 3 Treecreepers were seen in close proximity. A Quail was also heard calling in one of the corn fields to the East of the woods, we also had a calling Quail in the Whittington area on Friday night so it appears they are still in the area! We didn't see the dead badger but we did manage to see a Slow Worm that was basking in the sunshine in the middle of one of the paths! We hadn't seen one here before so this was a super end to our walk!

With movement now taking place, even in the West Midlands, local bushes and scrub could hold anything - reports of Tree Pipits and Lesser Throats etc indicate the start but with clear skies it would appear that birds move thru quickly will little remaining for the next day?

Paul Legge had a juvenile Sedge Warbler near Sainsburys (Withymoor) on Sunday afternoon, i had a mooch first thing ystda morning, to no avail, but scored with 4 Garden Warblers (3+1) and Blackcaps in a couple of suitable bushes. The pool itself had a few calling and feeding Chiffchaffs in suitable, sheltered, corners. Plenty of House Martins and an adult Sand Martin still feeding two young in the air. No Swifts, i would think that any seen now would be passage birds heading South.

A couple of hours around Iverley Tip and paddocks proved very quiet but i bumped into JamesBG, finally, and he picked up a juv-type Whinchat in the same section of suitable Bramble where i saw an adult in the Spring! We chatted about his Scillies trips before firing a broadside of the 80's decade!:eek!:

An hour or so on Sunday up at the Rowley Hills was very, very quiet with nothing of the 'fall' that Ian Whitehouse had the previous day but a good range of plants out and stunning (if that's the right word) of views towards Brummigam.....

Laurie:t:

Below - Brummigam with the chauffeur for scale 360degree from the Rowley Hills.

A walk around Hagley Fields yesterday produced a pair Whitethroat moving from hedgerow to field then back again several times during my stay - poss. feeding juv. birds ? a couple of Swifts with the Swallows/House Martins, also nice to connect with mixed (adults/juv's) flock of Linnets. Plus a sprinkling of Yellowhammers (good to see these last two species on farmland these day's especially when there are signs of sucessfull breeding too.)

A couple of hours down @ Withymoor in cloudier and cooler conditions yielded only a handful of Chiffchaffs but more House Martins and a few Swifts were feeding over the pool. A circuit of the scrub up by the canal proved fruitless, they day before's Garden Warblers either not showing or, as suggested, have moved on.

There was to be, however, a silver lining - a quick pop back to check the pool and a sudden appearance, from underneath overhanging edge vegetation of a ...................... 'patch' tick in the form of a female Shoveler:eek!:

OK - no great shakes but i do'nt see many, if any regular, at local pools around here and Paul Legge has never recorded it at the Golden Puddle and he has been doing it far longer than me 'cos he's older than #GodsDog

The bird did join a flotilla of the local Mallard but chose to skulk - it could have well been there since last Sunday if it kept to the edge.

On a sad note the 4th Mute Swan cygnet succumbed to complications of discarded fishing line - i will adopt a zero-tolerance to anybody i see with said equipment:C In the unlikely event any potential miscreants read this post you have been warned.....

Laurie:t:

Attached - managed a few quick snaps of the latest addition to Withymoor (No Permit, No Birds) site list - this is the best.

A couple of hours or so around Withymoor and environs ystda and as expected the GW's etc had moved on - last nights showers might have grounded one or two bits so i shall have a look shortly.

The pool itself now holds ca80 moulting Mallard and the female Shoveler is still present. Only a couple of calling Chiffchaffs noted plus a few House Martins and the odd Swift. A quick look on the way back and i clocked something in the overhanging branches and then realised that it was about half the size of the Mallard - revealing a female-type Teal:eek!: Teal are just about annual so to have this species along with Shoveler gracing the same spot is a bonus.

Migration is picking up ............... over Gibraltar 3k Black Kites in 5 hours - roll on a months time:t:

Laurie:t:

Attached - 2 dodgy pics of Shoveler, Teal and a nice patch of Greater Willowherb in the early morning light.

A mid-morning poke about around Withymoor wasn't over-productive. The Autumn build-up of Chiffchaffs hasn't taken place yet so there is not a lot to search through. The odd Swift is still feeding as is small groups of House Martins, possibly feeding a late brood?

A nice surprise was the arrival of a second female-type Shoveler to join the original mid-week bird and both are actively 'sieving' the margins of the pool, in addition was the first Tufted Duck of the Autumn in the shape of a smart female. Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch and Grey Wagtail also noted.

A couple of hours around Iverley paddocks and tip wasn't exactly pulse-racing, i don't suppose mid-afternoon is the best time but i do have other things to do prior to birding - contrary to what some people might think Chiffchaffs were the most obvious with birds feeding and calling generally and a solitary male Blackcap feeding in the tip. A nice find was a smart Whinchat, in the usual section of suitable hedge, in the paddocks behind the farmhouse. This bird showed a distinct supercilium and is probably a female as opposed to the indistinct juvenile-type midweek bird - all grist to the mill.

I am supposed to have a chauffeur this morning at about 11 so a trip to the Rowley Hills is in order to see whether there has been an overnight 'dump' of passerines? I have no doubt that Ian Whitehouse will have beaten me to it earlier if he is not over at Bartley.

Laurie:t:

Attached - a 180degree panorama of a good range of clouds over Stourbridge one evening a few weeks ago - no Photoshopping!

An hour and half plodding in overgrown grassland up at Portway/Rowley only yielded a Tree Pipit and a few Swifts plus assorted common raptors - narrowly avoided a drenching - not much else but not getting up there until 11:30 is not the best time i suppose.

An unsettled week still dominated by the Jet Stream but changeable and showery could lead to local 'falls' or the unexpected, the first Roseate Terns (2) for 16 years in Worcs graced the Goldfish Bowl over the weekend #goodfind

Laurie:t:

A very enjoyable and productive 4 hours ystda morning up at the Iverley paddocks, tip and watchpoint.

A change of routine, long overdue, yielded results - fieldcraft or luck, answers on a postcard pls Bashing around Withymoor first thing just isn't producing anything of note apart from the Shoveler and a Teal. The Garden Warblers were most unexpected but there is an enormous amount of cover so stuff is difficult unless calling.

Early morning is always best no matter where you bird so i decided to hit Iverley with an hour in the old tip 0830/0930, an hour at the watchpoint with excellent 180degree views out towards Malvern and Clee and ended with 2 hours overlooking the paddocks, finishing at 1230 - twice as long as envisaged as not only were there birds to look at but James arrived and a birder new to the area, Sam, turned up. James is eagle-eyed to say the least and Sam, who has just moved to Stourbridge is as keen as mustard so the more the merrier.

The tip was very busy with lots of Chiffchaffs of various shades including what looked like a few 'buffy' juveniles. A single Blackcap and Garden Warbler was noted as was a couple of Whitethroats including a fresh juvenile. A lone juvenile Sand Martin was unexpected but bird of the day goes to a very fast, moderately high wader. I heard a distinct trill above my head and straight away another call to reveal a single Dunlin heading South:eek!: The light>moderate S/SW breeze was in my favour and despite both the height and velocity of the bird the distinct 'weak' trill clinched it. Of note, Craig Round had his first patch record of 5 Ruff yesterday. Most overflying wader records that i get (a handful, literally) are usually at night but they move at any hour - had the bird not called i would not have been aware.

Over to the 'watchpoint' and within a few mins, ca1000, a large 'kettle' of ca20 Buzzards appeared and drifted towards Malvern. By far the largest i have recorded but were they displaced continental migrants? Ian Whitehouse had 4 over the Rowley Hills last week and putatively put them in the migrant category and that was 4..... Incidentally in additions to the lone Tree Pipit on Sunday we had a superb Mustang flyover, a bit confusing in cammo livery! 4x Ravens were also recorded 2+2 and a steady stream of Swallows >S to finish at the watchpoint.

A final bash at the Paddocks which yielded a single Whinchat and Lesser Whitethroat and 2x Spotted Flycatchers:eek!: First for the year for all of us! A party of about 20 'alba' Wagtails contained at last one White possibly 2.

Todays weather is a bit crap until lunchtime so i will repeat yesterdays stint, no pun intended, but during the afternoon to see what the yield is.

Laurie:t:

Attached - view from watchpoint, foraged mushrooms and Musk Thistle.

Just a couple of hours up @ Iverley tip and paddocks - fresher and breezier than the previous visit, too breezy for me so i didn't bother with the watchpoint and only the tip provided adequate shelter for migrant searching.

Having said that - it was quieter, still mainly Chiffchaffs but with a single Blackcap and Garden Warbler noted. A large, female, Sparrowhawk few thru and a noisy Raven clocked my every movement and commented accordingly.

I did'nt note anything of interest over the paddocks save for hawking Swallows and House Martins.

This morning, as i type, looks better so i will try again to see if there is any overnight improvement or maybe pay a visit to Withymoor first then back for a bit of breakfast and cycle up mid-morning when it is a bit warmer - that sounds better already

Tarifa is only a couple of weeks or so off:eek!: But Batumi is recieving a huge number of early Honey Buzzards - some 113K ystda alone! over 200K so far including 800+ Harriers on a day total. Staggering stuff, must make the visit next year.....

To give you a flavour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwKkP73lQTo

Laurie:t:

Cloudy, overcast, showery and now this morning much cooler and moderate rain - however, when the wage slaves are back to work and the kidz are back at skool the #JetStream will have moved further North:t:

A bit more activity over at Iverley Paddocks and Tip with upto 6 Spotted Flycatchers and a good range of warblers noted by James - he's off patch for a week in Croatia and hasn't posted details of BF so i have! He also had a flyover, calling, Common Sandpiper - any overflying daytime inland wader is good im my books. Likewise PAL hasn't posted his 3 Kingfishers down at the Golden Pudddle so it's now been updated.

I only managed a single but the first returning KF a day prior, a nice obliging but mobile male along with a pair of Tufties. A Juv GBB over at the West Hagley Fields on Saturday was notable - for me anyway. Odd parties of Swifts will almost be a distant memory as will be the local House Martins down at WM. A nice juv Sand Martin in with them the other day.

An hour and a half mooching around Netherton Hill yielded 5 sp of Warbler including a couple of smart Lesser Whitethroats. There was a mobile mixed Blue and Long-Tail Tit flock which contained various warblers which kept me busy. Netherton Hill is worth a poke around with lots of scrub and hedge sections. There is also a large area of regenerated Gorse etc that is open and only about a metre or so high and this contained a lot of the birds with insect food and low bramble cover.

A couple of weeks of decent weather would be a nice pre-cursor to Tarifa/Cadiz from the 16th onwards.....|8)|

Laurie:t:

Attached - Juv Heron mesmerised by the fish and a Kingy.