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Grimley and Holt (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Brian Stretch
- Start date
luckyosprey4
Well-known member
40 species managed at Camp Lane Pits this afternoon.
Upon leaving the car, a Red Kite circled above, being mobbed by Jackdaw in the process.
2 Redshank, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Oystercatcher and 5 Lapwing were on Hippo Pool.
2 Common Tern were seen on the posts by the submerged trees, and a Stonechat was along the public footpath.
1 Little Egret flew frequently between the pools.
At Holt, a single Greenshank was noted.
Chris
Upon leaving the car, a Red Kite circled above, being mobbed by Jackdaw in the process.
2 Redshank, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Oystercatcher and 5 Lapwing were on Hippo Pool.
2 Common Tern were seen on the posts by the submerged trees, and a Stonechat was along the public footpath.
1 Little Egret flew frequently between the pools.
At Holt, a single Greenshank was noted.
Chris
Sunday morning ,Sling /Holt, a greenshank at the far end of sling pool feeding constantly, was a bit of a relief , as first seen thursday evening lucky to still be there, as spring passage normally only a pit stop. 2 foxes watching from the far end kept the lapwings airborne for most of the time, although it didn't seem to interfere with redshank and oystercatchers both mating. A single lapwing chick seen on the flash which is now almost dry.
Spotted flycatcher new for the year as the 116th species was on the castle garden walls. lots of whitethroat and a muntjac in rough brambles past castle.
Camp Lane Pits again quiet but a few dragonflies have started to emerge.
Of interest visited Monkwood 2 miles N.W. of Grimley, 25 wood whites a butterfly lifer for me,and as a Grimley patch birder 2 very verbal and showy garden warbler a bird that is not annual for me at Grimley, and quite a few others I expect.
Spotted flycatcher new for the year as the 116th species was on the castle garden walls. lots of whitethroat and a muntjac in rough brambles past castle.
Camp Lane Pits again quiet but a few dragonflies have started to emerge.
Of interest visited Monkwood 2 miles N.W. of Grimley, 25 wood whites a butterfly lifer for me,and as a Grimley patch birder 2 very verbal and showy garden warbler a bird that is not annual for me at Grimley, and quite a few others I expect.
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Tuesday evening, Sling pool redshanks very active and a male mandarin far end . No sign of greenshank.
Onto Camp lane , crossing church farm meadows a swarm of bees was on one of the fence posts. The pits themselves were quiet with only a fly over curlew and a distant cuckoo calling .
Onto Camp lane , crossing church farm meadows a swarm of bees was on one of the fence posts. The pits themselves were quiet with only a fly over curlew and a distant cuckoo calling .
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Tunnel vision at Camp Lane pits now as another fence has been erected along the edge of the footpath leaving a metre walkway down to the north causeway, and along to the East exit . Does not bother me as you can use the tops of posts for resting your elbow for a steady viewing but does not leave much room for people passing. On the up side it keeps people and pets from straying and interfering with the wildlife and also probably a good fox deterrent .
Again quiet , hobby perched in dead trees , sunken fence and a cuckoo could be seen and heard calling at the south end. A quick count of gadwall ,tufted duck and coot, —-18, 21, and 40 is down on a similar count last year at the same time ,——- 40,40,40.
Several broods of Canada geese are doing well as is a mute swan with x 4cygnets down by the river. I expect the other 5 pairs nesting will soon follow. Still no sign of the 1/2 dozen sitting lapwing hatching and I think they are all going to fail as the incubation period seems now far to long, I hope I,m wrong.
Again quiet , hobby perched in dead trees , sunken fence and a cuckoo could be seen and heard calling at the south end. A quick count of gadwall ,tufted duck and coot, —-18, 21, and 40 is down on a similar count last year at the same time ,——- 40,40,40.
Several broods of Canada geese are doing well as is a mute swan with x 4cygnets down by the river. I expect the other 5 pairs nesting will soon follow. Still no sign of the 1/2 dozen sitting lapwing hatching and I think they are all going to fail as the incubation period seems now far to long, I hope I,m wrong.
Monday afternoon , CLP, 2 more broods of mute swan 4: 3+, at the south end . Walking upriver and looking across to the pits red kite at 3:15pm , circled for a few minutes before heading off toward Hallow, a new bird for me at Grimley and probably the same bird I saw from my garden last week.
Wagon wheel large gulls washing and a hobby displaying over the river.
Sling ,Male mandarin.
Wagon wheel large gulls washing and a hobby displaying over the river.
Sling ,Male mandarin.
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
A drake Ring-necked Duck - a first for the site and just the fifth for the county - has been at Wagon Wheel Lane Pits since Monday, found by Brian Stretch
Wednesday evening ,very wet ,in fact I couldn’t of got wetter if I’d fallen in . A quick trip down to wagon wheel pits to see the Ringed necked duck at first disappointment as I scanned the south pit , but on looking over the North pit it was not far from the dividing causeway. A first for me , and a big thank you to the finder of a bird, Brian, a few days ago.
Still present and diving quite often at 7:45pm when I left.
Still present and diving quite often at 7:45pm when I left.
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geoffw1946
Well-known member
My first visit to the Wagon Wheel Pits this afternoon and the Ring-necked Duck was showing well in the company of a drake Tufted Duck for comparison.
Sunday morning Holt and Grimley, jackdaws every where must of had a good breeding season. Also nearly all the small bird species seen had juveniles in tow so it looks like they have survived some real wet weather over the past 2 weeks. River out of its banks , and the grimley pits up about 4 inches measured on the southern outlet pipe.
Cuckoo seen and heard calling ,hobbies hunting , 2 kestrel over, green sand, 2 redshank and a couple of young tawny owls being mobbed by jays and blackbirds the best.
Cuckoo seen and heard calling ,hobbies hunting , 2 kestrel over, green sand, 2 redshank and a couple of young tawny owls being mobbed by jays and blackbirds the best.
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Tuesday evening nothing much going on at CLP's apart from the owner fly fishing the hippo pool, perhaps he's put some trout in, but they must be keeping a very low profile. At least I know what the boats for now.
Down Wagon Wheel lane I meet a metre long eel swimming the other way, needless to say I gave it a wide berth. 3 mandarin females , a moulting male shoveller, tufted , mallard and ring- necked duck present at 8:30pm. The later a good 100m away .
Down Wagon Wheel lane I meet a metre long eel swimming the other way, needless to say I gave it a wide berth. 3 mandarin females , a moulting male shoveller, tufted , mallard and ring- necked duck present at 8:30pm. The later a good 100m away .
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Thursday evening sling pool high water levels so no shore line ,only a green sandpiper on show.
Camp lane a group of mixed mallard and gadwall (40+) on main pit with a single Male shovellor and 2 pair of teal . The first brood of tufted duck -5 ducklings and also great crested grebe with 2 .
Wagon wheel ring necked duck still . Water levels receding fast with the lane now dry and the flooded field probably dry in 2 days. River levels almost back to normal for the time of year.
Camp lane a group of mixed mallard and gadwall (40+) on main pit with a single Male shovellor and 2 pair of teal . The first brood of tufted duck -5 ducklings and also great crested grebe with 2 .
Wagon wheel ring necked duck still . Water levels receding fast with the lane now dry and the flooded field probably dry in 2 days. River levels almost back to normal for the time of year.
Sunday morning walking down through the village singing lesser whitethroat followed by a common whitethroat carrying a beak full of insects. Camp lane little egret North end as were marbled white , painted lady and meadow browns . Dragonfly included emperor and broad-bodied chaser.Vipers Bugloss in full flower, photo. 2 hobbies over flying N.E. South end calling water rail from the East shore are they breeding ? they are certainly resident.
Wagon Wheel quiet with no sign of the RND at any location , that doesn't mean its not there as the river flash although drying has a lot of water amongst tall grass. The latter location seemed to have been disturbed as there was only a single gadwall here and I'd seen a lot of mallard take off from the area 1/2 hour before arriving .
Wagon Wheel quiet with no sign of the RND at any location , that doesn't mean its not there as the river flash although drying has a lot of water amongst tall grass. The latter location seemed to have been disturbed as there was only a single gadwall here and I'd seen a lot of mallard take off from the area 1/2 hour before arriving .
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Recap on the past few days Tuesday stayed late to try for a singing quail-- no luck . But earlier in the evening painted lady butterfly and scarlet tiger on the wing. 2 green sandpiper and a little egret CLP and after dark another green sandpiper calling from CFP. 2 owl species present so the late night had benefits.
Thursday evening much the same although river flash , still 1/2 acre of water, had 11 grey heron and a little Egret+30 lapwing. CLP hobby in the dead trees centre lake with---> later 2 little egrets. The west hedgerow was full of black tailed skimmers which were difficult to approach closely. Painted lady numbers risen to 9 my best total for a long time.
Thursday evening much the same although river flash , still 1/2 acre of water, had 11 grey heron and a little Egret+30 lapwing. CLP hobby in the dead trees centre lake with---> later 2 little egrets. The west hedgerow was full of black tailed skimmers which were difficult to approach closely. Painted lady numbers risen to 9 my best total for a long time.
