Withymoor - Amblecote, Stourbridge..... (4 Viewers)

rollingthunder said:

Not from around here unfortunately - any ideas of bird and location?

Click to expand...

Dark phase Eleonora's Falcon.Planet Earth.

Chris.T.

Spot on with both Chris:t:

Despite enlarging the angle of the birds head doesn't give me the cere colour - Yellow for adult male.

More precisely it was at Essaouira, Morocco, taken a few days ago - that was my 'local' birding for 5 days. They nest on the Isle de Mogador which lies a couple of miles offshore. You can see large mixed clouds of both Eleonora's and Yellow-Legged Gulls over the island during the daylight hours. The birds hunt over the nearby Oued Ksob from where the photo was taken. 300-500 individuals hawking over the coastal scrub for insects is not uncommon from 0900 onwards. The colony, which is now approaching some 900:eek!: pairs is the only Atlantic one save for a handful of pairs that have been found breeding on some cliffs North of Agadir by a well-known Dutch birder over recent years.

The Mogador birds represent about 1/15th of the World population and are well worth a visit from May>Oct:t:

Laurie -

Here's a pale-morph bird chasing a Pallid Swift (yes it was a Pallid)

A few more from Essaouira.....

A trio of pale-morph birds, the view from the bridge over the Oued Ksob with Mogador Island at the end of the river in the distance (note Brompton at the right-hand end of pic) and a Brown-Throated or Plain Sand Martin.....

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

A pleasant couple of hours kicking around the West Hagley Fields yesterday afternoon altho a NE breeze had picked up by the end and it dropped decidedly cooler in the evening. Roll on flaming June Talking of which, there are rumours of a sustained period of warm weather at some stage maybe next week onwards - what used to be known as an old-fashioned heat-wave? Bring it on whether it is continental high pressure or one centred over the Azores which would be preferable as this gives the classic conditions for fending off low-pressure from the Western approaches and is responsible for the 'Azores High' phenomenon:t:

The fields have all 'greened' over with young cereal shoots or have been planted with seed potatoes. One of the former had a regular gathering of large Gulls over the Winter and for some reason some Summer stragglers are still occupying the same area despite the vegetation being 9-12" high. A mix of the usual suspects were present in the form of Yellow Buntings, Linnets and Skylarks. 3 singing Whitethroats were noted along the hedges with one bird displaying.....

The change from Crested and Thekla Larks to the resident species is both dramatic and inevitable but we have secured 2 return tickets (£146 return for the 2 of us:eek! from Brum>Malaga from the 6th-21st of September. This heralds the Autumn, for me, highlight of seasonal raptor movement thru Iberia over to Tangier and beyond. The short trip, economical ticket prices, chilled atmosphere of Tarifa and relative safety of Southern Spain compared to other locations where the locals are not keen on tourists birding or otherwise has to be weighed up i'm afraid:C

On a more personal note this week saw a year since the passing of Eric Phillips - a diligent local birder whose impeccable and unselfish approach to the hobby puts many newbies armed with the latest digital equipment keen on getting ever closer to birds they don't find and spoiling it for everyone else to shame. If certain types of behaviour continues then suppression will be the norm - the welfare of the bird comes first #dickheads

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

Illustrated are an LBBG looking rather incongruous, one of yesterdays Whitethroats, a young Crested Lark and a male Moussier's Redstart taken at dawn 6,000' at Imlil in the High Atlas of Morocco. This striking bird can be found in most habitats somewhere and from coast to the Alpine Zone - i saw more of these than i did 'subpersonata' White Wagtail or 'mauritenica' Magpie!

A very pleasant day for bimbling ystda and the week promises high pressure and high temperatures with the possibility of the odd rumble, spit and spot, plus maybe breaking down for the wage-slaves at the weekend.....

An hour or so down at Hurcott to check for singing Reed Warblers with 3/4 singing in the reedbed. Well-grown young Great Crested Grebes were being fed on the pool and plenty of Blackcaps c/w Chiffchaffs singing in the wood.

Surprise of the day goes to a singing male Cetti's Warbler :eek!: from the 5-barred gate along the main track. The bird sang twice from an area of Bulrushes directly in front of the gate and flew to the right not to be seen or heard in the ensuing half hour until 12 oclock. Spent an hour mooching around Lea Castle and was rewarded with a pair of intensely displaying Hobbies:t:

Withymoor held a pair of male Tufted Duck and a couple of marauding Lesser Black-Backed Gulls intent on reducing the resident Mallard brood ever further - currently down to 9 from 13. The Mute Swans hatched 5 and now have 4.

Stevens Park has very high water levels and bugger all else.

Later in the afternoon i cycled over to the Hagley Fields and had 4 singing Whitethroats all in different areas of the track than the 3 i had the other day. A Chiffchaff up by the pumping station added some variety.

The coming week should be very pleasant no matter what is about. I have access to transport on Thursday so it would be nice if something turns up, better still find it yourself?

Laurie:t:

A blistering day with more to follow - there is now a forecast for a slight breakdown for the weekend, i will be ready for a break by then|8)|

I cycled over to Netherton Hill via the local 'Domesday Book' wood of Saltwells. The Bluebells are over and the wild Garlic is beginning to exert its effect on my olfactories despite the area being surrounded by smelly old factories:-C Plenty of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs as expected. 'The Hill' was quiet altho i only did the bottom bit. One or two Whitethroats amongst the Gorse and a very nice show of what i presume, altho i didn't look too close, of very Purple Southern Marsh Orchids - about 300 of the blighters.

A general mooch the other way today somewhere between Stourbridge and Kidderminster - i will be on the other Brompton a bright Red one so if you out and about please say hello:t:

Might pop back to Hurcott but there won't be any of these:C.....

Good Birding -

Laurie:t:

Out on the bike from 10-3 for 16+ miles or so in very nice weather indeed. A pleasure to be out and about no matter what turns up.....

First stop Mary Stevens Park - water level is high and has covered the new planting for a few weeks now, even the wetland vegetation will struggle to survive unless they lower it - must have a word, nothing of note.

Hurcott ca1115: entered from the other end and heard the Cetti's Warbler about 250 yards further along from the 5-barred gate. Spent an hour around the gate area watching a pair of Grey Wagtails catching food for a nearby brood and clocked several native Crayfish in the little brook. Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps noted plus several Reed Warblers in the reedbed.

Cycled thru the grounds of Lea Castle clarifying the reasons why i wish to do so to a bored security guard. Nothing of note but it sure is an extensive area.

Popped into the Anchor for a pintB and a cob and watched Swifts hawking over the pub. The usual eclectic mix of customers including a group of tattoed types c/w with kids that think it is the Brierley Hill Country Club, they must have been filming 'Little Caunsall'. Say what you like about these sink-estate types they don't leave their kids alone in upmarket Portugese holiday resorts to be stolen:C

The whole of ystda's route was sprinkled with Whitethroats which now seem to be much commoner than 5 years ago, certainly a decade that's for sure.

My last stop was a few minutes by Iverley Tip which yeilded 2 more Whitethoats and a burbling Garden Warbler - no Hobbies but maybe better luck at some stage today...

Tomorrow sees my first visit to Muddleton RSPB since the PGP - it will make a nice change and i think the weather is still holding.

Laurie:t:

Another duck i am unlikely to find as a wild bird around here...

I have been busy over the last 3 weeks and have not had the time or inclination for dedicated periods of birding which is fine because it has coincided with the 'doldrum' period with only the Brexit result to provide any excitement

I had a mooch over to Whittington last Thursday and was rewarded with a couple of juvenile Cuckoos and a stonking male Whinchat:eek!: Also bumped into 'Kinver Jim' and we had a natter about local stuff and the year since Eric's death:C

I spent ystda afternoon out birding with a mate, Mark Porter. He has been checking suitable areas for Hobbies but i twisted his arm to visit a couple of my sites that he is not familiar with. We first hit Wildmoor Landfill and quarry. This site has now been capped over and looks good for Little Ringed Plover nestsite and winter food for Larks and Pipits. The site, for some inexplicable reason, is favoured by Ravens in the Winter. I have counted over 60 but wanted to see if there were any at this time of year. There wasn't..... We bumped into a Jobsworth who banged on about Health and Safety, after a reasonable session of winding-up we mooched on. Note - must add ****-magnet to my CV

Adjacent to the capped site is an area of former sand-winning which is now abandoned. This has been dug to the level of the water table and thus holds varying levels of it throughout the year and is always worth a look - it was yesterday! In addition to a pair of Coot and Moorhen there was a feeding wader..... I have only had Snipe in the Winter and passage Spring Common Sandpiper plus the odd group of local Lapwing. Following recent precipitation the area holding standing water is quite extensive and peppered with vegetation and algae. To my surprise and amazement out in the centre was a feeding adult Wood Sandpiper, i presume a non-breeder for whatever reason. We didn't bother getting any closer or going back to the car for cameras (there is a lesson:C) We watched the bird feeding for about 5 minutes before it flew off. A truly superb record from a chance visit:t:

Onward to Bittell where apart from singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs there were 6 adult Common Terns feeding on Upper - do these birds nest on Lower? I couldn't see any rafts or islands..... A few hirundines including a few Sand Martins present. A single, past its best, Bee Orchid spike opposite the boat moorings is all i found from last years colony of 30+. The area could have done with mowing at the beginning of April, despite the lack of Orchids there was a good range of grassland spp including vetches:t:

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

Onward to Bittell where apart from singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs there were 6 adult Common Terns feeding on Upper - do these birds nest on Lower? I couldn't see any rafts or islands..... A few hirundines including a few Sand Martins present. A single, past its best, Bee Orchid spike opposite the boat moorings is all i found from last years colony of 30+. The area could have done with mowing at the beginning of April, despite the lack of Orchids there was a good range of grassland spp including vetches:t:

Good birding -

Laurie:t:[/QUOTE]

Last year I had one adult bringing fish from the Lower to upper to give to another Adult but there are no islands or man made rafts......god forbid anyone would help the wildlife in Barnt Green !!

They are obviously nesting somewhere Keith, a pity that there aren't any obvious rafts:C I might have got the wrong impression but i feel that whoever runs the water set-up is not keen on doing any favours to either birders or the birds? Viewing, at best, is limited and access does not appear to be encouraged. The new retaining work to the dam wall still has building-site type fencing obscuring the main section even though there is new, low, wooden fencing and an access gate that cannot be used? Obviously fishermen on Lower and Sailors on Upper are pandered to no end but birders? The powers that be need to bear in mind that we ALL pay for this and a little bit of give and take should be the default position. The notices around the area smack of the old style 'get off my land' water utiility stuff i used to see as a kid...:C

I ignored them then and ignore them now.

A Wood Sandpiper was seen later after the bird that i watched departed over at Kingsbury before flying up to Muddleton. Another turned up at Mike King's patch at Sharpness.

Good Birding, Laurie:t:

The edge area down at Withymoor has never looked better:t:

One of the residents (Keith) has dug a trench adjacent to where the Mute Swans nest as a moat to deter predators. This area is between the nest and the overflow which is a mesh metal construction. This has had the effect of lowering the water by about a foot. The benefit has been much more edge exposed plus an area of raised 'scrape' type mud near the Sainsburys end overflow. This area is also not available to any unleashed dogs or locals feeding bread to the residents (birds that is).

I record Common Sandpiper annually, altho not thus far this year and have not recorded an Autumn bird - all records being Spring in May. It doesn't take much to predict where a returning bird might turn up as the mud is ideal and the area is full of insects. So no surprises to find a feeding Common Sandpiper last night:eek!:

Here are a couple of images of the critter.

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

As expected the Common Sandpiper was a one-dayer but the mud still looks good so i am popping down there twice a day ..... watch this space:eek!:
Still Swifts hawking over the pool.....

Thursday had a mooch around Fens Pools and my jaw dropped when we watched a Turtle Dove flying around the Middle Pool which disappeared at the far end where there is a White bag that looks like a Little Egret. This is my first sighting of TD locally since the birds stopped breeding down at Doctors Lane, Wall Heath about 8 years ago. I had another this May fly across the motorway between Catshill and Bromsgrove:eek!:

A quick visit to Sheepwash yielded little but a few Cormorants and a churring Reed Warbler still present. Does anybody else go down there these days? It looks like 'Lonesome Dove' the long-staying male Ruddy Duck is no longer with us:C I must notify Lee Evans.....

The weather being pleasant i cycled over to the Anchor @ Caunsall on my new road bike. Mary Stevens Park is looking good with the work now completed and the wildflower planting now established - plenty of Purple Loosestrife and the post-breeding Black-Headed Gulls are now arriving back.

Up past Iverley with a couple of stops to check the paddocks and as i cycled past the old tip i noticed a small passerine on the fence-posts in the top field opposite. I stopped and got my camera out and snapped a very nice juvenile Stonechat. I haven't recorded any at all over the Winter or this Spring but i haven't birded it as frequent as the previous year but maybe James has recorded the sp? Furthermore the local farmer informs me that an area of 4 acres has been sown with Winter food for birds opposite the Tennis club so it will be worth keeping an eye on this area in the coming months - remember the 2 Little Buntings that local boy BBC's Brett Westwood found over at Caunsall a few years ago?

Attached is a pic of the Stonechat.

Good Birding, Laurie:t:

It was actually three Little Bunts in the end at Caunsall, a remarkable record :t:

You know - as soon as i typed that i thought fook me there was 3:eek!: and my next thought was Phil Andrews will be on my case

Just goes to show what can be found on a local patch when a dedicated and knowledgeable observer is on hand - who goes to Caunsall now?

I have just secured access for 10ha of Winter set-aside around Iverley with the caveat that i provide details of both species and numbers over the coming months so watch this space and there might be something worth reporting:eek!:

I am at present in Tarifa for a couple of weeks Autumn migration and might post one or two bits of stuff that's not relevant to the thread title but what's new

All the best -

Laurie:t:

Just arrived at Jerez for a few days to read of a Baird's (walking Weetabix) Sandpiper has been found at the Goldfish Bowl - who would have thought? Whatever next - Marsh Tit ;-)

Good birding -

Laurie -

Lovely to see 4 buzzards taking advantage of clear blue sky yesterday and wheeling around over amblecote constantly calling at around 2pm. Regards Dennis

Nice to see somebody else reporting locally Dennis - i have been abroad for a couple of weeks but will start again over the weekend and will report more frequently on here and not just on Twitter:t:

Laurie -

First foray out since returning a week ago. I am always a bit depressed after a trip when i consider the bill of fayre around here but needs must.....

Grey Wagtail and juvenile Grey Heron both present but a pleasant surprise was the presence of a couple of Teal - a female and a buffier, presume young bird, down at Withymoor:t:

I will start to systematically to cover the 10 acres of set-aside that has been sown with a wild bird seed mix - brace youself for rare buntings

Laurie:t:

Quick bash around Iverley and County Lane set-aside just to see exactly where the areas are and what condition they are in - will post some pics this week. It was a windy day but there were Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Linnet present, not many but it is early days. These will be the core species but local Chaffinch, Yellowhammer and wintering Corn Bunting will appear and anything else that gets to hear of it.

A solitary Swallow and a calling Raven were noted.

Laurie:t:

Withymoor has been quiet but the pair of Teal i found midweek increased to 3 by Friday but had dropped to one by yesterday morning, Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Nuthatch and Grey Wagtails also present.

Laurie:t: