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Bittell Reservoirs and Hopwood area (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter wmtlynx
- Start date
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Sun 17th..8 till 1/2 10....
Freezing Fog earlier then misty and sun tried to break through...loads of activity with Spring around the corner....Wednesday I think...summer on Friday and back to a non-descript clagginess for the rest of the year.
Smew and the 2 Goleneye Females on show in middle of lower with Smew doing a few fly abouts but keeping his distance.Loads of Blue + Great Tits (looking splendid in Sunday best outfits), Blackbirds,Robin ,Coot,Moorhen, Canadas, GCGrebes,at least 5 Herons and same Cormorants.Pair of Swan on Shrub Mill.
Smew flew off over to Upper about 1/2 10 (supposed to be a pair (M+F) of Goldeneye up there as well.
Just as I was leaving (froze solid and off for some brekkie and read about the Villa)I spotted one of the Buzzard on duty on the edge of trees on right of Lower.....very light especially on chest band.
If it brightens later will do the rounds again when Smewy will be waiting right by the edge...dream on.
Oh by the way ...almost trod on the MINK again on the grass by the sluicy thing between the pools,then off into the brambles in front of road works MINK not me......not seen FRED yet to tell him or if anyone else has.
Keith
Freezing Fog earlier then misty and sun tried to break through...loads of activity with Spring around the corner....Wednesday I think...summer on Friday and back to a non-descript clagginess for the rest of the year.
Smew and the 2 Goleneye Females on show in middle of lower with Smew doing a few fly abouts but keeping his distance.Loads of Blue + Great Tits (looking splendid in Sunday best outfits), Blackbirds,Robin ,Coot,Moorhen, Canadas, GCGrebes,at least 5 Herons and same Cormorants.Pair of Swan on Shrub Mill.
Smew flew off over to Upper about 1/2 10 (supposed to be a pair (M+F) of Goldeneye up there as well.
Just as I was leaving (froze solid and off for some brekkie and read about the Villa)I spotted one of the Buzzard on duty on the edge of trees on right of Lower.....very light especially on chest band.
If it brightens later will do the rounds again when Smewy will be waiting right by the edge...dream on.
Oh by the way ...almost trod on the MINK again on the grass by the sluicy thing between the pools,then off into the brambles in front of road works MINK not me......not seen FRED yet to tell him or if anyone else has.
Keith
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keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Monday 18th - Friday 22nd.
Again a dismal week for weather getting worse as the week progressed,with the snow on Friday.
Biting wind all week.
Smew was doing a now you see me now you don't all week ( I could only visit in late afternoons after work).One day sitting there in middle of Lower - absent the next.
Just returned today where I scanned Lower ....a Male Goosander then Smew took off from behind him and into left far corner (by canal).Damn !!
Spotted another Pair of Goosander and then in corner of eye the Smew went over and up onto Upper.
Waited around but no return - so repositioned the roadworks signs as mysteriously they had fallen over...vandals I think....
The pair of Grebe came to the corner of Lower by the gate and I thought they would put on the same show as yesterday when I hung about for 2 hours - almost dark on a gloomy day at 6pm. - and did the weed presenting thing.Also they swam over to the reeds and she lay flat on the water asking to be mated but he was not in the mood-great to watch though - is this AVIAN DOGGING.
Keith
Pics of the Grebe pair....
1 +2 ...the dance.
3..off to the reeds
4 ...She wants to- he does not.
5...The only place to get shots...on knees through gate holes.
Again a dismal week for weather getting worse as the week progressed,with the snow on Friday.
Biting wind all week.
Smew was doing a now you see me now you don't all week ( I could only visit in late afternoons after work).One day sitting there in middle of Lower - absent the next.
Just returned today where I scanned Lower ....a Male Goosander then Smew took off from behind him and into left far corner (by canal).Damn !!
Spotted another Pair of Goosander and then in corner of eye the Smew went over and up onto Upper.
Waited around but no return - so repositioned the roadworks signs as mysteriously they had fallen over...vandals I think....
The pair of Grebe came to the corner of Lower by the gate and I thought they would put on the same show as yesterday when I hung about for 2 hours - almost dark on a gloomy day at 6pm. - and did the weed presenting thing.Also they swam over to the reeds and she lay flat on the water asking to be mated but he was not in the mood-great to watch though - is this AVIAN DOGGING.
Keith
Pics of the Grebe pair....
1 +2 ...the dance.
3..off to the reeds
4 ...She wants to- he does not.
5...The only place to get shots...on knees through gate holes.
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keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Oh I forgot...on Wednesday I met ?? (chap from Kings Heath)...sorry forgot your name again......and we had a good old moan while watching the Smew when all Of a sudden all hell let loose on Shrub Mill.
6 Swans were having a no holds barred ORGY ....more avian dogging...1 pair breeding ,another with the male chasing the female onto the bank and mating and the other 2 just causing mayhem.
Keith :t:
A pic...
6 Swans were having a no holds barred ORGY ....more avian dogging...1 pair breeding ,another with the male chasing the female onto the bank and mating and the other 2 just causing mayhem.
Keith :t:
A pic...
Attachments
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Mandarin Drake......
Sunday .....earlyish....Cold and still snowing.on and off.
Quick look at Mill Shrub for Kingy or Smew close ups BUT nothing at all on it.
Also could not locate the Smew on Lower either.Wondering why I bothered getting up early but stuck around to see that there were a good number of Tufteds and 3 more male Pochard had joined the one from all last week.The normal 6 GCGrebe were out and about as were a number of Herons.
Walking up and down scanning the trees(and keeping warmer) found the odd Redwing,Robin,Hedge Sparrow,Great and Blue Tit then a party of about 20 Fieldfare flew across Shrub Mill to land in trees along stream.
About 9.40 I spotted something on Shrub Mill....slowly heading for reeds on left by big Tree with seat by it.Looked funny for a Mallard/female Tufted but not Black or white like the usual suspects.....quick scan with snowed up Bins revealed a goodie...a DRAKE MANARIN DUCK...quick jog back to car to get camera and got back it was gone.....a lot of expletives later and quick move along road to get wider view I saw some ripples in reeds and then he popped out.blasted off a few I.D. shots and waited for him to come within a few yards...but he did not move nearer - just back in reeds.Got waylaid looking at great view of snow on trees at far end and went and got other camera/lens and on way back a small duck headed off Mill Shrub and across Lower to vanish in my misty bins.....GONE.
I hung around for a while for Smew but gave up as Brekkie with hot tea calling.
Keith
Sunday .....earlyish....Cold and still snowing.on and off.
Quick look at Mill Shrub for Kingy or Smew close ups BUT nothing at all on it.
Also could not locate the Smew on Lower either.Wondering why I bothered getting up early but stuck around to see that there were a good number of Tufteds and 3 more male Pochard had joined the one from all last week.The normal 6 GCGrebe were out and about as were a number of Herons.
Walking up and down scanning the trees(and keeping warmer) found the odd Redwing,Robin,Hedge Sparrow,Great and Blue Tit then a party of about 20 Fieldfare flew across Shrub Mill to land in trees along stream.
About 9.40 I spotted something on Shrub Mill....slowly heading for reeds on left by big Tree with seat by it.Looked funny for a Mallard/female Tufted but not Black or white like the usual suspects.....quick scan with snowed up Bins revealed a goodie...a DRAKE MANARIN DUCK...quick jog back to car to get camera and got back it was gone.....a lot of expletives later and quick move along road to get wider view I saw some ripples in reeds and then he popped out.blasted off a few I.D. shots and waited for him to come within a few yards...but he did not move nearer - just back in reeds.Got waylaid looking at great view of snow on trees at far end and went and got other camera/lens and on way back a small duck headed off Mill Shrub and across Lower to vanish in my misty bins.....GONE.
I hung around for a while for Smew but gave up as Brekkie with hot tea calling.
Keith
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timmyjones
Well-known member
Hi Keith,
I went down on the afternoon of the 24th, the drake Smew was close in on Lower with 2 female Goldeneye and the drake Mandarin was sat under the trees on the right hand side of shrub mill
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Nice one ...glad someone else saw the Mandarin...he must have hid on Lower waiting for me to go....lol
Still waiting for the Smew to come close for me...only popped in for 10 mins today and did not see him.
Keith :t:
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Good Friday 7am >...
What a brilliant morning...spring is here....I hope.
It just had the feel that things were moving along at a pace....
Smew was in the far left bay but there were 8 Goosander on Mill Shrub..joined by another as I got there....6 Male/3 Female....but after about 1/2 hour they slit into 2 groups and one flew off over Lower ...spotted a couple of them on a later visit on Lower with the others still on Shrub Mill at 10.30.
As Smewy stayed far off I went to look if Pete's Owls were back in their normal tree....YES...they were.And here as well the fields and trees were alive with Tits,Fiches,Thrushes - lots of Fieldfare and Redwing keeping busy flying all around-BHGulls with Magpies,Crows,Jackdaws and Pigeons were scouring the fields some anything they could find.
The Owls were quite timid and flew off after a bit with one staying on the fave trunk in middle of field.
I had a disaster....gave bogged down in one of the verges and tried to drive out and just sunk deeper and deeper.....HELP.Phoned for a tow out and at least i could keep a watch on the Owl which was found by about 6 Magpie and a couple of Corvids...it hid down at base of trunk and by teh time I was rescued it had not surfaced as the attackers were still there.
When i returned to Bittell the Smew was with the 2 female Goldeneye and in far right corner.As I drove back home I spotted them through the trees and stopped to get a pic.
Keith :t:
1.Far off Smew...
2.Heron checking me out...
3.The Owls...
4 Heron hunting..
5 Smew + Goldeneyes.
What a brilliant morning...spring is here....I hope.
It just had the feel that things were moving along at a pace....
Smew was in the far left bay but there were 8 Goosander on Mill Shrub..joined by another as I got there....6 Male/3 Female....but after about 1/2 hour they slit into 2 groups and one flew off over Lower ...spotted a couple of them on a later visit on Lower with the others still on Shrub Mill at 10.30.
As Smewy stayed far off I went to look if Pete's Owls were back in their normal tree....YES...they were.And here as well the fields and trees were alive with Tits,Fiches,Thrushes - lots of Fieldfare and Redwing keeping busy flying all around-BHGulls with Magpies,Crows,Jackdaws and Pigeons were scouring the fields some anything they could find.
The Owls were quite timid and flew off after a bit with one staying on the fave trunk in middle of field.
I had a disaster....gave bogged down in one of the verges and tried to drive out and just sunk deeper and deeper.....HELP.Phoned for a tow out and at least i could keep a watch on the Owl which was found by about 6 Magpie and a couple of Corvids...it hid down at base of trunk and by teh time I was rescued it had not surfaced as the attackers were still there.
When i returned to Bittell the Smew was with the 2 female Goldeneye and in far right corner.As I drove back home I spotted them through the trees and stopped to get a pic.
Keith :t:
1.Far off Smew...
2.Heron checking me out...
3.The Owls...
4 Heron hunting..
5 Smew + Goldeneyes.
Attachments
richarddavis30
Well-known member
Parking
Where's the best place to park to have a walk around Bittell Res?
Not been there before and it not far from me so would like to explore!!
Lovely photo's
Where's the best place to park to have a walk around Bittell Res?
Not been there before and it not far from me so would like to explore!!
Lovely photo's
Ravenwing
Well-known member
Where's the best place to park to have a walk around Bittell Res?
Not been there before and it not far from me so would like to explore!!
Lovely photo's
I would recommend going down Cofton Church Lane and parking where the road splits between Cofton Richards Farm and Barnt Green Sailing Club. Walk towards the sailing club, pass the two ponds on the right then after the sailing club entry turn left up the slope to Upper Bittell. Back down the slope, turn left and follow the path alongside Lower Bittell. Pass through the gate and turn left to the causeway across Lower Bittel for views of both sides. Carry on to the footpath by the riding school on the rigt and follow it to the canal and far side of Lower Bittell. Hope that helps, Alex
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Nice one Alex...a spot on summing up
And this is a copy of a reply on put on last year......
Hopefully the map is below....
Keith :t:
And this is a copy of a reply on put on last year......
Hi Sy V...had a go on google earth and tried to put the areas you can walk with the parking etc.
A...4/5 cars can park here...it's a dead end so don't go past here.Also you can walk north up the track and over the fields on the North Worcester Path but some of the signs have "gone missing"..maybe THEY don't want us going past their palaces.
B...this is the dam- wall - bank etc and the only view you get of upper Bittell.
CParking along road and at end of the path between upper and lower Bittell.Watch out here as some cars have been broken into here.
D...the road between the 2 small resers.
EDon't walk down the path to the cottages along side the canal but use the towpath on the other side of the bridge.
I hope some of this is useful to you.
Keith
Hopefully the map is below....
Keith :t:
Attachments
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
It's been quite pleasant over the bank holiday but today it's back to the cold wind and I only stayed an hour with nothing much to report around Lower...no show from Smew - yet - and all I got out of the ordinary was 4 Teal and 2 Mallard dabbling in the flooded area by the gate in the trees.Not very exciting on a cold morning.
over the previous days I got around Bittell and as far as around the back of the M42 services with a few pics to show what I saw....
Keith :t:
A Chiffcaff (or WW if anyone knows the difference ),flitting around the outfall on causeway.
over the previous days I got around Bittell and as far as around the back of the M42 services with a few pics to show what I saw....
Keith :t:
A Chiffcaff (or WW if anyone knows the difference ),flitting around the outfall on causeway.
Attachments
Brian Stretch
Well-known member
It's a Chiffchaff Keith. Darkish legs and shortish primary projection confirm this. Only a few Willow Warblers reported in the country so far this 'spring'. Hardly surprising given the temperatures.
Brian
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Neil Duggan
Well-known member
Great shots Keith........love em !
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Smew now into 3rd month ....and still he stays at a distance...I would have thought he would like me better after our long relationship....LOL
Pair of Goldcrests by gates at causeway and also Chiffchaff .
Keith :t:
1...Goldy
2.Pied Wag on house by NWPath.
Pair of Goldcrests by gates at causeway and also Chiffchaff .
Keith :t:
1...Goldy
2.Pied Wag on house by NWPath.
