Bartley reservoir (2 Viewers)

[luckyosprey4]

Visited Bartley on Wednesday this week and saw the following-

On and around the reservoir were Great Crested Grebe, 5 Mallard (3m+2f), 3 Tufted Duck (1m+2f), 3 Goldeneye (3f), Black-Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, numerous Magpie as usual, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and 1 Pied Wagtail on the far shoreline.

Other sightings were Blue Tit, Starling, Blackbird, 1 Buzzard and 1 Grey Heron flyovers, and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker heard from Bromwich Wood.

17 species in all not a bad total for an hours visit considering what Bartley can be like.

Chris

 

[luckyosprey4]

Visited the reservoir for 30 minutes around midday today after seeing the Black Redstart in Stirchley and saw the following:

21 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 37 Canada Goose, 8 Mallard, 15 Tufted Duck (11m+4f), 1 female Goldeneye, 1 female Goosander, 4 Coot, 6 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 19 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 5 Herring Gull, 36 Black-Headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, 2 Jay, Blackbird, 1 Wren, 2 Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, 10 Starling and 2 Goldfinch.

Chris

 

[luckyosprey4]

We had to go birding more locally today, so we spent around 45 minutes at Bartley with the following sightings-

The highlight was a Redshank in flight that was seen being mobbed by Black-Headed Gull over the surface of the water before being lost to view.

Also, 5 Goldeneye were present, as were 2 Goosander.

Other species on the water were 10 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant, 6 Canada Goose, 7 Mallard, 18 Coot, 56 Black-Headed Gull, 3 Herring Gull and 9 Lesser Black-Backed Gull.

Blue Tit, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Wren, Dunnock and Pied Wagtail were all noted.

Chris

 

[luckyosprey4]

Spent another hour or so at Bartley this morning with the following sightings-

Goldeneye numbers up to 8 (2 drakes and 6 females) and 2 (male and female) Goosander.

10 Great Crested Grebe still, but only 3 Canada Goose, 2 Mallard, 1 female Tufted Duck, 13 Coot, 3 Cormorant, 9 Black-Headed Gull, 3 Herring Gull and 14 Lesser Black-Backed Gull.

2 Chiffchaff were calling from Bromwich Wood, with Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Pied Wagtail also being seen in the area.

Chris

 

[luckyosprey4]

12.20-12.55 today-

1 Redshank through, 1 Common Sandpiper on the shoreline near the dam and 1 Whitethroat in scrub along Scotland Lane were the highlights.

Also 9 Canada Goose, 3 Mallard, 12 Coot and 4 Great Crested Grebe on the reservoir.

Chris

 

[rollingthunder]

Thanks for posting - could be productive with the changeable weather that is forecast over the next week:t:

Good Birding -

Laurie:t:

 

[DaveJones]

Had a quick scan this evening. Frigging boats putting anything settled up, but managed two Yellow-legged gulls (Juv/1st winter + Adult), 3 GG Grebes through or more likely put up, and best of all were Two early(?) Goldeneye through. No hoped for Scoters or Terns!

Noted a Juv BHG with its parent...bred?

 

[rollingthunder]

Juv BHG’s move with their parents and unlikey to have bred there probably or possibly a UW bird...

The Goldeneye is quite an unusual seasonal record i would have thought.

Good birding -

Laurie -

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

Juv BHG’s move with their parents and unlikey to have bred there probably or possibly a UW bird...

The Goldeneye is quite an unusual seasonal record i would have thought.

Good birding -

Laurie -

A good number of whitethroats yesterday(5th Aug ) at Bartley Res. in the trees and bushes around Frankley pool; this is opposite the Scotland Lane/Frankley Lane T junction. These might be on passage or ,more likely, family groups that have bred there. Also present ,reed bunting ,lesser whitethroat and goldfinches. I'm pretty sure gropper bred in this area this year. The site is private land next to the Severn Trent water works but there's no fence where it borders the road and I have n't been thrown off yet. The West Mids/Worcs boundary goes through the middle and in April/May I had wheatears on a few days and in previous years there have been whinchat and stonechat.

 

[luckyosprey4]

Spent 40 minutes at Bartley this afternoon, with very little of note. It was encouraging to see 25+ Swift and 5 House Martin hawking over the water. 16 Canada Goose were on the bank near the sailing club and Black-Headed, Herring and Lesser Black-Backed Gull were out in the centre of the reservoir. Birding at Bartley certainly makes you appreciate the more regular species as more often than not there is nothing new in from one visit to the next.

Chris

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

Spent 40 minutes at Bartley this afternoon, with very little of note. It was encouraging to see 25+ Swift and 5 House Martin hawking over the water. 16 Canada Goose were on the bank near the sailing club and Black-Headed, Herring and Lesser Black-Backed Gull were out in the centre of the reservoir. Birding at Bartley certainly makes you appreciate the more regular species as more often than not there is nothing new in from one visit to the next.

Chris

yes Chris,Bartley can be a lot of hard work for nil return.After being robbed at gunpoint and having my car stolen I won't risk a telescope and only walk round with bins around my neck,so that they can be quickly concealed. That means I do miss some things right in the middle .Having said that, in the last few years there has been some good stuff there: common scoter, black, sandwich and arctic terns, brent goose, slavonian grebe in summer pl., gt white egret, scaup ,LT duck and a few more ,but you have to go all the time to find something different.

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

yes Chris,Bartley can be a lot of hard work for nil return.After being robbed at gunpoint and having my car stolen I won't risk a telescope and only walk round with bins around my neck,so that they can be quickly concealed. That means I do miss some things right in the middle .Having said that, in the last few years there has been some good stuff there: common scoter, black, sandwich and arctic terns, brent goose, slavonian grebe in summer pl., gt white egret, scaup ,LT duck and a few more ,but you have to go all the time to find something different.

Had a walk along the south side of Bartley today as far as Frankley pool and then back; juv. peregrine chasing gulls, kestrel, whitethroat, a mixed flock of house sparrow, reed bunting and greenfinch feeding on stubble, c30 goldfinch, swift, hirundines , nuthatch, blackcap, chiffchaff, LTT, also painted lady and speckled wood.
Earlier I'd checked out the paddocks at Woodgate Valley nr the Vis. Centre and only found swallows and a Roe deer.

 

[keithr]

Reported to be a Great Skua juvenile here from Friday evening...

 

[luckyosprey4]

Great Skua still reported as present this evening. When undisturbed, the bird tends to be seen well from the dam.

Chris

 

[Rob_S]

Great Skua still present 5pm today. Both times I've been, it's been further out over the middle of the reservoir, but easy to pick up in flight and giving good views.

 

[rollingthunder]

Finally managed to unblock a 35-year bogey bird with my first Skua sp in the Weat Midlands:eek!:

Smart juv (found by Terry Hinett i believe:t. We watched for about an hour in murk and drizzle at 1030 yesterday morning before the weather closed in. The bird moved from near the Dam to the middle of the Razzer and stayed there despite being buzzed by a speedboat that was ‘on manouvres’ for whatever reason. It did fly up at a passing LBB which promptly disgorged whatever it had scavenged! If there is reincarnation i do not wish to return as a Kleptoparasite that’s for sure!

A passing adult Yellow-legged Gull was noted.

Good birding -

Laurie -

Edited update - forgot the Pom found at Sheepwash by Geoff Williams! #doh

 

[Rob Williams]

Saw Gr Skua at about 10.30 this morning. It was near the dam and showed nicely before flying to the far side of the reservoir.

 

[rollingthunder]

Sundays smart juvenile Bonxie:eek!:

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

 

[Adrian k]

Can anyone confirm if the Skua was on the water at around 8.15am this morning as I had a large Dark Gull go over with a few Lbbg's heading in the general direction of Bartley.

 

[rollingthunder]

it's not really Gull proportions Adrian and if it is flapping you would see the carpal flash and i think it has been spending its time on the Razzer and roosting but.....

Laurie:t: