Blythe Valley, Solihull (1 Viewer)

[The Silver Fox]

I've been going to Blythe Valley for the last year and sort of adopted it as my local patch. Having scoured I can't find much in the way of comment about what I think is an undiscovered reserve. Certainly it is very quiet with only the odd runner from the nearby gym or dog walker to accompany me. I'm not complaining but I'd love to know if anyone else visits and about their experiences to compare notes. Latest notables Red Kite, Sparrowhawk (M) & (F), Great and Green Woodys, Little Grebe, Reed Bunting, Tawny Owl, Barn Owl, Grey Heron, Little Egret. During the season the place is flush with warblers.

Alan

 

[Matt Griffiths]

I've been going to Blythe Valley for the last year and sort of adopted it as my local patch. Having scoured I can't find much in the way of comment about what I think is an undiscovered reserve. Certainly it is very quiet with only the odd runner from the nearby gym or dog walker to accompany me. I'm not complaining but I'd love to know if anyone else visits and about their experiences to compare notes. Latest notables Red Kite, Sparrowhawk (M) & (F), Great and Green Woodys, Little Grebe, Reed Bunting, Tawny Owl, Barn Owl, Grey Heron, Little Egret. During the season the place is flush with warblers.

Alan

Hi Alan,
I've been to Blythe Valley a number of times, mostly helping with the West Midland Bird Club nestbox project there, so only done proper birding there a few times. Best bird I've had there was a Willow Tit, now very rare in this part of the midlands, but have also had Marsh Tit, Wheatear, Hobby and Woodcock. It's great to see the Lapwing breeding in good numbers there too, although they seem to have little or no success. Apart from the WMBC, there are a couple who do ringing there, a birder I know visits fairly often, and another birder less frequently, but there are probably others and the site is known about by local birders. It's turned up some good birds since opening including Quail, Woodlark, Waxwing, Black Redstart, Cetti's Warbler and Crossbill.

Not much news comes out from there, so it'd be nice to read about what you see. Did you record when you saw the Little Egret and Red Kite as these might be site firsts? I'm sure the county recorder would be interested in records of these, Barn Owl and other sightings. Is there still a log book in the hide?

Kind regards,
Matt

 

[ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY]

Would love to visit this area only problem is it would have to be by public transport any idea how to get to the reserve from Solihul Train Station and what would be the best day to visit

 

[The Silver Fox]

Matt - Thanks for this, much appreciated. It's nice to hear there are others who are enjoying the reserve as well and importantly having some good birds. I see loads of potential here and wondered if anyone was keeping a coordinated site list. As you say not much comes out from the site. I have my own records of course but I'm excited to see a couple on your list Matt that I'm yet to record. I did notice this year that scrub on the eastern side had a good showing of Whitethroats earlier this year. Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings in particular were also strong.

There are log books both in the hide and next to the larger lake but I'm reluctant to use them as too often they are filled up with moronic comments from moronic individuals. The Red Kite was a flyover twice and I've seen it over the fields next to Dog Kennell Lane. The Little Egret had a short stop on the large lake before flying off North. I suspect onward to the Thame valley.

 

[The Silver Fox]

Adrian

Thanks for the post, try this for info re transport and location http://www.blythevalleypark.co.uk/location_travel/transport_modes

It really is pretty quite most of the time so any day would be OK. Enjoy. I'd love to know how you get on.

 

[Matt Griffiths]

Cheers Alan. Btw, are you aware of the Golden Plovers that frequent a field at Box Trees, to the north of Hockley Heath?
Matt

 

[ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY]

@The silver fox many thanks for the info will now be making the trip in the next couple of weeks again many thanks for the help

 

[The Silver Fox]

Cheers Alan. Btw, are you aware of the Golden Plovers that frequent a field at Box Trees, to the north of Hockley Heath?
Matt

Matt

No I wasn't and thanks for letting me know. Could you let me know precise location, I know the area pretty well? I'm off to Whitacre Heath Nature Reserve and Shustoke Reservoir tomorrow and might drop in at Middleton as well. I can always find time for Golden Plover who are a delight especially when the sun shines on them as it's forecast to on Saturday.

Thanks

 

[Matt Griffiths]

Matt

No I wasn't and thanks for letting me know. Could you let me know precise location, I know the area pretty well? I'm off to Whitacre Heath Nature Reserve and Shustoke Reservoir tomorrow and might drop in at Middleton as well. I can always find time for Golden Plover who are a delight especially when the sun shines on them as it's forecast to on Saturday.

Thanks

They are seen in the large arable field on the southwest side of the Box Trees island along the Stratford Road, with viewing possible from the gate at the field's northern corner along Kineton Lane, where there's room to park your car. The site is actually a former airfield.
Matt

 

[The Silver Fox]

Matt

Thanks for the information. I managed to check them out after returning from Earlswood lakes on Sunday. Pretty quiet there although the highlight was a female Goosander.

Alan

 

[Matt Griffiths]

Thanks Alan. Two Wigeon reported at Blythe Valley on Saturday (3rd) and yesterday, with five on October 27th.
Matt

 

[The Silver Fox]

This is good to hear Matt. Do you know if the WM Bird Club collates information about the site? Otherwise I'm thinking of starting something off but obviously wouldn't want to tread on toes if someone has already blazed the trail so to speak.

Alan

 

[Matt Griffiths]

This is good to hear Matt. Do you know if the WM Bird Club collates information about the site? Otherwise I'm thinking of starting something off but obviously wouldn't want to tread on toes if someone has already blazed the trail so to speak.

Alan

Hi Alan,
I'd go for it - don't think you'd be treading on anyone's toes. The Bird Club keep breeding records for the last few years, and the county recorder should have records for the site, but I don't think a comprehensive list of birds recorded exists. I made a start on a list but am engrossed with Earlswood now. You might want to contact Humphrey Miller, who organises the nestbox project, to incorporate their records into what you have in mind - email at http://www.westmidlandbirdclub.com/solihull/blythe-valley-cp.
Kind regards,
Matt

 

[The Silver Fox]

I've been out of circulation the last few days and unable to get to 'The Valley'. Highlight for me though was my first Waxwing of the season. I flushed a solitary bird as I was walking my dog. It was perched in a small tree in someone's front garden in Mountford Road and flew off over the Mill Pool on Peterbrook Road. I hovered around for a while but had no further sightings other than a flock of approximately 20 Redwings in the trees surrounding the pool. Happy days.

 

[The Silver Fox]

Headed off to Brandon Marsh today to twitch the female Smew. Despite it being pretty busy I had a great day. Highlights were the Smew of course which was showing well in the very good lighting the day offered. There were two male and one female Goldeneye which again showed perfectly. The highlight was a Bittern which appeared in flight twice and then rearing up in that classic pose. I had an excellent view through my scope. Magical.

 

[The Silver Fox]

Unsurprisingly the Blythe had burst its banks when I visisited Sunday morning. Probably the worst I've seen. So much so that a pair of Mute Swans were sailing round and round the 2nd green of the adjoining Shirley golf club. The lakes and ponds were very full and the Woodpecker wood was flooded although but the boardwalk made it passable. Other than that it wasn't too bad under foot. It was still active though with good numbers of Redwings and Fieldfares. Others of note - Kingfisher, Buzzard, Robin, Blackcap, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Blue-Great-Longtailed Tit, Siskin, Treecreeper, Little Grebe, Greenfinch and a flash of a Sparrowhawk.

Alan

 

[The Silver Fox]

First visit this morning for a while. Still very soggy off the main paths and the lakes and reed areas are very full. The drainage reeds were the worst I've seen them - I hope this doesn't affect the warblers when they return to breed. Hopefully they should recover. Fairly quiet generally but of note - Tufted Duck, Swan family still doing well, Little Grebe, GSWoody, Green Woody, Kestrel, Treecreeper, Golfinches x 20, Goldcrest (third time on the trot in the Woodpecker wood), Greenfinch, Robin, Dunnock, Jackdaw x 30, Starling x 50, Jay, Sparrowhawk, Coot, Moorhen, Chaffinch, Blue Great and Longtailed Tit.

Really looking forward to 2013 and intend to visit more frequently to build up a better picture of the yearly cycle. Sounds like a resolution....

 

[Matt Griffiths]

Looking forward to reading about what you find at BV in 2013. :t:
Matt

 

[The Silver Fox]

Looking forward to reading about what you find at BV in 2013. :t:
Matt

Matt

Thanks for this. I hope 2013 will be good for Earlswood sightings as well. Just sat down after strolling at the back of my house which is the site of an often used roost by a male Tawny Owl. Literally 25 yards away and I hear it most nights. I had a smashing view of it lit by my torch flying off across the canal toward the riding stables. :eat:

Regards Alan

 

[Matt Griffiths]

I received this from Humphrey Miller, who organises the nestbox project at Blythe Valley:

I’ve now read the birdforum thread with interest. Would you like to suggest to other birders at BVP that they put the best records on Birding Today as the principal central website for bird sightings in the area. (NB Brian Stretch, the operator, doesn’t put reports of certain birds of prey on which are considered sensitive to persecution – Barn Owl, Peregrine, Goshawk).

Also records in the log book are looked at, though there has been very little of late – as one of your correspondents noted, many of the records are put in by morons, but factual intelligent ones can still be useful.