Coney Meadow and Adjoining Areas (3 Viewers)

[Woodchat]

Thanks for that, Mary and Mark.

The Bittern showed again very briefly this evening at 6:05 - a very short flight in front of the screen. At least three Common Snipes flew out calling and a male Kestrel was hunting along the western edge. At least 150 pied wags roosted.Also today were two mute swans, coot, moorhen, coal tits, ravens, water rails, grey wagtail, meadow pipits, 9 redpolls, siskins, bullfinches, nuthatch, great spot and green woodpeckers.

 

[wheatearlp]

This morning I caught a couple of arsonists red-handed.

They were starting a grass fire in the 'hay meadow' area of Droitwich Community Woods. In previous years this area and others have been devastated by similar acts of vandalism.

I made them put out the fire then I called the police - who caught up with them around Ladywood.

The pair were in their late teens / early 20's and were clearly complete scumbags with nothing better to do :C

Luckily the fire damage was small. They also left a complete mess - mainly discarded beer cans. Words fail me - the disrespectful B*****ds!!!

My real fear is that they will torch the reedbed in Coney Meadow - this has been done several times previously and at this time of year the reed-stems are dry and at their most vulnerable.

Nice work Dave, quite surprising they actually did what you told them. :eek!:

 

[upstarts1979]

This morning I caught a couple of arsonists red-handed.

They were starting a grass fire in the 'hay meadow' area of Droitwich Community Woods. In previous years this area and others have been devastated by similar acts of vandalism.

I made them put out the fire then I called the police - who caught up with them around Ladywood.

The pair were in their late teens / early 20's and were clearly complete scumbags with nothing better to do :C

Luckily the fire damage was small. They also left a complete mess - mainly discarded beer cans. Words fail me - the disrespectful B*****ds!!!

My real fear is that they will torch the reedbed in Coney Meadow - this has been done several times previously and at this time of year the reed-stems are dry and at their most vulnerable.

Well done Dave, its difficult not to get involved when you care about a place, as you well know with me and a similar incident at Upton. :t:john

 

[Woodchat]

Cheers guys :t: - I just hope their brush with the law deters them sufficiently - somehow I fear that further fires are inevitable with a reserve so close to housing estates.:C

Back to more cheery things - this morning's session produced two year ticks for the patch - a Green Sandpiper and a Yellowhammer.

The Green Sand flew from Ladywood sewage plant to a damp, derelict field by New Mill Farm - see photos 1 and 2 below. This field shows a lot of promise for turning up passage waders and I will be keeping an eye on it through the spring - looks like it could be good for Gropper too.

The Yellowhammer flew over the setaside field near Salwarpe calling.

Also seen today, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Mute Swans, Raven, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, 100's of Fieldfares and Redwings, 200 Starlings, Mistle Thrush, Meadow Pipit, 2 Bullfinches and a Female Sparrowhawk.

A couple of small paddocks at Ladywood are covered with 100's of Yellow Ant hills (pictured) - must be heaven for the Green Woodpecker that was feeding on them.

So Far I have recorded 65 bird species on the patch this year. The total for February is 61.

 

[Mary]

Is the field with the ant hills old ridge and furrow, Dave? Seems to have that look about it. If so, should be protected from the plough?

 

[Woodchat]

The Bittern showed briefly again this evening just after 6 pm. 3 Common Snipes flew out.

 

[Woodchat]

Is the field with the ant hills old ridge and furrow, Dave? Seems to have that look about it. If so, should be protected from the plough?

Yes you are quite correct Mary - interesting that the ant hills are all on the ridges - drier I presume.

 

[Grayman]

This morning I caught a couple of arsonists red-handed.

Well done.o

Graham

 

[keithr]

Is the field with the ant hills old ridge and furrow, Dave? Seems to have that look about it. If so, should be protected from the plough?

The fields at the back of the road I lived in as a kid in Kings Norton were Ridge and Furrow.
Every now and then there would be a few cows in them - and stampeding down our road from time to time if they found a way out of the field.Apart from them the only other residents were....US.
We used the furrows as a "square" for cricket and as it was on a slope we bowled uphill and then if we played footie it was at 90 degrees to the ridges so there was no advantage for either "team".....we replayed the highlights of 1966 on here as well as playing out goals from faves like Georgie Best or Jimmy Greaves.

On a birding front I can still remember being buzzed during the high summer by "millions - he he" of Swallows,Martins and Swifts.........saw a bit of footage on countryfile the other week (awards show) and one farmer has reproduced a scene like this....magic.
It's a council (or maybe they bought them now) housing estate now.Later when I got into buying houses I had one that backed on to our cricket pitch...no Swallows etc but used to get a really brilliant variety of birds visiting so it seems they adapted quite well.....Oh there was a plus to the building of the estate as we had a Barn Owl turn up for a number of weeks - hawking the workings for disturbed voles etc.

Keith :t:

 

[Birder Gladys]

tonights report, three of us there
the gent who joined us tonight finally has his life tick albeit very dark,bitten turned up at 6.10pm short flight just left of the screen (left to right) this 6 out 8 nights for me now.:-O

 

[upstarts1979]

Cheers guys :t: - I just hope their brush with the law deters them sufficiently - somehow I fear that further fires are inevitable with a reserve so close to housing estates.:C

Back to more cheery things - this morning's session produced two year ticks for the patch - a Green Sandpiper and a Yellowhammer.

The Green Sand flew from Ladywood sewage plant to a damp, derelict field by New Mill Farm - see photos 1 and 2 below. This field shows a lot of promise for turning up passage waders and I will be keeping an eye on it through the spring - looks like it could be good for Gropper too.

The Yellowhammer flew over the setaside field near Salwarpe calling.

Also seen today, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Mute Swans, Raven, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, 100's of Fieldfares and Redwings, 200 Starlings, Mistle Thrush, Meadow Pipit, 2 Bullfinches and a Female Sparrowhawk.

A couple of small paddocks at Ladywood are covered with 100's of Yellow Ant hills (pictured) - must be heaven for the Green Woodpecker that was feeding on them.

So Far I have recorded 65 bird species on the patch this year. The total for February is 61.

I bet there is a few jack snipe in the Dave.

 

[Woodchat]

I bet there is a few jack snipe in the Dave.

I was thinking the same, John. I might ask the farmer if I can have a walk around. I need Jack Snipe for the patch. :t:

 

[Woodchat]

The Bittern was reported earlier than usual this evening - per 'Birding Today':

"Bittern still just SW of Droitwich near Salwarpe at Coney Meadow again flew over middle of reedbed to right of viewing screen at 5.07pm (Phil Bottom)."

 

[upstarts1979]

The Bittern was reported earlier than usual this evening - per 'Birding Today':

"Bittern still just SW of Droitwich near Salwarpe at Coney Meadow again flew over middle of reedbed to right of viewing screen at 5.07pm (Phil Bottom)."

That's no coincidence , ours also came out early c5.25 20 minutes earlier than Sunday, I dare say weather related.:t:

 

[Birder Gladys]

tonights report 4 of us till dark .First clear evening with sunset
arrived 5pm Raven chased off Buzzard over far field,c80 jackdaws flew away from WW,c100 pied wagtails roosted in south end of reed bed, at 5.45 they all flew up spooked by something not returning for some time,just before that around the same area a snipe flew.water rails called as usual.left at 6.15pm no sign of bitten during this time:-C

 

[Woodchat]

tonights report 4 of us till dark .First clear evening with sunset
arrived 5pm Raven chased off Buzzard over far field,c80 jackdaws flew away from WW,c100 pied wagtails roosted in south end of reed bed, at 5.45 they all flew up spooked by something not returning for some time,just before that around the same area a snipe flew.water rails called as usual.left at 6.15pm no sign of bitten during this time:-C

Hi Tim the Bittern was reported again this evening per 'Birding Today' (no time or observer details though). Maybe it was early again?:t:

 

[Woodchat]

I recorded 61 species in February for the patch (Coney Meadow, Droitwich Community Woods and the Salwarpe Valley between Droitwich and Porter's Mill):

1 Mute Swan 21 Collared Dove 41 Blue Tit
2 Canada Goose 22 Green Woodpecker 42 LT Tit
3 Mallard 23 Grt Spt Woodpecker 43 Nuthatch
4 Pheasant 24 Kingfisher 44 Treecreeper
5 Cormorant 25 Skylark 45 Magpie
6 Bittern 26 Meadow Pipit 46 Jay
7 Grey Heron 27 Grey Wagtail 47 Jackdaw
8 Common Buzzard 28 Pied Wagtail 48 Rook
9 Sparrowhawk 29 Dunnock 49 Carrion Crow
10 Kestrel 30 Robin 50 Raven
11 Water Rail 31 Song Thrush 51 Starling
12 Moorhen 32 Fieldfare 52 Hse Sparrow
13 Coot 33 Redwing 53 Chaffinch
14 Common Snipe 34 Mistle Thrush 54 Linnet
15 Green Sandpiper 35 Blackbird 55 Lsser Redpoll
16 Black-headed Gull 36 Blackcap 56 Goldfinch
17 Herring Gull 37 Goldcrest 57 Greenfinch
18 L BB Gull 38 Wren 58 Siskin
19 Stock Dove 39 Great Tit 59 Bullfinch
20 Wood Pigeon 40 Coal Tit 60 Reed Bunting
61 Yellowhammer

 

[Phil Andrews]

Greater Coney?

 

[Woodchat]

Greater Coney?

Coney + adjoining areas - as per thread title:t:

 

[Phil Andrews]

Coney + adjoining areas - as per thread title:t:

Was just playing into Mr Stretch's hands! 8-P