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RSPB Middleton Lakes (1 Viewer)

JHDraytonbassettpits

Well-known member
Reserve News

Some fantastic news for Middleton Lakes – our planning application for construction of our new welcome barn providing toilets, multi use space for visitors and school groups has been approved and tenders have been invited for works to begin in Feb/March. It was also exciting to see our cows exploring the new Jubilee wetlands this last month too. After Christmas we expect to see the gradual demobilization of the Environment Agency contractors and the release back to us of the new look South of the reserve. I am sure that some of our volunteer wardens and work party volunteers will have enjoyed a sneaky preview but even for me I don’t think that we will really get the full picture of how it will work and look until all of the activities have finished.

Nick Martin

Note this is copied from an RSPB Newsletter
 

JHDraytonbassettpits

Well-known member
Staff changes

We have also recruited a new warden to replace Stefan Bodnar who leaves us on 15th January. Her name is Katie Thorpe and she joins us from RSPB Old Moor on 20th January. More on Katie in our next update! We are also able to confirm the appointment of our new Community and Volunteer Development Officer. Her name is Nadia and she also used to work at Old Moor (which seems to be a great training ground for out latest staff (Fergus was also there!). Most recently though Nadia has been working for the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust heading up the Wild About Tamworth project. I am sure that she will tell you more about that when she starts in February.

Nick Martin

Note this is copied from an RSPB Newsletter
 

JHDraytonbassettpits

Well-known member
The ''Bigger Picture''

Both Sandwell Valley and Middleton Lakes are very much part of a “bigger picture”, where RSPB is working with a host of other organisations to help nature at a landscape scale. To find out more visit The RSPB: Futurescapes

Middleton Lakes sits towards the southern end of the Trent and Tame River Valley’s Futurescape, check out the web page and blog.

Partnership working is central to landscape scale work and two very active partnerships are spearheading this approach in our area:

The Central Rivers Initiative (CRI) covers the river valley of the Tame and Trent in Staffordshire. CRI comprises 14 commercial, statutory and charitable organisations working towards a shared vision to revitalise and restore the river valley from former quarries to beautiful places, teeming with wildlife. If successful, wildlife at Middleton Lakes will benefit from a wetland corridor stretching northwards towards the Humber, dotted with high quality patches of habitat created during the restoration of gravel quarries.
 

JHDraytonbassettpits

Well-known member
I had a look at Dosthill NR Reserve North yesterday this area is full of Bullrushes and boggy, near the river there is bramble and long grass.
RSPB plans for this area.
The Tame Valley Wetlands Landscape Partnership led by our friends at the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, is on the cusp of securing substantial funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for major enhancements to benefit the local landscape and people. If successful (we’ll find out in March), the funds will help create more reedbeds at Middleton (on the Dosthill side of the river) and improve wetland habitats at Kingsbury Water Park and Whitacre Heath.

Nick Martin

Note this is copied from an RSPB newsletter.
 

geoffw1946

Well-known member
It wasn't possible to get to the western side of the reserve today as the path at Mill Plantation was under water but 6 Little Egret could be seen in the flooded Sheep field nearby.
I drove around to the Dosthill side and the river was almost up to the top of the riverbank and it appeared that the Lookout hide and path to it was under water. The only highlight noted was a large Bumble Bee flying along the riverbank and a Little Grebe on the river.
Geoff
 

JHDraytonbassettpits

Well-known member
It wasn't possible to get to the western side of the reserve today as the path at Mill Plantation was under water but 6 Little Egret could be seen in the flooded Sheep field nearby.
I drove around to the Dosthill side and the river was almost up to the top of the riverbank and it appeared that the Lookout hide and path to it was under water. The only highlight noted was a large Bumble Bee flying along the riverbank and a Little Grebe on the river.
Geoff

Same here Geoff, Went down via Mill plantation got to the canal and water was about to pour over my wellington's I could not even get to the canal bank, noticed 2 Little Egret on the now flash in the field West of Fisher's mill bridge. Probably where you saw your 6 Little Egret Geoff.
I detoured and got to Fisher's mill bridge via another route, the reserve main area was not to bad obviuosly water levels were up, I saw 2 Stonechat along the fence line, 365 Lapwing around jubilee wetlands most on the East shore, the East screen has been repaired. Walking North down the river I could see Geoff on the Dosthill side of the river heading South, it was blue sky when walking down to the pipe bridge, although I could see a serious storm coming over fom the West. Water was still coming over the pipe bridge, so high it was going to pour over the top of my wellington's. I had planned to miss the storm by getting into the hide, I crossed the pipie bridge along the fence, then could not get to the hide as the water level along the track were too high. I continued heading for the carpark, 20 mph winds came in with hail, it was like dipping your head in a bucket of water with ice cubes in. I conitinued back to the car park drenched, a Green Sand and 2 Little Egret flew over the carpark, in the carpark 3 youths smoking dope and another 5 in the bandstand.
I bet you just timed it right Geoff and missed the storm.
 

SteveAtkinson

Well-known member
Late afternoon to dusk visit today. JW: 8 Shelduck, 4 (2 pairs) Stonechat. Goldeneye, c 300 Lapwing. North Pit: Gadwall, Shoveler, 1 Shelduck. 4 Little Egrets going south to roost at dusk. It's ok getting all the way around but very muddy in places. Levels going down with a high volume of water leaving the wetland via the pipe bridge.

All the best

Steve
 
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geoffw1946

Well-known member
Had a pleasant walk around the reserve this afternoon, not many birds seen, highlights being :- 6 Shelduck, 3 Little Egret, 1 Common Gull, 1 Kingfisher and a Chiffchaff.
It was good to finish 2013 with a murmuration of Starlings, circa 2000 birds put on a display from 4:08 until 4:22 at FMP.
Circa 164 species of birds were seen in 2013 with the best being the long staying Long-tailed Ducks, Gt Northern Diver, a few Gt White Egrets, Osprey, Merlin, Little Tern and Bearded Tit to name just a few.
Here's to a good birding year in 2014.
Geoff
 

JHDraytonbassettpits

Well-known member
1/1/14 Geoffs usually out doing his New Years day list today, however it's quite bad weather outside, maybe he stopped in to watch Greystoke: Legend of Tarazan instead.
Nice day tommorrow, although the reserve will probably be flooded, you should know the score now at Middleton Lakes.
Good luck for finding rares in the Midlands this year, you will certainly need it.


Regards, John
 

JHDraytonbassettpits

Well-known member
2/1/14 As expected the Reserve was flooded in parts, assistant Warden Fergus Mosey saw 10 Little Egret on a flood flash on the Horse paddock by the carpark this morning.
On arrival the carpark was quite full suprisingly, I spoke to a retired couple who had travelled from Rugeley, they decided on Middleton lakes rather than Brandon as they thought Brandon would be flooded.
A few of the more agile people managed to go along the canal bank to Fisher's mill bridge. The main reserve was fine, however the pipe bridge and hide path were flooded, the river was running near full capacity, water being about a foot from the bank.
Nice to see the regular 2 Stonechat bewtween the 2 screens.

Regards, John
 

geoffw1946

Well-known member
2/1/14 As expected the Reserve was flooded in parts, assistant Warden Fergus Mosey saw 10 Little Egret on a flood flash on the Horse paddock by the carpark this morning.
On arrival the carpark was quite full suprisingly, I spoke to a retired couple who had travelled from Rugeley, they decided on Middleton lakes rather than Brandon as they thought Brandon would be flooded.
A few of the more agile people managed to go along the canal bank to Fisher's mill bridge. The main reserve was fine, however the pipe bridge and hide path were flooded, the river was running near full capacity, water being about a foot from the bank.
Nice to see the regular 2 Stonechat bewtween the 2 screens.

Regards, John
As the path to the reserve was flooded I only did Mill Plantation and then drove around to the east side of the reserve which doesn't flood.
65 species of birds were seen today but just the usuals including Shelduck, Goosander, Kingfisher, Raven, Cetti's Warbler and Treecreeper.
Geoff
 

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