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RSPB Middleton Lakes (1 Viewer)

Piccalilli

Steve Pick
Oscar begging for more food but as he was looking rather fat after all the Christmas left-overs then I refused on this occasion.
 

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geoffw1946

Well-known member
The reserve has been very quiet lately what with 2 Pergrines hanging around and chasing everything away, also the local farmer has dumped a load of potatoes up by Dallows Lake formally known as Spoonbill Pit by some, it's just north of the north pit and is being used by The British Carp Study Group (BCSG). The potatoes are attracting many wildfowl except when disturbed by the farmer or fishermen, they can be viewed distantly from the Drayton canal footbridge.
On the reserve today were 5 Little Egret, 13 Snipe, 1 Dunlin on NP, 1 Common Gull, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff and 3 Stonechat.
On the 23rd December I saw my 2nd Lesser Spotted Woodpecker of the year in Mill Plantation.
Geoff
 

rollingthunder

Well-known member
Thanks for the update Geoff - it's nice to know the spuds are being utilised by something i just wonder how much we have subsidised them? A pity they could'nt have been dug up and given back to people, there must be a foodbank locally even in Tamworth.....

All the best for the New Year.

Laurie:t:
 

onionsargey

Active member
With regards to disabled access to the bridge, how are the disabled supposed to get there? Dosthill is to steep and muddy and Middleton is just muddy.
Isn't it about time the RSPB thought of this considering 60% of their members are retiree's?
 

SteveAtkinson

Well-known member
Here's some photos of the bridge that I took before Christmas. I expect that they have included disabled access on the spec as a contingent for the future. Apparently one of the next pieces of work the RSPB is going to do is to put a good footpath in up the west side of JWs all the way round to the hide.

All the best

Steve
 

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Moocher

Well-known member
Bridge over the River Tame?

Does anyone have any up to date information on the infamous bridge?
 

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SteveAtkinson

Well-known member
Pretty quite on the reserve still. The bridge is still waiting to be put into place.
Sightings: Pair Goosander (on JWs), 5 Goldeneye, 5 Shelduck, Stonechat, Little Grebe (Fishers Mill), 5 Little Egret.

All the best

Steve
 

Piccalilli

Steve Pick
Even quieter later on with just a solitary Cormorant on JW until a tornado blew through. The Cormorant had a yellow ring with 3 digits which I think read CT7. This is probably a Rutland ringed bird just waiting a response from the ringer. 21 Little Egret went to roost and a Barn owl was present in the play meadow for at least half an hour at dusk. The tornado is actually snow.
 

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geoffw1946

Well-known member
Even quieter later on with just a solitary Cormorant on JW until a tornado blew through. The Cormorant had a yellow ring with 3 digits which I think read CT7. This is probably a Rutland ringed bird just waiting a response from the ringer. 21 Little Egret went to roost and a Barn owl was present in the play meadow for at least half an hour at dusk. The tornado is actually snow.
The tornado picture looks impressive, I'm glad I'd already left.
All I can add to todays list are 1 Raven and new for the month for me 1 Grey Wagtail bringing the year list to 76 (74 for me).
Last year circa 162 species were seen, down from 166 in 2013. I managed 143 in 2014 for the reserve.
Geoff
 

rollingthunder

Well-known member
That's an impressive, moody picture - i was caught out in a sleety Blizzard ystda but only managed a rainbow picture. Attached is an image from NASA of the path of a 40mile tornado in Wisconsin from 7 years ago, it's amazing the linear track where the CAT5 touched down and tore thru forest, straight as a Roman road:eek!:

Laurie:t:
 

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Piccalilli

Steve Pick
Again not much around on the reserve this afternoon. Plenty of mud showing but not a single wader - not even a Lapwing. 8 Shelduck, 3 Goldeneye & 3 Little Egret on JW and 2 Stonechat up towards North Pit. Small flock of 9 Linnet. Little Egrets went to roost early tonight because of the rain so missed them but could see at least 14 in the lower branches under the Heronry. Barn Owl hunting again in the play meadow at dusk and single Water Rail under feeders.

I've had some feedback on Cormorant Yellow CT7 and appears it was ringed at Attenborough GPs, Nottingham so hasn't travelled far.
 

Piccalilli

Steve Pick
Cormorant Yellow Ring CT7

CT7 (1221366) was one of a brood of three ringed at Attenborough NR on 10 June 2013. This is its first resighting. Its part of a study by South Notts Ringing Group looking at juvenile dispersal from the site and eventual breeding location.

Steve
 

geoffw1946

Well-known member
Did the Dosthill side of the reserve today, some pools were partly frozen. A total of 25 Goldeneye were seen including 16 on the river, a Goosander flew over and a Water Rail was heard.
My first Oystercatcher of the year was on the jetty of Dosthill Lake, it's been around for about a week according to John Harris. A Green Sandpiper was on the river by the southern meadow.
2 Cetti's Warbler were heard and 3 Meadow Pipit flew up calling.
Geoff
 

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