RSPB Middleton Lakes (1 Viewer)

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

The Reserve is now open with free carparking. John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

RSPB Middleton Lakes Drayton Bassett pits section 14/5/11
Cetti's calling along ditch. Arriving at the North pit, already there was a chap with a scope and reported only 2 Black-tailed Godwit which have been present for a few days now. Scanning I noticed an Arctic Tern resting on an island and later 2. Then birds started dropping in with 3 Sanderling the later another seen, 2 Dunlin dropped in and 13 Ringed Plover. The Dunlin count moved up tp 10 birds and Ringed Plover to 15 but difficult to get an accurate account, because birds can be out of view behind islands and inlets. John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

RSPB Middleton lakes Drayton Bassett pits section 16/5/11
2 Black-tailed Godwit still present and a group of waders c15 in number comprising at least 7 Dunlin and Ringed plovers, however they were behind islands and inlets and all the group never came into view together.
John

 

[laesevets]

RSPB Middleton lakes Drayton Bassett pits section 16/5/11
2 Black-tailed Godwit still present and a group of waders c15 in number comprising at least 7 Dunlin and Ringed plovers, however they were behind islands and inlets and all the group never came into view together.
John

John
I have added a link on Staffs Bird News for this weekends Springfair.
Regards Steve.

http://staffordshirebirding.blogspot.com/

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

RSPB Middleton lakes Drayton Bassett pits section North pit 18/5/11 Win Plumaged Sanderling, 10 Dunlin and 9 Ringed Plover, pair of Shelduck with 5 young and 2 m Shoveler.
The old conveyer bridge betwen Fisher's mill and Dosthill lake SP20302 98704 was removed by Hanson's contracters yesterday so only by road at the moment can you get to the Dosthill side.
However Warwickshire County Council have a legal obligation to convey the footpath.

John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

19/5/11 A phone call today from Mike Inskip saying Brian Stretch (Former Worcesteshire bird recorder) saw a Spoonbill fly south over Drayton Bassett pits and appeared to land. Brian does not khow the area that well.
RSPB are now fundraising for the DBP North pit hide and for toilets and more educational facilities near the carpark. If funds are aquired the hide on the DBP North pit would go up in Autumn.

John

 

[Steve Turner]

Hi John

Thanks for the info on the Spoonbill.

I don't know if you've already seen them, but there are already 2 threads running on this forum for sightings in Staffordshire. See link below;

http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=218

One is for rarer and scarce species, and the other is for more run of the mill fare!

Cheers

19/5/11 A phone call today from Mike Inskip saying Brian Stretch (Former Worcesteshire bird recorder) saw a Spoonbill fly south over Drayton Bassett pits and appeared to land. Brian does not khow the area that well.
RSPB are now fundraising for the DBP North pit hide and for toilets and more educational facilities near the carpark. If funds are aquired the hide on the DBP North pit would go up in Autumn.

John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Thanks Steve for the above details, I post my sightings now under RSPB Middleton lakes because this area is a main Staffordshire birding area, the Reserve now open and thus RSPB rather than Middleton lakes. I can also report any Rare or Scarce birds on the Rare and Scarce birds in Staffordshire thread.
However today at Drayton Bassett pits I met 3 chaps from Stoke-on-Trent who had visited the site solely because I have posted recently on this RSPB Middleton Lakes thread and would like to keep this as a thread. 2 chaps a father and son, the father a former head ranger, he said for the North Staffs area, all liked the site and hoped to visit again in the future.
20/5/11 RSPB Middleton Lakes Drayton Bassett pits section North pit. Passing a chap I know this morning while I was walking to the North pit, he said all he saw was a Greenshank on the North pit.
However arriving on the North pit I only noticed 2 Ringed Plover and an hour later the Greenshank finally called and flew into view.
At 12 Noon a good size group of waders flew around the pool and finally settled in view on an island before splitting up, there were 6 Dunlin and 25 Tundrae Ringed plover. The Shelduck brood was down to 4 young now, a Cuckoo calling in the back ground and a Skylark singing over the grasslands area.
If passing anyone going to the North pit and they say they have saw nothing don't be put off by this because at any moment northerly migrating waders can drop in to feed on the fresh mud available.

Regards, John

 

[Nick Smith]

Is it still a mammoth walk from the car park to the North Pit or can you still access the site from the canal tow path?

 

[Steve Turner]

OK, fair enough John!

You are absolutely right about waders dropping in at any moment at this time of year. At Uttoxeter Quarry recently Sanderling numbers have varied from 14 to 3 over the course of just a day.

There also seems to be good numbers of presumably tundrae Ringed Plover moving through the county at the moment, with a max. count of 34 at Uttoxeter Quarry y'day.

Cheers

Thanks Steve for the above details, I post my sightings now under RSPB Middleton lakes because this area is a main Staffordshire birding area, the Reserve now open and thus RSPB rather than Middleton lakes. I can also report any Rare or Scarce birds on the Rare and Scarce birds in Staffordshire thread.
However today at Drayton Bassett pits I met 3 chaps from Stoke-on-Trent who had visited the site solely because I have posted recently on this RSPB Middleton Lakes thread and would like to keep this as a thread. 2 chaps a father and son, the father a former head ranger, he said for the North Staffs area, all liked the site and hoped to visit again in the future.
20/5/11 RSPB Middleton Lakes Drayton Bassett pits section North pit. Passing a chap I know this morning while I was walking to the North pit, he said all he saw was a Greenshank on the North pit.
However arriving on the North pit I only noticed 2 Ringed Plover and an hour later the Greenshank finally called and flew into view.
At 12 Noon a good size group of waders flew around the pool and finally settled in view on an island before splitting up, there were 6 Dunlin and 25 Tundrae Ringed plover. The Shelduck brood was down to 4 young now, a Cuckoo calling in the back ground and a Skylark singing over the grasslands area.
If passing anyone going to the North pit and they say they have saw nothing don't be put off by this because at any moment northerly migrating waders can drop in to feed on the fresh mud available.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Hi Nick, There are many ways to the North pit, some people cross private land and can arrive in 3 minutes. However RSPB Volunteers will be on site especially this bird fair weekend. The RSPB don't encourage people to go over private land to the reserve, especially when the farmer involved rents a unit out to the RSPB to keep tools and other equipment in and has given permission for a permitted footpath over his land to bypass a farm at Middleton Hall because numbers going through this farm to the main part of reserve would irritate this farmer.
Regards, John

 

[Adam M]

Redshank on the north pit today as well, and then possibly the same bird on the very south pit later. Also had a fly over peregrine and a common tern on the north pit. Plenty of singing linnets and a lesser whitethroat as well.

Plenty of flowers out at the reserve; red campion, ox-eye daisy, tormentil, cow parsley, hog weed, bluebells had gone over in the wood, and the smell of wild garlic is still present even though the flowers have gone.

Nice to bump into you John. Also bumped into a couple of the vols on their butterfly transect, which didn't include the ares where I had seen common blue and small copper earlier on in the day. Had a damselfly species as well, but lost it before I could ID it.

Nice reserve and one that I feel will only get better as the finished touches are added by the RSPB.

Adam

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Hi Adam, Nice to meet you today I see you are interested in general Natural History also which is good. There are 2 Transects for Butterflies on the Reserve and both are on the Warwickshire side (transects were organised by the Warwickshire Butterfly recorder), however if I see any butterflies, moths or other insects like Dragonflies I report them to David Emley and Craig Slawson. I saw today 2 probable Four-spotted chaser by the canal but they flew away. In Mill plantation on the Warks side did you see the Moschatel.
Seems a good site Uttoxeter Quarry with some of Steve's recent sightings mentioned above, but the thread on here for Uttoxeter Quarry with only 2 posts with no sightings and the last post being 31/1/2011 is very disappointing.

Regards, John

 

[Steve Turner]

Seems a good site Uttoxeter Quarry with some of Steve's recent sightings mentioned above, but the thread on here for Uttoxeter Quarry with only 2 posts with no sightings and the last post being 31/1/2011 is very disappointing.

Regards, John

Hi again John
Not sure which thread you are referring to - it must be an old one? All sightings for Uttoxeter Quarry are posted on the two main Staffs sightings threads. I posted on it regarding Uttoxeter sightings only yesterday!!

Cheers

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

RSPB Middleton lakes Drayton Bassett pits section North pit
23/5/11 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Ringed Plover (WJE).
24/5/11 Black-tailed Godwit still present, Resident Ringed Plover display call. 9 Dunlin noted and at 1:12 p.m they flew NW buffeted by the Westerly wind. Shelduck down to 3 young now, Lapwing nest in danger of being flooded out again on the next downpoor but the RSPB hope to have a floating sluice on the North pit in the future. Male Shoveler and a pair of Teal, 3:40 p.m 3 Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plover noted.
A steady flow of retired people around the Reserve today. Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

RSPB Middleton lakes Drayton Bassett pits North pit 25/5/11 Morning Greenshank present (AGW and JM) Black-tailed Godwit still present, Curlew present for a short time also 2 Dunlin, Ringed Plover (probably a resident bird). The Shelduck still managing to keep hold of her brood of 3, now a little bigger and the youngsters spendig some time today away from their parents..
A regular conveyer of mainly retired peoople noted again today around the circular track. Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

RSPB Middleton lakes Drayton Basset pits section 5/6/11 Northerly wader passage almost over now, with odd stragglers being seen. No passage waders seen today only an Oystercatcher and a Lapwing, a Lapwing nest was lost in the Bank Holiday Monday rain. Flooding is a constant problem on the north pit the RSPB hope to install a floating barrage to prevent moderate flood events.
The edges of the north pit now becoming coated with floating weed encouraged by swallow water and warm temperatures. The last couple of years there's been a June passage of Black-tailed Godwit and anyday a returning Green Sandpiper will show.
Off note 200 Swift over the reserve today, a Hare along the track and a male Black-tailed Skimmer along the ditch. Gadwalll broods should show soon, the Shelduck has only 2 young now, much bigger and safer from some predators. A pair of Teal has been seen and may be breeding an usually Shoveler breed here as well.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Drayton Basset pits section 15/6/11 Cuckoo still calling, Hobby Hawking dragonflies. The North pit 2 juvenile Redshank, Oystercatcher, juvenile Black-headed Gulls, 2 male Shoveler nearby a Grey lag brood and feet from Drayton Bassett Pits/ Fisher's mill (Warks) border 2 1st sum Caspain gulls loafing with other large gulls on the Warks side.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Drayton Bssset pits section 21/6/11 Walking towards the north pit a Weasel ran across the track in front, then I saw a Painted Lady drop onto the track, my second record for this year and both in Staffordshire.
At the North pit the Shelduck was seen with a 1 large juvenile and a Gadwall brood with 7 small young, a Mute Swan now sitting on a nest. No sign of any Green Sandpipers as yet.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

30/6/11 Drayton Bassett pits visiting the site today after a few waders having been seen by Geoff Williams hoping to get any ring numbers or colour code combinations on the Ruff (the last ringed Ruff was from Holland).
DBP South Green Sandpiper, walking to the north pit on the track by the canal 23 Small Tortoiseshell were seen a significant emergence. 3 Black-tailed Skimmer and Blue type Damelflies (takes to long to I.D these correctly).
On the North pit no passage waders seen with vegetation high now, managed to hear a Green Sandpiper call. Noticed 2 Ringed plover with an adult sheltering a young. The LRP's seem to have failed and moved off.
The Shelduck with a large juvenile, 2 Teal and a Little Grebe a bird missed on the May bird race.

Regards, John