sheepwash urban park (1 Viewer)

[Baggieshep]

A Wash With Warblers

Hiya sheepwashers and a warm welcome to all. Todays lunchtime proved very productive for Dave W who being more atheletic than me chose the north shore circuit. He noticed the large increase in warblers and was rewarded with sedge, whitethroat, blackcaps willow/chiffs , sand martin & to cap his day a spotted fly. Midland birder and his pal were observing the juv shelduck that since yesterday as adopted a limp:eek!. Knowing Craig as better eyes than me I opted to join him on the south shore that's river side if you didn't know. While discussing the peregrines favoured pylon Craig managed to pick out a distant sprawk and a fair few dot martins3 then pick out a peregrine on the furthest pylon by the sheepwash lane entrance:t:. While standing there chewing the cud like birders do kingfish & reed warbler were also noted. Tonights observations were green woody, only a few BHG & LBBG a drastic decline from the previous two nights, peregrine was calling from the local chimney stack & later in the evening 1 was enjoying its evening meal on the tip side pylon, juv shelly had moved to johns lane pool. You must forgive my poetic freedom in describing the wash I may have a part time job working for the Tipton Tourist Board Cheers & happy birdingB .

 

[Martyn Yapp]

The Good Old Days

I have recently started to get my act together with adding my scribbled birdnotes into the brilliant Bird Journal software, a fairly mammoth task being as my first ever written notes were in 1989, however it was 1991 when just having my first car I could get to Sheepwash quickly and before and after work.

I have just been looking at the results for 1991 the software throws back at you and I saw 106 species that year with a few reasonable finds, which with that many visits, 219 logged and some of them lumped in the database when there was no change, it was hardly surprising really.

Now is this a controversal statement, that there just seemed more birds around at that time, if that is a correct statement what are the causes for the loss of a few species. Coverage, habitat loss & gains or purely that british birds especially the "fringe visiting" are on the decline.

Here we go,

Both Red-legged (Feb to Dec) and Grey Partridges (Jan and Feb) were present over the tip, Skylark, Meadow Pipit and Yellow Wagtail all bred, Stonechat always wintered and Wheatear (April, May, June, Aug & Sept) and Whinchat (Apr, May, June & Aug) you would have to say was a guaranteed passage migrants.

I personally found Ring Ouzel (which were regularly seen by others), Grasshopper Warbler, YL Gull (which wasn't split then), Long-tailed Duck and co-found the superb Wood Sandpiper that gave superb views on PHP. Other waders that were also fairly guaranteed as long as weather conditions prevailed were Turntsone (3 together in May and 1 26th Oct), Dunlin, Ringed Plover, LR Plover, Oystercatcher, Greenshank, Green and Common Sandpipers, both Snipes and a single fly-over calling Curlew which remains my only sighting down there.

I know that migrants can and do turn up anywhere, like the Short-eared Owl, Tree Sparrow, Arctic Tern and Water Pipit that I also saw in 91, its things like the male Yellowhammer that some time on the embankment makes me wonder if Sheepwash will ever get another one.

On the other hand I am pretty sure that all birders at the time were all worried about the amout of trees that were planted, destroying the open aspect for waders, without trees I am presuming GSW and Green Woodpeckers would not be thriving along with LT Tit.

Cormorant were rare, Peregrine non exisitant, so compared with now, Sheepwash obviuosly appeals.

So is it swings and roundabouts or is it that birds are not chosing to stop off at Sheepwash like the used you?

PS I am one of the Ratpack?

PPS Check out Bird Journal is really is and exeptional piece of kit. Find it here.

 

[geoffw1946]

I have recently started to get my act together with adding my scribbled birdnotes into the brilliant Bird Journal software, a fairly mammoth task being as my first ever written notes were in 1989, however it was 1991 when just having my first car I could get to Sheepwash quickly and before and after work.

I have just been looking at the results for 1991 the software throws back at you and I saw 106 species that year with a few reasonable finds, which with that many visits, 219 logged and some of them lumped in the database when there was no change, it was hardly surprising really.

Now is this a controversal statement, that there just seemed more birds around at that time, if that is a correct statement what are the causes for the loss of a few species. Coverage, habitat loss & gains or purely that british birds especially the "fringe visiting" are on the decline.

Here we go,

Both Red-legged (Feb to Dec) and Grey Partridges (Jan and Feb) were present over the tip, Skylark, Meadow Pipit and Yellow Wagtail all bred, Stonechat always wintered and Wheatear (April, May, June, Aug & Sept) and Whinchat (Apr, May, June & Aug) you would have to say was a guaranteed passage migrants.

I personally found Ring Ouzel (which were regularly seen by others), Grasshopper Warbler, YL Gull (which wasn't split then), Long-tailed Duck and co-found the superb Wood Sandpiper that gave superb views on PHP. Other waders that were also fairly guaranteed as long as weather conditions prevailed were Turntsone (3 together in May and 1 26th Oct), Dunlin, Ringed Plover, LR Plover, Oystercatcher, Greenshank, Green and Common Sandpipers, both Snipes and a single fly-over calling Curlew which remains my only sighting down there.

I know that migrants can and do turn up anywhere, like the Short-eared Owl, Tree Sparrow, Arctic Tern and Water Pipit that I also saw in 91, its things like the male Yellowhammer that some time on the embankment makes me wonder if Sheepwash will ever get another one.

On the other hand I am pretty sure that all birders at the time were all worried about the amout of trees that were planted, destroying the open aspect for waders, without trees I am presuming GSW and Green Woodpeckers would not be thriving along with LT Tit.

Cormorant were rare, Peregrine non exisitant, so compared with now, Sheepwash obviuosly appeals.

So is it swings and roundabouts or is it that birds are not chosing to stop off at Sheepwash like the used you?

PS I am one of the Ratpack?

PPS Check out Bird Journal is really is and exeptional piece of kit. Find it here.

Hi Martyn,
I would say birds are choosing not to stop off at Sheepwash, however there would be an easy remedy, just remove the trees and scrub from the islands and edges around the Pumphouse Pool, however getting the council to allow it to happen is the difficult part.
Geoff

 

[Baggieshep]

Hiya Martin, your thread makes interesting reading & could be debated for ever & a day. Ommissions from your wader list redshank& OYK
Ive also been fortunate to record spotted. The demise of lapwing the loss of habitat hence no golden plover. Whimbrel & curlew very rarely touched down for long but I would guess these two both still fly over hence lack of coverage Ive had whimbrel a few weeks ago flying over the ridgeacre so no doubt it entered our airspace Im sure I could go on. Ref your pipit I have also got a record water pipit I called it at the time Ian asked if I wasn't sure if it was a rock couldn't answer him I was very green at the time so it was a welcome to the RATPACK. My early records show many a good bird that Im sure were treated with suspicion I will put the dates on here to test the water. I recently got a PM to ask if I recalled a fulmar sighting:smoke: I can also recall my 1st at the wash in the early days like it was yesterday. Peregrine woodcock spotted redshank to name a few but that's birding politics. The ratpack then may only have been two lol but time served in the tividale bird club makes it six including you & I. PS & yes I did recall the fulmar and the common crane is history:-OB .

 

[rollingthunder]

Hi Martin -

Whilst the fortunes of a number of breeding and migrant species are under constant discussion e.g. Yellow Wag and Turtle Dove to name a couple i think that habitat change is the main factor down at Sheepwash. There simply is not the range of habitats that there used to be. Far too many trees and they are relatively even-aged. I would coppice 10% in small 5-metre 'coups' each year to produce a range of regeneration before the canopy gets even taller. Had i been more local this is something that i would have done anyway - do'nt bother asking 'permission

Also, the 'edge' habitat has all but gone with the most favoured area now regularly accessed by picknickers, shaggers and drunken poles and others the product of ethnic enrichment. All this makes for a diminished birding experience.

The powers that be are quite happy to let the place be used by all and sundry with the overall effecte a negative one on the birds, effective management for the wildlife is not apparent, well not to me anyway?

The list from 'the good old days' reflects the dynamism of the place and the fact that it was regularly covered by local birders with the one feeding on the other.

No habitat = no birds = no birders:C

Will take a look at that software, i've been looking for something useful but free for quite some time, in order to transfer all my foreign trips, not so much the domestic stuff as it's not worth noting!

ATB Laurie:t:

 

[midlands birder]

Update- RING NECKED PARAKEET circled the pumphouse pool calling constantly at 4:15 this PM, despite being fairly low down, then bird (as far as I saw) failed to drop down before I lost it behind tree's at the north end. Another birder who happened to be around the back of Johns Lane pool at the time also managed to hear the bird calling before it flew off.
A Hobby spent some time hawking over Johns lane pool with BHG's also this evening, giving quite nice views before also being lost to view. The Juvenile Shelduck still remains. A single Meadow Pipit flew over calling.

Live Update- Mark (BaggieShep) has also had a Spotted Flycatcher in the same area as yesterday!
MB

 

[Baggieshep]

Ups And Downs From The Wash

Hiya sheepwashers & a warm welcome to all. Todays haul included 2 cormorant & a sprawk thanks to sharped eyed Craig:t: 1 GC Grebe both green & GS woody, a few house mart, in the warbler hotspot :smoke: willows/chiffs blackcaps, whitethroat & spotted fly. I failed with Craigs parakeet but the hobby made up for it after I had called peregrine well it was a long way off at the time|^|. Most of the gulls departed from the wash just after seven towards brum. The pochard & shelduck were still present To top the night off female peregrine was perched on the stack. Apologies to Martin I missed the fact you had mentioned OYK. Cheers and happy birdingB .

 

[Martyn Yapp]

With calling fly-overs like Rock and Water it is very difficult in the split seconds you have to seperate them on call, although they are seperable quite easily I have found, however I can say that now having some experience behind me and like you back then, it was all together different. What you will not know at the time I was dead scared to call the Wood Sandpiper as I was not entirely sure if it wasn't a juvenile Green, such was my inexperience with waders and especially as the damn thing was a point blank range almost.

I think it was that year also I had 11 or so high flying Swans, which I remember very well, if I saw them now I would not have a hesitated to call Bewick's, back then I was totally inexperienced, but I did only put them down as possible in my personal notes.

You name a few birds I have not seen at Sheepwash, Fulmar, Spot Shank and Whimbrel all fairly dream birds for Sheepwash and I was the only one of the regulars I believe who had not seen one.

I am still not sure whether you are using the term Ratpack is a good or bad light, if it does include me, I have a feeling it includes you to, after all you was there nearly every night with the rest of us.

Geoff is certainly a Frank Sinatra............

Hiya Martin, your thread makes interesting reading & could be debated for ever & a day. Ommissions from your wader list redshank& OYK
Ive also been fortunate to record spotted. The demise of lapwing the loss of habitat hence no golden plover. Whimbrel & curlew very rarely touched down for long but I would guess these two both still fly over hence lack of coverage Ive had whimbrel a few weeks ago flying over the ridgeacre so no doubt it entered our airspace Im sure I could go on. Ref your pipit I have also got a record water pipit I called it at the time Ian asked if I wasn't sure if it was a rock couldn't answer him I was very green at the time so it was a welcome to the RATPACK. My early records show many a good bird that Im sure were treated with suspicion I will put the dates on here to test the water. I recently got a PM to ask if I recalled a fulmar sighting:smoke: I can also recall my 1st at the wash in the early days like it was yesterday. Peregrine woodcock spotted redshank to name a few but that's birding politics. The ratpack then may only have been two lol but time served in the tividale bird club makes it six including you & I. PS & yes I did recall the fulmar and the common crane is history:-OB .

 

[Baggieshep]

Scared But Honest

Hiya Martyn , in those early days we all made honest mistakes & through fear we were scared to make ourselves look stupid how ever wiser & older we would now take it on the chin. Lauries engineered the term ratpack & I would say it covers a wide range of birding politics, for example defending & promoting the good name of your patch, not wanting to miss any bird, a close circuit of regular birders who fairly or unfairly will welcome new birders but don't trust ALL their observations if you get my drift. If its taken in bad light . . . . . . that's tough that's the way most well watched patches work, and the wash was well watched. Its even worse now, you only have to read some threads on BF to get my gist keyboard warriors & opinionated egoist. In the perfect world we should share our experience & embrace enthusiasm. Encourage not discourage or mock the birding world would be a better place. On a lighter note I think the big boys are playing one upmanship this coming Saturday do you think the wash can play? if so can we have a handicap of 503 Cheers and happy birdingB

 

[yamyam]

7:00- 9:30 45 species Highlights being, Ringed Plover x3 (flew thru), Shelduck, Teal x4, Pochard, Little Grebe c9, Great Crested Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Spotted Flycatcher x2, Chiffchaff 20+,Willow Warbler c6, Blackcap x6, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat x2, Cormorant x2, Grey Heron x6, Long Tailed Tit c20, Lesser Black Back x20, Black Headed Gull c180, Green Woodpecker x2, Kingfisher x2, House Martin x3 & the bird we don’t mention x1.
Good Birding YAMYAM

 

[yamyam]

I have had a PM asking me when I first visited Sheepwash so here go’s. My first visit to Sheepwash was back on the 11th November 1985. The evening before I had several call’s informing me there was a Pom Skua at Sheepwash not for from where I lived I had never heard of the place I got has much information has I could about the place and the following morning I was there the Skua was Cosmic!!! Over the coming years I paid many visits seeing many off the Gems the place turned up the last Sheepwash Tick I had was my Avocet I believe this put my S.W.U.P list at about 160 ish. I will work it out one day.
Good Birding YAMYAM

 

[rollingthunder]

Ahhhh.....the Pom:eek!: Not a bad first tick for SW so i presume you missed my Purple Sandpiper:eek!::eek!:?

Laurie:t:

 

[Baggieshep]

Whos Chasing Who?

Hiya sheepwashers and a warm welcome to all. YamYam as listed most of the birds of note over the last few days. The teal were new in Thursday, pochard have increased to 3 and the peregrine as been noted everyday since Thursday including today. It left from its favourite pylon and made several attempts to catch a BHG from php before half a dozen LBBG were on its tail to see it off. The limping shelduck still remains aswell as G C Grebe. Cormorant x3 were noteworthy Other birds of note, grey wag & buzzard. House martins continue to pass through in good numbers ca60 being the max along with the odd swallow and sand martin. Cheers & happy birdingB .

 

[yamyam]

Ahhhh.....the Pom:eek!: Not a bad first tick for SW so i presume you missed my Purple Sandpiper:eek!::eek!:?

Laurie:t:

Hi Laurie yes I missed your Purple Sandpiper. I was birding in Dawlish at the time, but you know now you mention it. why didn’t I get a phone call alas I will never no the answer. My main contact on the Grape vine at the time was the legendary John Fortey (J.E.F) its weird I was birding in the place where John spent is final years. R.I.P John.
Good Birding YAMYAM

 

[Baggieshep]

Hiya Sheepwashers and a warm welcome to all. Last night I trawled through my records from 85 upto 89 I will be posting some of these later as promised so feel free to shoot me down :eek!: my only excuse was inexperience and of being a little to over enthusiastic to get the tick rather than learn the craft with patience in the field. A big thank you should go out to four birders that helped the newbies in the formative years so a big thanks to Geoff Williams, Ian Whitehouse Laurie & Gavin Allan for sharing their experience and knowledge. Today produced 1pergrine buzzard & sprawk. 3 teal 3 pochard , shelduck & 3 cormorant. Kingfisher G S Woodie & 2 flyover Jackdaws. Geoff & Dave Waite have both put a lot of time in keeping a true record of the birds at the wash long may this continue. Cheers and happy birdingB .

 

[rollingthunder]

Hi YamYam - obviously no mobile phones at the time and the only people i knew to contact was either IanW or GeoffW. I knew where Ian lived but not Geoff, so i fired up the old moped and shot round to catch him half way thru breakfast. He decided to play it cool, finish his breakfast (i had some as well) and we sallied forth an the rest as they say...........

I am sorry to hear of JEFs' 'departure' - a quiet and modest man when you consider how the forums buzz with 'keyboard warrior' talk It's not often you bump into somebody with 2 'firsts' under their belt namely - White Tailed Plover @ Packington and Lesser Scaup @ Chasewater. The latter a salutory example of 'patch' birding, diligence and attention to detail.

We could all learn a lesson from birders of his calibre, and a Midlander to boot! He earned his retirement somewhere where there are some decent birds.

Mark - you are too kind. The days you refer to are way before my current batch of critics

Laurie:t:

 

[Baggieshep]

Secret Diary

Hiya sheepwashers and a warm welcome to all. Nothing new or anything out of the ordinary today so its all very much the same as the last few days:-C. 1 peregrine on the pylon as usual & a single sprawk. Shelduck remains along with both single Teal & Pochard. 2 Cormorant and a single G C Grebe, House Martins were slowly trickling through, last night a ca 100 around seven o"clock. Has promised a few entries from my records from the early days and some of it made cringe worthy reading hence the title SECRET DIARY:eek!:. 7. 11 . 87 Water Pipit prominent eye stripe larger than meadow pipit warm brown upperparts streaked buffish breast Field guide confirms it visits inland waters during winter. 12. 3 .88 Woodcock flushed in copse by school fleeting views best described as large snipe 16 . 5 88 Awesome views of peregrine perched on fence by island twice it was harassed into flight by Lapwings it then flew towards Gt Bridge this time being harassed by two crows and a kestrel. Tuesday 16th August 88.CRANE FLEW OVER 19 00 SANDWICHED BETWEEN 2 GREY HERONS 9 (SIMON) EXTREMELY LARGE COMPARED TO HERONS LONG NECK OUTSTRETCHED LONG WIDE WING SPAN GLIDER TYPE IN FLIGHT LIGHT UNDERNEATH AND SHOWING FINGERS AT END OF WINGS LONG OUTSTRETHED LEGS CALL GULL LIKE ERRRR Footnote only the 3rd record for county. Sadly this was not accepted by the county recorder even though I was told 1 was accepted in Derbyshire the next day:C Cheers and Happy Birding B ps more to follow when I hve the time.

 

[Martyn Yapp]

When John moved to Devon I believe he was instrumental in finding the Semi-palmated Plover at Dawlish Warren, an awesome birder and one that I longed to be like when I first came onto the regional scene and spent many a long hour with him whilst trying to find birds at what was then Dosthill gravel pits. Strange mind you he always called me Dave and it was about ten minutes before he realised he had made that mistake.

Hi YamYam - obviously no mobile phones at the time and the only people i knew to contact was either IanW or GeoffW. I knew where Ian lived but not Geoff, so i fired up the old moped and shot round to catch him half way thru breakfast. He decided to play it cool, finish his breakfast (i had some as well) and we sallied forth an the rest as they say...........

I am sorry to hear of JEFs' 'departure' - a quiet and modest man when you consider how the forums buzz with 'keyboard warrior' talk It's not often you bump into somebody with 2 'firsts' under their belt namely - White Tailed Plover @ Packington and Lesser Scaup @ Chasewater. The latter a salutory example of 'patch' birding, diligence and attention to detail.

We could all learn a lesson from birders of his calibre, and a Midlander to boot! He earned his retirement somewhere where there are some decent birds.

Mark - you are too kind. The days you refer to are way before my current batch of critics

Laurie:t:

 

[Baggieshep]

Same Old Same

Hiya sheepwashers & a warm welcome to all. Nothing new down the wash that Dave or I have witnessed:-C. 2 peregrines on the pylon Tuesday, female enjoying lunch. Ducks include 1 Teal 1 Shelduck 2 or 3 Pochard. 2 or 3 cormorant have been present the last few days also 2 Kingfisher, 2 Buzzard and a sprawk and as above peregrine can be viewed most days if you have the time to sit tight:smoke:. House marts continue to drift thru in small numbers but have maxed around 60. A hirundine party ca 40 shot thru today at lunchtime most of them being swallows. Both G S Woody & GS have been noted around the park & 6 Song Thrush passed towards the tip. Cheers & Happy BirdingB .

 

[Baggieshep]

More From The Secret Diary

SATURDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER S U P 06 30 _ 08 30 1 Oystercatcher 1 Redshank 2 Lapwing 1 LRP 1 ComSand 1 fem Teal 1 Cormorant 13 30 - 15 00 *1 SPOTTED REDSHANK juv* 1 Shelduck juv 1 Cuckoo 1 Redshank 1 LRP 1 Com Sand . Spotted Redshank similar in size to Redshank but with longer trailing legs, Bill and legs not so red/orange NO WHITE ON WING OR LARGE WHITE RUMP/BACK PATCH, Uniformely soft brown with white specks. Call not so harsh as Redshank. 26th April 1990 EVENING VISIT HEAVY SHOWERS *FULMAR* LBBG in size viewed initialy Height 10 -12ft Distance away 25-30ft PLUMAGE AND STRUCTURE White head, short neck, robust appearance, bill markedly different from that of all gulls by being shorter and more rounded, tubes clearly visible. Underparts wing and breast lighter. Wings grey dark at the tips, tail and back grey. FLIGHT PATTERN, Short flaps followed with glide on stiff out stretched wings.:t:.NOW THATS WHAT I CALL CONTROVERSAL:smoke::eek!:B . Cheers & Happy BirdingB