sheepwash urban park (1 Viewer)

[yamyam]

Hi Gavin,
I had a 1st Winter bird back in the Jan 1992.
Good Birding YAMYAM

 

[rollingthunder]

It's important to bear in mind that birds are individuals and as such are prone to individual variation.....Bird 'guides' are just that - only guides to a spp and not set in stone. There is no substitute for experience with a species, that goes without saying (so i do'nt know why i said it!).

Laurie:t:

 

[Baggieshep]

Thanks For The Input

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. First I would like to thank everyone for their input regarding the Med Gull its very much appreciated & to be honest I find Gull species a nightmare especially in winter many years ago a guy tried putting me on to a 1st winter Med at Chasewater on a freezing new years day it put me right of Gulling lol :smoke:. Hiya Laurie, the chemical pool is now a must & I would love the old Sheepwash Trailblazers to have a look & share their views :t:. As a rule I don't like making predictions but only 1 OYK this year, no Redshank during my 3yrs so either will do Sanderling or Turnstone would be a bonus & dare I say it were due another Little Egret :-O. Well todays fare wasn't as exciting with Kingfisher, both Woodies & at least 3 Common Terns but I spent my lunch time scanning Gulls leaving no time for a dash through the tunnel :eek!: & tonight was no better:-C but at least the smudged face on the Med Gull as given me a insight on Gull identification for future reference. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[rollingthunder]

Mark - i take it that the best access is still thru the tunnel and up over the 'bonk'? Is it still more or less the same size and shape? Is there an edge suitable for passage waders? Is it still a funny colour? Where does the water come from?

Attached is a pic courtesy of GE with an over-sized arrow for emphasis

Looking forward to re-locating 'Smudger':eek!:, might even cycle over today or 2moz have had enuff of trying local cereal fields but at least the weather has been good for it c/w suitable B 'stops' for re-fueling.....

Laurie:t:

 

[Sedgley Birder]

Mark
This might be a 1st for Sheepwash? Hopefully Geoff could clarify.

Gavin

I have found out and dusted off the complete set of SUP reports from 1985 to 1996, a number of which I compiled and did a few illustrations for.

Med Gulls were recorded as follows:

1992 - 1st winter on 19/1 and 23/1 (poss same bird).
1995 - 1st winter 4/3.

Will go through reports and post later on some of the good birds seen at SUP during its heyday in the 80's.

Gavin

 

[Baggieshep]

Chemical Pool

The best way to chemical pool is through the Johns Lane tunnel, water is clear, edge good for waders with 4 species recorded already. Bike access is best down the side of the old steel works now autobase & transport yard. Best of birding to all B .

 

[rollingthunder]

Look forward to re-living the 'glory days' Gav, don't forget the Purple Sand:eek!:

Loz:t:

 

[rhbirder]

Hi all, I can remember watching a first year Med Gull flying high around pumphouse pool with a large group of Black Heads mid evening on the first Saturday the night heron was their in Aug 2004, cheers simon

 

[geoffw1946]

I have found out and dusted off the complete set of SUP reports from 1985 to 1996, a number of which I compiled and did a few illustrations.
Will go through reports and post later on some of the good birds seen at SUP during its heyday in the 80's.

Gavin

Hi Gavin, I wondered if it was you (you've changed your log in name).
I reckon the reports you produced were the best we had, I look forward to reading your posts.
Geoff

 

[Baggieshep]

Congratulations

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. First I have got to congratulate Geoff on a fantastic find yet again over at Middleton Lakes :t:. With the weather being so good the W/E the family, footy & the pub got the beating of my desires to sweat & trudge around the wash :smoke:. Monday produced a juvenile Dunlin on the wader island & a Common Sand on the scrape. Today a different pairing of LRP & Common Sand. Other birds of note, 3 GC Grebe 2add 1juv, Cormorant, Sprawk, Peregrine, Buzzard, Kestrel, Common Tern including juvenile, 2 Stock Dove, Kingfisher both common Woodies, Grey Wags with 2 juvs & more than pleasing was the Skylark feeding fledglings. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[Baggieshep]

Wading Pairs Continue

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. The morning started well with the female Peregrine looking a brute of a bird on the Robinsons chimney stack. Lunch time produced another 2 waders sadly both Common Sands, single Cormorant & GreyWag. Tonight I managed to add Kingfisher both Woodie species, Common Terns, the GC Grebes nest building yet again, several Little Grebes including 2 or 3 juvs, Skylark on the tip & of course the resident Greylag . Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[Baggieshep]

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. High lights the last few days included a juvenile Cuckoo Friday night on the railway embankment. 2 Common Sandpiper have been regular with 1 showing occasionally on the chemical pool. Both species of Woodie, Kingfisher, Cormorant, female Peregrine on the Robinsons chimney stack with prey, Common Tern, Jay, Grey Wags & Bullfinches. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[rollingthunder]

Popped in ystda for an hour or so, could'nt access the tunnel due to water and could'nt turn left onto the main road to park and walk down to the Chemical Pool due to a nasty accident involving 2 cars. Must have just happened about 1145.

Of note, 2x Kingfishers, Cormorant, calling Chiffchaffs, ca9 Grey Heron and a newly hatched brood of 4 Little Grebes with noisy (but proud) parents!

Laurie:t:

 

[Baggieshep]

Chemical Pool Access

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. The easiest way to the chemical pool is via the Johns Lane tunnel from the park itself, although a little wet its better than the stepping stones you have to master and the mud you have to wade through if you opt for the Rose Lane tunnel o. Johns Lane brings you out directly behind Autobase & the path there provides the best views through the metal railings :smoke: although from the tip side your looking down on the pool with no obstacles & realise its potential for waders :t:. A small hop & skip on to the carefully placed log landing even more carefully on the slippery concrete sluice & your almost home & dry & by coincidence it played host tonight too 2 Common Sandpipers 3. Other stuff showing today were 4 Cormorant, both species of the commoner Woodpeckers, Greylag & the GC Grebe appears to be sitting again. Cheers & Happy Birding B ( ps Laurie you may have missed your chance to enter the Common Wealth games but its not to late to practice for the Olympics :-O ).

 

[rollingthunder]

Not into sports, water or otherwise - i get the impression that there is no access around or upto the pool itself? Just out of interest who owns it and what is it used for these days?

Will liase over my Green cap!

Laurie:t:

 

[Baggieshep]

Chemical Pool

Hi Laurie, the sign at the top of the pool says Rhodia & as far as I am aware serves no purpose. The owners used to be Geoffs old place of employment & as now been sold off to the company I work for but I will wander around to the main gate to see if there are any clues there. Nothing out of the ordinary today 4 Cormorant, GreyWags & Green Woodie was all I could muster :-C. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[Baggieshep]

Cuckoo

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. There as not been a lot to report this week :-C. The only two highlights being the second sighting of the juvenile Cuckoo again on the railway embankment by the pylon pool & 2 Teal on Saturday. A Common Sandpiper continues to show occasionally on the park itself but more often than not on the chemical pool where its sometimes a devil to find. The G C Grebes have been washed out again but several Little Grebe chicks & juveniles continue to flourish. Cormorant numbers can be 7 or 8 & Grey Heron numbers have also increased. The Greylag as now become a Tiptonian & the 6 Cygnets from the 2 pair of Swans (2/4) seem to be doing well. Only Buzzard & Sprawk have made the raptor list this week & I have not seen a Hobby so far this year. A pair of Stock Dove were on the chemical pool causeway also today. Swallows, Swifts & House Martins were noted tonight. Both species of common Woodie, Jay, Kingfisher & Bullfinch party were also of interest. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[rollingthunder]

An hour or so down @ the 'Wash' with certainly nothing to add to the above.

A nice chat with Mark over at the Chemical Pool which, to my mind, is the best looking body of water in the area. The fact that it is relatively isolated and would be of little or no interest to the other users of the other pools whether it be bird-feeding families, bird-scaring dog walkers or picknicking Poles on the p1ssB

Lots of good edge with plenty of organic bits and bobs - definately the place to make your name.....Muddelton watch out:eek!:

Laurie:t:

Below, the Chemical Pool AKA 'The New Mecca'

 

[Baggieshep]

Daves Suprise

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. A quick visit to the chemical pool on Sunday in the hope of a wader proved fruitless but it was good to see Laurie & chew the cud about the new pools potential ( great photo by the way) so panoramic :t:. Not long after I had left the wash Dave Waite text me to inform me of a Greenshank at Victoria Park in Tipton only a stones throw away :eek!:. Just goes to prove the saying expect the unexpected anywhere anytime anyplace :smoke:. Now back to the wash & a update over the last few days, still 2 G C Grebe & as I expected a baby boom of Little Grebes with an estimate of 12+, new in was a male Pochard from Wednesday & still present today, also on Wednesday was a juv Peregrine & a female on the chimney stack the latter showing most days including today, Buzzard, Sprawk & great to see was a male Kestrel flying over the chemical pool today, small parties of Swift continue to pass thru along with the odd Swallows & Sand Martin & a ca 40 House Martin showed tonight, other note worthy birds were both common Woodies, Bullfinch, Jay, family party of Grey Wags & Stock Dove. Non birding stuff a Water Vole & report of a Grass Snake not taking the hiss . Cheers & Happy Birding B

 

[rollingthunder]

There's not much about Rhodias' Tipton operations just contact details and the fact that they were part of the Albright and Wilson takeover and one of 22 sites in the UK.

They do have a Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhoda_(company) which makes interesting reading if you are into that sort of thing.

Locally they seem to be involved in the manafacturing of 'Surfactants', yes i had never heard of them either! They are important for making detergents and washing liquids etc so, needless to say, we can't live without them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfactant

A link to somebody with a local take on the 'Wash.

http://www.whatliesbeneathrattlechainlagoon.org.uk/?page_id=4940

Rattlechainlagoon is what the 'Chemical Pool' used to be called and i have to say that i like the original name and prefer it. The header picture shows the old discharge pipe and even though the picture is grainy you can see the quality of the 'water' that is emerging. The pipe used to have Gulls sitting in it and i can't say i saw a great deal else but there was a Winter Golden Plover roost adjacent. The current state of the pool is much more conducive to passage and dare i say breeding birds particularly LRPs' and i would'nt be surprised if they breed in the near future the habitat looks ideal and more importantly there is no disturbance.....

Laurie:t: