sheepwash urban park (1 Viewer)

[Woodchat]

Laurie,

I started my career as an industrial research chemist at Albright and Wilson's 'International Technical Centre' a long time ago. I was still working for them back in 1999 when they were bought out by Rhodia Performance Products (formerly Rhone Poulenc) and worked for them for a while until the Surfactants business was divested to Huntsman Speciality Chemicals a few years later. Surfactants (or amphiphilic molecules) are ubiquitous - both synthetic and in nature - in fact life as we know it wouldn't exist without them.

 

[rollingthunder]

I love these threads that sometimes mention birds

I was looking at the water down at Mary Stevens Park t'other day and noticed the 'blooming' of the Blue-Green algae. A bit of research revealed that this sort of stuff would have been part of the 'primordial soup/sludge' to which we are all related due to its ability to 'fix' things, make compounds and produce, as a by-product, oxygen:eek!:

There are people, living not too far away, that i am convinced are more closely related to the stuff than me.....

Just out of interest are you still working in the field of 'Industrial Chemistry'?

Laurie:t:

 

[Woodchat]

I love these threads that sometimes mention birds

I was looking at the water down at Mary Stevens Park t'other day and noticed the 'blooming' of the Blue-Green algae. A bit of research revealed that this sort of stuff would have been part of the 'primordial soup/sludge' to which we are all related due to its ability to 'fix' things, make compounds and produce, as a by-product, oxygen:eek!:

There are people, living not too far away, that i am convinced are more closely related to the stuff than me.....

Just out of interest are you still working in the field of 'Industrial Chemistry'?

Laurie:t:

Sorry about not mentioning any birds - oops!!

After 15+ years as a research chemist, I am now working in a distantly-related field - electronic displays (bistable LC and Electrophoretic). One of the common threads through this have been liquid crystals / mesogenic phases. Surfactants / amphiphiles are capable of 'self-assembly' - hence the origins of cellular life. Similar molecular self-ordering and the ability to electronically switch between ordered states is responsible for the light-modulating behaviour in liquid crystal displays (found in your flat-panel TV screens and mobile phone displays - although OLED's are now gaining traction in many of these applications).

 

[rollingthunder]

Ever regret asking a question?

Better get out 'in the field' (been servicing pushbikes for Spanish jaunt) if Tipton can get a Greenshank:eek!:..........

Laurie:t:

 

[Woodchat]

Ok - fair play - back to the birds. I didn't mean to hijack the thread but when I saw A+W and Rhodia mentioned it brought back great memories from the days when working for a living seemed to be much more of a pleasure for me than it is now. Or maybe it's just rose-tinted nostalgia kicking in.

If only I could get out in the field right now................

 

[rollingthunder]

Dave - i've always found work over-rated and i really used to enjoy mine particularly the botanical surveys and the bird stuff - spoilt me and now i live around here as punishment:C Better bugger off out so i can put something on my own thread!

The halcyon days of Norfolk (Permit Only)......

Laurie:t:

 

[Baggieshep]

Shingle Pool South

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. A good start to the thread would be a new name for the chemical pool Laurie as certainly given us a insight with the links :t: but the Rattlechain Lagoon reminds me of a Scooby Doo episode or a Hammer House B rated horror movie :-O. The shingle pool as a ring to it & hopefully a plover or two in the very near future but I am open to suggestions please keep them clean 3. Now that's out of the way lets do a bird update. New in today was a female Shoveler in keeping with the Autumn feel it compliments the single Pochard that still remains, 2 G C Grebes, several Cormorant, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Swifts continue to pass thru in good numbers as do House Martins, Kingfisher activity as been good with 1 flying over the Rose Lane pool & more interesting 2 together around PHP 1 being a juvenile, both common Woodies, Grey Wags have been a main feature with a pair busy feeding today at the entrance to the Johns Lane tunnel, Bullfinch & just to jog your memories 4 Mistle Thrush flew over the SHINGLE POOL :king:. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[geoffw1946]

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2014/08/23/200-geese-in-two-parks-killed-by-sandwell-council/
I see Ian Carroll of Sandwell Swanwatch is in the news again.
Sandwell council have been culling the geese on various parks and say they plan to replace the geese with ornamental ducks!
The mind boggles.
Geoff

 

[Baggieshep]

This Weeks Update

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. Two main high lights this week were a low flying Hobby just above the roof tops on a very bleak Bank holiday Monday & a single female Wheatear on the tip tonight. Raptors have included Peregrine on the Robinsons stack most days, a half hearted attempt by a Sparrowhawk after Magpies & a Buzzard took flight from the wader island as Dave Waite & I strolled around today at lunch time. House Martins continue to pass thru in good numbers with the odd Swifts, Sand Martin & Swallows. 3 G C Grebes were present today & Little Grebes are to numerous to count :smoke:. The Greylag Goose continues to feed along with the Canadians oblivious to the dangers that as been high lighted in the previous post about the exterminators :C. The only duck interest as been the single Shoveler & Pochard. Pheasant continue to be seen or heard around the tip. Colourful & noisy both species of common Woodpecker, Kingfisher & the very active Grey Wagtails. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[Phil Andrews]

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. Two main high lights this week were a low flying Hobby just above the roof tops on a very bleak Bank holiday Monday & a single female Wheatear on the tip tonight. Raptors have included Peregrine on the Robinsons stack most days, a half hearted attempt by a Sparrowhawk after Magpies & a Buzzard took flight from the wader island as Dave Waite & I strolled around today at lunch time. House Martins continue to pass thru in good numbers with the odd Swifts, Sand Martin & Swallows. 3 G C Grebes were present today & Little Grebes are to numerous to count :smoke:. The Greylag Goose continues to feed along with the Canadians oblivious to the dangers that as been high lighted in the previous post about the exterminators :C. The only duck interest as been the single Shoveler & Pochard. Pheasant continue to be seen or heard around the tip. Colourful & noisy both species of common Woodpecker, Kingfisher & the very active Grey Wagtails. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

Seems to have been a bumper year for Little Grebe; I have noticed an explosion of numbers at Upton Warren and a good showing at Grimley when I went a-Tealing this week.

 

[Baggieshep]

Little Grebes

The Little Grebes do seem to have had an exceptional year both in the number of pairs & young produced down at the Wash. This is certainly down to habitat around the Pumphouse Pool with the reeds & the banks around the pool overgrown with trees & bushes reducing disturbance. On a personal note shared by many others we would prefer it cleared in some areas to enable us to view our waders again annually along with many other species :t:. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[Baggieshep]

Snakes & Waders

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. Its been a while since my last post & that should tell you nothing out of the ordinary to report although 3 Spotted Flycatchers 2 on canal embankment at the end of Johns Lane tunnel & 1 around the Pylon Pool almost mirrored what was happening locally in the area except the valley that played host to hundreds :smoke:. New in on the 3rd of the month was a single Teal this was joined by another 4 on Friday & a single male Pochard (4 Teal being present tonight). A circuit tonight was very productive as I wandered around the tip trying to locate the calling female Pheasant who I am sure as her off spring around her feet but she kept well hid. A bird perched on top of some Buddleia proved to be a Whinchat so a arced walk around the tip to get better views was made as I was facing the setting sun, then just as I got in a good position 2 flew across the hollow on the tip & into another bunch of Buddleia :C then another flew over my head & went to ground giving me glimpsing views as it played hide & seek :eek!: so not wanting to harass the birds I left the tip pleased that I had noted 3 but frustrated at the views but these were my first Whinchats since my return to the Wash:t: To top of the night a charm of ca 20 Goldfinch flew over & while I admired them a single Swift hawked around ( Dave Waites latest record is the 13th of the month). Other bits & bobs relating to Sheepwash, 3 G C Grebe with 1 being present for a week or more on the shingle pool, Little Grebe 24+ with 2 adult & 2 juv again on the shingle pool, several Cormorant & yes 1 or 2 on the shingle pool, Grey Heron are in double figures & yes you have guessed right a single on the shingle pool, 8 Mute Swan & 4 Cygnets graced the wash on Thursday with 2 only staying a short while due to not having the stomach for the battle royal, the resident pair came out on top during the 2nd day of hostilities even thou the interloping cob appeared stronger the resident pen proved a formidable matriarch. Raptors included 3 Buzzard 1 being a juvenile, Peregrine on the local chimney stack & Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, 2 commoner species of Woodpecker, House Martins a plenty & the odd Sand Martin & Swallow, Jay, Warblers included Reed, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Willow & Chiffchaff. Pied & Grey Wags & last but not least Bullfinch but sadly no Waders. A report of a snake proved conclusive with Voice of the Mute Swan showing me a picture of a beast about 2 foot long not sure what that is in kilos or litres cuz I day do metriks at skool :smoke:. A dog walker informed me that one of his Jack Russels put up a Pheasant around by the pylon at the end of the Rose Lane tunnel the first he had seen in 15 years of walking his dogs in the area:eek!: his dogs are obviously ratters & not game bird flashers or should that read flushers 3 Well done my old mucka Roger Burns on his Stonechat find at the Valley any Valliants reading tell him Shep said BoingBoing:t:. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[rollingthunder]

Nothing wrong with the odd dog flushing birds, there's worse things go on down there:eek!: - I remember mine (Staffie) flushing a Corncrake in Holy Vale on that Scillies place - lifer for a lot of birders including..........me!

Greetings from Andalucia and do'nt sell my Green hat!

Laurie:t:

 

[Baggieshep]

Battle Royal Continues

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. Tuesday night saw me venturing over the tip in hope of better views of Whinchat but to no avail but 2 Mipits were more than welcome & several more flew over tonight & a single Whinchat did give excellent views tonight :t: A juvenile Peregrine perched on the chemical stack a couple of times today, a pair of Kestrel hunted over the tip & a Buzzard soared high above the wash at lunch time, buoyed by seeing 3 species of raptor I hung around tonight for Sprawk but I was out of luck :-C but that soon changed as a Hobby past over :smoke:. 3 Wigeon were a surprise today & also 7 Teal, the former being hit & miss down at the wash & even the latters numbers have dwindled over the years :eek!:. No less than 8 Swans & 6 home bred cygnets continued to harass each other again but one pair took refuge on the shingle pool. The Greylag remains adopted & sticks out like a sore thumb as it continues to associate with the Canadas. Other than that birds seen were more or less the same as Monday. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[Baggieshep]

More Dux Influx

Hi wash watchers & a warm welcome to all. Just a quick post before I end up as a bow legged hen & a knock kneed hen. 4 Shoveler joined the several Teal making it a good week for Ducks down at the wash. Peregrine was again on the chimney stack a few times today. Other birds of note, Kingfisher, Greywags & Cormorants peaked at 10. Cheers & Happy Birding B .

 

[Sedgley Birder]

Sheepwash Urban park - Pre 1985

Records for SUP are scant prior to 1985, and were reported as Tividale. A trawl through the WMBC archives show a few interesting records.

LRP -
1975 - Attempted to breed; 1977 - Present during summer but no proof of breeding; 1981 - Bred; 1983 - bred successfully; 1984 - One pair successful.

Yellow Wagtail -
1977 - Three pairs on overgrown tip at Tividale; 1983 - Breeding reported from Tividale; 1984 - Two pairs bred with a peak roost of 20 in the autumn.

Pied Wagtail -
1984 - Peak roost of 500 birds.

Brambling -
1984 - Peak count of 76 at Tividale on Feb 12th.

Stonechat -
Regular wintering birds with up to six in 1984.

Whinchat -
1984 - Successfully bred (?). May be Geoff can confirm.

Black Redstart -
1984 - One Nov 18th & 19th.

From the early 1980's Tividale was starting to develop and was becoming attractive for more species, particularly waders. Also due to its 'rough' look it attracted a wider variety of species. It also attracted a hardy band of core birders, who on occasions would between them were visiting the site several times a day. During the 'Golden Years' the dynamic nature of the site, particularly during migration meant that birds and species changed hourly. Exciting times for a local urban birding and more importantly 'wetland' site.
During this time the site log was scraps of paper with scribbled notes in a film container (yes before the days of digital photography) hidden under a chosen rock at a particular location.

Below are the two inner pages of the 1985 report outlining the 'vision' of what SUP was going to be, and a photo of what SUP looks like in 2014 courtesy of Google Earth. Next to come is SUP 1985-1987.

 

[geoffw1946]

Sheepwash UP pre 1985.

Hi Gavin, thanks for the memories, it's hard to believe how time flies. I remember counting the Pied Wagtails coming into roost at Rose Lane Pool, I think the Bramblings roosted at the old Tividale sewage works which is now a housing estate. I can't recall the possible Whinchat breeding but a Wheatear sang around the high ground for a week or more and may have bred but I don't remember the date, perhaps it's one of your later write ups?
Geoff

 

[Sedgley Birder]

Hi Gavin, thanks for the memories, it's hard to believe how time flies. I remember counting the Pied Wagtails coming into roost at Rose Lane Pool, I think the Bramblings roosted at the old Tividale sewage works which is now a housing estate. I can't recall the possible Whinchat breeding but a Wheatear sang around the high ground for a week or more and may have bred but I don't remember the date, perhaps it's one of your later write ups?
Geoff

Hi Geoff, hope you are keeping well. I remember the Bramblings at the sewage works. That area and Brades Hall was a fantastic area for birding.
The area still has great potential. The four main problems now are:

1. Lack of suitable management/better understanding of species requirements.
2. Disturbance/increasing antisocial activities (which eventually put me off visiting).
3. Encroaching urbanisation/development and ultimately habitat loss.
4. Far too much tree planting (see point 1) along the main pool. Yes tree cover is good, but not along the edge/s of a small pool in an urban area.

The plastic matting did not help that was put down. The edge of PHP could of been managed a lot better. Hoping to visit soon now that the A&W pool has been re-landscaped.

ATB:t:

 

[Sedgley Birder]

Sheepwash Urban park - 1985-1987

Sheepwash Urban Park – 1985-1987

!985 saw the first report collated from the birders visiting ‘The Wash’ as Baggieshep, aka Mark Shepherd (MAS) now refers to it.
The recording area included the main SUP and Brades Hall, Duport land/pool and London Works Steel. The latter three areas have largely been lost or redeveloped . The Duport area has recently been re-landscaped and could prove to offer a good area for waders/ducks and gulls.
The full list for 1985 saw a total of 102 species recorded as follows:

Little Grebe; GCGrebe; Cormorant; Grey Heron; Mute Swan; Canada Goose; Shelduck;
Wigeon; Teal (max count of 20); Mallard; Pintail (two records involving single birds);
Pochard (max count of 28); Tufted Duck (max count of 39); Goldeneye one record of three birds); Sparrowhawk; Kestrel; Red-legged Partridge (max count of 25); Water Rail; Moorhen; Coot; Oystercatcher (two records);
LRPlover (2-3 pairs bred with 5 juvs seen and a single nest found); Ringed Plover;
Golden Plover; Lapwing; Sanderling (one record of 4 birds);
PURRPLE SANDPIPER!!!! (one 28th/29th July);:eek!: Dunlin; Ruff; Jack Snipe;
Snipe (max count of 26); Whimbrel; Curlew; Redshank; Greenshank; Green Sandpiper;
Common Sandpiper (max single count of 17);:eek!: Turnstone;
POMARINE SKUA!!!! (one 10th/11th November);:eek!: BHGull; Common Gull; LBB Gull;
Herring Gull (max count of 30); GBB Gull; Kittiwake (single 29th April);
Sandwich Tern (3 on 27th September); Common Tern; Black Tern (3 records/7 birds);
Feral Pigeon; Stock Dove; Wood Pigeon; Collared Dove; Cuckoo; Barn Owl (1 record/1bird);
Swift; Kingfisher; GS Woodpecker; Skylark; Sand Martin; Swallow; House Martin;
Meadow Pipit; Yellow Wagtail (bred); Grey Wagtail; Pied Wagtail;
White Wagtail (max count of 7); Wren; Dunnock; Robin;
Black Redstart (may have bred at London Works Steel); Whinchat; Stonechat;
Wheatear (max count of 10 birds); Greenland Wheatear (0ne 13th May);
Ring Ouzel (1 record/1bird); Blackbird; Fieldfare; Song Thrush; Redwing; Mistle Thrush;
Sedge Warbler; Reed Warbler; Whitethroat; Lesser Whitethroat; Blackcap; Chiffchaff;
Willow Warbler; Spotted Fly; Pied Fly (1 20th/21st August); Blue Tit; Great Tit; Magpie;
Carrion Crow; Starling; House Sparrow; Chaffinch; Greenfinch; Goldfinch; Linnet;
Redpoll; Yellowhammer; Reed Bunting.

Only species additional to the above will be listed from now on, or if a record/observation is unusual.

1986 – 102 records
Shelduck (3 records/11 birds); Teal (max count of 30 birds);
Tufted Duck (seven broods with 53 young); Shoveler (1st locality record);
Merlin (1st locality record); Hobby (1st locality records); LRPlover (bred); Sanderling (again);
Snipe (record locality count of 55]; Wood Sandpiper (single bird/2nd locality record);:eek!:
Common Gull (max count of 15); Herring Gull (max count of 100); Arctic Tern (1st record);
Black Tern (2 records/2 birds); Skylark (peak winter count of 93); Tree Pipit (1st record);
Yellow Wag (bred with a peak autumn count of 20);
Black Redstart (singing bird at LWSteel May to August); Redstart (1st locality record);
Wheatear (peak spring passage of 19); Greenland Wheatear (again)); Garden Warbler;
Jay (1st locality record); Jackdaw (1st locality record!); Siskin (1st locality record!).

1987 – 106 records
Black-necked Grebe (1st locality record/s – one 27th/28th May & 31st to 4th June);:eek!:
BITTERN!!!! (one 10th/11th November);:eek!: Mandarin (1st locality record); Shoveler; Goldeneye;
Hobby; Peregrine (1st locality record); Knot (1st locality record of 1 on 19th March);
Sanderling (for the third year in succession!); Spotted Redshank (1st locality record);
Turnstone; Little Gull (1st locality record); Black Tern; Short-eared Owl;
Rock Pipit (1st locality records); Black Redstart;

Below are the front pages of the reports from 1985-1987. Next to come are the years
1988-1990.

 

[Baggieshep]

29 Years Later & Another One Turns Up

Hiya wash watchers & a warm welcome to all, special thanks goes to Gavin who as taken the time out to show the wash probably at its best but now leaves me a bit of dilemma as will be revealed:smoke:On todays lunchtime stroll as I past the Johns Lane pool on the way to check out the Shingle Pool a shiny silver bird caught my eye, with the naked eye it looked like a juvenile Coot with the sun on it, a better look with the bins & my first Pintail at the wash was in the bag :t:. Now the dilemma lol I believed it the second record for the wash but the previous post relegates it to 3rd:eek!:. The 85 bird was found by Laurie :storm: aka Rolling Thunder who wasn't even in his teens at the time & I thought his only claim to fame was that bloody Purple Sandpiper 3. Other birds of note, plenty of Little Grebe 4 being on the South Shingle Pool, 3 GC Grebe 1 being on the SSP, Cormorants have increased to a dozen or more as to have the Grey Herons, the Mute Swan battles continue & the Greylag Goose is definitely Tiptonized. On the duck front the Wigeon remained for at least 3 days & both Teal & Shoveler remain. Just coincidently I ventured to the Valley for a quick shuftie on Sunday morning for Ruff & Pintail & was a little miffed at both the variety & number of ducks there not to mention Lapwings :-C its only a couple of miles away & you would think they could share a few:kiss: Raptors include Peregrine on the stack & across the wash sometimes heading towards Dudlay, Sprawk, Buzzards & Kestrel. Pheasant again was calling on the tip along with 14 Goldfinch & 7 Linnet. Proud & colourful, Kingfisher, both common species of Woodie & a abundance of Grey Wags. Always great to see Jay & Bullfinch. Cheers & Happy Birding B .