Trimpley, Wyre Forest and Bittell Reservoir (1 Viewer)

[Duck_Pond]

Went out for a walk in the Wyre Forest on Saturday, following the route suggested on another thread about the Midlands... A very pleasant walk, though not that rich in birds! Saw loads of tits, robins, finches etc. Great tits seem to impersonate woodpeckers too, which is annoying! Did see a pair of jays and a couple of distant buzzards. I'll have to go again in the Spring.

Then on to Trimpley Reservoir and Eymore Woods. Saw more buzzards, and disturbed a couple of pheasants (the one scared me as it burst from the undergrowth!). Also saw a bat, which I thought was unusual for the middle of the afternoon. Best sight were 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, which were subsequently scared away by a jogger and his dog.

Yesterday I popped up to the Lickey Hills where I spotted a kingfisher whizzing by, of all things! And on to Bittell reservoir, where there were dozens of Great Crested Grebes and Cormorants fishing. On a nearby lake, there were a number of Goosanders, Tufted ducks and Goldeneyes.

A pleasant weekend in all.

 

[jackied]

Did You see any Goosander on the river at Trimply? plus last time I was there, a couple of weeks ago there was a pair of Mandarin ducks. Sunday 4 Dippers on Dowels Brook in the Wyre Forest. I have to agree with you though, birding in this part of the world can be a bit slow in winter. Things will definitely pick up in the spring.
Jackie

 

[timmyjones]

I often go birding at upper and lower bittel and glad to hear that I'm not the only one but there have been some good numbers of gossander there recently with my highest total been 44 lovely.

 

[lark o'dell]

looks like a good day out or even a stop off on the way to some were.
if im in the area i'll take a look.

 

[Duck_Pond]

I was there the weekend before, and got some naff photos (managed to switch the camera on to its lowest res by mistake) of the mandarin, see attached.

One of the reasons I headed back there was to try to get a better picture, but they'd gone.

I spotted a pair of goosanders on the Severn, but they flew off just as I lined them up in the camera! Fortunately, there were loads on the lake near Bittell, so got a few pics there.


Pete.