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West Midlands/Warwickshire local patches. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter senatore
- Start date
senatore
Well-known member
Popped down to Marsh Lane early this morning and allthough there was nothing special on the lakes I was lucky enough to see the Peregrine Falcon twice as it flew across the front of the Car Park hide.I failed to see the Drake Pintail that was there yesterday.
Reported yesterday in our area :-
The Greenland White Fronted Goose was seen at Lea Marston and Coton Lakes and at Whitacre Heath (see above posts).
Kittiwake at Arrow Valley Lakes.
L/S Woodpecker at Whitacre Heath.
Bittern at Upton Warren.
Caspian,Med. and Y/L Gulls at Draycote Water.
Iceland Gull at Bartley Res.
Max.
Reported yesterday in our area :-
The Greenland White Fronted Goose was seen at Lea Marston and Coton Lakes and at Whitacre Heath (see above posts).
Kittiwake at Arrow Valley Lakes.
L/S Woodpecker at Whitacre Heath.
Bittern at Upton Warren.
Caspian,Med. and Y/L Gulls at Draycote Water.
Iceland Gull at Bartley Res.
Max.
dan pointon
Can't Stop
senatore said:
Indeed this bird was showing well yesterday, not too far from the road. It was very wary, and always had one eye on us standing on the road nearby.
A real rarity within the WMBC recording area, it was the first individual of the greenland race I had seen in the UK! See pic attached:
Attachments
Reader
Well-known member
dan pointon said:
It's also a first for Warwickshire.
This morning it had moved near to the Whitacre Heath NR and could be viewed amongst about 30 Canada's and a Greylag from the railway bridge.
John
Attachments
KayD
Ochruros
Reader said:
Decided to twitch the Greenland White Fronted Goose yesterday. I don't usually twitch but glad I did - smashing bird.
Thats 3 lifers this weekend and all in the local area :bounce:
Does anyone have Whitacre Heath and Lea Marston Lakes as their patch? - we were gonna have a look round there after, but we had to get back to brum for a family committment.
Duck_Pond
Professional Wildlife Photographer
kstar_76 said:Hi Guys,
had fantastic views of a Bittern at Upton Warren this afternoon - now officially on my list! BOther birds on moors pools similar to previous visits, the other highlight was a kingfisher.
Spent the last hour or so of daylight at the flashes, c200 Lapwings, 30 Curlews, 3 Snipe and a Green Sandpiper. A Buzzard sighted in a tree.
Hope everyone else had a good day
Kstar
I was at UW on Saturday too. Though I was (again) seeking the water rail. It only legged it across the water when the clouds threatened rain... so too dark to capture on camera.
I did get some reasonable pics of one of 4 buzzards that soared over head. And also of a cormorant who kinding landed on the bar infront of the hide I was in, to preen for a while.
Heard the kingfisher, but didn't get to see it. I agree though - it's a brilliant spot.
jeff
Well-known member
kstar_76 said:
I go to Whitacre Heath every couple of weeks, sort of switch between there and Brandon Marsh, been to Coton Lakes a few times but usally when stuff has been reported.
Checkout Warwickbirds mailgroup to find out what's going on locally, if there's anything notable about it usually gets reported.
Bittern reported yesterday afternoon in front on East Marsh hide at Brandon Marsh.
KayD
Ochruros
Duck_Pond said:
Sorry to hear you're having such bad luck with the Water Rails Duck Pond. I didn't spot any on my visit on saturday and the time before I was at UW I only saw one from the opposite side of the lake quickly disappear behind some vegetation. If I see a guy there trying to photograph the Water Rails I'll say hello!
Any luck with Owls yet? I hear Little Owls and Barn Owls are seen now and again around the Warren but I'm not sure how reliable this is.
KayD
Ochruros
jeff said:
Thanks Jeff, I was quite interested to visit these sites but as I say time ran short on Sunday. Will have to get back out there soon. Please could you tell me a bit more about Whitacre - e.g. habitats, birds etc? Can't find much on the web about it.
Interesting Newsgroup - if you know 'Adam' you could tell him that his missing Goosanders are all at Lower Bittel (up to 15 there now)
Kstar
jeff
Well-known member
kstar_76 said:Thanks Jeff, I was quite interested to visit these sites but as I say time ran short on Sunday. Will have to get back out there soon. Please could you tell me a bit more about Whitacre - e.g. habitats, birds etc? Can't find much on the web about it.
Interesting Newsgroup - if you know 'Adam' you could tell him that his missing Goosanders are all at Lower Bittel (up to 15 there now)
Kstar
Nope, can't say i know Adam, but
Whitacre Heath
109 acres of pools, woodland and wet grassland, based on an old sand and gravel workings. The reserve is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and provides a good example of vegetation succession, from open water through marsh into willow carr and birch wood.
Situated within the flood plane of the River Tame, this nature reserve forms part of an extensive network of wetlands in the valley between Coleshill and Tamworth, which include Kingsbury Water Park and the West Midland Bird Club’s reserve at Ladywalk.
Whitacre Heath is most valued for it’s birds, with over 40 breeding species recorded. In the summer warblers are numerous with reed, sedge, willow and garden warblers all breeding here. Other birds that you might see include Redshank, Kingfisher and Water Rail as well as passage migrates such as Curlew and Winchat.
Cattle are essential to the success of ground nesting birds and waders, by grazing the wet grassland to provide suitable conditions for nesting and feeding.
The reserve is a haven for other wildlife including wildflowers such as southern marsh orchid and blue fleabane, two locally rare species. Dragonflies are numerous, often seen flying over open water and butterflies such as white-letter hairstreak, wall brown and small heath, can also be seen throughout the reserve. The presence of dead wood is important for the extensive beetle population.
Duck_Pond
Professional Wildlife Photographer
Kstar - I'm going to give up on trying to get pics of birds on purpose, and rely on chance. Worked out much better last year when I operated in that way!
As for owls - haven't seen any. Last one I saw was in a zoo! That said, I do know of 2 areas where I've heard them calling both at day and night. So next time I have some time off, I might try to lurk around these areas and hope!
Tarzan - do you mean in Kings Heath park? I've not been up there for years - last time was just after Rocky the (foul-mouthed) Miner Bird had pegged it. They're not caged owls are they?
As for owls - haven't seen any. Last one I saw was in a zoo! That said, I do know of 2 areas where I've heard them calling both at day and night. So next time I have some time off, I might try to lurk around these areas and hope!
Tarzan - do you mean in Kings Heath park? I've not been up there for years - last time was just after Rocky the (foul-mouthed) Miner Bird had pegged it. They're not caged owls are they?
jeff
Well-known member
kstar_76 said:Thanks Jeff, I was quite interested to visit these sites but as I say time ran short on Sunday. Will have to get back out there soon. Please could you tell me a bit more about Whitacre - e.g. habitats, birds etc? Can't find much on the web about it.
Interesting Newsgroup - if you know 'Adam' you could tell him that his missing Goosanders are all at Lower Bittel (up to 15 there now)
Kstar
Ok, got a bit more time now i'm at work
There are 5 hides at Whitacre Heath:
River Pool Hide, small pool in front of the hide, another pool to the left of the hide - Usually Kingfisher, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Gadwall, Canada Goose, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Sometimes Water Rail on the pools, Redwing, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Tits, Woodpeckers could also been seen from here.
? hide, sorry cant remember the name of the next hide, it's a small hide in the woods overlooking a small pool, usually on the pool are several Little Grebe.
Scrape hide , as you can imagine this is the scrape, at present it's full of water, you could seen Snipe, Water Rail, Kingfisher, Mallard, Grey Heron, Teal on the pool if your lucky, probably have more chance when the water levels go down.
Feeding Station Hide , Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Coal Tit, Willow Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, GS Woodpecker, Pheasant, Robin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Magpie, Jay, Sometimes LS Woodpecker, last year good numbers of Siskin. These feeders are filled by a few of us who use the reserve, i always take food, that way i get to see a few birds here, so i always say to people take a bag of seed or a few nuts as you never know the feeders might just be empty one day. Good hide for photo's
Flashes Hide, Over looking boggy fields, could get Curlew, Stonechat, Little Owl, Corvids, Geese, Buzzard.
Car Park Feeders Similar to the feeding station in terms of birds, used to be a regular spot for the Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker, but not so frequent of late, use you car as a hide and park nearby.
Woodlands A stroll between the hides will take you through the woods, and you could see anything.
Niger Feeders There are also a couple of niger feeders at the top of the path to river pool hide, always got goldfinch on it, sometimes siskin.
I'm sure there's stuff i've missed as this is all from memory of recent birds seen. Completely different in the Summer as are most places.
Sightings books are located in every hide.
Cheers
Jeff
