West Midlands/Warwickshire local patches. (1 Viewer)

[RegTelescope]

Cheers, Kay!

 

[Duck_Pond]

Thanks for the ID, Lee :t:

I had a go for the kingfisher and hobby at BM yesterday. Saw neither :-O Got some pics of a green woodpecker, green sandpipers, grass snake, lapwing, heron, lt tits, juve robin lying on the path sunbathing and a couple of little grebes.

Then popped over to UW Flashes, where I saw everything Kay mentioned, except the lesser whitethroats and the little owl, but the godwits tend to stay on the far side of the lake, so naff for photos.

And then over to Shenstone to try to see if I could snap the whinchat. No chance. Nowt there. On the way back to the car, spotted a green woodpecker, then there were 3 of them! Excellent, I thought... then a car went by, 2 left immediately. Bugger, I thought... as 2 more cars went by. Then 5 more... then another 5.

What the hell's going on, I muttered, as the last woodie buggered off... then 2 police cars (with sirens on) screamed by, followed by a police chopper. At this point I guessed that a) something serious had happened at the end of the road, and b) there was no chance of getting close to the woodies...

So I left, drove round the corner, and guess what? A green woodie flew past the car, and landed on the verge next to me. One emergency stop later, window down, and I was shooting one from about 10 feet away! What luck!

 

[mr.sim]

My brother and I visited Oxford on a day trip (Thursday 24th July) as our dad was going, so we tagged along. We visited Farmoor and Dix Pit. Farmoor was nice with 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, 3 Green Sandpipers and 2 Common Sandpipers from the causeway, and 8 Lapwings and a Grey Heron in Shrike Meadow.
Dix Pit had 10 Yellow-legged Gulls and 2 Little Egrets.
Just thought I'd let you all know...
I wrote our sightings from Farmoor in the log book there, but don't know where to report other sightings...

 

[KayD]

My brother and I visited Oxford on a day trip (Thursday 24th July) as our dad was going, so we tagged along. We visited Farmoor and Dix Pit. Farmoor was nice with 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, 3 Green Sandpipers and 2 Common Sandpipers from the causeway, and 8 Lapwings and a Grey Heron in Shrike Meadow.
Dix Pit had 10 Yellow-legged Gulls and 2 Little Egrets.
Just thought I'd let you all know...
I wrote our sightings from Farmoor in the log book there, but don't know where to report other sightings...

Hi Mr Sim, here's a link to the Oxfordshire local sightings thread
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=76609&page=10 :t:

 

[Matt Griffiths]

Hi Matt, as far as I know (ie according to Birdguides) there were three at Longdon Marsh for a couple of days and they all flew off on the afternoon of 21st April. I suspect Cranes have recently expanded their breeding range in England, but not necessarily in Worcs.

Oh well. Thanks again. :t:

 

[KayD]

A word of warning - if anyones thinking of going to Ladywalk NR, you need insect repellent - lots of it :eek!::eek!::eek!:

 

[senatore]

Tried to go to Ryton Woods yesterday but couldn't find the entrance.I was on the A423 going north went past the pub on the right but did not see any signs.Saw a couple of tracks on the left should I have gone down one of those??? or is it best to go via Ryton Pools?

Max.

 

[Reader]

Hi Max

The arrow points to where it is.

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.s...=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf

You will have a track on your right that goes to a gate. You have a combination lock on that gate and you should know the code for the trust sites. You drive through, after closing & relocking the gate and eventually you reach the car park.

The trails lead on from there and the choice is your on which you take.

John

Tried to go to Ryton Woods yesterday but couldn't find the entrance.I was on the A423 going north went past the pub on the right but did not see any signs.Saw a couple of tracks on the left should I have gone down one of those??? or is it best to go via Ryton Pools?

Max.

 

[senatore]

Hi Max

The arrow points to where it is.

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.s...=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf

You will have a track on your right that goes to a gate. You have a combination lock on that gate and you should know the code for the trust sites. You drive through, after closing & relocking the gate and eventually you reach the car park.

The trails lead on from there and the choice is your on which you take.

John

Thanks John.I'll have another go soon.

Max.

 

[KayD]

Thanks John.I'll have another go soon.

Max.

Good luck Max. There's only one thing worse than dipping a bird and thats dipping the place you were meant to be going to

 

[Steve Seal]

Good luck Max. There's only one thing worse than dipping a bird and thats dipping the place you were meant to be going to

Nice one Kay........

 

[Duck_Pond]

Despite the best efforts of Vista to delay me, I have managed to get some images off the conveyor belt.

These pics were taken at Shenstone (Worcs) at the weekend. There are others on my web gallery...

 

[senatore]

Great shots Pete.How did you get so close?

Yesterday at Brandon on two or three occasions we saw some on the pathway but we could not get anywhere near them.We did have a very obliging Common Sandpiper who followed us from hide to hide.

Is the Red Necked Grebe still at Shustoke?

Max.

 

[Dave Hutton]

Great shots Pete.How did you get so close?

Yesterday at Brandon on two or three occasions we saw some on the pathway but we could not get anywhere near them.We did have a very obliging Common Sandpiper who followed us from hide to hide.

Is the Red Necked Grebe still at Shustoke?

Max.

No max,
But there is a Juv Black Necked Grebe there

 

[Duck_Pond]

Max, I was in the car - almost ran it over. Pulled over on the end of someone's driveway, and took the shots through the passenger side window. Was less than 20 feet away, maybe 15...

 

[Upland Birder]

Hi Pete,

Really great photo's there of the Green Woodpecker. Thanks for sharing.

Dean:t:

 

[senatore]

No max,
But there is a Juv Black Necked Grebe there

Thanks Dave.I am getting closer.

Max.

 

[senatore]

Decided to go to Draycote this morning but first I popped over to Shustoke to see if the Black-necked Grebe was still there.

Steve Seal was in the carpark and told me where to go but I soon met another birder who said he could not find it and it may have gone.I waited a while but it wasn't spotted so I left.I believe it was see sometime later ?

Nothing much of note at Draycote but it was quite pleasant to walk round.Bob Nixon told me where he had seen a juvenile Wheatear so after lunch I tried to find it.I think I did but am not sure.What do you think?

Max.

 

[KayD]

Decided to go to Draycote this morning but first I popped over to Shustoke to see if the Black-necked Grebe was still there.

Steve Seal was in the carpark and told me where to go but I soon met another birder who said he could not find it and it may have gone.I waited a while but it wasn't spotted so I left.I believe it was see sometime later ?

Nothing much of note at Draycote but it was quite pleasant to walk round.Bob Nixon told me where he had seen a juvenile Wheatear so after lunch I tried to find it.I think I did but am not sure.What do you think?

Max.

Yes - juv Wheatear Max :t:

 

[Duck_Pond]

Lovely clear shots Max :t: