West Midlands/Warwickshire local patches. (1 Viewer)

[senatore]

Went to Draycote this morning.It was pleasant to start with but a gale started to blow along the Farborough bank in the afternoon.

Headed to the inlet for the Goosanders and was lucky to find all five pretty close to the shore.

Like Steve etc. yesterday I also have had a Shag at Draycote.I found mine on a boat in front of the Sailing club and ,allthough it was a little way off,it was not bothered by boats sailing close to it and to my knowledge it stayed on the boat for several hours.

Other birds seen 2 Common Terns,1 Arctic Tern (this not by me) and 3 Wheatears (2 adult females and 1 juvenile).

Max.

 

[Richard Powell]

Ooh, I've only just noticed Kay dropping me in it.

If you really want to get a key for Blithfield, you need to ask for one in the engineers office next to the dam, which is before you reach the sailing club. I think it would set you back a couple of quid (for a key!).

However, I've never bothered with one and just climb over the gates to walk round the deep end and the Admaston side of Blithe Bay. As long as you're a member of the WMBC then there's nothing to stop you. If you're not a member, and you get caught by a South Staffs Water ranger, or one of the local regular birders, then you will be asked to leave. A full circuit walk of the deep end takes about two hours, well it does for me anyway!

But as Kay said, most birds congregate at the ends of Tad Bay and Blithe Bay. As for the Barnacle Geese, don't get too excited.

All I know is that to get to the other end you have to get a key from the waterways people, but I'm not sure exactly how to go about it - it sounds like a bit of a faff to me. Richard Powell will know more :t:

I prefer the Tad Bay part and around the causeway personally. In Blithe Bay the birds are quite distant, even with a good scope.

Blithfield continues its good run of form though with 35 Barnacle Geese this morning.

 

[KayD]

Ooh, I've only just noticed Kay dropping me in it.

If you really want to get a key for Blithfield, you need to ask for one in the engineers office next to the dam, which is before you reach the sailing club. I think it would set you back a couple of quid (for a key!).

However, I've never bothered with one and just climb over the gates to walk round the deep end and the Admaston side of Blithe Bay. As long as you're a member of the WMBC then there's nothing to stop you. A full circuit walk of the deep end takes about two hours, well it does for me anyway!

But as Kay said, most birds congregate at the ends of Tad Bay and Blithe Bay. As for the Barnacle Geese, don't get too excited.

Yes I know about the plastic qualities of the Barnacles now as you know Richard I really think Birdguides should know better!

We've been showing Staffs birders Richard and Dean round Worcs today. Upton Warren this morning - 3 Redshank, 7 Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 31 Curlew, juv Shelduck, Lesser Whitethroat, Peregrine, Kingfisher, Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon, Buzzard, Kestrel. It was odd to see a Common Tern sat on a telegraph wire!

After this we went to Upper Bittell, which was very quiet on the bird front although we some dragonflies and a Sparrowhawk. We also had another Sprawk over Cotteridge on the way home.

 

[Richard Powell]

Yes cheers Kay and Max. A couple of photies here, Snipe and Green Sand at Upton Warren. See you at Blithers tomorrow!

 

[KayD]

Dragonfly ID

Can anyone look at the dragonfly pics on my blog and ID? Are these also Southern Hawker?

Sorry I'm trying to upload them onto BF but having some problems doing this!

 

[RegTelescope]

Can anyone look at the dragonfly pics on my blog and ID? Are these also Southern Hawker?

Sorry I'm trying to upload them onto BF but having some problems doing this!

I can't see the pictures that clearly on your blog. Have you tried to resize them so that they can be uploaded on here?

I take it you know that the butterfly is Speckled Wood?

Sorry I didn't catch up with you, Max and the others today - I got caught up looking for a Red-Crested Pochard at Pirton Pool. If you're wondering whether I got the duck, let's just say I couldn't even find Pirton Pool!

 

[KayD]

I can't see the pictures that clearly on your blog. Have you tried to resize them so that they can be uploaded on here?

I take it you know that the butterfly is Speckled Wood?

Sorry I didn't catch up with you, Max and the others today - I got caught up looking for a Red-Crested Pochard at Pirton Pool. If you're wondering whether I got the duck, let's just say I couldn't even find Pirton Pool!

I've emailed you the pics Reg, so you can see full size.

I tried to resize them but it was still having none of it, might need to change the format as well, but I don't have the right photo software. The software thats come with the camera is pants! :-C

Sorry to hear you dipped Pirton Pool....perhaps try Clifton instead? Congrats on Phalarope though :t:

 

[KayD]

Trying again with the Dragonfly pictures...

 

[Adey Baker]

Yes, it's a female Southern Hawker

 

[KayD]

Yes, it's a female Southern Hawker

Thanks Adey :t:

 

[senatore]

Went to Marsh Lane this morning for the first time in ages.Nothing special about but did see :-

Common Sandpiper,2 Blackcaps,2Garden Warblers,4 Common Buzzards and 6 Common Snipe.There were lots of Reed Warblers on the causeway but the blighters were too quick for me to get a decent shot.

Max.

 

[RegTelescope]

Went to Marsh Lane this morning for the first time in ages.Nothing special about but did see :-

Common Sandpiper,2 Blackcaps,2Garden Warblers,4 Common Buzzards and 6 Common Snipe.There were lots of Reed Warblers on the causeway but the blighters were too quick for me to get a decent shot.

Max.

Birdguides map shows Grey Phalarope there?

 

[KayD]

Dragonfly ID - again!

Max and I had a nice walk round Shustoke earlier with Reg and his Dad.

On the bird front it was quiet but unfortunately we were all in a rush so no time to do the full circuit or look for Little Owls etc. GC Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 1 Buzzard, 1 male Gadwall on smaller pool, BH Gull, 2 LBBG noted.

Enjoyed looking at Butterflies, Dragonflies etc...Gatekeeper and Speckled Wood seen.

We're pretty sure it was a pair of Common Darters we had on the Fence at the small pool...can anyone confirm from pic below and is the other one an Azure Damselfly (there were 3 of these)?

 

[Dave Hutton]

Hi Kay,
Your Common Darter is correct but your Azure is a Common Blue Damselfly

Dave

 

[senatore]

Birdguides map shows Grey Phalarope there?

Yes.My bird text alert has just said a Grey Phalarope and I think a Red-crested Pochard have been seen from the Railway hide.They were not there when we left that hide at about 10.00AM.I'd love to know what time they were seen as there's nothing worse than when something good appears when you've just left a site.

Max.

 

[Dave Hutton]

Yes.My bird text alert has just said a Grey Phalarope and I think a Red-crested Pochard have been seen from the Railway hide.They were not there when we left that hide at about 10.00AM.I'd love to know what time they were seen as there's nothing worse than when something good appears when you've just left a site.

Max.

The chances are that they were Max especially the Phalarope! They tend to migrate at night same with the Pochard of all the records of R.C.Pochards on my local patch of Seeswood they've all been found early morning & usually go overnight!!

 

[JackRabbit]

Yes.My bird text alert has just said a Grey Phalarope and I think a Red-crested Pochard have been seen from the Railway hide.They were not there when we left that hide at about 10.00AM.I'd love to know what time they were seen as there's nothing worse than when something good appears when you've just left a site.

Max.

The R C Pochard was first seen by another birder about 11am. It was asleep on one of the car park pool islands & was very easy to overlook. The Grey Phal was first seen from railway hide about 12pm, it then moved into the small bay between oak hide & river hide and was very difficult to see at times as the reeds obscured the view. It did show well a couple of times but was often chased back into the bay again by BH Gulls. I've just noticed on birdguides that an osprey went through about 3.15pm aswell so I know how you feel!!

 

[senatore]

Dave Hutton/JackRabbit : Thanks for the info re. the Grey Phalarope and the RC Pochard at Marsh Lane.

It's funny because when I was in the Railway hide with another ML regular we thought it was long overdue that we had a decent bird there and blow me down there could well have been two good birds there as we spoke.Mind you I would be very surprised if my fellow birder missed them both as he scopes everywhere very thoroughly.

To make matters worse an Osprey was seen there in the afternoon.What a bummer.

Max.

 

[Lee J]

Dave Hutton/JackRabbit : Thanks for the info re. the Grey Phalarope and the RC Pochard at Marsh Lane.

It's funny because when I was in the Railway hide with another ML regular we thought it was long overdue that we had a decent bird there and blow me down there could well have been two good birds there as we spoke.Mind you I would be very surprised if my fellow birder missed them both as he scopes everywhere very thoroughly.

To make matters worse an Osprey was seen there in the afternoon.What a bummer.

Max.

Not too worry Max, not many people do Marsh lane more than me and i didnt even manage to get down there for it. Missed the Ospreys as well :-C Pochard was still there last night but not sure about this morning.

 

[Steve Seal]

Dave Hutton/JackRabbit : Thanks for the info re. the Grey Phalarope and the RC Pochard at Marsh Lane.

It's funny because when I was in the Railway hide with another ML regular we thought it was long overdue that we had a decent bird there and blow me down there could well have been two good birds there as we spoke.Mind you I would be very surprised if my fellow birder missed them both as he scopes everywhere very thoroughly.

To make matters worse an Osprey was seen there in the afternoon.What a bummer.

Max.

Hi Max
Missed the Phalarope but did manage two Ospreys , three Hobby and the Perigrine all in half hour.:t: