Withymoor - Amblecote, Stourbridge..... (1 Viewer)

[rollingthunder]

Thu Jun 27th.........

Withymoor ca1030

An hour or so, Blackcaps on the way, Swifts over the pool, a few LBB's passing over and 3 Grey Herons but no adult feeding in the shallows and that was about it. A total of 3 Buzzards noted in addition.

The 'Swift' has gone on to make headlines and much column inches due to the manner of its' demise more than anything. A real pity but things have to be put in perspective they face more threats from mining and disturbance than an isolated bit of technology.

The bird was found by Mark Cocker and a mate who were birding on the Hebrides and decided to 'check out' the Isle of Harris. They were already on a high having found a White-Winged Black Tern on the ferry over and the rest as they say is................i believe it is the same MC who has a weekly Nature Note column in the Grauniad, needless to say the next posting has been sorted

Below - 2 more record shots, a bird in the hand.

Laurie:t:

 

[steve_zodiac]

Is MW a UK tick? Or just a mooch as you are off for a few days?

Laurie:t:

Just a mooch.....seen a few, the first one being in 1990 at Prawle, south Devon

 

[steve_zodiac]

Did you see the report in the Daily Mirror about the swift......press terminology makes me cringe.....I am NOT a bird-spotter......I have never been a bird-spotter. Started off as a birdwatcher, yes. Then became a birder, have always been a birder, always will be a birder. Occasional twitcher....but first an foremost a birder........not a bloody bird-spotter.......rant over :C

 

[steve_zodiac]

Back to work :C So for the next six days covering the Brierley Hill area.

Not much about today apart from seven singing Blackcaps along the canal, plus good numbers of Swifts......Why can't I work in Cley.....or Walberswick.....or the Western Isles....instead of Brierley Hill :C

 

[rollingthunder]

Sun 30th June........


Withymoor ca0830

Pleasant enuff, several Blackcaps still singing, a pair of Tufties, Swifts hawking and a couple of adult Swallows dropping in, the latter are infrequently noted (by me) here and was a nice surprise. There was also a juvenile Canada Goose in with all the adults quite were it bred i do not know, there has certainly been no breeding on the pool AFAIK.

Mary Stevens Park ca1400


A decent amount of large gulls, which surprised me. About 8 Herrings of mixed age and 4+ LBBs again mixed ages plus a solitary adult BHGull.

2 Grey Herons here and 3 @ Withymoor.

NB - BirdForum was down for nearly a day so re-posts might be required.

Waders are starting to put in an appearance at sites over the region so you never know:eek!:

Laurie:t:

 

[steve_zodiac]

Sun 30th June........


Withymoor ca0830

Pleasant enuff, several Blackcaps still singing, a pair of Tufties, Swifts hawking and a couple of adult Swallows dropping in, the latter are infrequently noted (by me) here and was a nice surprise. There was also a juvenile Canada Goose in with all the adults quite were it bred i do not know, there has certainly been no breeding on the pool AFAIK.

Mary Stevens Park ca1400


A decent amount of large gulls, which surprised me. About 8 Herrings of mixed age and 4+ LBBs again mixed ages plus a solitary adult BHGull.

2 Grey Herons here and 3 @ Withymoor.

NB - BirdForum was down for nearly a day so re-posts might be required.

Waders are starting to put in an appearance at sites over the region so you never know:eek!:

Laurie:t:

Its probably the same juvenile that is sometimes with the pair on the towpath along the canal near Brettell Lane bridge. And last week it was with a larger group of Canadas at the canal branch at Moor Street, just up from the Stourbridge locks. Everytime I walk past it I get the parents giving me a nasty hiss :eek!:

 

[rollingthunder]

It does'nt like like it's reached flying stage yet so it must have walked, no mean feat (feet)?

Mon 1st July.......

Mary Stevens Park ca1200

A couple of LBBs, ad and 1s plus some post-breeding season Adult BHG's, about a dozen of them. No juveniles noted as yet. In addition two non-adult Grey Herons present.

An adult Bridled Tern was clocked on the Farnes ystda and is still present this morning (2nd) for those that wish to add it to their list. Looks a stunner! They have made the Midlands but it was some time ago.......Leics in '84 and Northants in '93 so we are well overdue for one. Quite what they are doing in Central England is beyond me but BT's specific name - anaisthetos is Greek for 'stupid'!

Pics below and keep yr eyes peeled, more locally the Black Stork was reported from New Fancy View which is'nt a million miles away.

Laurie:t:

 

[Pam_m]

Pied Wagtails, Starlings and Magpies feeding youngsters this morning along the embankments at the 'Merryhell' shopping centre!

Also spotted one of these on the embankment behind McD's drive through!
An interesting looking Magpie!

http://www.birds.deansfamily.com/Magpie-111.JPG
I drove around to an adjacent carpark but the bird flew into the trees behind the drive through, I gave up waiting as it was rather chilly up on that hill! I wished I had had more time to linger with maybe a McD's Latte!

 

[rollingthunder]

A quick trawl reveals birds with a Brownish 'cast' noted by people, must be a pigmentation issue - never seen one myself....

Laurie:t:

 

[Pam_m]

Leucistic Brown and White Magpie still present at the 'Merryhell' shopping centre!!

Images taken at 1.50pm today! I am pleased with this find!

 

[rollingthunder]

Now that is a smart-looking dude:eek!:

Withymoor ca1200

Quiet, Blackcaps on the way and on the embankment, 3 non-adult Grey Herons, a couple of noisy juvenile Carrion Crows wanting to be fed and a few Swifts hawking.....

LBB's going over along with a single adult Herring Gull.

The Bridled Tern continues to delight but today is the anniversary of one notable seabird that nobody has or will get on their list.

In 1844 the last known pair of Great Auks, the only modern species in the genus Pinguinus, were killed in Eldey off the coast of Iceland:C

Laurie:t:

 

[Paul Allan Legge]

Hello, Had Walk down Lakeside This morning still quiet.
Of all times had no bins with me, had 2 Tern Species fly over pool heading towards Withymoor Village erea. Also 2 Herons. Behind Football Pitchs a few Ringlet Butterflys out.

 

[rollingthunder]

2 speces Paul, presumably 1 would have been a 'commic' type? Was there any appreciable size difference on the other? Common would be nice never mind anything else on a wishlist! (The Farnes are a bit far away).

Thur 4th July.....

Withymoor ca1100

Quiet, Blackcap on the embankment and elsewhere, still singing, 2 Juv Grey Herons, several LBB's over. Best was a passing Chinook (Wokka) presumably on its' way to Shawbury? Lots of Swifts feeding low and a few drinking from the pool.

West Hagley Fields ca1600

Just a quick cycle from County Lane up the sandy track and down past the Water works. Just Yellowhammers. Skylarks and Linnets but the crop looks long enough for Quail and the Potatoes are coming along nicely

Mary Stevens Park ca1700

A dozen or so moulting adult Black Headed Gulls with a 1s and a couple of adult LBB's plus a juv Grey Heron.

The weather looks set to be pretty good over the next 1-2 weeks with the winds light so quite what it bodes for bird movement post-breeding and vagrants remains to be seen. Whatever, it will be nice to just enjoy the weather - something which we have not been able to do at this time of year i.e.........The Summer, for the last few years:eek!:

The seasonal culprit is the 'Azores High' the nice counterpart of its Winter nemesis the dreaded 'Siberian Low' responsible for the nail-biting cold Winters. This should result in fine settled weather with any 'fronts' being fended off and hot, dry conditions being funneled up and over from the continental land mass.......You have been warmed!

For those old enough to remember the Summers of '75 and '76 bring it on:t:

Below - pic and link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azores_High

Laurie :t:

 

[steve_zodiac]

I remember those two summers very well......working in an iron foundry in Cradley Heath........and nine years before I started birding...26/1/85.

 

[rollingthunder]

Oh to be working in an Iron Foundry during the Summer of '76, some people have all the luck

Fri 5th July........

Withymoor 0700-0800

An early morning visit for a change. Several Blackcaps, a lone adult LBB and a few Swifts hawking over the water. The water level continues to drop, presumably a bit of evaporation now taking place? Hopefully the 'edge' should pull in a wader over the next week or so.

A 2-hour 4 mile stroll along Dowles Brook and back along the Railway Line was quiet, as expected and unproductive but still very pleasant with the dogs and a mate (yes i do have some). Dipper, family parties of Grey Wags, singing Blackcap, calling Chiffchaffs and a Redstart for my sins.

A couple of pints and a beef cob at the Anchor @ Caunsall rounded things off nicelyB

Somebody, somewhere should hit 30c today. If not today than tomorrow. This spell of Azorean-induced high pressure is the first of this classic mid-Summer weather since 2006 so make the most of it........

Just the right sort of weather conditions for people to be letting these things off, if you clock anybody feel free to strangle them

Laurie:t:

 

[Baggieshep]

Oooh the summer of 76 I was just a wee lad 19 best holiday ever Gas st basin to strattford upon avon and a tryst with a 28yr old oh happy days im sure theres a couple of songs in there lol.

 

[Baggieshep]

Forgot to mention I was on a narrow boat.

 

[rollingthunder]

Sat 6th July...........

Withymoor 0730-0845

Early visit with the dogs, due to the impending heat.

Grey Heron - 2juvs
BHGull - 2 moulting adults
LBBGull - adults over and a single, bathing.
Mallard - still a well-grown brood of 10

Migrants consisted of several singing Blackcaps, Swifts hawing over the pool and the embankment and a couple of House Martins popped in briefly.

A bit of passerine activity in the form of a flyover Mistle Thrush, a couple of Linnets, several calling Bullfinches (family?) and singing Coat Tits, again on the embankment.

I was going to go cycling in the mid-afternoon but it was too bloody hot and i did'nt think a lot would be moving so i went down the pubB

Last night i had my first 'screaming' Swift party of the Summer. This always reminds me of balmy warm nights, are these mixed adults, bachelor parties or are juveniles involved as well? Whatever, for me, it's THE evocative Summer sound.

The 'mid-Summer' madness continues. Following on from the 'unblocked' recent Swifts and those fortunate enuff to have clicked with the Farnes Bridled Tern another highly mobile species was photographed by a non-birder on Friday on Islay. No less than an Ascension Island Frigatebird :eek!::eek!::eek!:and almost 60 years to the day and not too far from a dying individual picked up on Tiree in 1953 (3 years before i was born:eek!,

It has proved to be highly mobile and where it is roosting is unknown but as these birds can 'sleep' on the wing it's a brave (and rich) birder that will commit funds at present.

Pics below........

Laurie:t:

 

[rollingthunder]

Sun 7th July.........

Too hot for all but early morning visit to Withymoor 0730-0900.

Blackcaps, still 3 birds singing en-route, 2 juve Grey Herons still present, Swifts over the pool joined by 3 House Martins and a pair of Grey Wagtails feeding on the Northern inflow. Several LBBs over and a couple of BHG's sitting on the water.

It does'nt look like any birders connected with the AIFBird some have drunk deep from the rarity cup of late so they ca'nt complain (unless of course if you made the trip to Islay).

What next..............some good weather, even these conditions should pull stuff from Southern Europe over.

Depressing report link just confirming that the CAP has been responsible for the destruction of European habitats and the policy continues.......

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=3834

Laurie:t:

 

[rollingthunder]

Tue 9th July...........

It felt a couple of degrees warmer ystda than Monday.

Early walk to Withymoor ca0730-0900 -

Blackcaps en-route, Swifts over the pool and a couple of moulting BHGulls. A single Coot chick looks all that is left from the brood of 3/4 and a couple of juv Grey Herons.

Opened the mesh traps to remove Yellow Flag and a carrier bag of sticks and crap to continue with the dropping of the water levels. The 'edge' is proving very popular allowing both ducks and swans to loaf on the dry areas as these warm up quickly (no that that's a problem at present) and their is a good margin all the way round the pool. I would be surprised if it does'nt pull one or two waders in when movement starts and more importantly - hold them for more than a couple of hours.

Mary Stevens Park

A handful of LBB's of mixed age augmented by 30+ moulting and summer-plumed BHGulls, included were 3 juveniles which was nice to see.

West Hagley Fields ca1600

Baking with a tremendous heat-haze. Just up from County Lane on the sandy track up to the water works was a nice male Corn Bunting singing. 2nd sighting in a couple of weeks, nice to know it is still there.

Total surprise of the day was a juvenile Wheatear:eek!: Bird was perching on the 'temporary' fenceline next to the new pipe 'track'. It was feeding on the ground and moving from post to post. No adults present but where has it come from? Local or further afield?

Pictured below is a bird that resembled it but was less 'downy' and had a more subtle 'wash' on the breast. Talking of juveniles i could'nt resist another one of the Ascension Islands FB. This was taken by a Norwegian couple, on holiday, who were intrigued and interrupted their harbour breakfast to capture it for posterity - what a gripper:eek!:

Laurie:t: