Covid-19 (Coronavirus) – Updated 24th March 2020
As going to the Reserve is exercise and as the Reserve is spacious, after much deliberation we have decided to leave the Reserve open to members only, but we will monitor the position daily. In order to do this, members are asked to please co-operate by:
- Remembering social distancing – 2m minimum between people.
- No more than two people, per hide at any one time, subject to (1) above.
- Please carry cleanser with you for hide doors, flaps and locks and wipe down regularly.
Can members users please ensure they follow HM Government guidance in respect of hand sanitisation and social distancing, and ensure they avoid the Reserve if they or any family members (or anyone else you may be in contact with) are showing any symptoms associated with Covid-19.
Updates
28th April 2020 – Record updated.
19th, 23rd and 24th April – Records updated.
21st and 22nd April – Records updated.
20th April – new paragraph added.
11th, 13th and 16th April – Photographs added.
16th April – Record updated.
13th April – Record updated.
9th April – Record updated.
6th, 7th and 8th April – Records updated.
19th March 2020 – Final paragraph added
30th April 2020
Blustery, west, south-westerly wind. Sunny start but cloud quickly building from the south-west and heavy rain from late morning onwards.
Two further Swifts were present over the pools, briefly, from 8.20 to 8.30, before moving off. There were also 15 Sand Martins and three House Martins present over the pools, with a further three Swallows around Patrick Farm.
Two Willow Warblers were still in song along the Old Road and the Garden Warblers from yesterday were also in good song. A new Whitethroat was present by Oak Hide but unless the species is late coming in, numbers appear to be down.
Two Herring Gulls went south and there were at least ten Lesser Black–backs seen during the morning.
A Sedge Warbler was in song in the clump of vegetation by the car park feeders and a pair of Linnets were again seen along the causeway. A Cuckoo was heard briefly along the central stream at 8 am, but not afterwards.
Four Shelducks, six Little Ringed Plover, one Common Sandpiper and a Redshank were also noted.
29th April 2020
Showers, mostly cloudy, occasional sunny intervals, southerly wind – 9 degrees.
The first five Swifts of the year flew north this morning and hirundines comprised 35 Sand Martins, ten House Martins and a few Swallows. All the latter species were brought lower by the periodic showers and generally low cloud.
Two second-summer Mediterranean Gulls were again seen briefly on Railway Pool, whilst other birds scattered across the pools comprised one Common Sandpiper, six Little Ringed Plovers, one Redshank, two Little Egrets and a pair of Egyptian Geese.
Garden Warblers in song were noted on the causeway on the Old Road, but the recent songster in the back gate area was not heard. Lesser Whitethroat and Whitethroat were heard along the Old Road, but the Whitethroat was only present briefly.
28th April 2020
Wet all day, light north-easterly wind.
There were three Dunlin on Railway Pool all day and at least six Little Ringed Plovers with three on each pool.
Five Swallows went north at 8 am and by 8.15 there were 17 present and then at 8.40, 13 Sand Martins joined the Swallows. There was clearly hirundine passage all day with the composition of birds changing by the minute. At 5.15 there were approximately 80 birds over Car Park Pool, split 35:25:20 Sand Martins, Swallows and House Martins respectively.
A female White Wagtail was feeding in front of Oak Hide all day; there were two drake Teal and a pair of Shoveler there. Two second-summer Mediterranean Gulls put in a brief appearance on Railway Pool and other bits and pieces comprised a showy singing Garden Warbler on the causeway, a male Sparrowhawk, six Stock Doves on the crop field and still just a single Whitethroat by Railway Hide.
Also in the afternoon there was a female Yellow Wagtail and a Common Sandpiper on the Car Park Pool Islands.
27th April 2020
Cloudy with occasional sunny intervals, light south-easterly wind.
Records were limited today with just a count of 17 Common Terns and one Little Egret. The Moorhen pair on the pond by the Car Park have four chicks.
26th April 2020
Remaining sunny and warm, temperatures were at least 18 degrees, light south-westerly wind.
It was clear today that there were three Mediterranean Gulls briefly on site, two second-summers and an adult. There were two summer plumaged Dunlin on Railway Pool and at 9.15 a Red Kite was seen distantly, circling high to the north, moving west over Patrick Farm.
Four Sand Martins showed briefly at the north end of Car Park Pool, but quickly moved on.
Garden Warblers were in song in the back gate and along the causeway and there were at least seven singing Sedge Warblers, six singing Reed Warblers and one Lesser Whitethroat. Other waders comprised six Little Ringed Plovers and eight Oystercatchers.
There were again at least 30 Orange Tips present around the Reserve together with five Small Whites and a Peacock.
25th April 2020
Cloudy start but soon burning off, sunny and warm thereafter.
Waders today comprised six Little Ringed Plovers, one Common Sandpiper and one Dunlin on Railway Pool. The adult and second-summer Mediterranean Gulls also put in a brief appearance. There was a Little Egret feeding along the river and a passage of hirundines comprised 15 Sand Martins and six Swallows, north. The Garden Warbler was in good song roving backwards and forwards along the causeway and the Lesser Whitethroat likewise along the Old Road.
A Kestrel was seen for the first time for some days and a Treecreeper with food was seen down by the Dragonfly Pond. Six species of butterflies included Brimstone, apparently.
24th April 2020
Sunny and warm, light easterly wind.
A Greenshank was present on Car Park Pool at 8.30 am this morning, but only stayed for five minutes after being found before flying off high to the north. A single Sand Martin flew west at 8.50 and there was a Garden Warbler in song at the east end of the causeway. A drake Teal and three Little Ringed Plovers were on Car Park Pool. There were a further three on Railway Pool where an adult and a second-summer Mediterranean Gull were seen briefly amongst the Black–heads.
Other birds of interest comprised one Common Sandpiper, one Redshank, a pair of Shelduck, a second Garden Warbler in the back gate copse, a Lesser Whitethroat along the Old Road and a Whitethroat in front of Railway Hide. Lesser Whitethroats were heard along the Old Road and along the Causeway.
HS2 Ecologists were assessing the Dragonfly Pond for Newts where, so far, they have only found Smooth Newts. It is possible that some vegetation clearance on the line of the railway may still take place even though the breeding season has started! I have made representations against this and apparently Ecologists are doing breeding bird assessments before work can take place – all very depressing !
23rd April 2020
Sunny and warm, temperatures up to 18 degrees at least, light easterly wind.
An assortment of birds today comprises a Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper plus two second-summer Mediterranean Gulls. Three Little Egrets, two Shelducks, two male Teal, 13 Common Terns added to the mix and there was a Garden Warbler singing on the causeway.
The warm weather encouraged many butterflies to be on the wing, with at least four Speckled Woods along the Old Road, three Peacocks and a Brimstone by the muck heap and at least 30 Orange Tips generally across the Reserve.
22 April 2020
Sunny, cool north-easterly wind.
A pair of second summer Mediterranean Gulls circled Railway Pool at 9 am, having come in from the north-east and then landed briefly amongst the Black-headed Gull colony on the largest island nearest Oak Hide.
The Garden Warbler was still in song in the back gate copse, along with three Blackcaps and three Chiffchaffs. There were at least four singing Sedge Warblers and similar numbers of Reed Warblers, plus a roving Lesser Whitethroat on the Old Road.
A drake Goosander on Car Park Pool left at 8 am and other less usual ducks included five Teal and pair of Shovelers. A Common Sandpiper was present on Railway Pool but was regularly chased by a pair of Little Ringed Plovers there (there was a second pair on Car Park Pool). Two Redshanks on Car Park Pool may have been the same two as present on Railway Pool later.
A male Bullfinch by the cottages was less usual as the birds have been scarce. Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers were feeding near Oak Hide and Skylarks were in song towards the Aeromodellers.
Later in the morning a male Yellow Wagtail was seen briefly on the flood plain before flying north.
21st April 2020
Sunny, cool blustery north-easterly wind
As with the previous two days, the sky has been almost unbroken by cloud and temperatures have been up to 15 to 16 degrees out of the wind. Whether the clear blue cloudless skies are a feature of the lockdown and lack of pollution is less clear.
The first Garden Warbler of the year was in song in the back gate copse and there was a Ringed Plover briefly on Car Park Pool. There were five Little Ringed Plovers in total, together with two Little Egrets, a Common Sandpiper and two Redshanks. Three Sand Martins and two Swallows were counted along with five singing Sedge Warblers, four singing Reed Warblers, a Whitethroat and six Blackcaps.
A female Goosander with nine small chicks was seen on the River Blythe from Packhorse Bridge at 11 am.
20 April 2020
Sunny, cool north-easterly wind.
At 9.20 two male Yellow Wagtails were feeding with the cattle on the flood plain before flying over the hedge to the east towards the Aeromodellers. There were at least three singing Lesser Whitethroats, one along the causeway, one by Oak Hide and the usual one along the Old Road by the car park. Two Willow Warblers, at least, were still singing along the Old Road and other Warblers comprised singing Reed Warblers either side of the causeway screen, at least three Sedge Warblers, seven Chiffchaffs and five Blackcaps.
Six House Martins moved east at about 8 am and two Swallows flew through, one to the north and one to the south-west. There was just a single Little Ringed Plover this morning and a pair of Shoveler.
In the afternoon and early evening, Little Ringed Plover numbers increased to three and there was also a Common Sandpiper, together with four Shelducks, a pair of Goosanders and a pair of Teal.
19th April 2020
Sunny, cool north easterly wind.
There were two Yellow Wagtails seen this morning, one on the flood plain by Patrick Bridge and a second bird which flew over to the north-east. A new Whitethroat was in, this time by Oak Hide and probably a second bird by the Reedbed screen. Four Swallows, two House Martins and a Sand Martin went through and there were five Little Ringed Plovers on site initially, three on Railway Pool and two on Car Park Pool. “Winter” ducks were limited to just a drake Teal and a pair of Shoveler.
As the morning proceeded, Dunlin, Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers were recorded along with the usual two Redshanks. 20 Common Terns was the best count of the year so far and four to five Sedge Warblers now seem to have taken up territory.
At 1.30, two Mediterranean Gulls appeared on Railway Pool but did not linger. A Stoat was seen again.
Last, but not least, a Large Red Damselfly was seen by the Dragonfly Pond.
18th April 2020
Wet all day, cool north-easterly wind.
The Lesser Whitethroat, on the Old Road, was again periodically in song, preferring the section of the Old Road hedge on the west side to the north of the car park. There was a second bird near the mobile phone mast with a pair of Bullfinches as well.
The first Whitethroat of the year was in song just west of Patrick Bridge and keeping low and feeding along the river were three Swallows which were probably from Patrick Farm. The weather seemed ideal for more hirundines to move through but aside from three further Swallows, three House Martins and two Sand Martins, no others were reported.
A Little Egret and two Buzzards were feeding on the fields west of the river but as the morning developed, six Little Egrets were present and both male Yellow Wagtail and male Wheatear dropped in as well. A Tawny Owl called briefly from Siden Hill Wood near Tower Hide.
Large Gulls seemed to be on the move with at least 20 Lesser Black–backs and seven Herring Gulls going over, mostly to the south-east.
A Common Sandpiper put in a brief appearance on the Car Park Pool islands, mid-morning. There was also a Green Sandpiper recorded, a pair of Redshanks on Railway Pool and a Red Kite flew south over Car Park Pool in the early afternoon. Lastly a Stoat was seen.
17th April 2020
Sunny intervals, mostly high cloud, cool north-easterly wind.
There were a pair of Redshanks down in front of Car Park Pool this morning, including the colour ringed bird. There was also a drake Teal and a Great Crested Grebe on Car Park Pool. A new Blackcap was singing from the clump by the car park feeders and there was still two Willow Warblers on the Old Road.
In the afternoon, the first Cuckoo of the year sang from Siden Hill Wood.
16th April 2020
Sunny and warm after a cool start, 18 degrees.
Yesterday’s Lesser Whitethroat was again in song between the cottages and the car park and there were four Willow Warblers singing in close proximity. Birds at either end of the Old Road (cottages and Dragonfly Pond), another one by the car park and a fourth in the crop field Oaks.
At least four Sedge Warblers included two in the north causeway bay, one on the Reedbed and one at the west end of the causeway on Railway Pool. There was a single Reed Warbler singing on the west side of the Reedbed as well, and the Cetti’s Warbler was both mobile and vocal.
A Mistle Thrush showed briefly in the crop field and there were two Little Ringed Plovers, one on either pool in the morning and four in the afternoon, two on each pool.
Song Thrush near Oak Hide – Photograph by Nick Barlow
The first Speckled Wood of the year was reported yesterday and there were at least three today, together with four Orange Tips and a Peacock.
Peacock Butterfly near Oak Hide – 16th April 2020 – Photograph by Nick Barlow
Winter duck numbers are diminishing and there have not been many Teal recently, so five females today were relatively unusual. There was only a single Shoveler today. Common Terns were very vocal overhead and at least ten were counted.
Lastly, a Common Sandpiper appeared in front of Oak Hide and there was a second bird in the afternoon and there were also five Shelducks.
Song Thrush in north Causeway Bay – Photograph by Nick Barlow
15th April 2020
After a cool start, sunny and warm, 17 degrees.
Five Little Ringed Plovers this morning was an increase on the normal two to three per day, until now.
Migrants included a vocal Lesser Whitethroat along the Old Road between the car park and the cottages, a Reed Warbler in the Reedbed, at least two Sedge Warblers, five Blackcaps and three Willow Warblers, together with six Common Terns and a Redshank.
Three Sand Martins and two Swallows went north and other birds included a female Goosander, two Egyptian Geese, two Shelduck and a Little Egret. An immature Peregrine caused some commotion on Car Park Pool and anecdotally I have been told that “an enormously large bird” went high over Railway Pool, but nothing more. With a White–tailed Eagle reported in Halesowen yesterday, it seems possible that the two are linked.
14th April 2020
Sunny, lighter north-easterly winds, noticeably warmer, temperatures up to 14 degrees.
There were no records.
13th April 2020
A cold and strong north-easterly wind, mostly sunny after some overnight rain. Temperatures were at least 10 degrees down on the last few days as an anti-cyclone moves over Britain and has pulled in cold north-easterly winds.
Predictably, a few hirundines were brought down by the cold weather. Sand Martins were the first to move with two through at 9.50 am and further singles along with Swallows at 10.10 and 10.20.
At 10.50, ten House Martins had congregated at the north end of Car Park Pool feeding in the lee of the hedge and the trees there and were joined by three more Swallows.
Lapwing in front of Oak Hide – Photograph by Nick Barlow
Only two Sedge Warblers could be heard in song this morning, either side of Oak Hide, but there were still plenty of other song from both Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and commoner birds.
Chiffchaff along the Causeway – Photograph by Nick Barlow
A pair of Egyptian Geese were surprise visitors on Car Park Pool Islands this morning, periodically being driven off by a Canada Goose.
Pair of Egyptian Geese on Car Park Pool Islands – Photograph by Nick Barlow
Other counts today comprised two Little Ringed Plovers, two Redshanks, 57 Tufted Ducks, 53 Gadwall, four Mallard, five Shoveler, 36 Coot, 12 Moorhen, 14 Lapwing, eight Oystercatcher, 18 Greylag, three Canadas and a Great Crested Grebe.
Later on in the day there was a single Redshank and a very late Common Gull.
12th April 2020
Light overnight rain, remaining sunny and warm, still over 20 degrees, but cooling down and a strong north-easterly wind got up later in the day.
A few migrants in today, included the first Reed Warbler which was in song from the Reedbed and the first Lesser Whitethroat which sang down by the Dragonfly Pond. Sedge Warbler numbers had increased to four with new birds singing in the pond by the Car Park by River Hide and from the Reedbed.
A late Redwing put in a brief appearance in the early afternoon by Oak Hide and other birds of note included three Little Ringed Plovers, 11 Common Terns and a female Goosander.
11th April 2020
Sunny and warm again with temperatures over 20 degrees centigrade.
Willow Warbler along the Old Road – Photograph by Nick Barlow
The first Sedge Warbler of the year was in song to the right of Oak Hide this morning. Three Willow Warblers comprised ones at either end of the Old Road and one in the back gate copse. There were pairs of Shelduck and Teal and six Common Terns and, later in the afternoon, a Common Sandpiper in front of Oak Hide. Unfortunately Railway Pool was disturbed by six teenagers who must have come in under the railway, but were discouraged and disappeared.
At least four Orange Tip and eight Peacock butterflies were seen.
Celandines along the Old Road – Photograph by Nick Barlow
Blackthorn on the Causeway – Photograph by Nick Barlow
Gorse – Photograph by Nick Barlow
10th April 2020
Sunny and warm, with temperatures over 20 ̊C.
No records.
9 April 2020
Hazy sunshine, temperatures up to 20 degrees, light south-easterly wind.
Common Tern numbers were up to seven this morning and there were at least three Little Ringed Plovers on site, two on Railway Pool and one on Car Park Pool, where there was also a single Redshank. Seven Oystercatchers comprised two pairs on Railway Pool and three birds on Car Park Pool. In addition to a singing Willow Warblers by the car park there was another by the cottages and new Blackcaps were singing by the car park and along the central streamline.
At least three Willow Warblers were also heard, along with a Cetti’s Warbler on the other side of the railway at Bradnocks Marsh.
At least one Orange Tip and two Peacock butterflies were seen.
8th April 2020
Sunny and warm, light winds.
The first two Common Terns of the year were reported on Car Park Pool and there was a Little Ringed Plover there as well.
When the sun came out, there were two Orange Tip butterflies by the cottages and a Willow Warbler was recorded by the Dragonfly Pool.
7th April 2020
Sunny intervals with some cloud.
Other than a Treecreeper by Railway Hide and a Yellowhammer under the car park feeders, there were no birds out of the ordinary today.
6th April 2020
Sunny start after light overnight rain, but soon clouding over.
The seemingly helpful wind direction and overnight rain yielded nothing new to begin with just singles of Redshank and Shelduck on Car Park Pool of note. However as the day wore on, there were a pair of Swallows at Patrick Farm, the first Willow Warbler of the year in song by the main gate and a Common Sandpiper noted at 4 pm.
There was a single Little Egret on the river, a pair of Green Woodpeckers by the back gate and a Jay on the Oak Hide feeder.
Pool by Car Park Pool – Photograph by Nick Barlow – 6th April 2020
Cowlips – Photograph by Nick Barlow – 6th April 2020
5th April 2020
Sunny, brisk, increasingly strong southerly wind, warm but with increasing cloud.
Coltsfoot – Photograph by Nick Barlow
A little more of note today started with a Curlew on the grass around Car Park Hide at 9.45 before it flew off low, south. It probably went to feed in Lower Siden or possibly on the flood plain because it appeared back on the Car Park Pool islands later in the morning. A single Sand Martin appeared briefly over Railway Pool at 11 am, but did not linger and there were two Swallows at Patrick Bridge.
The warm weather brought out the butterflies with at least eight Peacocks counted across the Reserve, the majority in the back gate area where there was also a male Brimstone and the first Orange Tip of the year.
Lastly, four Little Egrets were seen on or around the Reserve.
4th April 2020
Sunny start and end, some cloud in between, light south westerly wind, getting noticeably warmer.
With naturally limited coverage and walking and bicycle visits only, it is perhaps not surprising that there have not been many new birds seen over the last few days. Today’s highlight were three Little Ringed Plovers briefly on Railway Pool, two Redshanks on Car Park Pool, two separate male Cetti’s Warblers (Reedbed and Railway Hide), at least three Little Egrets, three Oystercatchers, six Gadwall, 25 Shoveler, eight Teal and 44 Tufted Duck. A single Meadow Pipit went over.
3rd April 2020
Sunny intervals, light north-westerly wind moving south-westerly, cool, high cloud.
At least nine singing Chiffchaffs this morning seemed to indicate an increase in numbers, but Blackcaps remain stubbornly on just two singing birds (cottages and back gate copse). There were drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the back gate copse (a female) and another in the horse paddock, this time a male. Both sexes do drum, although the male is the predominant drummer.
Also in the back gate copse there were a pair of Bullfinches (which have been elusive anywhere on the Reserve of late) whilst, on the pools, there were at least 16 Shoveler, six Mallard and four Shelduck. Nine Pheasants included seven under the car park feeder, of which six were females.
Last, but definitely not least, a pair of Cetti’s Warblers showed really well in the north causeway bay, with the male often perching out on the Hawthornes to the left of the hide.
2nd April 2020
Sunny start, clouding over, light, mostly north-westerly winds, but increasing throughout the day.
There was a single Redshank on Car Park Pool this morning and a single Great Crested Grebe as well. Two Shelducks and a Little Egret were the other more notable records and a pair of Long-tailed Tits were active in the reeds in the north causeway bay, presumably nest building.
1st April 2020
Cold, light north westerly wind, overcast.
No records.