RABBIT ACTIVITY
As regular visitors will have noticed, rabbit activity is causing holes on the hard core tracks and whilst we try and in-fill them, please be aware that the tracks are more uneven than normal as a result of the rabbit diggings.
TRAFFIC REGULATION ORDER – MARSH LANE, HAMPTON IN ARDEN
Please note that with effect from 20th January 2021 Marsh Lane, Hampton in Arden will be gated just north of the railway bridge which accesses the Marsh Lane Nature Reserve car park, to the west of Siden Hill Wood. The gate is going to be locked overnight. Solihull Council have deemed this has become necessary due to frequent problems of anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping and other forms of environmental crime at Bradnocks Marsh.
The closing/opening times will be as follows:
- 1st April – 30th September 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- 1st October – 31st March 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Work Party Dates
Wednesday August 2nd – 6pm
Tuesday September 5th – 6pm
Wednesday October 4th – 6pm
Saturday November 4th – 2pm
Saturday December 2nd – 2pm
Link to West Midland Bird Ringing Group: https://www.westmidlandsringinggroup.co.uk/
31st July 2023
Overcast, light showers, fresh south-westerly.
Yesterday’s Black-tailed Godwit, which actually appears to be OK, was present again, along with the two Common Tern chicks below Railway Hide, (not a second brood as I recently said, but a new brood), together with 24 Teal, two Shoveler, two Ravens, a Swift and a Great Crested Grebe. A new brood of Little Grebes, with at least one chick, has hatched out on the Reedbed, and there were two Common Sandpipers and four Oystercatchers on the island margins during the day.
30th July 2023
Windy with occasional sunny intervals.
A Black-tailed Godwit, with one injured leg, joined a Common Sandpiper on Car Park Pool this morning.
29th July 2023
Sunny spells, showers, fresh south-westerly.
The full count of birds today, courtesy of Graham and Dave, was as follows: eight Mute Swans, 66 Canadas, 41 Greylags, 63 Gadwall, two Shoveler, 29 Mallard, 20 Teal, 34 Tufted, eight Cormorants (one attempting to swallow a large Tufted duckling), one Heron, three Little Egrets, one Great Crested Grebe, eight Little Grebe, 77 Coot, 13 Moorhen, 12 Oystercatchers, 54 Lapwing, one Common Sandpiper, 29 Black-headed Gulls, three Common Terns, a Buzzard carrying food into Siden Hill Wood, and the first Migrant Hawker of the year along the Concrete Road.
The behaviour of at least one Cormorant in eating young ducks is the first time I have come across this before. I know that Herons will take almost anything but, up until this point, I had thought of Cormorants as entirely fish eating birds.
28th July 2023
Overcast, light south-westerly, showers.
A Kingfisher showed well below Railway Hide on the margins of the pool this morning, and there were singles of Common and Green Sandpiper, and six Oystercatchers. Two Common Tern chicks were visible below Railway Pool, being fed by the adults, presumably the second brood of the pair here earlier in the summer.
27th July 2023
Muggy with rain in the afternoon.
The only birds making the log today were a single Common Sandpiper, one Common Tern, and a Raven over.
26th July 2023
Sunny spells, light southerly.
There were no Little Ringed Plovers this morning for the first time in the month, but still two Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper and 12 Oystercatchers.
Two adult Common Terns and a new chick were visible below Railway Hide. Hobby, Raven and Kingfisher added to the variety and there were 24 Teal, two female Shoveler, two Little Egrets, an adult Great Crested Grebe, four adult and three juvenile Little Grebes, plus a chick on the Reedbed, presumably from a second brood.
Lastly, two Brown Argus butterflies were seen between the Causeway and Oak Hide, on the bank.
25th July 2023
Sunny spells, light north-westerly.
A Dunlin was new in on Car Park Pool this morning but did not linger. It was the first of the autumn. Other waders comprised one Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, a single Little Ringed Plover, 18 Oystercatchers, whilst wildfowl of note were 21 Teal, a Shoveler and two drake Pochard. There are still two Common Terns on site, two Ravens went over, as did 11 Swifts.
24th July 2023
Overcast, slight rain and drizzle, light northerly.
A small increase in Teal numbers saw the total reach 23 this morning, and there were two drake Pochard. Waders extended to singles of Little Ringed Plover, Common and Green Sandpiper, eight Oystercatchers and three Little Egrets.
A Kingfisher flew over the Reed Bed Pool and the margins of this are worth a look at the moment.
23rd July 2023
Dry with bright periods.
In the morning a juvenile Mediterranean Gull appeared briefly amongst the Black-heads whilst on the Pool margins 15 Oystercatchers, three adult Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper were the main waders of interest. Two Swallows fed over the Pools in the late afternoon, probably early migrants moving south. Moths were as follows: Shaded Broad-bar, Yellow Shell, Silver Y, Common Carpet and butterflies: Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Essex Skipper amongst many Meadow Browns and some Gatekeepers.
22nd July 2023
Wet all day.
Singles of Green and Common Sandpiper joined two adults and three Little Ringed Plovers on the Pool margins, with a few Oystercatchers coming and going during the day. A Herring Gull flew over and Green Woodpeckers (an adult and a juvenile were by the South-West Pond, with a different adult by the Crop oaks). A Great Spotted Woodpecker moved between the Central Stream and the feeders, a Jay was by Oak Hide, young Whitethroats by the South-West Pond and Oak Hide and overhead, there was a steady trickle of Sand Martins, Swallows and an exceptional count of 110 Swifts. The latter went through mid-morning as a single flock going from west to east, with just one other bird moving north to south with the Sand Martins.
Other counts were as follows: nine Mute Swans, 19 Greylags, seven Canadas, 47 Gadwall and 10 ducklings, 40 Mallard, 20 Teal, a drake Pochard, 15 Tufted and 36 ducklings, one Great Crested Grebe, five adult and three juvenile Little Grebes plus a chick, 10 Cormorants, 15 Moorhen, 69 Coot, 51 Lapwing, 180 Black-headed Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Kingfisher, three adult and one juvenile Common Tern and two Little Egrets.
21st July 2023
Sunny spells, fresh north-westerly.
There was not a great deal of change of birds today with two adult Little Ringed Plovers, six Oystercatchers, three adults and a juvenile Common Tern, two female Shoveler, two Little Egrets, a Great Crested Grebe and an Egyptian Goose.
The weather was warm enough for a variety of butterflies and damselflies with a single Marbled White still on the wing, three Essex Skippers and a Common Blue. A male Emerald Damselfly along with eight Small Red-eyed Damselflies and a Brown Hawker were mostly concentrated on the Dragonfly Pond.
20th July 2023
Sunny spells, occasional light showers.
Two Common Sandpipers, one Little Ringed Plover and one Little Egret were the only birds initially making the log with, in the late afternoon, an adult Great Crested Grebe also being noted.
19th July 2023
Sunny spells, light showers, fresh north-westerly.
Yesterday’s adult Wood Sandpiper was replaced by a juvenile, our fourth bird of July, representing a very good run for the species. Additional waders included three Common Sandpipers, three adult and two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, nine adult and two juvenile Oystercatchers, three adult and two juvenile Common Terns and, unfortunately, a dead but unringed juvenile, possibly from elsewhere.
There were seven adult and three juvenile Little Grebes together with three chicks as yesterday, and an increasing number of Teal, 21 in total.
Two Small Coppers were again seen round the margins of Railway Pool, a Holly Blue on the Old Road and 11 Small Red-eyed Damselflies on the Dragonfly Pond.
18th July 2023
Overcast, light drizzle, still.
A Great White Egret paused briefly on Railway Pool this morning at 10.40 before departing and was joined there by an adult Wood Sandpiper, believed to be the third of the month.
Other waders included three adult and two juvenile Lapwings, 11 adult and two juvenile Oystercatchers, seven adult and two juvenile Common Terns, five Teal, an adult and a juvenile Cetti’s Warbler by the Car Park gate, presumed to be and to prove successful breeding from the top stream, two Little Egrets, six adult and three juvenile Little Grebes with three chicks, one on Car Park Pool and two on Railway and a juvenile Grey Wagtail by Patrick Bridge.
17th July 2023
Sunny spells, showers, fresh south-westerly.
Probably the best bird today was a juvenile Cuckoo that flew past the South-West Pond into the Back Gate Copse in the morning.
The first Peregrine for some weeks was also seen today, along with an impressive count of one juvenile and 20 adult Oystercatchers. Other waders included two adults and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, one Redshank and a single Common Sandpiper.
Despite the wind, the first Brown Argus of the year, a female, was seen between the Causeway area and Oak Hide, together with a mating pair of Small Coppers. By Railway Hide there was a Holly Blue, two male Broad-bodied Chasers and a Brown Hawker whilst on the Old Road, a single Purple Hairstreak was seen in one of the oaks. Butterflies seen later in the day included a Comma, a Brimstone, three Red Admirals and a Painted Lady.
In the late afternoon a Cormorant was seen to catch and eat a well grown juvenile rail, believed to be a Moorhen.
Red Kite – Photograph by Steve Taylor
16th July 2023
Less blustery from the south-west but still breezy with sunshine and periodic heavy showers.
Perhaps surprisingly, today’s Black-tailed Godwit was the first returning one of the Autumn. It was originally found on Car Park Pool, moved to Railway Pool and then appeared to go back to Car Park Pool but couldn’t be seen later. It had an injured left leg.
Other waders included two Green Sandpipers, one Common Sandpiper, five Little Ringed Plovers and two Redshanks. A pair of Egyptian Geese were present briefly, and Kestrels, Sparrowhawk and Buzzard were all visible to the North. A movement of Swifts and Sand Martins, ahead of another downpour in the early afternoon, yielded just short of 20 Sand Martins, three House Martins (over Siden Hill Wood) and at least 13 Swifts.
A pair of Linnets appear to have taken up territory on the Causeway where Sedge and Reed Warblers were both also present.
In the late afternoon, a Red Kite flew over Siden Hill Wood and there were two Little Egrets on Car Park Pool.
15th July 2023
Sunny spells, very heavy showers, strong blustery south-westerly, River Blythe in flood.
The full count of birds today was as follows: 10 Mute Swans and six well grown cygnets, 55 Greylags, 14 Canadas, two female Shoveler, 42 Gadwall and 24 ducklings from seven broods, 30 Mallard, 12 Teal, 22 Tufted and 63 ducklings from 15 broods, eight Cormorants, one Heron, one Little Egret, seven Little Grebes (five adults, two fledged juveniles and the broods from yesterday), 20 Moorhen, 62 Coot, 39 Lapwing and the well grown chicks still in the Marsh, four adults and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, four Adult and two juvenile Oystercatchers, a single Redshank, 455 Black-headed Gulls, five Lesser Black-backed Gulls, three adults and three fledged Common Terns and at least 40 Sand Martins in both the morning and the evening with eight Swifts in the evening.
Despite the wind, it was warm enough for insects to be out in number with 28 Meadow Browns, eight Ringlets, 48 Gatekeepers, four Marbled Whites, a Speckled Wood, one Small White, one Large White, 32 Green-veined Whites, five Essex Skippers, eight Red Admirals and three Commas.
Odonata were as follows: 20 Common Blue, 15 Blue-tailed, one Red-eyed and three Small Red-eyed Damselflies, a Southern Hawker, two Brown Hawkers, two Black-tailed Skimmers and four Common Darters.
14th July 2023
Overcast, rain, light southerly.
Today’s make-up of Little Ringed Plovers was seven adults and five juveniles, with just singles of Common Sandpiper and Redshank in support. There were two new Little Grebe broods, with one juvenile on Car Park Pool and two juveniles on Railway Pool. The young Black-headed Gull count today was 260.
13th July 2023
Sunny spells, south-westerly.
Fewer waders were visible first thing this morning with six Little Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers and one Green Sandpiper – most on Car Park Pool.
12th July 2023
Sunny spells, blustery showers.
A different adult Wood Sandpiper to the 10th joined two Green Sandpipers, four Common Sandpipers, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Redshank on the pools today. A Hobby showed briefly, no doubt after the dragonflies which included Ruddy Darter.
A Hummingbird Hawk-Moth was a good find, on the path to Car Park Hide, and butterflies included a Purple Hairstreak on the Old Road Oaks, six Marbled Whites, 12 Red Admirals, six Commas, two Peacocks and a Brimstone.
11th July 2023
Overcast, showers, fresh.
There was no sign of the Wood Sandpiper today. However, a Curlew flew over going south at 11:10 and further passage throughout the day saw one Green and four Common Sandpipers, one Ringed, and five adult and three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, a Redshank, six adult and two juvenile Oystercatchers, 11 Teal and three Shovelers.
An adult Mediterranean Gull joined the other gulls in the early afternoon and a Raven and Buzzard flew over.
Wood Sandpiper on Car Park Pool – Photograph by Paul Casey
10th July 2023
Occasional sunny intervals, mostly overcast, cool south-westerly, turning more to the west/north-west with heavy showers.
Today’s highlight was an adult Wood Sandpiper which showed well from Railway Hide this morning, feeding in the bays on the nearest island. Other waders seen today were 10 adult and two juvenile Oystercatchers, three adult and four juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, a Redshank, Common Sandpiper and 45 Lapwings.
Wildfowl counts were as follows, nine Mutes, 51 Greylags, 15 Canadas, three Shovelers, five Teal, 22 Gadwall and 68 ducklings from 11 broods, 60 Mallard, 18 Tufted, 90 ducklings from 11 broods, two adult and two juvenile Little Grebes, 11 Cormorants, two Herons, three Little Egrets, nine Moorhen, 54 Coot, five adult and four fledged Terns, two Ravens and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
A Red Kite flew over on at least two occasions during the morning and in the evening, in the more blustery conditions when the wind had turned more to the north-west, there was a minimum of 80 Sand Martins and three Swifts, whilst a Skylark was in song from the Tip Field.
9th July 2023
Remaining unsettled with sunny period and showers.
The only records were from the evening when a total of 11 Little Ringed Plovers and three Ringed Plovers, together with two Common Sandpipers were seen on the Car Park Pool islands. The Ringed Plovers comprised two adults and a juvenile, but the split of Little Ringed Plovers wasn’t provided. The juvenile Lapwing was seen there and there were four flying juvenile Common Terns on the Car Park Pool islands.
8th July 2023
Humid, periodic showers, some lightning, south westerly.
With regular Saturday morning attendees seemingly away, there were no records in the logbook by 14:00. This probably explains why an adult Greenshank, on the gravel bar, on Railway Pool, had not been picked up before. It was asleep at 14:15, when first found and therefore had presumably been around for some time. It became more active by 14:30 feeding around the bar and occasionally being chased by Lapwings, before departing around 14:50, calling regularly.
At least six Common Terns have fledged and were flying round the island, three in front of Railway Hide and three on the Car Park Pool islands. One Lapwing in the Marsh is nearly fledged and there appears to be at least one on the shore below Car Park Hide. Assuming that both of these fledge, that will make a total of seven for the year which is well above average over the last few years.
The adult Oystercatchers are still feeding the virtually fledged youngster in the Marsh (a total of five will have fledged if this does), whilst around the shorelines on both islands were four adult Little Ringed Plovers and a fledged migrant from off site.
In the thundery showers, there was a small passage of Swifts and Sand Martins heading south with, in the hour from 14:40, nine Swifts and 14 Sand Martins moving through.
A Buzzard came in from the Siden Hill Wood direction to try and take a take a young unfledged Black-headed Gull from one of the Car Park Pool islands but, despite two attempts, it failed and was driven off by a combination of waders, gulls and terns. A female Sparrowhawk caught prey somewhere on the Reserve and was seen taking it into Siden Hill Wood, chased by Jackdaws.
Other counts today comprised 13 Cormorants, 44 Mallard, eight Teal, five Lesser Black-backed Gulls, one Herring Gull and at least six Stock Doves.
On Car Park Pool there was an adult and a juvenile Little Grebe and a Kingfisher was heard calling on the Central Stream.
7th July 2023
Warm, sunny, southerly.
In the warm weather this morning there was a profusion of insects in the Back Gate area, particularly favouring the bramble plants by Railway Hide and opposite the Back Gate in the gorse area. Amongst the butterflies were a Comma and a Red Admiral on the now drying animal scat, at least 20 Marbled Whites, a male Brimstone around the Car Park, an Essex Skipper down to the Car Park Hide and plenty of Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Gatekeepers along with a variety of bees.
Bird wise there were three Little Ringed Plovers, at least one nearly fledged Lapwing young in front of Oak Hide, with a similarly aged Oystercatcher fledgling there, whilst in front of Railway Hide the three fledged Common Terns were ignoring their parents with food. A Pied Wagtail and a fledged young were on the Car Park Pool islands and Whitethroats were active both around the Car Park clump (with at least two juveniles there), and by Oak Hide where the male has started to sing again. Chiffchaffs, Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers continue to sing away.
6th July 2023
Light cloud, mostly warm and sunny, light south-westerly.
A Curlew briefly visited Car Park Pool this morning, at 09:45, before flying off towards the railway line from River Hide. There were seven Little Ringed Plovers, a single Redshank and five flying juvenile Common Terns, three of which had come from the isolated pair in front of Railway Hide.
Plenty of insects were on the wing with three Small Tortoiseshells and 20 Marbled Whites amongst the more notable butterflies. A badger or fox scat by the Back Gate was proving attractive to the butterflies with three Commas on it. A Southern Hawker and a Brown Hawker were also noted.
5th July 2023
No records.
4th July 2023
Cool westerly, overcast.
Six Teal, one Little Ringed Plover and two Sand Martins were the only things of note early morning.
3rd July 2023
Sunny intervals, light showers, brisk cool westerly.
The evening work party was attended by just five with strimming of paths and sweeping of the hides the main things undertaken.
On Car Park Pool there were three adult Little Ringed Plovers and four fledged juveniles, 25 to 30 Rooks and 150 Jackdaws on the Flood Plain whilst overhead, at least 15 Swifts were being kept low in the cool wind. Other birds seen this evening included two Teal on Car Park Pool, at least two Lapwing chicks in the Marsh and one on Car Park Pool and two fledged Terns. Lastly, a Common Sandpiper appeared in the late evening to feed on the margins of Car Park Pool.
2nd July 2023
Sunny but with a cool westerly.
A count of 11 Little Ringed Plovers today included two migrant juveniles and presumably some migrant adults as well. There were four Teal, one Shoveler, one Redshank, two single Cetti’s Warblers (Causeway and the north end of Car Park Pool) 30 Rooks on the Flood Plain, two Ravens over and five Swifts and 30 Sand Martins feeding over the pools.
1st July 2023
Sunny spells, blustery westerly.
The full count today was as follows: eight Mute Swans, 51 Greylags, 17 Canadas, 21 Gadwall and seven broods of 54 ducklings, 66 Mallard, two Drake Teal, 30 Tufted and 11 broods of 63 ducklings, 10 Cormorant, three adult and two juvenile Little Grebes, three Little Egrets, 16 Moorhen, 53 Coot, seven adult and a fledged juvenile Oystercatcher plus two broods of one each on Railway Pool, a single Redshank, 12 adult and two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, 79 Lapwing and three along Car Park and at least two in the Marsh, 400 adult and 270 juvenile Black-headed Gulls, five Lesser Black-backed Gulls, eight Common Terns and three well grown chicks with one on Car Park and two on Railway Pool and finally, the Scarlet Tiger again, this time on the Old Road opposite the Dragonfly Pond.