31st October 2024
Overcast, light north-westerly.
A Cattle Egret was present on Railway Pool this morning before flying off. With the ground conditions being so wet, and some of the cattle being taken in, the association with the cattle will probably stop. Meantime, there were also 17 Pochard, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull, six Fieldfares and two Grey Wagtails on the Flood Plain.
30th October 2024
Overcast, light north-westerly.
A Water Rail was seen below Railway Hide and there were two Green Sandpipers again on the Patrick Farm flash. Seventeen Pied Wagtails were favouring the disturbed ground by the cattle feeder on the Flood Plain. A Peregrine was also seen, along with 17 Pochard, 24 Tufted, two Egyptian Geese, four Little Egrets, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull, four Common Gulls, nine Herring Gulls and eight Lesser Black-backs.
29th October 2024
Mild, light winds, sunny periods.
An adult Peregrine and a Red Kite, which flew south, were probably this morning’s highlights, although 21 Herring Gulls were of note. Twenty-two Common Snipe were mostly in front of Car Park Hide again.
28th October 2024
Overcast, showers, fresh south-westerly.
There were two Green Sandpipers again on the flood north of Patrick Farm Barns and 23 Pied Wagtails on the Flood Plain around the cattle feeders. A flock of 80 Goldfinches were favouring the Alders along the riverside on the opposite side of Car Park Pool, although presumably part of that flock hived off with only 30 seen in the same location later. Thirty-eight Redwings went over in flocks of 30 and eight, and Snipe showed particularly well around Car Park Hide with the best number reaching 24. At least two Treecreepers were seen in Siden Hill Wood, there was a Mistle Thrush around the Car Park, Goldcrests in the bushes by the South-West Pond, two along the Old Road with a Common Redpoll and further Goldcrests also in Siden Hill Wood.
Wildfowl counts extended to nine Mute Swans, 63 Canadas, 75 Greylags, 17 Shoveler, 67 Gadwall, 134 Wigeon, 23 Mallard, 154 Teal, 17 Pochard, 18 Tufted Ducks, 33 Cormorants, eight Little Grebes, five Little Egrets, 10 Moorhen, 51 Coot, 88 Lapwings, 51 Black-headed Gulls, two Common Gulls, five Herring Gulls, 11 Black-backed Gulls and the adult Greater Black-backed.
27th October 2024
Misty start, sunny later.
Three Ring-necked Parakeets flew over and landed in Siden Hill Wood, and there were 17 Pochard on Car Park Pool, 32 Snipe, mostly around Car Park Hide, three Skylark went over, along with seven Linnets and there was a Sparrowhawk seen.
Later in the morning an immature type Marsh Harrier was seen east of the A452 over the HS2 workings, and probably the same bird reappeared at Ladywalk later on. Great White Egret, a Whooper Swan, two Egyptian Geese, a pair of Stonechats (Dragonfly Pond), an immature male Goosander (Car Park Pool) and two Ravens over comprised a good list of other birds. Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Redpoll were heard or seen in the Back Gate Copse, eight Skylark went over, a male Sparrowhawk was chasing Lapwings and there were at least four Migrant Hawkers on the wing in the warm weather.
Whooper Swan – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
26th October 2024
Bright, sunny intervals, calm.
There were three Green Sandpipers on the Patrick Farm flash this morning and further Wood Pigeon passage saw 220 go south-west in two main flocks just before 10.00.
There were 10 Redwings feeding on the berries around the Car Park, with two late Chiffchaffs, including one in the Back Gate Copse area and one in Siden Hill Wood.
A Bullfinch was heard calling by the mobile phone mast and a good count of Common Gulls saw 16 on Car Park Pool.
25th October 2024
Overcast, light showers, light southerly.
A late male Blackcap was present in the south-west corner of Railway Pool this morning, 22 Redwings went over, the best autumn count so far of 44 Snipe comprised 20 on Car Park Pool and 24 in the Marsh. Seventeen Pochard and 29 Tufteds were also counted.
24th October 2024
Southerly, mostly low cloud.
596 Wood Pigeons went south between 08.56 and 09.45 this morning, many of them more distant towards Hampton-in-Arden. Other overflying birds comprised a single Meadow Pipit, two Skylark, 10 Starlings, a Stock Dove, a Pied Wagtail, 16 Goldfinches (low over the Car Park and dropped into the Old Road). There was a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Jay and 10 Greenfinches around the Car Park feeders. Later in the morning a Bittern was seen on the Railway Pool islands.
23rd October 2024
Misty, burning off slowly to reveal sunny spells and a light southerly.
Fourteen Golden Plover went over at 09.15 this morning, the first record for the autumn of what has now become an increasingly scarce bird. There was also a Great White Egret on site and 864 Wood Pigeons went south in two hours between 08.30 and 10.30.
The male Stonechat was present around the Dragonfly Pond, 18 Meadow Pipits went south, there was a Grey Wagtail along the Flood Plain along with 10 Pied Wagtails, three Skylark went over, and the Great Black-backed Gull roosted on the Car Park Pool islands.
22nd October 2024
Cloudy first thing, some sunny spells, south-westerly.
Between 08.30 and 09.30 this morning 1,056 Wood Pigeons flew south, along with 34 Meadow Pipits and 25 Pied Wagtails. There was a single Fieldfare which flew into Siden Hill Wood, although this Thrush has so far been scarce this autumn. There was also a Great White Egret in front of Railway Hide.
21st October 2024
Overcast, light southerly, flooding at Patrick Bridge.
A Kingfisher showed on Car Park Pool this morning, along with 10 Pochard and 10 Snipe. Two Egyptian Geese flew over to the south, a Water Rail showed well in the North Causeway Bay in the cleared areas and there were 19 Pied Wagtails around the cattle feeder on the Flood Plain. A Bullfinch was also seen in the North Causeway Bay.
20th October 2024
Rain and windy until 10.00 on a strong south-westerly, slowly clearing thereafter.
The best bird today was a Brambling which was heard calling around the Car Park feeders mid-morning, but did not appear to land. Eight Pied Wagtails were present on the Flood Plain with the cattle, and five Redwings went over.
19th October 2024
Sunny spells after overnight rain, light north-westerly.
Four Ring-necked Parakeets were seen around Siden Hill Wood, one perched there and was chased off by Jackdaws, and three went west along the railway line. A late Red Admiral was also seen, and in amongst the Gulls, a first-winter Mediterranean Gull added a bit of interest. Fourteen Meadow Pipits were present on the edge of the HS2 workings and other counts today, care of Graham and Dave, were seven Mute Swans, 785 Canadas which is a new record count, a Canada/Greylag hybrid, 429 Greylags, an Egyptian Goose on the Flood Plain, 22 Shoveler, 42 Gadwall, 116 Wigeon, 95 Mallard, 159 Teal, 10 Pochard, 18 Tufteds, a female Goosander, 23 Cormorants, a Great Crested Grebe, six Little Grebes, two Herons, four Little Egrets, 121 Black-headed Gulls, a single Common Gull, eight Herring Gulls and five Lesser Black-backs.
18th October 2024
Misty start, cloudy the sunny spells.
There was an Egyptian Goose on the Flood Plain this morning and a Jack Snipe was flushed from the Marsh when some of the vegetation was cut back. Raptors included a female Peregrine, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel. A Grey Wagtail fed around the margins of Railway Pool and there were 10 Linnets on the seeds on the un-strimmed area. Five Skylark went over and there were five Redwings in the bushes along the Causeway. Four Little Egrets, a Great Crested Grebe, five Common Gulls, three Herring Gulls and 18 Lesser Black-backed Gulls completed the log for the day.
17th October 2024
Sunny and warm, southerly.
A Stonechat, seen on the far side of Car Park Pool this morning, appeared to be a female type and probably the third in the last few days. 32 Redwing went over, a Green Sandpiper showed well in front of Oak Hide, as did the female Pintail (in the afternoon), 15 Snipe flew over and Kingfisher and Chiffchaff were both seen. Autumn colours are developing as the photos below show.
Oak Leaves, Back Gate Copse – Photograph by Nick Barlow
16th October 2024
Heavy overnight rain, grey and misty but mild.
In the freshly made clearing from last week’s work party, in front of North Causeway Hide, a male Kingfisher was using the reedmace stems as a perch to catch Minnows or Sticklebacks whilst a Water Rail looked on. Another Water Rail showed from Oak Hide.
Two Redwings and a Meadow Pipit went over and there were at least eight Snipe in the Marsh.
A Dunlin circled Car Park Pool several times, mid-morning, before flying off south. Other records of note comprised three Egyptian Geese, 11 Pochard, 19 Snipe, 14 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Herring and one Common Gull.
15th October 2024
Overcast, misty.
Presumably the same male Stonechat as yesterday, favouring the fenced area on the Flood Plain, was found to have a colour ring, Black XB. This bird was initially ringed there by the West Midlands Ringing Group in November 2022.
Eight Pied Wagtails were feeding amongst the cattle, and presumably the same Chiffchaff as the 13th was again in the Back Gate Copse.
14th October 2024
Overcast, grey and drizzly.
There was a Water Rail in front of River Hide this morning and 13 Pied Wagtails in the field east of Siden.
13th October 2024
Overcast, cold, west wind.
All three Egrets were present on site today, with singles of Cattle and Great White, together with four Littles.
An adult Peregrine also put in a brief appearance, two Ravens went over and there was a late Chiffchaff in the Back Gate Copse. A male Stonechat was in the small fenced off area by the Flood Plain, a Lesser Redpoll went over the Back Gate area and there was a Coal Tit and two Nuthatch present there. A Kingfisher on Car Park Pool was a brief visitor, but the species seems to now be interested in the area of open water in front of the North Causeway Bay.
12th October 2024
The full list today was as follows: Eight Mute Swans, 218 Canadas, a Canada/Greylag hybrid, 383 Greylags, 27 Shoveler, 43 Gadwall, 43 Wigeon, 48 Mallard, 60 Teal, 11 Pochard, 20 Tufteds, 15 Cormorants, a Great-crested Grebe, 12 Little Grebes, three Herons, five Little Egrets, a Great-white Egret, 70 Lapwing, three Snipe, 79 Black-headed Gulls, three Common Gulls, 10 Herring Gulls, 26 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, one Greater Black-backed, four Skylarks, three Meadow Pipits, two Ravens and a Collared Dove at the feeder.
Eight attended the afternoon work party and achieved a considerable amount. Four worked on strimming the islands and pulling up emergent Willows on or around Railway Pool, two cleared around Oak Hide and two cleared areas in front of the North Causeway screen. Whilst strimming Tern Island (the largest one on Railway Pool nearest to the river) Emily Hoffmann found what would appear to be a small mammal nest, shown in the attached photograph, with her hand as an indication of scale. It was a collection of vegetation in a ball about six inches square. We didn’t disturb it for obvious reasons, but if anybody can throw any light on what this might be that would be appreciated.
Photograph by Nick Barlow
Thanks to all those who attended the work party.
11th October 2024
Sunny, frosty start.
A Kingfisher flew over the Car Park first thing and then a Bittern circled Railway Pool at 10.40. This species departed the Reserve after the pair earlier this year so it would be good if one took up residence again.
What was presumably the occasional visiting Whooper Swan, sometimes at Packington, revisited this morning and a female Pintail was new in as well.
Water Rails were seen in the North Causeway Bay and below Railway Hide, there were 10 Little Grebes and, overhead, two Skylarks flew through with five Meadow Pipits towards Patrick Bridge. A Mink was seen in the North Causeway Bay.
10th October 2024
Sunny, cold, stiff north-westerly.
An adult Mediterranean Gull was again on Car Park Pool this morning with a number of other Gulls including the regular adult Greater Black-backed. There were also five Little Egrets, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk, along with six Linnets on Railway Pool.
Dew on Spider Web – Photograph by Graham Dyer
9th October 2024
Overcast, drizzle, clearing, flooding at Patrick Bridge.
A late Greenshank was heard flying through this morning and the first Redwing of the year also made the log, a Grey Wagtail was seen and the Linnet flock on Railway Pool islands had increased to 12.
12 Meadow Pipits included five on Railway Pool margins and seven on the Flood Plain.
Two Water Rails included one in the north-east corner of Railway Pool and one below Railway Hide, and an adult Mediterranean Gull put in a brief appearance at midday.
8th October 2024
Overcast with rain.
Eight Swallows went through the Car Park early morning, along with two Meadow Pipits and a Skylark.
Six Linnets were again feeding on the seed heads on the Railway Pool islands.
A small influx of Blackbirds saw at least nine along the Causeway area, and there were 24 Snipe either in front of Car Park Hide or on the margins of the Pool.
410 Greylags and 220 Canadas were also counted, and four further Swallows went through later in the morning.
7th October 2024
Sunny spells, light south-easterly.
A Ring-necked Parakeet flew over Railway Pool at about 10.15 this morning heading towards Siden Hill Wood. A Swallow went south and there was a female type Stonechat along the ditch line east of the phone mast.
Four Cetti’s Warblers in song included birds by the pond by the Car Park, along the Top Stream, the Reedbed area and by Oak Hide.
6th October 2024
Overcast, light south-easterly.
A first-winter Mediterranean Gull joined three Common Gulls and a small number of Black-headed Gulls on Car Park Pool this morning, along with a single Egyptian Goose and seven Pochard. A Red Kite was seen distantly over Hampton-in-Arden.
5th October 2024
Sunny, light easterly.
Two Grey Wagtails, one over Car Park and one over Oak Hide went south, as did a single House Martin.
Wildfowl counts today, care of Graham and Dave, were as follows: 130 Canadas, 354 Greylags, 10 Mute Swans, 15 Shoveler, 49 Gadwall, 49 Wigeon, 45 Mallard, 46 Teal, seven Pochard, nine Tufteds, 19 Cormorants, three Herons, six Little Egrets, a Great Crested Grebe, six Little Grebes, three Moorhen, 69 Coot, 50 Lapwings, two Snipes, 77 Black-headed Gulls, five Common Gulls, seven Herring Gulls and seven Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
Little Egret – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
4th October 2024
Sunny, light easterly.
Late hirundine passage included 17 Swallows south, mostly in ones and twos, but also one flock of 11, and there were also three Skylarks on the move. The warm weather saw further records of butterflies and odonata with a Small Copper on the Old Road, at least one Green-veined White, a Speckled Wood and a Red Admiral, two Migrant Hawkers, seven Common Darters and a late Common Blue Damselfly.
3rd October 2024
Clear, light frost, sunny, soon warming up.
A bit of a raptor fest this morning yielded a female Kestrel, two Sparrowhawks, a Red Kite, a Peregrine, four Buzzards and the long-staying juvenile Hobby.
Four Swallows, three Skylarks, three Meadow Pipits and a Grey Wagtail all went over, and 16 Snipe were put up in front of Car Park Hide by the cattle.
On or around the pools there were brief visits from two Grey Herons, three Little Egrets and a Great White Egret. Once temperatures improved, insects included two Red Admirals, four Commas, six Small Whites, a Small Copper by Oak Hide, a number of Migrant Hawkers and lots of Common Darters.
2nd October 2024
Overcast, light north-westerly, flooding again at Patrick Bridge.
The Osprey re-appeared over the Central Stream just after 11.00 but drifted off east and before this, a Barn Owl hunted between River Hide and the river at 10.30. This in itself is unusual as they are rarely seen during the day and perhaps the rain over the last few days has handicapped their ability to hunt.
One of the juvenile Hobbies was again seen around the Central Streamline and a male Pochard joined the long-staying female bird.
The adult Greater Black-backed roosted along with a single Common Gull and overhead, five Swallows and six House Martins worked south, along with a Skylark and a Meadow Pipit.
Four Cetti’s Warblers were heard in song, a Water Rail was heard in the pond by the Car Park and two Mistle Thrushes flew low south towards Bradnocks Marsh.
In the afternoon, a Water Rail called from the pond by the Car Park and two Mistle Thrushes flew low south over Railway Pool towards Bradnocks Marsh.
1st October 2024
Overcast, rain light north-westerly. Flooding again at Patrick Bridge.
The Osprey over the last few days has been identified as an adult male, as opposed to the juvenile earlier in September. It was present over Railway Pool then Bradnocks Marsh. Fourteen Swallows and four House Martins went south early on, with a further 17 Swallows and three House Martins later, together with a few Meadow Pipits. Kestrels were seen, together with a probable female Merlin around Railway Pool. There was a Kingfisher seen on Car Park Pool.