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.
Link to West Midland Bird Ringing Group: https://www.westmidlandsringinggroup.co.uk/
WORK PARTY DATES 2026
Wednesday 9th September – 6.00pm
Saturday 3rd October – 2.00pm
Saturday 7th November – 2.00pm
Saturday 5th December – 2.00pm
MARSH LANE TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS
Starting from March/April 2026, and lasting about 9 months, there will be amended traffic arrangements on the A452/Kenilworth Road. These relate to the alterations that are taking place whereby the dual carriageway will rise over the forthcoming (God only knows when!) HS2 and a new junction with Marsh Lane is being formed. Use of the new section will commence shortly.
At that junction, a roundabout is due to be constructed and, in due course, Marsh Lane will be accessed off that roundabout. In the meantime, some lane closures will take place, but Marsh Lane and the Lorry Park will always be accessible. Signposting will hopefully mention the Nature Reserve but if not follow the signs for the Lorry Park.
29th August 2026
Wet most of the day.
The highlights in the rain included a scaly-backed juvenile Turnstone on the Car Park Pool islands, and a record count of five Great White Egrets. The Turnstone had proved elusive, being initially found at 09.30, before promptly disappearing and not being re-found until midday. There was a trickle of hirundines during the morning and, in a lull in the rain around 13.30, at least 45 House Martins dropped in to feed over the central streamline. Other waders included one Green Sandpiper, seven Snipe, but a very poor number of Lapwings – only six.
Warblers spread around the Reserve included at least 10 Chiffchaffs, two Whitethroats, two Blackcaps and a Reed Warbler. Wildfowl counts, care of Graham and Dave, comprised 17 Mute Swans, 153 Canadas, 264 Greylags, two Canada/Greylag hybrids, 20 Shoveler, 31 Gadwall, 106 Mallard, 74 Teal, 15 Tufteds, 12 Cormorants, seven Little Grebes, just a single Little Egret, six Herons, 20 Moorhen, 34 Coot, initially only seven Black-headed Gulls, but over 40 later, three Lesser Black-backed and, of note, the returning adult Greater Black-backed.
Other sightings included a Treecreeper in the Back Gate Copse, a Kingfisher on Car Park Pool and single of Egyptian Geese and Wigeon, plus two Sand Martins.
Turnstone – Photograph by Steve Pattison
28th August 2026
Sun and heavy showers, no records.
27th August 2026
Rain, heavy at times.
It feels a long time since there was any substantial rainfall, but today made up for it, and did bring in nine Wigeon onto Car Park Pool and six Snipe, five of which were on Railway.
There was a single Green Sandpiper, 21 Shoveler, a Kingfisher and an increase in Swans to 16.
26th August 2026
Sunny spells, light easterly.
Records were fairly limited today with a disappointing wader show considering the low water level and the extensive shoreline. Singles of Common Sandpiper and Snipe were the only birds making the log. A single Hobby was seen again, along with two Willow Emeralds.
25th August 2026
Sunny spells, fresh easterly.
The goose flock, largely favouring Car Park Pool, has built up to over 1,000 birds, with 434 Canadas, 598 Greylags and two mixed Canada/Greylag hybrids. A Hobby was seen again, and there were plenty of Herons enjoying the receding water line which included today, three Great White Egrets, 14 Little Egrets and 10 Herons. A Hobby also put in an appearance, along with a Willow Emerald Damselfly on the path to the ringers’ bridge. Six Swallows went through in the evening, and a Kestrel was seen again.
24th August 2026
No records.
23rd August 2026
Sunny and warm, still.
The morning produced four Great White Egrets, Red Kite and Hobby and in the evening an impressive mixed flock of hirundines and Swifts were feeding over the Reserve. The approximate estimate was 80 – 100 hirundines, of which at least half were Swallows, and the other mixed Sand Martins and House Martins, and an impressive 40 – 50 Swifts. The Reedbed held a Kingfisher.
22nd August 2026
Cloudy start, turning sunny, light northerly.
A broad array of species today with a large mixed flock of tits and warblers behind Railway Hide included a Lesser Whitethroat, three Whitethroats, three Blackcaps, and at least five Chiffchaff, with another five of the latter species spread along the Old Road. A Willow Warbler showed nicely in the large Willow at the west end of the Causeway and the north shore of Railway Pool.
The warm weather was also conducive to watching raptors with nine Buzzards, including a kettle of at least seven, a single Red Kite, and a Hobby which went north and south. Four Ravens also went over.
A Yellow Wagtail was heard around the HS2 workings, where there were also a Painted Lady and two Clouded Yellows. Waders were limited to 45 Lapwings, and singles of Common and Green Sandpiper.
21st August 2026
Overcast, turning sunny, cool north-easterly.
Today’s standout bird was a very smart male Greenland Wheatear which spent all day frequenting the Car Pool islands.
A Grey Wagtail fed in front of Railway Hide, and a Yellow Wagtail went over south at 17.15. Reed Warblers were feeding fledged young in front of Reedbed Hide this morning and there were plenty of calling Chiffs with at least three along the path to River Hide, with a Goldcrest.
20th August 2026
Sunny intervals with the odd rain shower.
It was good to have a little bit of rain, but we will need a lot more to make any difference, with water levels across the pools as low as I can ever remember them. They are certainly lower than last year. Yesterday’s four Green Sandpipers and two Common Sandpipers were still present, along with a juvenile Greenshank. Two Kingfishers comprised one on the Reedbed and one on Railway Pool.
There were still two Whitethroats in front of Railway Hide, two Reed Warblers in the Reedbed and two House Martins and three Swallows went south.
19th August 2026
Sunny spells, fresh north-westerly.
Three Kingfishers was a good count this morning, with two on the Reedbed and a single on Railway Pool suggesting that they have bred successfully nearby. A Water Rail was heard from the Reedbed and two Hobbies were present.
Having been largely absent over the last few says, four Green Sandpipers was a good count, and they were joined by two Common Sandpipers.
18th August 2026
Overcast, fresh north-westerly.
Thirteen Little Egrets, 12 Herons and a single Great White Egret were spread across the Pools, the juvenile Greenshank was back, as was a single Common Sandpiper and two Snipe.
Great White Egrets – Photograph by Stefan Fraczek
17th August 2026
Overcast, light north-westerly.
Waders comprised one Common Sandpiper, a juvenile Greenshank and an adult Little Ringed Plover plus two Snipe, but the Little Ringed Plover was attacked by a Lapwing which injured it sufficiently for it to be incapacitated and it was subsequently caught and eaten by a juvenile Heron.
Fourteen Little Egrets, one Great White Egret, 10 Herons, 13 Shoveler, 45 Teal, 20 Tufted, 20 Moorhen and 15 Little Grebes were the main other birds. The Bittern, clearly doing the rounds, flew south from the north end of Car Park Pool back towards the Reedbed.
16th August 2026
A few sunny spells but mostly overcast.
The elusive Bittern was seen this morning, at the north end of Car Park Pool, perched up in the reeds. There was also a Great White Egret and a single juvenile Greenshank.
15th August 2026
Sunny spells, light northerly.
There was no sign of the adult Little Ringed Plover today, but the juvenile remained on Railway Pool. Other waders were limited to 20 Lapwing and a Common Sandpiper, though two juvenile Greenshanks had been seen first thing (not later), a Swift went over, and both Hobby and Peregrine had been hunting the Reserve.
Other counts today included six Mutes, but only five cygnets, 105 Canadas, 438 Greylag, 12 Shoveler, 31 Gadwall, 168 Mallard, 37 Teal, 21 Tufteds and five broods, 12 Cormorants, 18 Little Grebes, six Herons, 13 Little Egrets, two Great White Egrets, two Moorhen, 50 Coot, 148 Black-headed Gulls and six Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Six House Martins and two Swallows went through, and there was a Mistle Thrush along the Old Road.
14th August 2026
Sunny, light westerly, hot.
The juvenile Greenshank was present on Car Park Pool again today, along with a Common Sandpiper and two Great White Egrets. The adult and now fledged juvenile Little Ringed Plover were still on Railway Pool and there were five Egyptian Geese there too. A Kingfisher flew across Railway Pool, there was a Willow Warbler in the Old Road Horse Paddock hedge and a Clouded Yellow on the Car Park islands.
13th August 2026
The juvenile Greenshank and three Little Ringed Plovers were all present this morning on Car Park Pool, with a Garden Warbler on the Causeway, a Lesser Whitethroat on the north bank of the Car Park, and at least five Common Blues in the uncut grass around the Car Park area. Fourteen Little Egrets and three Egyptian Geese were seen later in the day, and a Willow Emerald Damselfly was in the Blackthorn by the Reedbed.
12th August 2026
Sunny, hot with temperatures over 30°, light south-easterly.
A juvenile Greenshank was present all day, moving between the pools. In the evening the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year, a juvenile, was feeding from the large willow at the west end of the Causeway on Railway Pool. The adult and juvenile Little Ringed Plover were joined by a fledged juvenile from off site, and these were present in front of Oak Hide, before being disturbed and flying around the Reserve, flushed by an adult Hobby. At least 150 Jackdaws were present on the Flood Plain prior to roosting, and the now regular mewing Buzzards were somewhere around Siden Hill Wood. A Whitethroat was calling in the vegetation by Oak Hide and a young Little Grebe was calling and chasing adults around Railway Pool. Earlier in the day seven Whitethroats were present under Railway Hide and a Lesser Whitethroat was in the same area. A Raven went over.
Only John Hunt and I attended the work party, and despite the heat and the distraction of the eclipse, all the islands on Car Park Pool were strimmed and parts of the foreshore in front of Car Park Hide similarly, in order to improve the view. Earlier in the week John and Graham had begun the opening up of the North Causeway channels and thanks to both of them.
Railway Pool from Oak Hide showing the low water level – Photograph by Nick Barlow
11th August 2026
Sunny, light south-easterly, increasingly hot.
A Kestrel was seen, as were the adult and now fledged juvenile Little Ringed Plover. A Great White Egret was also present.
10th August 2026
Sunny, light north-westerly.
Two juvenile Greenshanks were new in this morning, and were initially on Car Park Pool, later moving to Railway Pool.
A Peregrine was perched in the front of Siden Hill Wood, and the elusive Bittern was seen briefly in the Reedbed. The now fledged juvenile Little Ringed Plover was present in the Marsh.
9th August 2026
No records.
8th August 2026
Sunny, light southerly.
A Clouded Yellow butterfly below Railway Hide was probably the best of the insects, but the female Common Emerald was again by the Dragonfly Pond and there was a noteworthy count of 15 Migrant Hawkers.
The rest of the counts, care of Graham and Dave, were five adult Mute Swans and six cygnets, 56 Canadas, an increasing number of Greylags with 336, an Egyptian Goose, four Shoveler, 41 Gadwall, 186 Mallard, 48 Teal, 12 Tufteds and six broods, 16 Cormorants, 12 Little Grebes, 10 Heron, eight Little Egrets, one Great White Egret, 17 Moorhen, 56 Coot, 27 Lapwing, a Common Sandpiper, 116 Black-headed Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Hobby over the Flood Plain, and a Kestrel by HS2.
Later in the day a pair of Foxes were hunting the Orchid Field with possibly a separate one in front of Railway Hide later. Meantime, a Mole was foraging above ground on the path near the South-West Pond.
Whitethroat – Photograph by Diane Reeves
7th August 2026
Sunny, light southerly.
There was a dead Pygmy Shrew outside Railway Hide today, and damselflies included a female Common Emerald on the Dragonfly Pond, and a female Willow Emerald on the Central Stream. A Purple Hairstreak was seen in the Oaks along the Old Road, a Painted Lady in the buddleia by the Dragonfly Pond, whilst there was little change in the birds from the previous few days.
6th August 2026
Mostly sunny, light north-westerly.
Two Ravens went over as did two House Martins, and there was a male Kingfisher on the Reedbed.
5th August 2026
Sunny spells, fresh south-westerly.
Twenty Little Egrets spread across the Reserve was a new record count, with a single Great White Egret and seven Herons.
Nineteen Shoveler, 277 Mallard, 43 Gadwall, 40 Teal, 12 Tufteds and nine broods joined seven Egyptian Geese, a single Oystercatcher and 14 Little Grebes. Meantime, 54 Rook was a noteworthy count on the Flood Plain.
4th August 2026
High cloud with some sun.
An impressive 15 Little Egrets were joined by a single Great White Egret, whilst waders included six Snipe, two Common Sandpipers and two Little Ringed Plovers.
A female Roe Deer was present on Car Park Pool, and there were eight Tufted broods today, a good count after last year’s poor breeding season.
3rd August 2026
Sunny, light easterly.
A post-breeding flock of Goldfinches, totalling 27, were feeding on the thistles on the Railway Pool islands this morning, and there were 43 Rook on the Flood Plain. Two Hummingbird Hawk-moths included one in the Back Gate area, and one by Car Park Hide.
Other birds of note included 20 Little Grebes, a single Oystercatcher, two adult Little Ringed Plovers and a chick, nearly fledged, a single Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher in the Reedbed and two adult Common Terns.
Fifty-five Lesser Black-backed Gulls was the highest count for many months, and included 47 flying over to the east at 11.45.
2nd August 2026
Warm, northerly breeze, overcast.
A Green Sandpiper was seen on the Blythe from the gate overlooking the cattle feeders. On Car Park Pool there were five Egyptian Geese, two Common Terns, 15 Little Egrets, four Little Egrets, a Great White Egret, four Herons and two Oystercatchers. Two juvenile Buzzards were again on the sonar panels on the Lower Siden hide, whilst hirundine passage included two Swallows, five Sand Martins and two House Martins.
1st August 2026
Sunny spells, light south-westerly, count disrupted by the hay cutting.
The elusive Bittern was seen in the Reedbed this morning, and a female Whinchat was seen briefly on the old Bale Store, before flying to the Flood Plain and disappearing. This is the first record for the year.
An impressive 14 Whitethroats included 10 by Railway Hide and four along the Concrete Road. A Willow Emerald Damselfly was seen in the vegetation by the bridge on the Central Stream.
Two Red Kites flew south over the Flood Plain.
Cattle on the islands – Photograph by Jamie Hicken
