Packington Estate

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

2025

Saturday 12th April        – 2pm

Wednesday 7th May      – 6pm

Tuesday 10th June         – 6pm

 

Link to West Midland Bird Ringing Group:  https://www.westmidlandsringinggroup.co.uk/

 

FALLEN AND DAMAGED TREES

Members are asked to please avoid, for the time being, the area immediately south of the South-West Pond and on the east side of the Back Gate Copse as a number of Willow trees have been affected by the recent high winds and the area has been fenced off.

A number of trees have also come down in Siden Hill Wood making it difficult to get around and this area is also best avoided.

Thank you.

 

Ringed Blackcap

A male Blackcap was ringed at Marsh Lane on the 21 September 2021 and subsequently re-trapped at Icklesham, East Sussex on the 12 February 2025.  The distance between the two sites is 232km but clearly disguises what had happened in the interim period.

Common Tern

A Common Tern, colour-ringed number A01, which was originally ringed at Marsh Lane on the 9th July 2020 as a chick, was seen on the 24th July 2024 in Saint-Pair-sur-Mer in France, a distance of 253 miles south.  This location is west of the Cherbourg Peninsula and just north of Mont Saint-Michel.

Since ringing, the bird has also been seen at Upper Bittell in 2022 and Brandon Marsh and Draycote Water in 2024.

TREE WORKS

Please note that the tree works in the back gate area are now finished and there is now full access.

A452 KENILWORTH ROAD – OVERNIGHT SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY CLOSURES

Please note the following regarding overnight closure of the A452 southbound between Bradnocks Marsh Lane roundabout and the Cornets End roundabout at the A452/B4102 junction.

Revised closure dates (information updated on 2nd May 2025) – the overnight closures will be in place from 8pm to 6am on the following dates:

Friday 2 May 2025

Wednesday 7 May 2025

Thursday 15 May 2025

Friday 16 May 2025

Saturday 17 May 2025

Sunday 18 May 2025

 

30th April 2025

Sunny, still and warm.

An Otter was seen on the Reedbed Pool again this morning but was typically brief.  A Peregrine Falcon flew over at 12.15, there was a Common Sandpiper also seen and a Ring-necked Parakeet by Oak Hide on the feeders.

Sadly, the Lapwing broods seem to be falling in number with only three youngsters today.  Predation is a real curse, and they are poor parents.  Both Oystercatcher chicks were still visible and there were three Mediterranean Gulls again today.  Other birds making the log were a pair of Wigeon, two Redshank, three Little Ringed Plover, 73 Tufted Ducks, three Great Crested Grebes, two Egyptian Geese, nine Common Terns, four Herons and a Red Kite.

29th April 2025

Sunny, light south-easterly, warm.

A Curlew on Car Park Pool for 10 minutes was perhaps surpassed by two more Ruff seen on Railway Pool during the day.  This brings the total of Ruff this year to 13.

A new brood of Greylags were feeding on the islands and both young Oystercatchers were also seen.  Of the Lapwing broods, two young seem to have disappeared from one of the broods, but there were still eight birds present.

17 Large Red Damselflies were counted this morning and butterflies included 19 Orange-tips, five Speckled Woods, seven Green-veined Whites, two Large Whites and a male Brimstone.

A Cuckoo was heard along the Central Stream, the first of the year.

28th April 2025

Sunny, warm, light southerly.

Three Lapwing broods on Railway Pool this morning comprised the original two and two lots of four and there were still two broods of Oystercatchers although the one on Railway Pool seems to have fallen to just one.

Mediterranean Gulls today included the regular pair of adults and a first-summer and the lingering Wigeon (a male and two females) continue to favour Car Park Pool.  There was just a single drake Teal, a Canada/Greylag hybrid, two Egyptian Geese, seven Common Terns, just three Great Crested Grebes and two Redshank.

A Treecreeper was seen on the Central Stream and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard drumming from Siden Hill Wood.  At least three Brimstone butterflies were seen.

27th April 2025

Sunny and warm.

There was an Egyptian Goose on Car Park Pool this morning, and the long-staying pair of Wigeon as well.  There are now two broods of two and three Lapwings on Railway Pool, whilst the two Oystercatcher broods were still present.  A count of seven Common Terns was made during the day and there were three adult Mediterranean Gulls.

A Ring-necked Parakeet was heard from the Siden Wood area and three Garden Warblers in song were as follows, one along the Old Road towards the cottages, one along the Causeway and one by the Back Gate,

A Green Woodpecker was calling by the Car Park gates but it is not clear whether there are two pairs, one there and one towards Oak Hide, or whether it is a single pair moving between the two.  Any other views on this would be welcome.

26th April 2025

Overcast, light south-easterly.

A full count of birds today was as follows:  12 Canadas, 38 Greylags and a brood of three on Car Park Pool, six Mute Swans, two Egyptian Geese, 20 Gadwall, one male and two female Wigeon, 14 Mallard and a brood of six on Car Park Pool, two pairs of Teal, 69 Tufteds, eight Cormorants, four Great Crested Grebe, two Little Grebes, three Heron, five Moorhen, 32 Coot, four Little Ringed Plovers, seven adult Oystercatchers and now two broods with the one on Car Park Pool swimming to the near shore, and a brood of two on Railway Pool, 18 Lapwing and a brood of two on Railway Pool, two Redshank, one Common Sandpiper, 2,675 Black-headed Gulls with an estimated 1,050 nests, three Mediterranean Gulls (two adults and a first-summer, with one of the adults and the first-summer attempting to mate), 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, four Collared Doves (two at the Car Park feeders and two at Patrick Farm), the Ring-necked Parakeet along the Old Road, a Skylark over to the south, two Sand Martins, a male Linnet along the Old Road by the HS2 workings, a Raven over and two Common Terns

25th April 2025

Sunny spells, light south-easterly.

An Avocet was probably the best bird today, with an increase in Mediterranean Gulls to five, four adults and a first-summer.  There were also two Mallard broods, one of six and one of 13, with both broods on Car Park Pool.  A pair of Oystercatchers were still monitoring their chicks on Car Park Pool and there were four Great Crested Grebes, being pairs on both pools.  A pair of Linnets were by the HS2 crossing and the first odonata record of the year was a Large Red Damselfly seen along the Old Road.

The Avocet was still present in the evening when there were seven Common Terns and a new brood of Mallard chicks was seen in the Causeway Bay with 10 ducklings recorded.

Mallard with chicks – Photograph by Stef Fraczek

24th April 2025

Chilly start, dry and sunny.

All three hirundines were seen today but, overall, the number of birds passing through has been disappointing and there do not appear to be many House Martins yet on site.

Both Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers were seen and heard, and a Grasshopper Warbler was recorded by the pool on Marsh Lane though, with apologies to the people writing the log, I am not quite sure which pool this is.  This species is highly erratic at Marsh Lane with no records for a few years and then one occasionally stays to breed.

23rd April 2025

Overcast after heavy overnight rain, light easterly.

The rain overnight was much needed, if you were a farmer or possibly a gardener, and at times it was torrential.

Sadly, there was little of consequence as a result of the rain, with the best bird being a female Yellow Wagtail around Car Park Pool in the morning.  Otherwise, birding remains much the same with the Oystercatcher chick fortunately still intact on Car Park Pool and the three Mediterranean Gulls from time to time on Railway Pool.

There was a dribble of hurindine today with four Sand Martins, five Swallows and three House Martins noted in the morning, and at least two Swallows and 10 Sand Martins later in the day.  Five Collared Doves visited the Car Park feeders.

22nd April 2025

Sunny, light southerly.

The long-staying pair of Wigeon continued to remain on site and there were three Shoveler, three Teal, three Little Ringed Plovers, two Redshank, seven Oystercatchers and a chick on Car Park Pool, three Mediterranean Gulls, five Common Terns, a single Common Sandpiper and two Garden Warblers, one by the Car Park gates and the other opposite the Dragonfly Pond.

Most of the tree work has now been finished in the back gate area and the bunting to screen off the area has been removed.  Please take care in this area because, inevitably, the work has churned up the ground and there are bits of Willow sticks present.

21st April 2025

Overcast, periodic rain throughout the day until late afternoon when the sun appeared.  Still, heavy showers early evening.

Thirteen Common Terns on Car Park Pool at 06.00 was the best count so far this year.  A pair of Pochard were present, along with three Mediterranean Gulls, two Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, six Little Ringed Plovers and at least six Oystercatchers.  Seven House Martins and two Swallows were counted as well.

Later in the day, two separate Garden Warblers were in song, one from the back gate and another by the entrance gate cottages.

20th April 2025

Bright, sunny, light north-easterly.

Yesterday’s Dunlin was seen again, and the Common Tern count rose to nine.

Courtesy of Russ Tonks, flowers now out included Cow Parsley, Cuckoo Flower, White Dead-nettle, Bush Vetch, Garlic Mustard, Dove’s-foot Cranesbill, Bluebell, Greater Stitchwort, Ground-ivy, Green Alkanet and Red Campion.

19th April 2025

Cold easterly, showers, overcast, brighter from mid to late afternoon.

Whilst there were no unusual terns or unusual waders, the day was undoubtedly brightened by the appearance of eight Yellow Wagtails in the Tip Field, four males and four females.  They could often prove to be elusive but followed the sheep as they moved around the field.

These were originally found as a result of a search for a male Redstart that had popped out from the Old Road hedge by the Dragonfly Pond, to pick up an insect from the Tip Field, and then quickly shot back into the hedge.  Sadly, it was only seen once.

A Garden Warbler sang frequently in the copse north of the cottages, and there were at least six Whitethroats on site.  Two female Goosanders were also seen and the long-staying pair of Wigeon remain, along with ten Mallard, four Teal and 48 Tufteds.

Waders extended to six Little Ringed Plovers, nine Oystercatchers, 16 Lapwing and a Snipe, with a Dunlin appearing later in the afternoon along with the Cattle Egret.

Yellow Wagtails amongst the Sheep – Photograph by Nick Barlow

18th April 2025

Overcast, light south-easterly, rain at midday.

Both Ring-necked Parakeets were present on the Old Road, and there was a male Yellow Wagtail briefly on the Tip Field amongst the sheep.  A female Bullfinch was seen and heard in the Back Gate Copse and all three Mediterranean Gulls were seen.

All of these however were eclipsed by two Otters which were seen on the Reedbed and followed the camera trap sighting of a female and three cubs on the 12th.

17th April 2025

Sunny, light wind.

A Lesser Whitethroat was in song along the Old Road just beyond the Dragonfly Pond today. Both adult Mediterranean Gulls were also present, as was a female Goosander.

16th April 2025

Overcast, strong blustery south-westerly.

The first Hobby of the year flew over Siden Hill Wood this morning, and two Yellow Wagtails went north over Car Park Pool.  A Ring-necked Parakeet was present along the Old Road, feeding on the catkins to the Aspen.

Two adult Mediterranean Gulls were in amongst the many Black-heads and there were six Swallows and Sand Martins beating north away with the wind behind them.

15th April 2025

Overcast with some sunny intervals by late am.  Light north-easterly.

The best birds of the day were firstly a female Wheatear, on the Flood Plain near Patrick Bridge, where a futile search for it later in the afternoon was nevertheless rewarded by a flash of red from the hedgeline across the Flood Plain opposite the gate on the Old Road.  This turned out to be a female Redstart which showed intermittently and briefly but quickly disappeared.

Other birds today were an additional Whitethroat, eight Buzzards, two adult Mediterranean Gulls, the Cattle Egret and two female Goosanders.

14th April 2025

Sunny spells, fresh south-easterly.

The Cattle Egret was back on site today, often appearing later on in the morning and roosting on one of the islands.

The first Whitethroat was in song between Railway Hide and the Railway Arches; also a female Goosander, two Little Ringed Plovers, a Redshank, six Oystercatchers, two adult Mediterranean Gulls, three Common Terns and, sadly, a dead Tawny Owl in Siden Hill Wood.

Redshank – Photograph by Bob Breach

13th April 2025

Dry, light cloud and light westerly.

Today’s highlight was the second Avocet of the month which moved between both pools between 09.00 and 10.40 before flying off north.  What was presumed to be the same bird was back on Car Park Pool by 13.00.

Other waders included five Little Ringed Plovers, two Redshank and two Common Sandpipers.

A male Wheatear appeared around midday, on the fences by the Dragonfly Pond, and further north along the Old Road there was a Meadow Pipit and four Linnets by the HS2 crossing.  Some hirundine passage, at last, included at least 30 Sand Martins and two Swallows.

3,750 Black-headed Gulls were counted today, along with two adult Mediterranean Gulls, and also the first-summer, though not at the same time.  A Ring-necked Parakeet was calling and flew over the Flood Plain towards Siden Hill Wood.  Both Cattle, Little and Great White Egrets were present and there seem to be three, now regular, singing Willow Warblers.  In the evening, a bat species was hunting over the Reedbed at dusk.

12th April 2025

Light, sunny, clouding later, light south-easterly.

All three Egrets were present early on, and a single House Martin went over.

Later in the morning Reed Warblers were heard from the Reedbed area, with at least two there and at least two further birds on the Causeway.  There were also three Sedge Warblers present, at least one in the Reedbed, one on the Causeway and one on Railway Pool.

A walk around yielded a Yellowhammer in the ploughed fields on the opposite side from the railway, and a Nuthatch in Siden Hill Wood.

At least one House Sparrow was present at Patrick Farm and there were nine Snipe around Car Park Hide and 11 in the Marsh.

A pair of Wigeon continued to linger and the estimate of the number of Black-headed Gulls was 2,275.

Sedge Warbler – Photograph by Jason Lewis

11th April 2025

Sunny spells, light north-westerly.

Waders today included the long-staying two Ruff, four Little Ringed Plovers, two Redshank and a single Common Sandpiper.

The number of Mediterranean Gulls seems to vary by the day with a pair, and then a separate individual adult with a first-summer, appearing from the 9th.  For the majority of the month so far a single adult has been present daily, but the pair infrequently.

Three Great Crested Grebes seem to be present on most days at the moment, a pair on Car Park Pool and a single adult on Railway Pool.  A Raven and a Ring-necked Parakeet flew over, and in the warmer weather there were plenty of butterflies to see with at least three Green-veined Whites, seven Speckled Woods, eight Orange-tips, a male Brimstone, two Small Tortoiseshell and a single Peacock.

10th April 2025

Sunny but cool northerly.

The two Ruff (one male, one female) remained on site, along with three Shelducks, three Little Egrets, a Great White Egret and a Common Sandpiper.

Singles of Meadow Pipit and Skylark were seen along the Old Road and, in the warmer weather, butterflies included a Comma, three Peacocks and several Orange-tips.  A Treecreeper made the logbook from the Packhorse Bridge area with birds recorded very infrequently on the main Reserve so far this spring.

9th April 2025

Sunny but cold northerly.

Two male Ruff were still present on Railway Pool this morning, but the female seems to have disappeared overnight.

There were four Little Ringed Plovers spread across the pools and a single Great White Egret also wandered across the Reserve.

A male Sparrowhawk and a Red Kite flew over and by 10.00 at least three Swallows and eight Sand Martins had flown through.

Eleven Snipe fed on the grass to the right of Car Park Hide.  A Ring-necked Parakeet flew over and the adult Mediterranean Gull had put in a brief appearance.

8th April 2025

The welcome fine weather continued this morning and, with April probably being the best month for the Reserve, the continuing run of easterlies helped to produce another good morning.

The first Common Tern of the year, on Car Park Pool, was joined by an Avocet and the three Ruff remained, spread across the pools.  Meantime, on Railway Pool, three fine summer plumage Black-tailed Godwits fed on the point opposite Oak Hide.

A Great White Egret spent much of the morning hiding in the rushes on Car Park Pool, and there were at least four Little Ringed Plovers present.  A first-summer Mediterranean Gull was seen amongst the Black-headed Gull colony on Railway Pool, but there was no sign of the adult today.

A pair of Pochard were present on Car Park Pool and the first Sedge Warbler of the year was heard from the Reedbed.

In the late afternoon a Green Sandpiper was heard calling over Car Park Pool and the first-summer Mediterranean Gull was replaced by the adult.

The tree work in the Back Gate area has largely been completed but contractors will have to return next week to finish off.  Access will resume once the barriers have been taken down.

7th April 2025

Sunny, light north-easterly.

The three Ruff favoured the Railway Pool islands, although they frequently fed apart and could be elusive.  There were at least three Little Ringed Plovers, the adult Mediterranean Gull, one Great White Egret and a female Goosander with a few hirundines drifting through in dribs and drabs.  A Nuthatch and Bullfinch were also heard in the Back Gate Copse.

6th April 2025

Sunny, light north-easterly.

Surprisingly, the three Ruff continued to stay, joining at least two Redshanks and two Little Ringed Plovers on the pools.  The adult Mediterranean Gull was again seen and today there were two Great White Egrets.  Two Swallows and a Sand Martin went through and there was a female Goosander on Car Park Pool.  A number of Orange-tip butterflies were also seen.

5th April 2025

Sunny, fresh north-easterly.

The clear blue skies and sunny weather continued, albeit with a continuing cool east/north-easterly wind.

A flock of 24 Wigeon continued to linger on site, frequently at the north end of the Flood Plain.

A Heron fest included one Great White Egret, a Cattle Egret, five Little Egrets and a Heron, with waders extending to yesterday’s three Ruff, six Oystercatchers, three Little Ringed Plovers, four Redshank and four Snipe.

A continuing passage of hirundines included at least 33 Sand Martins, four Swallows and five House Martins.

In typical Wheatear fashion birds did not appear until late morning when two females were found at the north end of the Old Road by the mitigation and settlement ponds.  However, they had moved on by late afternoon.  Other counts today included six Mute Swans, eight Canadas, 18 Greylags, four Shelduck, 27 Shoveler, 19 Gadwall, seven Mallard, 16 Teal, 44 Tufteds, seven Cormorants, three Little Grebes, three Great Crested Grebes, five Moorhen, 24 Coot, 2,450 Black-headed Gulls, one adult Mediterranean Gull, seven Herring Gulls, seven Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Two Red Kites were seen going north-east over the Tip Field, two Ravens also went over, there were at least three Willow Warblers on site, and Blackcaps are beginning to sing more regularly now with birds on the Causeway and in the Back Gate Copse.

4th April 2025

Sunny, light but cool north-easterly.

Yesterday’s three Ruff showed well for much of the day on Railway Pool and included one better marked male than yesterday, a second male and also a Reeve (female).  However, putting this record into the shade was a significant passage of Little Gulls with 21 moving through north-east between 11:56 and 12:09.  Birds were picked up above Siden Hill Wood and then tended to move towards the north end of the Flood Plain before gaining height.  This was part of a notable Midlands passage.

Other records of note today were two Shelduck, a drake Wigeon, a pair of Pochard, a female Goosander, three Little Ringed Plovers, three Snipe and a Cattle Egret, whilst one Swallow was picked up, also heading north.

As the weather warmed up, butterflies became much more prominent and ones making the log included Comma, Brimstone, Green-veined White, Holly Blue and Peacock.   Other insects, care of Russell Tonks, were Dark-edged Bee-fly (several along the Causeway), Drone Fly (also along the Causeway), and Great Pied Hoverfly.

3rd April 2025

Sunny, cold easterly, light frost early on.

Seven Ruff which arrived just before 10:30 represented the equal best count after an identical number on the 13 April 2010.

They were all moulting males with some colour coming on the chest, but well-marked back, scapular and wing feathers.  They originally appeared on Railway Pool but soon relocated to Car Park Pool and were still present into the early afternoon.  At 17:00 three birds were noted in the log and from sightings of these birds on the 4th, it appears as if the seven departed and were replaced by three different birds, two males and one female.

Ruff – Photograph by Mark Waring

There were also two Little Ringed Plovers on Car Park Pool.  Wildfowl included at least four Shelduck, 29 Shoveler, 14 Teal and four Wigeon.

A male Sparrowhawk put some of the birds up as it moved north, low over Railway Pool and there were a pair of Buzzards being harassed by Jackdaws just north of Car Park Pool.

At least 16 Chiffchaffs were in song between the Railway Embankment and the Old Road, but just one Willow Warbler this morning.  Blackcaps were heard on the Central Streamline and by the entrance gate cottages, but one couldn’t be found in the Back Gate Copse.

A vocal Green Woodpecker seemed to move between the area around Oak Hide and the Car Park, but favouring the Central Streamline.

Butterflies in the sunny weather, and particularly favouring the sheltered area, included at least four Green-veined Whites in the Crop Field and a Peacock on the Causeway.  Coltsfoot flowers were seen around the Crop Field and there were plenty of Lesser Celandines on show as well.

Peacock – Photograph by Jason Lewis

 

2nd April 2025

Bright and sunny, light easterly.

The sole adult Mediterranean Gull was present again today, along with two male and a female Goosander.  Two Willow Warblers were competing against each other, one in the Crop Field Oaks and one on the Central Stream.  Four Cetti’s Warblers are now vocal on most days, with birds along the Top Stream, in the Reedbed, by Railway Hide and by River Hide.  A Swallow also went north

1st April 2025

Sunny after early cloud burnt off, fresh westerly.

The Cattle Egret re-appeared today and joined three Little Egrets on the pools.  There was again just one adult Mediterranean Gull and 11 Herring and 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

An impressive 11 Little Grebes bodes well for the breeding season, but there were again only two Great Crested Grebes.

Seventeen singing Chiffchaffs were counted on the main part of the Reserve, with a singing Willow Warbler on the Causeway and a singing Blackcap in the Back Gate Copse.  A Red Kite went high over Siden Hill Wood.

Whilst yesterday there was only a pair of Wigeon on site, 21 were counted today.

In the sunny weather, on the Blackthorn flowers, there was a small Tortoiseshell on the Old Road and two Peacocks on the Concrete Road.

Later in the afternoon more butterflies were seen with at least two Brimstones and four Peacocks.

The small white flower along the paths, particularly in the section between the Car Park and Car Park Hide, is Common Whitlow Grass and this is the best time of year to note it.  There were also two Common Dog-violets seen.

In the late afternoon, possibly a different Red Kite went over Railway at 17:20 showing missing primaries in the left-hand wing.  Surprisingly, a Barn Owl was out hunting the back gate and Railway Embankment area at 17:45.  A single Adult Mediterranean Gull was displaying to Black-heads for a short period in front of Railway Hide.

Two Mistle Thrushes went over Car Park Pool, and there was also a drake Goosander.