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
September 6th – 6 pm
October 8th – 2 pm
November 12th – 2 pm
December 10th – 2 pm
Link to West Midland Bird Ringing Group: https://www.westmidlandsringinggroup.co.uk/
Updates
26th and 28th August – Photographs added
31st August – Record updated
25th August – Record updated
6th and 21st August – Photographs added.
18th August – Photographs added.
13th August – Photographs added.
23rd, 29th and 31st July – Photographs added.
Records added for the 27th to 31st July 2022
31st August 2022
Sunny but strong north easterly
Four Yellow Wagtails were among the cattle on the flood plain at 9am but moved on quickly with one briefly on the far bank of Car Park Pool. There were also five Little Egrets there.
25 mixed hirundines were feeding high over Railway Pool at 10.30am which appeared to be mostly Sand Martins but there were at least two each of Swallow and House Martin.
The drake Garganey showed on and off from Oak Hide during the day, there were four Green Sandpipers on the Pools, at least two Greenfinches on the feeders and two Chiffchaffs by the top gate.
Other birds making the log this morning were 19 Cormorants, 11 Herons, a Water Rail in the North Causeway Bay and a single Wigeon.
Two Small Copper butterflies were amongst the thistles at the west end of the Dragonfly Pond. There seems to have been less of this species visible this year.
30th August 2022
Sunny and warm
Presumably what was yesterday’s Great White Egret showed well on the gravel bar on Railway Pool this morning from 9.15am before moving to Car Park Pool. There was a single Yellow Wagtail in with the cattle on the flood plain. Heron numbers increased to 12, Shoveler to 51 and Teal to 49. 398 Greylags and 230 Canadas plus the Egyptian Geese family made up the other wildfowl counts.
Other records during the day included four Snipe, a Water Rail, a Cetti’s Warbler and 15 House Martins.
In the evening, West Midland Ringing Group were on site and the Nightjar was caught and ringed and proved to be a juvenile like the bird last year. However, contrary to our suspicions it clearly was a different bird.
The Great White Egret tried to roost in Siden Hill Wood but was disturbed by the evening congregation of Jackdaws.
29th August 2022
Sunny spells, light north-easterly
The Garganey was still present today and there was a Great White Egret present on Car Park Pool from 11.30am.
Nine Little Egrets and nine Herons were both good counts and Shoveler numbers had increased again to 45. Only one Wigeon was visible today and there were singles of Snipe and Green Sandpiper.
Three Yellow Wagtails were present among the cattle on the flood plain where they have returned having enjoyed their visit to Railway Pool.
A Hobby was again feeding on dragonflies over the Pools and lastly 14 Little Grebes was a good post breeding count and included seven juveniles.
28th August 2022
Sunny and warm
A new find today was an eclipse drake Garganey which showed all day in front of Oak Hide. Shoveler numbers had also increased over the previous two days with at least 38 present.
An adult Hobby was around for much of the day and in the afternoon was using the tree line behind River Hide as a perch to sally out and pluck dragonflies from Railway Pool.
Three Green Sandpipers were present to the right of River Hide, on Railway Pool, in the late afternoon and there were also two Wigeon there. A calling Water Rail was heard by the large Oak tree in the North Causeway Bay.
Green Sandpiper from Railway Hide – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
Chiffchaff along the Concrete Road – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
27th August 2022
Sunny spells, light north-easterly.
The morning counts c/o Graham Rowling and Dave Scanlan were as follows: Ten Mute Swans, 359 Greylags, three Farmyard Geese, two Canada-Greylag hybrids, 250 Canadas, eight Egyptian Geese, 29 Shoveler, 30 Gadwall, 26 Mallard, 32 Teal, 44 Tufted, 14 Moorhen, 38 Coot, eight adult and five juvenile Little Grebes (which at least four are locally bred), eight Little Egrets, five Herons, six Cormorants, two adult and two juvenile Oystercatchers, 82 Lapwing, three Green Sandpipers, 95 Black-headed Gulls, eight Lesser Black-back Gulls, a Sedge Warbler by Patrick Bridge, a Cetti’s Warbler by River Hide, four Ravens east over Railway Pool and a Hobby high over Siden Hill Wood.
In the afternoon, a mobile and well populated Tit flock was progressing south along the Old Road and included at least four Chiffchaffs, a Goldcrest and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Two Stock Doves were on the tip field, a Wigeon appeared on Railway Pool, a Stoat showed well along the Old Road and the Concrete Road and a Muntjac was seen in the orchid field.
At least six people turned up at dusk in the hope of seeing a Nightjar and had a very brief view of the bird flying over the south-west pond at 8.45pm but it was not seen again. At least five, and probably six, Green Sandpipers came into roost, a pair of Tawny Owls were very vocal just east of the back gate and a Lesser Whitethroat was seen before the light fell in the bushes by Oak Hide.
26th August 2022
Cold start, mostly sunny, light north-westerly wind.
The West Midlands Ringing Group were on site this morning prior to dawn and had a Nightjar, initially at 2.30 am and again just prior to 6 am when it was picked up and filmed through a thermal camera. It was perching on the fence post by the south-west pond and then dropping into the grass or onto the track for food, probably having to work quite hard in the cool overnight conditions. It then vanished. The bird last year appeared on the 3rd September and was ringed on the 10th and so not only a similar time of year, but also an encouragement that the bird might hang about.
The relatively quiet ringing session yielded ten Blackcaps, two Garden Warblers, two Chiffchaffs and two Robins. A Bullfinch was heard in the back gate area and over Railway Pool, a Buzzard, two Little Egrets and two Ravens were seen prior to 9 am. A little later in the morning a Whinchat was found north of Patrick Farm.
Buzzards over Railway Hide – photograph by Ray Allen
Other birds during the day included at least two Green Sandpipers, two Ravens, the family party of eight Egyptian Geese, 15 Shoveler, a Hobby, a Whitethroat by Railway Hide and a Sedge Warbler by Oak Hide.
25th August 2022
Wet overnight and into the morning, slowly clearing in the afternoon. North-westerly wind.
A single Green Sandpiper and two Snipe were present on Railway Pool in the early afternoon and there were at least four Chiffchaffs around the South-West Pond / back gate area.
A Green Woodpecker called from the car park Oaks and a Little Egret went over. A Bullfinch was calling around Oak Hide in the middle of the afternoon with birds having bred successfully somewhere near the back gate.
24th August 2022
Overcast, fresh southerly wind.
More migrants were on the move today with a Spotted Flycatcher on the north side of the hedge between the flood plain and Car Park Pool, viewable from the Old Road gate.
Three Wheatears included one on the Tip Field from the car park gate and two on the flood plain, perhaps attracted by the bare earth from the HS2 works. A single Wigeon, three Green Sandpipers, seven Herons and 330 Canadas were the other records.
23rd August 2022
Sunny spells, fresh southerly wind.
A single Yellow Wagtail flew south over Railway Hide this morning and a Kingfisher showed well at various locations. Although water levels on the main pools have dropped, that on the Reedbed is holding up quite well and the Kingfisher spent some of the time using the stems there as perches.
Three Green Sandpipers, two Ravens and a Sparrowhawk were seen in the morning whilst a Hobby and an immature Kestrel were added to the log for the late afternoon.
22nd August 2022
Sunny spells, fresh southerly wind.
Five Yellow Wagtails were feeding amongst the cattle on the flood plain this morning and the first Common Gull of the autumn was a brief visitor to Car Park Pool.
Seven Little Egrets, three Ringed Sandpipers, eight Egyptian Geese and a juvenile Water Rail were the other birds making the log.
21st August 2022
Sunny spells occasional light showers.
A male Whinchat was present all day around the Dragonfly Pond and showed well to all viewers.
Two Black-tailed Godwits were brief visitors in the early morning and there two Green Sandpiper, a single Common Sandpiper and one Snipe. Little Egret numbers reached seven today and, late in the season, a Lesser Whitethroat was in song along the Old Road.
35 Stock Doves, 20 Rooks, a Kestrel and a Wigeon made up the other records.
Whinchat by Dragonfly Pond – Photograph by Paul Casey
Azure Damselfly – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
20th August 2022
Sunny spells, fresh south-westerly wind.
A female Pheasant and five juveniles were seen on the edge of the crop field this morning, two Ravens went over, there were 24 Rooks amongst the Corvids on the flood plain and a Hobby was also seen.
Other counts were as follows: 11 Mute Swans, 239 Greylags, a Greylag / Canada Cross, 94 Canadas, eight Egyptian Geese, one Wigeon, 38 Gadwall and five ducklings, seven Shoveler, 21 Mallard, 23 Teal, 18 Tufteds and seven ducklings, 11 Cormorants, five Herons, seven Little Egrets, seven adult and four juvenile Little Grebe, seven Moorhen, 35 Coot, one juvenile Water Rail, four Oystercatchers (two adults and two juveniles), 54 Lapwing, two Green Sandpipers, 49 Black-headed Gulls and four Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
19th August 2022
Sunny spells, fresh westerly wind.
There was still four Oystercatchers present today which is quite late for this species. Other waders included two Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper whilst the family of eight Egyptian Geese continued their residency.
Three Water Rails including an adult on the far bank opposite Car Park Hide and two juveniles in the Causeway channels.
A juvenile Great Crested Grebe from off site was present on Car Park Pool and there was a Willow Warbler on the railway embankment.
Thank you to Mike Hearn and John Hunt for updating the log in my absence for most of August – Nick.
18th August 2022
Cloudy start then sunny intervals, occasional light rain. Light SW
A Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers were again logged, quite likely the same individuals which have been around for several days. Two Common Terns went over going south, a juvenile Water Rail was seen and two Hobbies were hunting over Car Park Pool late morning. Hirundines were gathering in some numbers: 35+ Sand Martins, 30 House Martins and three Swallows.
Whitethroat from Railway Hide – Photograph by Anthony Burbery
Wren from Railway Hide – Photograph by Anthony Burbery
17th August 2022
Cloudy start with light rain, occasional brighter spells. Rain overnight. Light NW
Ten adult Little Grebes, accompanied by three juveniles, was a good count for this species, albeit a long way short of the site record of 36 set back in 2005. August numbers do generally get into double-digits but there hasn’t been a count of 20 or more since 2012 and late summer/early autumn numbers have generally declined since the first decade of the Reserve.
Other records included two Common Sandpipers and Green Sandpiper, eight Shoveler and Teal numbers were up to twenty-one.
16th August 2022
Overcast with occasional drizzle. Heavy rain late p.m. Light NW
What were presumably yesterday’s Greenshank, Common Sandpipers (two) and Green Sandpiper were again present, along with the Egyptian Goose family. Elsewhere, a Hobby showed well as it hunted over Car Park and Railway Pools mid-afternoon.
15th August 2022
Cloudy with sunny spells and cooler than of late. Light W/NW
A Greenshank was the day’s highlight, first noted on Car Park Pool just after 11:00 and still present in the early afternoon. Other records included both Green and Common Sandpipers, two of the latter, along with Snipe, a male Pochard, the regular family of eight Egyptian Geese and three Cetti’s Warblers along the Causeway. The good run of recent Kingfisher sightings continued with a further record, this time from the Reed Bed Pool.
14th August 2022
Sunny and extremely warm (heatwave warning in force). Still/very light E/NE
With the heatwave continuing into its fourth day, two Hobbies were hunting over Railway Pool mid-morning. Other records included both Common and Green Sandpipers, two adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover and eight Egyptian Geese, presumably the family group seen regularly of late.
13th August 2022
Sunny and extremely warm (heatwave warning in force). Still/very light E/NE
Combining the regular Saturday count with the other logbook records produced the following:
On the pools, thirteen Mute Swans, 18 Canada Geese, Canada x Greylag hybrid, 368 Greylag Geese, Farmyard Goose, Egyptian Geese (two adults + six juveniles), three Shoveler, 21 Mallard, 12 Teal, 43 Gadwall + four ducklings, 17 Tufted Ducks + 12 ducklings (six broods), 12 Cormorant, three Grey Herons, three Little Egrets, eight Little Grebes, 21 Moorhen, 25 Coot, 65 Lapwing, two adult and two juvenile Oystercatchers, Snipe (Car Park Pool), Green Sandpiper, 68 Black–headed Gulls, 11 Lesser Black–backed Gulls, a single Herring Gull, two juvenile Water Rails and a Kingfisher on the fence to the left of Oak Hide.
Elsewhere across the Reserve, Sparrowhawk and Buzzard were noted, three Common Terns went over going north and, to the left of Railway Hide were both a Lesser Whitethroat and at least four Common Whitethroats. Both adult and juvenile Cetti’s Warblers were along the Causeway and a Yellow Wagtail was briefly with the cattle on the Flood Plain before flying south. Finally, a Holly Blue was along the Central Stream line with Banded Demoiselle also logged.
Photographs by Steve Pattison
Egyptian Goose with six well developed young
Kingfisher
Little Egret with prey
12th August 2022
Sunny and extremely warm (heatwave warning in force). Still/very light E/NE
Greylag Goose numbers continue to build with a count of 319, although this is still some way off the site’s August record of 500. The Canada x Greylag hybrid was also again present as was the family party of Egyptian Geese with the regular two adults and six juveniles. Other records included Green Sandpiper and two juvenile Water Rails.
11th August 2022
Sunny and extremely warm (heatwave warning issued). Still/very light E/NE
There were no records in the logbook but thirty birds were ringed during an early morning session in the Back Gate Copse:
Blackcap 18
Robin 3
Garden Warbler 1
Wren 2
Bullfinch 4
Blackbird 1
Reed Warbler 1
A Tawny Owl was also seen.
Bullfinch – photograph by Ben Dolan
Blackbird – photograph by Ben Dolan
9th August 2022
Sunny and very warm. Faint breeze E/NE
Green Sandpipers, most likely yesterday’s birds, were again present on both Car Park and Railway Pools, with the latter also having Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover and three Little Egrets.
Mid-afternoon, Car Park Pool held 80+ Lapwings, five Mute Swans, 74+ Black–headed Gulls, Lesser Black–backed Gull and the Egyptian Goose family comprising two adults and six juveniles. Oak Hide records were a female Gadwall, around 150 Jackdaws over and a further four Mute Swans. A Whitethroat was feeding a juvenile right in front of Railway Hide and three Buzzards were riding the thermals above the Railway Embankment.
Seven attended the working party on a very warm evening and started on the major task of clearing vegetation from the Railway Pool islands – thanks to all involved. This hard work was rewarded for a lucky few with a brief view of a Barn Owl as it flew from the Old Road and across the Crop Field around 9pm.
8th August 2022
Sunny and very warm. Faint breeze E/NE
A Monday count across the Reserve produced the following:
Three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, two Green Sandpipers, two Shoveler, two adult and six juvenile Egyptian Geese, 213 Greylag Geese, 10 adult and one juvenile Mute Swans, an adult and two juvenile Water Rails (North Causeway Bay), two Cetti’s Warblers (North Causeway Bay and Old Road), Treecreeper (Old Road) and two Ravens over Siden Hill Wood.
The ditch south of Oak Hide was cleared out a while ago and Martyn Reay has noted that, not only has the previously existing Watercress increased considerably, but three new species are now present: Water Starwort, Fools Watercress and Lesser Water Parsnip.
7th August 2022
Sunny and very warm p.m. Light breeze NW
Records were generally in line with recent days: two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers (Oak Hide), two Green Sandpipers (Oak Hide and Car Park Pool), two juvenile Water Rails (North Causeway Bay), Kingfisher (Oak Hide) and, finally, two juvenile Kestrels by the railway arches.
6th August 2022
Bright, sunny and warm. Light W
The Saturday count, courtesy of Graham Rowling & Dave Scanlan, combined with other logbook entries, yielded the following:
On the pools, three Canada Geese, 151 Greylag Geese, two adult and six juvenile Egyptian Geese, five Mute Swans, 51 Gadwall, a Shoveler, seven Mallard, 11 Teal, 14 Tufted Duck with 29 ducklings (10 broods), six Cormorants, seven Little Egrets, four Grey Herons, three Little Grebes, nine Moorhen, 19 Coot, 55 Lapwing, two juvenile Water Rails, four juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, three Green Sandpipers, 60 Black–headed Gulls, nine Lesser Black–backed Gulls and three adult Common Terns with three juveniles. An adult Cetti’s Warbler was seen feeding a juvenile below Railway Hide.
Juvenile Cetti’s Warbler from River Hide – Photograph by Mark Waring
Two Kingfishers were on a post to the left of Oak Hide – most records of this species at Marsh Lane are of single birds so a sighting of two is an uncommon event. Raptor records comprised Sparrowhawk by Oak Hide, Hobby over Car Park Pool and Kestrel hunting along the Railway Embankment. Finally, a Raven was over Siden Hill Wood.
Reed Warbler – North Causeway – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
5th August 2022
Mainly sunny, some cloudy intervals. Cooler than of late in NW breeze
Warblers were in evidence with Whitethroat (two), Blackcap (three) and Chiffchaff along the Railway Embankment, Willow Warbler in the large Gorse on the path to Railway Hide and three Cetti’s Warblers – one along the Causeway and two between the Car Park gate and the top stream.
Other sightings were Bullfinch, Teal (14), Green Sandpiper (two), juvenile Little Ringed Plover (two), Water Rail (adult + three juveniles), Little Egret (six) and Egyptian Goose (two adults + six juveniles). The latter were initially on Car Park Pool but then relocated to the Flood Plain. Finally, a Hobby again put in an appearance over Railway Pool.
4th August 2022
Mainly sunny, some cloudy intervals. Light NW
The only log entries today were for juvenile Great Crested Grebe on Car Park Pool, three Little Egrets on Railway Pool and Green Sandpiper on each pool.
3rd August 2022
Overcast start with some rain but brighter from mid-morning. Breeze from South.
Generally records were very similar to yesterday, albeit with some variation in the counts: four juvenile Water Rails in the North Causeway Bay, an adult and three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, two Green Sandpipers and the juvenile Great Crested Grebe.
Other log entries were six Little Egrets, three fledged Common Tern chicks and a Kingfisher, the latter being seen in the Reed Bed, North Causeway Bay and on Railway Pool.
2nd August 2022
Generally overcast but warm and humid. Light SE
The current run of Little Ringed Plover records continued with three juveniles present. Similarly, Water Rails are currently a regular sighting, generally in the North Causeway Bay, although just a single juvenile was logged on this occasion. Cetti’s Warbler was present in the same location, a Green Sandpiper flew over and a juvenile Great Crested Grebe was recorded too.
1st August 2022
Overcast start then warm & sunny. Very light SW
A Dunlin was found on the gravel bar on Railway Pool mid-morning but appeared to have moved on shortly after. Little Ringed Plover numbers, while not at yesterday’s level, remained high at five, with four juveniles and an adult. Water Rails have been showing well from the North Causeway Hide of late and three juveniles were again seen.
Other sightings included two Green Sandpipers, Treecreeper, Lesser Whitethroat (from River Hide), eight Egyptian Geese (two adults + six juveniles) on the Flood Plain and a Raven over. Good views were had of a Kingfisher eating its catch on the posts in front of Railway Hide and a Kestrel was hunting Railway Pool margins late morning.