Other News
It is with sadness that I report that I have just heard that Geoff Wardle, a long time supporter of the Reserve, passed away recently. Some of you will have known Geoff and he will be sadly missed at the Reserve.
Updates
10th Jun – Credit to photographs changed from “Bill” to “John Shakespeare” – with apologies.
3rd, 10th and 12th June – Photographs added
3rd June – update on bees species.
Ringing Notes
A Cetti’s Warbler ringed on the Reserve on 4th November 2015 was controlled 928 days later on the 20th May 2018, 55km away at Storting Gravel Pits, Northants.
A Blackcap ringed as a juvenile at Marsh lane on the 6th September 2017 was controlled a mere 15 days later on the 22nd September 2017, 481 km away in Reserve Naturelle Trappes, Yvelines, France.
30th June 2018
Sunny and very warm all day. Light ENE
Consolidated records from the pools for the day included: 13 Mute Swans, the Whooper Swan, Little Egret, two Pochard (m+f), 18 Gadwall chicks, 30+ Tufted Duck chicks. Great Crested Grebe, two Little Grebe, two Oystercatchers, 53 Lapwings, two Little Ringed Plovers, Lesser Black–backed Gull and up to 20 Common Terns with 18 chicks. Other records included a Yellow Wagtail which was calling as it flew over the Railway Embankment, two Collared Doves, four House Martins feeding over Siden Hill Wood, a Buzzard over and up to 60 Jackdaws which went through mid-afternoon.
Dragonfly and Butterfly sightings were 6+ Brown Hawker, 6+ Emperor Dragonfly, 10+ Marbled White between Oak and Railway Hides and two Gatekeepers along the Old Road.
29th June 2018
As recently: slightly cooler start then very warm & sunny for the rest of the day. Light ENE
No records
28th June 2018
Again, a little cooler to start with but then very warm & sunny from mid-morning. Light breeze from NE
The only record today was of two Purple Hairstreaks, seen in the Oak tree next to the Aeromodellers’ caravan.
27th June 2018
Cloudy & cooler start but then very warm & sunny from late morning. Light ENE
Interesting behaviour noted this morning at the roundabout between the Meriden Road and the Kenilworth Road (A452) at around 1100. Up to 100 Black-headed Gulls, probably some of those from the Reserve, were wheeling around low above the island in a state of some agitation, with a number feeding on the ground in the mown grass.
No records from the Reserve itself.
26th June 2018
Sunny, very warm, light ENE
A very quiet day around the Reserve with the very hot conditions probably deterring both watchers and birds.
The Whooper Swan was again present along with ten Mute Swans and other records from Car Park Pool included Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover and Redshank, with Buzzard over.
25th June 2018
Sunny, very warm (29C in the Car Park at 1630). Light NNE
Records to follow
24th June 2018
Sunny, very warm and dry. Light NNW
A Grasshopper Warbler seen along the Causeway (in the bushes south of the hide on the right) was the day’s highlight. It wasn’t reeling but was calling occasionally. There were also plenty of juveniles of various species around: a young Cuckoo seen briefly on the Railway Embankment, a young Whitethroat in the same area, two adult Blackcaps feeding young in the Back Gate Copse, a Willow Warbler carrying food by the south-west pond and a Chiffchaff with three young along the Old Road.
On the pools, the Whooper Swan was around in the company of up to 12 adult Mute Swans and five cygnets. There were also two Little Ringed Plovers and a juvenile Oystercatcher was seen from River Hide.
Marbled Whites were again much in evidence, with 20+ recorded, along with six White–letter Hairstreaks.
23rd June 2018
Sunny, warm and dry. Light NNW
The regular Saturday morning count produced the following this week:
Six Mute Swans with five cygnets, the long-staying Whooper Swan, 34 Greylag Geese, 47 Gadwall + three broods totalling 14 along with two ‘adopted’ Tufted ducklings, a male Teal, 14 Mallard + a new brood of six, two (m+f) Shoveler, 59 Tufted Duck + ten broods totalling 30, seven Little Grebes, three Great Crested Grebe, a single Grey Heron, five Cormorants, ten Moorhen, 57 Coot, 27 Lapwing, five Oystercatchers with one chick (Car Park Pool) and 14 Common Terns with ten chicks. Gull numbers were 115 Black–headed with 300 chicks and three Lesser Black–backed.
Dragonfly and Butterfly sightings were Ruddy Darter (Car Park Pond), 15 Marbled White, one in the Car Park and the rest between Oak and Railway Hides, and three White–letter Hairstreak.
22nd June 2018
Sunny, dry and warm. Light NNW.
During the morning, up to a dozen Swifts and 20+ Hirundines were feeding over Car Park Pool which also held two Redshank and a Little Ringed Plover, with a Grey Wagtail in the Marsh.
In terms of butterfly records, there were five Marbled Whites along the path to Railway Hide and, of particular note, four White–letter Hairstreaks were very active around the Wych Elm where this species was first recorded last year. Best viewed from the side of the field near the Aeromodellers’ caravan.
Dragonflies and damselflies were in abundance late morning and early afternoon, with Migrant Hawker, Black–tailed Skimmer and Broad–bodied Chaser all being recorded and, as well as the butterfly species mentioned earlier, Meadow Brown and Ringlet were also logged. There was plenty of activity along the Causeway too with four Linnets, Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler and Whitethroat all in song.
21st June 2018
Sunny, dry and warm. Light NW
Brewood Ringers made an early-morning visit and ringed 32 Black–headed Gulls on Railway Pool but unfortunately also found a dead adult Oystercatcher along with several young Black–headed Gulls. Eleven Common Terns were ringed on the Car Park Pool islands where a very young Oystercatcher chick was found as well as several young Black–headed Gulls, but there was no sign of the Redshank chicks.
20th June 2018
Overcast, warm & humid with some occasional light drizzle. Light SW.
A mid-week count across the pools by Graham Rowling produced the following: Whooper Swan, a Greylag brood (four), a Gadwall brood (six), six Mute Swans and five cygnets, five Tufted Duck broods (25 in total), six Little Grebes and one juvenile, three Shoveler (2m+f), one Wigeon (m), one Redshank, six Oystercatchers with a juvenile (ringed) and a chick, 16 Common Terns with eight chicks, seven well-grown young Mallard and, feeding overhead, up to five Swifts and 25 Sand Martins.
Other records from the log included an immature Peregrine hunting over Railway Pool, three Little Ringed Plover on Car Park Pool and, continuing the recent run of sightings, three Ravens over Siden Hill Wood and the Floodplain.
19th June 2018
Largely overcast, warm and humid with light SW breeze
No reports.
18th June 2018
Some sunny intervals, westerly wind.
A Peregrine went over this morning and the Whooper Swan was still about, “not helping its credentials at all”. There was also a Little Ringed Plover.
Reed Warblers have been showing well in front of both causeway hides and the Whitethroats have begun to show well again in front of Railway Hide.
17th June 2018
Occasional sunny intervals, westerly wind, occasional drizzle.
The Whooper Swan was still on Car Park Pool this morning and there were four Little Ringed Plovers including what was, presumably, yesterday’s fledged juvenile. There is a Little Egret, 50 Lapwings, still two Redshank, a Raven over Railway Hide where there was a Nuthatch and a family party of Long-tailed Tits. There was another Nuthatch along the Old Road, along with four Mistle Thrushes up by Patrick Farm.
16th June 2018
Cool, south-westerly wind, showery but slowly improving as the day went on.
The first migrant wader was on the pools this morning in the shape of fledged juvenile Little Ringed Plover and there was also an adult there. At least two, and probably three, Redshank chicks were being well marshalled by their parents on the islands on Car Park Pool and the colour-ringed juvenile Oystercatcher was also still present.
It was pleasing to see lots of broods of young Blue and Great Tits well scattered around the Reserve and there were also plenty of Tufted broods too with at least five on site, all on Railway Pool.
At least nine Common Tern chicks were seen, of which only one was colour-ringed, suggesting that there are at least 17 on site.
Juvenile Blackcaps were seen along the Old Road and in the back gate copse and, at 8 am, a small movement of hirundines and Swifts saw six Swifts, two House Martins and 25 Sand Martins feeding over the pools, although the latter were probably just local birds.
In the Lapwing flock of at least 40 birds there were three fledged individuals from elsewhere and the following were the main counts: six Mutes and five cygnets, 45 Greylags and at least 28 goslings, 17 Canadas, a drake Wigeon, two drake Teal, two drake and a female Shoveler, 17 Mallard, 64 Gadwall with 13 new young on Car Park Pool and a further three half grown, 70 Tufted plus the five broods, seven Moorhens and three broods all on Car Park Pool, 60 Coot and three broods, six Cormorants, four Great Crested Grebes, three adult Little Grebes and one part grown individual on the Reedbed (which has largely escaped our attention), one Heron, seven adult Oystercatchers, 11 adult Common Terns, four Lesser Black-backs, 225 adult Black-headed Gulls and 298 chicks.
As the weather improved, the following Odonata were noted: a male and female Banded Demoiselle, seven Four-spotted Chasers, ten Black-tailed Skimmers, 20 plus Blue-tailed Damselflies, ten plus Common Blue Damselflies, 25 Red-eyed Damselflies and the teneral of a Common Darter.
A few butterflies are beginning to appear now with two male Common Blues, a Ringlet, two Meadow Browns and two Speckled Woods. I think the Ringlets and Meadow Browns are the first of the year.
In the evening more Swifts appeared with at least 38 on site.
15th June 2018
Warm with plenty of sunshine. Moderate WNW breeze
A Cuckoo was again in evidence along the central stream line early in the morning, after which it flew across to Siden Hill Wood. Car Park Pool held a Little Egret, four Redshank, a ringed Oystercatcher chick and, as yesterday, two Little Ringed Plovers. Other records included four Reed Warblers from the north Causeway Hide and up to six Swifts feeding over Car Park Pool.
14th June 2018
Warm with sunny intervals. Moderate WNW breeze.
On the pools, there were two Little Ringed Plovers and two Redshank with up to a dozen Sand Martins feeding overhead. A Sparrowhawk was seen over Siden Hill Wood as were three Ravens, another good count for a species normally only seen singly or, occasionally, in pairs, even if somewhat eclipsed by the recent site record of seven.
13th June 2018
Sunny intervals, some cloud, increasing south-westerly wind.
An Osprey flew north over Car Park Pool at 11.45 this morning and is probably the one which seems to be doing the rounds of the local Reservoirs. A Cuckoo also flew over Car Park Pool and there were four adult Redshanks on the pool margins and a report of three chicks. There was also a report of a juvenile Water Rail, but no location was given. The first winter Mediterranean Gull put in a brief appearance and a Lesser Whitethroat was in song on the Old Road.
The evening’s Work Party was attended by nine people and many useful jobs were achieved including mowing the paths and clearing around the hides to improve visibility, general maintenance of hide flaps and catches and removal of re-generating Alders, Willows etc., between Oak Hide and the south-west pond. Many thanks to all those who attended and to Heather for the cake.
12th June 2018
Sunny and warm, light north-easterly wind.
Aside from the continuing survival of the two Redshank chicks, there was nothing else in the log.
Redshank with two chicks – Photograph by John Hunt – 12th June 2018
11th June 2018
Sunny, light north-easterly wind.
The ringers were on site today and seven Common Terns were colour ringed as part of a BTO approved project to check on their movements. There were four other younger Terns, which were too young to be ringed, and at least three further nests. This confirms about ten to 11 pairs as we had thought. It was also pleasing that a number of the young Terns were using the boxes on the gravel patch as a place to shelter, presumably both from the sun and also from the predatory Gulls. This was always the intention and has worked at other sites.
The Oystercatcher chick on Car Park Pool was also colour ringed and at least one Redshank young with probably a second also seen.
The back gate copse was also assessed but a very poor ringing session there yielded just three Robins (two juveniles), one juvenile Blackcap, an adult Garden Warbler, one re-trapped Blue Tit, one adult Song Thrush and one Dunnock.
The Whooper Swan was on the flood plain again and on the muck heap by the Aeromodellers, there was an immature Grey Wagtail suggesting local breeding. A Hobby hunted Car Park Pool and there was a Water Rail in the car park pond. On the car park feeder, a male Yellowhammer jointed the commoner birds, together with three Reed Buntings and a Greenfinch. A Bee Orchid is in flower on the west side of the car park near the tree on the edge of car park pool and is surrounded by some sticks so that people can see it without trampling.
10th June 2018
Sunny, light east, south-easterly wind.
The bird of the day was definitely an Osprey which flew over south at 10.15. It was initially over Car Park Pool where it was mobbed by the Gulls before it gained height and drifted south towards Bradnocks Marsh.
At least one Redshank chick was seen on the Car Park Pool islands, which is very encouraging, and a Hobby was seen briefly over Car Park Pool as well. The Whooper Swan was on the flood plain in the early afternoon. Both drake Shoveler and drake Wigeon were present.
Fox outside Railway Hide – 10th June 2018 – Photographs by John Shakespeare
Heron on Reedbed Pool – 10th June 2018 – Photograph by John Shakespeare
9th June 2018
Misty but then subsequently sunny, light easterly wind.
A second-summer and also a first-summer Mediterranean Gull were on site today and also a drake Shoveler. Otherwise nothing particularly unusual and the counts were as follows: four Mute Swans, six Cygnets, 18 Greylags and 24 goslings, 11 Canadas, 49 Gadwall and two broods (three on Car Park and five on Railway Pool), 14 Mallard and a brood of four well grown chicks on Railway Pool, a drake Wigeon, 71 Tufted, five Cormorants, four Little Grebes, three Great Crested Grebes, 30 Lapwing, four Oystercatchers and a single chick on Car Park Pool, one Redshank, ten Common Terns and seven chicks, 325 adult Black-headed Gulls and 230 chicks, five Lesser Black-backed Gulls, five Moorhen and four well grown young (broods of three and one on Car Park Pool), 46 Coot and two broods (singles on Railway Pool and Car Park Pool); and the Cetti’s Warbler was also in song.
8th June 2018
Overcast start but sunny later.
The Whooper Swan was on Car Park Pool this morning along with two Redshank and a Little Ringed Plover. There were at least seven Common Terns on site and 12 Swifts went over.
7th June 2018
Mostly overcast, light north-easterly wind.
The Whooper Swan was again on the flood plain, a Cuckoo was heard near Patrick Barns and later by the Dragonfly Pool. A first-year Mediterranean Gull was seen briefly.
6 June 2018
Sunny, light north easterly wind.
A male Red-backed Shrike was seen by two observers on the old lifebuoy post to the right of Car Park Hide at 10.30 am this morning but despite extensive searching it has yet to be re-found. This is the first record of this species at the Reserve and takes the site list to 205.
Around 8 am there were 25 to 30 Swifts on site and a similar number of Sand Martins.
The Whooper Swan was again present on site spending part of the time on the flood plain today where a Raven flew over in the early afternoon with it or another bird over Railway Hide a little later. There is also a Cuckoo present, one Little Ringed Plover, the colour-ringed Redshank, four Little Grebes, juvenile Great Tits on the causeway and Blue Tits in the crop field Oaks and the south-west pond, Willow Warbler with food by the south-west pond, at least ten Long-tailed Tits along the causeway, two broods of Gadwall, one brood of Tufted, still six Mute Swan cygnets, 20 Greylag goslings, 182 Black-headed Gull chicks, four Common Tern chicks and one Oystercatcher chick. A female Goosander also came in to Car Park Pool in the evening.
5 June 2018
Overcast drizzly start clearing to sunny intervals.
At 8 am ten Swifts, at least six House Martins and 25 Sand Martins arrived on site and was still feeding over the Reserve or the pools at least 15 minutes later.
The Whooper Swan was back on site along with a pair of Shoveler and a Little Ringed Plover.
A Cuckoo called from Siden Hill Wood in the afternoon and had moved up towards Patrick Farm by the evening. A Grasshopper Warbler reeled briefly from near the mobile phone mast in the late evening and a Tawny Owl called from the concrete road.
4 June 2018
Warm and overcast.
Two Garden Warblers were seen along the concrete road this morning and a Weasel showed well along the Old Road by the car park. A pair of Shovelers were on Railway Pool but, otherwise, it was relatively quiet today.
3 June 2018
Warm and sunny
The Whooper Swan was again on Car Park Pool and there were two Cuckoos calling this morning. A Redshank and two Little Ringed Plovers were on Car Park Pool and the Cetti’s Warbler maintained its regular singing around the Causeway where there were also a pair of Goldfinches.
A Reserve record count of seven Ravens was impressive with one over Car Park and six different birds over Patricks Farm.
There were three Gadwall chicks with an adult on Car Park and a separate brood of six on Railway.
In the late morning and early afternoon, two Spotted Flycatchers were in the tops of the dead Larches in Siden Hill Wood. A Kingfisher flew over Railway Hide, a late (or possibly an early) returning Snipe flew into the marshy area in front of Railway Hide. A third Gadwall brood appeared on Railway, a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker showed well in the nest hole just south of Oak Hide and amongst the insects there was a Painted Lady, a Small Blue Butterfly (a new species for the Reserve) on the path north of Oak Hide and around River Hide there were two Sharp-tailed Bee species (Ceolioxys), two Tawny mining bees and a Ruby Tailed wasp.
Dragonflies were similar to yesterday but with an increase in Black-tailed Skimmers to 30 and at least Beautiful Demoiselles – two along the Old Road by the manure heap and two on the Dragonfly Pool. Lastly, the first Broad-bodied Chaser was also seen today on the Dragonfly Pool.
Redshank – Photograph by Jeff Rankin 3rd June 2018
2 June 2018
Overcast start, clearing to sunny and warm
The Whooper Swan was again on Car Park Pool this morning, leaving briefly at 8.30am to go towards Berkswell before returning. It maintained its bugling for much of the time it was on site.
From at least 6.30am until at least 9am, there was a Cuckoo singing all around the Reserve although it proved elusive for most of the time. A few Sand Martins were coming and going and there was a single Redshank. As the weather warmed up, there were plenty of Odonata with the first Emperor of the year on the Dragonfly Pool, six Black-tailed Skimmers , one Four-Spotted Chaser, 50+ Red-eyed Damsels, 20 Blue-tailed Damsels, six Common Blue Damsels and 15 Azure Damselflies. There was at least one Common Blue by the South-West Pond and other butterflies included three Speckled Woods, a Peacock, a Green-veined White and a male Orange Tip.
It was also pleasing to see a lot of small froglets along the Concrete Road and by the Dragonfly Pond suggesting a good breeding season.
Other counts today were as follows; seven Mute Swans plus six cygnets on Railway Pool, ten Greylags, 21 Canadas, 39 Gadwall, 21 Mallard and two broods of seven on Car Park on seven on Railway, (the latter fully grown now), a drake Wigeon, 93 Tufted, two Little Grebes, one Great Crested Grebe, four Cormorants, two Herons, 17 Lapwing, six Oystercatchers but only one chick now on Car Park Pool (the youngster on Railway Pool was found dead), one Redshank, ten Common Terns and now three chicks, 500 Black-headed Gulls and 180 chicks including a recently fledged bird on the floodplain (the ringers have marked 68 further young with Darvic rings this year), four Lesser Black-back Gulls, five Moorhens, 30 Coot and a brood of two on Railway Pool and one Cetti’s Warbler.
Dog Rose by back gate – Photograph taken by Nick Barlow
1 June 2018
The adult Whooper Swan was present on Car Park pool this morning and a Turnstone was feeding on the islands there.
Turnstone – Photographs taken by Max Silverman