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.
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) – Updated 15th April 2021
The Reserve remains open. Members have been helpful and responsible during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Please continue to co-operate by:
- Remembering social distancing – 2m minimum between people. Please reflect this in the number of people per hide.
- For the time being, please leave two hide flaps open permanently, one on each side, to allow for air flow.
- A mask is preferred for people using hides.
Can all visitors please ensure they follow HM Government guidance in respect of hand sanitisation and social distancing, and ensure they avoid the Reserve if they or any family members (or anyone else you may be in contact with) are showing any symptoms associated with Covid-19.
Work Party Dates
July 13th – 6pm
August 9th – 6pm
Link to West Midland Bird Ringing Group: https://www.westmidlandsringinggroup.co.uk/
Updates
1st, 2nd, 4th, 11th, 14th and 22nd June – Photographs added
4th, 6th, 7th, 12th, 17th and 22nd May – Photographs added
30th June 2022
Occasional sunny intervals, mostly cloudy with showers, south-westerly wind.
No Records.
29th June 2022
Sunny spells, fresh southerly wind.
The first returning Green Sandpiper appeared today on Car Park Pool, there was a single Little Ringed Plover, six Oystercatchers and two Little Egrets. The adult Great Crested Grebe comes and goes from Car Park Pool and there were two drake Teal. Juvenile Swallows were on the wing at Patrick Farm.
Butterflies included a Painted Lady by the car park and at least 30 Marbled Whites.
28th June 2022
Sunny spells, strong south-westerly wind.
The adult Redshank was still on site today but there was no sign of the fledged juvenile. Other waders included a pair of Little Ringed Plovers and seven Oystercatchers. Two Ravens went high over Railway Pool whilst, on the insect front, the first Gatekeeper of the year was seen along the Concrete Road, and there were two Small Skippers along the Old Road.
27th June 2022
Overcast, showers, fresh south-westerly wind.
At least 20 Swifts and 25 Sand Martins were again present over the north end of Car Park Pool this morning. Waders included five Oystercatchers, 43 Lapwings and two chicks on Car Park Pool plus three chicks on Railway Pool and three Little Ringed Plovers.
Other counts comprised 11 Mute Swans, 38 Canadas (16 adults, 22 juveniles), 55 Greylags (21 adults, 34 juveniles), one juvenile Greylag / Canada Hybrid, three adult Egyptian Geese and six goslings, 23 Mallard, 15 Gadwall and four broods, two male and a female Teal, 25 Tufteds and four broods, seven Cormorants, two Herons, five Little Grebes, 11 Moorhen and 27 Coot.
26th June 2022
Sunny intervals, strong south-westerly wind
In the early morning there were at least 20 Swifts feeding over the north end of Car Park Pool with about 30 Sand Martins and it appeared as if at least some of the Sand Martins, if not the Swifts, were working south. Larks were singing from both the former Aeromodellers Field and the Tip Field whilst, along the Old Road, there was a mixed flock of Tits, Treecreepers and Chiffchaffs working south from the Horse Paddock. The flock was at least 20 strong. In the meantime, just north of the car park gates there was a family party of young Song Thrushes.
On the pools, the pair of Egyptian Geese and six young were still present and the Lapwing pair, plus two young, were still showing on the Car Park Pool islands.
A Red Kite went over on two occasions, once at 8 am and once at 12.30. A Hobby again hunted the Dragonfly Pond whilst, on the pools, an adult and juvenile Redshank, the latter reared off site, showed well in the Marsh.
The first Common Sandpiper of the autumn was on the far shore of Car Park Hide.
The Willow Warbler was still in song by the back gates with some Chiffchaff introductory notes, just to confuse everybody!
25th June 2022
Sunny intervals with odd showers.
Teal numbers had risen to five and the two Lapwing chicks were still visible in front of Car Park Hide. Four Tufted broods consisted of one of six on Car Park Pool and three of 20 in total on Railway Pool. There were also two broods of Gadwall there.
The Redshank was back in the Marsh in front of Oak Hide and hirundines and Swifts included one of the latter, 12 Sand Martins and at least one House Martin. There were 20 further Sand Martins in the afternoon and at least a few of them gave the impression of moving south already.
Aside from the numerous Marbled Whites there are a lot of Ringlets on the wing at the moment and there were two Commas and a Small Tortoiseshell seen as well.
The family of young Cetti’s Warblers were calling along Baileys Brook by the crossing, and the Willow Warbler remains in song by the South-west Pond.
24th June 2022
Overcast with a southerly wind.
Two Little Ringed Plovers and six Lapwing chicks were visible today. Two of the chicks were on Car Park Pool and four were present on Railway Pool. In the meantime, one of the Egyptian Geese seems to have abandoned the goslings and they are now being managed by just one bird.
About 120 Starlings moved through in small groups and there were at least 52 adult Lapwings, five Oystercatchers, 11 Common Terns and a female Shoveler. Sedge Warblers remain in song with at least two birds along the Old Road.
23rd June 2022
Some sunny intervals, but mostly overcast.
The only record making the log today was a good count of Marbled White butterflies with 25 seen between the car park and the railway. This species does seem to be spreading east of the stream. In previous years only a handful of records have come from the section between the car park and Baileys Brook (the Central Stream), but more and more are coming from the east side.
22nd June 2022
Sunny, not and still.
The Hobby continued to perform really well around the Dragonfly Pond as can be seen from the photographs below.
Other birds of note included two pairs of Teal, five Gadwall broods and two Tufted broods. Most of the goslings from various families remain on site or on the flood plain.
On the insect front, quality came in the shape of a White-letter Hairstreak on the Elm opposite the RDAC site, at the north end of the Old Road and a Hummingbird Hawk moth beside the path to Car Park Hide.
Hobby over Dragonfly Pool (showing what appears to be an injury to its right wing) – Photographs by Steve Taylor
21st June 2022
Sunny, hot and still.
A Red Kite went over the Old Road by the Dragonfly Pond at 11.55 this morning. At least 17 Marbled Whites were counted along with four Painted Ladies. The first Common Darter was noted, around the Dragonfly Pond. As can be seen from some photographs by Steve Taylor (see 22nd June), the Hobby was performing well at the latter spot. It seems to have a slight injury tot he front of the right wing but to no ill effect in catching dragonflies.
A Reed Warbler was feeding fledglings at the Causeway Screen where the Garden Warbler was again in song. Five Gadwall broods were still in evidence on Railway Pool.
20th June 2022
Sunny spells, light northerly wind.
An adult Hobby showed particularly well around the Dragonfly Pond today reducing the dragonfly population. There were still two Little Ringed Plovers and the Lapwing brood on the Gravel Bar. A drake Teal, three Marbled Whites and a Comma were the other more interesting records making the log in the morning.
An adult Peregrine went over at 3.30 and a Kingfisher was along the stream in the late afternoon.
Hobby on Dragonfly Pool – Photograph from Mark Wareing
19th June 2022
Cloudy, north, north-westerly wind.
At least two juvenile Cetti’s Warblers were heard along the Causeway and in the streamline area today, one of at least three pairs on site. The pair of Egyptian Geese and six goslings were still on Car Park Pool along with the adult Great Crested Grebe. Five Gadwall broods were counted on Railway Pool and there were at least ten Common Terns on site this morning, with birds favouring the northerly islands on Car Park Pool.
18th June 2022
Overcast, rain, fresh northerly wind.
Today’s full count was as follows: nine Mute Swans, 14 Canadas and 22 goslings, 34 Greylags and 51 goslings, one Egyptian Goose but only one gosling, the hybrid Greylag family with two goslings, 11 Mallard, 55 Gadwall and three broods all on Railway Pool, 47 Tufteds, an adult Great Crested Grebe, seven Little Grebes and two juveniles on Car Park Pool and a brood of one on Railway Pool, eight Cormorants, one Heron, one Little Egret, 14 Moorhen, 19 Coot, two Little Ringed Plovers, three Oystercatchers, ten Lapwings and two chicks on the Gravel Bar, two Redshanks, 300 Black–headed Gulls and at least 425 juveniles, four Lesser Black–backed Gulls, four Common Terns, five Swifts, 15 Sand Martins, two House Martins, a drake Shoveler and a Barn Owl.
17th June 2022
Hot and sunny, fresh south-westerly wind.
There was an adult Great Crested Grebe on site again today with a fledged juvenile Little Grebe on Car Park Pool which is likely to have been one from the pair in the North Causeway Bay.
The first Marbled White was noted on the bank opposite the South-west Pond, as was the first Ringlet around the Reedbed where there was also a Silver Y–Moth. Two Emperor Dragonflies were interacting on the Dragonfly Pond. A Scarlet Tiger Moth was seen along the Old Road.
In the Reedbed, overnight, there was a roost of about 30 Starlings and at least 60 hirundines, the latter not seen well but thought to have been a mixture of Swallows and Martins.
A ringing session around the Central Stream area yielded two Swallows, a House Martin, three Reed Warblers and juveniles of Sedge Warblers and Blackcap.
16th June 2022
Mostly sunny, calm.
No records.
15th June 2022
Cloudy and calm.
The adult Mediterranean Gull was present in the early afternoon and an un-seasonal Greater Black–backed Gull was also recorded. A pair of Great Crested Grebes made one of their occasional visits. There were still three Garden Warblers in song.
14th June 2022
No records.
Meadow Brown – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
Bee Orchid – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
13th June 2022
Overcast, fairly calm.
The only records for today came from the evening, with three Little Ringed Plovers, the Egyptian Goose family of six young and a Redshank. There was also a small flock of 20 Starlings circling over the Reedbed.
Blue Tit – Photograph by Tony Burbery
12th June 2022
Sunny spells, still a brisk south-westerly wind, but not as strong as yesterday.
What was presumably yesterday’s adult Hobby was seen again around the Reserve but often favouring the Dragonfly Pond. The calling Cuckoo showed well in the riverside Willows by River Hide, late morning, and the adult Mediterranean Gull was again present. A single Redshank, four Little Ringed Plovers, 38 Lapwing, a single Egyptian Geese with six goslings were on the Car Park Pool with a further two adults on the Floodplain, a female Shelduck briefly on Railway Pool, a Kingfisher through (a juvenile was ringed along the Central Stream last week), a Peregrine over Railway Pool, three Garden Warblers, a Little Egret, two Little Ringed Plovers, a Redshank and still the pair of Oystercatchers with a single young on Railway Pool.
11th June 2022
Sunny spells, brisk south-westerly wind, occasional showers.
A better selection of birds than of late with the highlight being a Hobby around the Dragonfly Pond late morning showing well hawking dragonflies and occasionally perching in the Weeping Willow; a calling Cuckoo, originally heard in Siden Hill Wood and later along the Central Stream; a Red Kite south at 12.40 and to complete the raptor count a pair of Kestrels by the underpass.
The Garden Warblers continue to sing well with one along the Causeway and two along the Old Road and butterflies included Painted Ladies along the Causeway and one by the old Bale Store along the Old Road. The first Large Skipper was also seen, again along the Concrete Road and the Bee Orchid count had increased to 17.
Other counts today were as follows: eight Mute Swans, 18 Greylags and 22 goslings, 19 Canadas and ten goslings, the mixed Canada / Greylag family with two goslings, the two Egyptian Geese and six goslings, 41 Gadwall and a single brood of five on Railway Pool, 13 Mallard two broods, 57 Tufted Ducks, four Herons (an adult and three juveniles), six Cormorants, three Little Grebes, eight Moorhen, 13 Coot, three Little Ringed Plovers, ten Oystercatchers and three juveniles, a single Redshank, 17 Lapwing, 250 Black-headed Gulls and 80 juveniles (although we know from ringing that there were at least 150 on the islands last week), six Lesser Black-backed Gulls, ten Common Terns, a Shelduck, the Lesser Whitethroat around the Car Park and down to the top stream and a single Rook on the Floodplain.
Wren – Photograph by Steve Pattison
Mediterranean Gull – Photograph by Steve Pattison
10th June 2022
Sunny spells, fresh south-westerly wind.
The Lesser Whitethroat continues to sign sporadically along the Old Road. It is assumed that there is just one bird but it does appear to wander widely from up by the Car Park gates to the top stream.
Orchid counts, courtesy of Graham Rowling, were as follows: 1935 Southern Marsh Orchids, of which 1775 were in the Orchid Field and 160 around the Reedbed; 105 Common Spotted Orchids in the Orchid Field and at least six Bee Orchids, four under the cage by the Car Park and at least two along the sides of the Reedbed.
9th June 2022
Patchy rain, mostly overcast with a south, south-westerly wind.
A Hobby flew across Railway Pool this morning, one of only a handful of records that we have had so far this year. The adult Mediterranean Gull was again present and Garden Warblers were in song in the Back Gate Copse and at least one along the Old Road.
8th June 2022
Sunny spells, strong south-westerly wind.
Three Great Crested Grebes were present on Car Park Pool but so far this year there has been no attempt at breeding. These birds, presumably, come over from Bradnocks Marsh. The four adult Egyptian Geese and six goslings were still present on Car Park Pool and the adult Mediterranean Gull put in one of its regular visits.
Lastly, there was a Painted Lady around the Car Park.
7th June 2022
Sunny, light south-westerly wind, occasional showers.
The Lesser Whitethroat has started to sing again, occasionally, by the Car Park gates, but the Garden Warblers appear to have gone quiet, presumably as they are on second broods. A juvenile House Sparrow and a juvenile Robin were present around the Old Road muck heap. There were eight Common Terns this morning, along with two Little Ringed Plovers and at least one Redshank.
The first Emperor Dragonflies were recorded today with one around the Reedbed and one on the Dragonfly Pond. A Painted Lady was seen again, this time by Railway Hide, and Meadow Browns are beginning to emerge. A single Bee Orchid is in flower under the cage by the Car Park Pond.
An evening work party was attended by eight and much of the time was spent clearing vegetation around the Tern boxes and fencing off an area in the hope that the Common Terns will return to breed. The fencing is to try and discourage the geese from trampling across the site. The paths were strimmed and the hedge to River Hide was also cut. A few Willow and Alder saplings were removed along the shore in front of Car Park Hide. Thanks to all those who attended.
6th June 2022
Overcast, early drizzle, clearing in part later.
An elusive Grey Plover was on Car Park Pool between 8.30 and 9 am before it managed to escape everyone’s observations and leave site unnoticed. It was in full summer plumage. . This is the first record since February 6th, 2016.
Grey Plover – Photograph by John Hunt
John Coakley found a new species of Dragonfly for the Reserve, a Hairy Dragonfly, which was present by the entrance gate cottages this morning. They appear to be spreading extensively within Warwickshire and John is of the opinion that it may have been present at the Reserve previously and gone unnoticed.
A Kingfisher showed well on Car Park Pool and four Ravens went over. The adult Mediterranean Gull was still present and there was a dead Stoat on the track between the South-west Pond and the Back Gate Copse.
5th June 2022
Heavy overnight rain and into this morning, drizzly and overcast thereafter all day, cold but light north-easterly wind.
In a brief let up in the rain at 2 pm, four Dunlin arrived onto Car Park Pool and were still present at 4.20. A Great White Egret flew from Railway Pool at 3 pm, towards Car Park Pool, but quickly returned and showed well, feeding opposite Oak Hide and later in the reeds to the left of River Hide on Railway Pool.
An adult Mediterranean Gull, Egyptian Geese, drake Teal, pair of Redshanks and three Little Ringed Plovers were all additional sightings.
As the rain eased there was a noticeable movement of Swifts and House Martins from 3 pm with 22 Swifts, 20 House Martins and two Sand Martins at that time; followed by another three Swifts and two House Martins at 3.15 pm and 19 more Swifts and five House Martins at 3.25. A further pulse of 13 House Martins moved through at 4.10.
As I arrived at the entrance gate cottages, just after 2 pm, a female Green Woodpecker came in and landed on one of the concrete blocks.
There were two Gadwall broods on Railway Pool (a two and a 13), and a new brood of four Greylags on Railway Pool. Six Stock Doves and a sole Fox Cub were present in the crop field.
4th June 2022
Overcast, showers turning to rain, strong easterly wind.
The Oystercatchers have become either harder to see or two of the broods have been predated as the fledged juveniles on Car Park Pool and a single chick in front of Railway Pool were the only birds that were visible today.
Four Little Ringed Plovers, 27 Lapwing and a Redshank were the other waders on site.
The adult Mediterranean Gull was present, along with 525 adult Black-headed Gulls and at least 75 chicks, ten Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Herring Gull, together with nine Common Terns.
Wildfowl extended to nine Mute Swans, 35 Greylags and 42 goslings, 38 Canadas and 23 goslings and a mixed family of a Canada and a Greylag with two goslings. There were also the Egyptian Geese family, 40 Gadwall, 16 Mallard, a drake Teal, 50 Tufteds, five Little Grebes, two Herons, seven Cormorants, six Moorhen and 21 Coot.
Late hirundine passage included ten House Martins over.
Egyptian Geese (with young) Car Park Pool – Photographs by Steve Taylor
3rd June 2022
High cloud, sunny intervals.
The pair of Egyptian Geese with six rapidly growing youngsters were present on Car Park Pool this morning. Whether as a result of their presence (they are very aggressive to other birds) or the general proliferation of geese, or the high vegetation, the number of Common Terns, having peaked in the 30s, has fallen away and there are only two to three pairs on site and none of them appear to be sitting.
The adult Mediterranean Gull, vocal much of the time, was circling both of the pools and the pair of Redshanks were on show in the Marsh.
A pair of Blackcaps were feeding two newly fledged young by River Hide and a Goldcrest feeding young on the Old Road near the horse paddock gate. A Willow Warbler was singing near the Dragonfly Pond. Six Mallard broods were counted today and also 61 Greylag goslings. A Painted Lady was also seen.
2nd June 2022
Sunny, light south-easterly wind.
A Barn Owl was again around in the early morning period, as was the adult Mediterranean Gull. A pair of Redshanks, including the colour-ringed bird showed well in the Marsh and there was also a drake Teal.
Garden Warblers were in song and showing well along the Causeway (west end) and above the main track to the back gate where the Willow Warbler was also very vocal. This male bird is ringed.
A Cinnabar moth was on the wing in front of Railway Hide and two female Brimstones, seven Common Blues and two Banded Demoiselles were joined by the first Meadow Brown butterfly of the year. A Mother Shipton moth was also seen but there was only seven Terns this morning.
Common Blue Butterfly – photograph by Bob Breach
Marsh Orchids – Photograph by Bob Breach
1st June 2022
Overcast, light north-westerly wind, occasional sunny spells.
There were two Mediterranean Gulls this morning, an adult and a second-summer and a Kingfisher showed briefly to one lucky observer. A Lesser Whitethroat was also recorded but no location was given.
Southern Marsh Orchid – Photograph by Ray Allen
