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
Wednesday June 12th – 6pm
Wednesday July 10th – 6pm
Wednesday August 14th – 6pm
Wednesday September 11th – 6pm
Saturday October 12th – 2pm
Saturday November 9th – 2pm
Saturday December 7th – 2pm
Link to West Midland Bird Ringing Group: https://www.westmidlandsringinggroup.co.uk/
COLOUR-RINGED COMMON TERN
A Common Tern, colour-ringed as a juvenile at Marsh Lane on 27 July 2022 was sighted at Minsmere Nature Reserve in Suffolk on the 10 June 2024, a distance of 225km east and 684 days after it was ringed. It had not been seen in the intervening period, presumably because it stayed in Africa as a first-year bird.
29th June 2024
Warm, sunny intervals, light showers at 07.30.
A family party of Ravens flew over at 09.30. This consisted of two scruffy looking adults and two fresh juveniles. There were also at least five recently fledged Jackdaws with 15 adults around Car Park Hide.
At least five Swifts, three Sand Martins and a House Martin were seen either flying over, or feeding towards Patrick Bridge. A juvenile Green Woodpecker was calling along the Central Stream, and there were two family parties of Sedge Warbler, one either side of River Hide.
Another Lunar Hornet Clearwing was attracted to the lures around the Car Park this morning.
28th June 2024
Breezy from the south-west, cool, sunny intervals.
In the windy weather, there was a small Swift passage this morning, with four over Car Park Pool followed by another two, and those seemed to depart fairly quickly. A little later, there were a separate four over the Central Stream and high up above the Stream, there were a further four birds. Three Sand Martins also appeared to be on the move.
Two Red Kites were also noted in the evening, whilst other birds making the log were two Little Ringed Plovers, two drake Shovelers, five Teal, the pair of Great Crested Grebes, at least three adult Little Grebes and still a chick on the Reedbed, a Tufted Duck brood of four on Car Park Pool, a Mallard and four fledged juveniles on Car Park Pool, four Oystercatchers, at least five Lapwings, five Common Terns, a family party of Wrens by the main gate, a Song Thrush carrying food towards the gorse clump opposite the back gate, and a Scarlet Tiger Moth on the path to River Hide.
27th June 2024
Breezy from the south-west, but warm and sunny, about 20°.
The juvenile Mediterranean Gull was flying strongly this morning, and at least one of the adults was continuing to visit to feed it. Six Common Terns, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Little Egret were also noted.
26th June 2024
Sunny, light easterly, hot.
The warm weather was conducive to flying insects and the counts today were as follows: 18 Marbled Whites, 20 Meadow Browns, 20 Ringlets, six Speckled Wood, a single Comma; eight Emperor Dragonflies, one Brown Hawker, 12 Common Darters, 20 Four-spotted Chasers and 30 Black-tailed Skimmers.
Bird wise there was not a great deal of change although six Teal (three pairs) were new in.
25th June 2024
No records.
24th June 2024
Sunny, warm, some cloud
Both adult Mediterranean Gulls were feeding a seemingly fledged juvenile on Railway Pool today. The bird is usually on the near shore opposite Railway Hide. A pair of Little Grebes have a juvenile on the Reedbed pool as well, after a currently poor breeding season elsewhere on the Reserve. There was also an Otter seen briefly on the Reedbed at 21.00 when two Little Egrets flew over, presumably to roost somewhere.
The two Fox cubs and an adult were mooching about the Crop Field in the early evening and there was also a Muntjac there. A Bittern was seen again in the Reedbed.
Fox cub in the early evening sun – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
There is still a reasonable amount of song as we approach the end of June, with Song Thrushes in particular, very vocal. Some of the warblers can go quiet but the Garden Warbler by the cottages was still singing away this morning, as was the Cetti’s Warbler on the Central Stream.
Duck wise, there was a female Shoveler, two Gadwall broods, two Mallard broods and a single Tufted brood. A pair of Great Crested Grebes were trying to build again, this time between the Car Park islands and the far shore.
Waders were limited to two Little Ringed Plovers, a Redshank, five Oystercatchers and about nine Lapwings, the latter feeding in the Crop Field in the evening.
A Brown Hawker and 11 Marbled Whites also made the log.
23rd June 2024
Warm and sunny.
Some interesting insect action today with various moths and butterflies, with the former attracted to lures round the Car Park. These included five Lunar Hornet Moths, one Red-belted Clearwing, one Orange-tailed Clearwing and one Red-tipped Clearwing. New butterflies included a Large Skipper, a male Brimstone, and a Green-veined White and there were also 20 Meadow Browns and 16 Ringlets.
Red-belted Clearwing – Photograph by Dave Hutton
The other good news was the pair of Mediterranean Gulls on Railway Pool are now feeding a single, well grown chick. This is the first successful breeding at the Reserve. There were also six Common Terns today with some indication that birds are contemplating re-laying. It was initially thought early failure was down to bird flu but Graham Rowling informs me that Brandon Marsh’s Common Terns all failed too and this was believed to be down to the cool, often damp weather.
22nd June 2024
Sunny spells, fresh north westerly.
The full count today included 13 Mute Swans, 11 Canadas and a brood of three, the hybrid gosling and family, 14 Greylags and two broods extending to seven goslings, 46 Gadwall and two broods, 24 Mallard and two broods, three Teal, 16 Tufteds and still only the one brood of two on Car Park Pool, 16 Cormorants, a Great Crested Grebe, five Little Grebes, a Heron, a Little Egret, six Moorhen, 43 Coot, one Little Ringed Plover, six Oystercatchers, 32 Lapwing, three Common Terns, 160 adult Black-headed Gulls and 400 juveniles, one adult Mediterranean Gull, a Lesser Black-backed Gull which took a Black-headed Gull chick; and on the insect front, five Marbled Whites, two Ringlets, 16 Meadow Browns, five Emperors, three Common Darters, five Four-spotted Chasers, five Black-tailed Skimmers, two female Beautiful Demoiselles and five male Banded Demoiselles.
Little Ringed Plover – Photograph by Jason Lewis
It is interesting to note that the number of Black-headed Gulls has already started to drop as fledged Gulls are beginning to disperse.
In the evening two adults and a juvenile Kingfisher showed well on the Reedbed, and in the Crop Field there were two half grown Fox cubs, four Stock Doves and eight Lapwings.
21st June 2024
Sunny and warm.
There were two Nuthatches chasing each other in the Back Gate Copse area, both very vocal, possibly an adult with a fledged young. The Garden Warbler was still singing away and wandering quite widely in the area from the tall willows south of the pond across to the back gate.
There were two Redshanks, one on each pool, a single Little Ringed Plover on Car Park Pool, two male and a female Teal in front of Oak Hide, a Willow Warbler still singing by the South-West Pond where there was an active juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Rook flew over, a Greenfinch was calling by the Car Park area, as if nesting nearby, and butterflies extended to a Speckled Wood in the Back Gate Copse and two Meadow Browns on the edge of the Crop Field. Butterfly numbers are generally down after the wet spring. Later in the day three Marbled Whites, six Ringlets, 15 Meadow Browns, four Speckled Woods, six Emperors, 15 Four-spotted Chasers and ten Black-tailed Skimmers were counted by Graham Rowling.
Marbled White – Photograph by Graham Rowling
20th June 2024
Sunny and warm.
The Crop Field is worth a look whilst the newly sown crop is emerging, and this morning there were a pair of Crows feeding one fledged young, a pair of Magpies with two fledged young, a pair of Mistle Thrushes, three Blackbirds, a single Lapwing and, on the perimeter, two Meadow Browns. A second-summer Mediterranean Gull came over the Car Park calling, and three Sand Martins were seemingly heading low to the south.
A Sedge Warbler was in very active song flight on the west side of the North Causeway Bay, whilst the Garden Warbler by the cottages was back in song.
Reed Warblers passing food – Photograph by Mark Waring
A Collared Dove was feeding under the Car Park feeders, and Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting and Sedge Warbler (two adults feeding two young at the back of River Hide) were all active on site.
A Ringlet was also noted today.
19th June 2024
Sunny spells, light north easterly.
There were two Gadwall broods this morning, yesterday’s eight and a single, still three Mallard broods and still one Tufted brood. Waders present were one Little Ringed Plover, a Redshank, six Oystercatchers and 28 Lapwings. A Bittern flew over the Causeway from the North Causeway to the Reedbed, there were two Mediterranean Gulls, one Red Kite and one Hobby over the Reserve, two Great Crested Grebes and two Little Grebes on the pools. The Great Crested Grebes were seen mating again.
Bittern – Photograph by Steve Powis
The first Marbled White was on the wing along the bank opposite the South-West Pond, an Emperor Dragonfly continued to cover much of the Dragonfly Pond area where there were also two Common Darters, whilst on the animal front, a male Roebuck was on the shore opposite Car Park Hide and there was a Fox family in the Crop Field.
18th June 2024
Overcast, light north westerly.
There were three Mallard broods and a single Tufted brood today, and a female Gadwall with eight young. Two Redshank, 30 Lapwing, three Common Terns and a female Goosander were the additional birds noted during the morning, whilst in the evening an adult Water Rail was seen in the channels in the North Causeway Bay. There have been no records in this area all summer, so this is presumably a relocating bird from the Reedbed. There were also seven Swifts and a small roost of 30 Starlings in the Reedbed.
17th June 2024
Sunny spells, light westerly.
There was not a great deal of change on the bird front today, with counts as follows: 12 Mute Swans, eight Canadas, 31 Greylags and 16 goslings, the juvenile Canada/Greylag hybrid, 60 Gadwall, 17 Mallard and three broods, 74 Tufteds and one brood of two, 17 Cormorants, two Great Crested Grebes, five Little Grebes (four adults and a juvenile from elsewhere) one Heron, two Little Egrets, nine Moorhen, 37 Coot, five Common Terns, 900 Black-headed Gulls (a mixture of adults and juveniles), three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, three Mediterranean Gulls (an adult and two second-summers), six Oystercatchers, 27 Lapwing and two Redshank.
A Nuthatch was fairly active in the Back Gate Copse.
16th June 2024
Sunny intervals and showers, west/north westerly.
Four Mediterranean Gulls included a pair visible from Oak Hide and two second-summers over the Causeway with the latter coming and going and being very vocal for much of the afternoon.
The first Gadwall family comprised eight ducklings on Railway Pool, and there was a female Tufted with two young on Car Park Pool. In the recently cultivated Crop Field where were ten Stock Doves feeding whilst six Swifts hunted overhead.
A Kingfisher was again noted from the Reedbed Pool and a family of two fledged Sedge Warblers were in the brambles just by Oak Hide. There was a fledged Chiffchaff on the Causeway, two Garden Warblers remain in song and the first Emperor Dragonfly was on the pool by Car Park Hide.
15th June 2024
Heavy showers, thunder and lightning, brightening later.
An adult Mediterranean Gull put in a brief appearance around Oak Hide, there were still two Redshank, two Little Egrets, and a pair of Shoveler. 443 Black-headed Gull juveniles were counted whilst overhead, two Swifts and two House Martins were hopefully not early returning birds.
14th June 2024
Showery, cool, south westerly.
The only records were an adult and a second-summer Mediterranean Gull, two Redshanks and, fortunately, still six Common Terns with birds prospecting for re-laying.
13th June 2024
Cool, north westerly, sunny intervals.
No records.
12th June 2024
Sunny intervals, cool north westerly.
Two Mistle Thrushes flew over the Crop Field this morning. This species is remarkably elusive at the Reserve but birds are clearly reasonably close by, so where they go for much of the rest of the season remains a mystery.
There was an adult Mediterranean Gull on Railway Pool, a Hobby hunting over the Car Park and two each of Redshank and Little Ringed Plover.
11th June 2024
Cloudy, cool north westerly.
As a result of what appears to be bird flu affecting a number of young birds, the Terns seem to have temporarily left the Reserve.
Few adults fortunately seem to be affected, but young birds seem to be susceptible.
Other birds making the log today were two Redshank, a first-summer Mediterranean Gull, three adult Oystercatchers, still two Lapwing chicks, a Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret, a Green Woodpecker by the Car Park and two Sedge Warblers in front of River Hide.
Sedge Warbler – Photograph by Alan Rich
10th June 2024
Sunny spells after showers, fresh northerly, noticeably cold.
Despite the weather, there was a Hobby hunting the pools this morning, and there were two still two Little Ringed Plovers, two Redshanks, four Oystercatchers and three Common Terns.
There were 11 adult Mute Swans but no sign of any cygnets now, Canada goslings were down to six, Greylag goslings down to 14 and there was still one Canada/Greylag hybrid gosling.
The pair of Great Crested Grebes on Car Park Pool seem to have abandoned their latest attempt at a nest.
9th June 2024
Sunny periods, brisk north westerly.
A Dunlin was a new arrival today on Railway Pool where there were still nine Oystercatchers, three Redshank, and an adult Mediterranean Gull.
A Hobby hunted over the Causeway area, four Ravens went over along with six Swifts, there were also two Little Egrets and a Kestrel. Garden Warblers continued to sing from the Causeway area and the Back Gate Copse.
Later in the day a Mistle Thrush was an uncommon visitor to the Crop Field which has recently been prepared for cultivation. There was a Kingfisher on the Reedbed hunting the Reedbed pool.
8th June 2024
Overcast with showers, brightening to sunny spells, fresh north westerly.
The first record of Large Skipper was recorded today along the Concrete Road, whilst a Mink was seen in the Causeway area, having caught a young Rabbit.
Wader counts comprised singles of Little Ringed Plover and Redshank, whilst there were five Oystercatchers, but now no surviving chicks, 16 Lapwings and two chicks and, separately, there were five Common Terns still with two chicks, but they seemed to be suffering from bird flu as well.
Other counts today were nine Mute Swans with one cygnet, 27 Canadas, 31 Greylags and seven goslings, two drake Teal, 45 Gadwall, 82 Tufteds, 13 Cormorants, two Herons, one Little Egret, two Great Crested Grebes, two Little Grebes, nine Moorhen, 20 Coot, 15 Mallard and ten ducklings in four broods, 725 Black-headed Gulls and 250 juveniles, three Mediterranean Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Kestrel and three Swifts.
7th June 2024
Overcast, fresh westerly, cool.
The sole remaining cygnet with two Mute Swan adults was still on the Reedbed, whilst on the pools there were seven Canada goslings and 13 Greylag goslings, the latter formed out of four broods.
Mallard families comprised a group of six on the Reedbed and two lots of three on Railway Pool.
Two Little Egrets, two Great Crested Grebes, a drake Shoveler, a drake Teal, two Redshank and one Little Ringed Plover, five Oystercatchers and a single chick (the latter the sole remainder from the two chicks which both appeared to have suffered from bird flu). There were again three Mediterranean Gulls, a second-summer and a first-summer.
The first Meadow Brown of the year was in flight around the Car Park area, and there was also a Fox present, whilst a Stoat chased a young Rabbit below Railway Hide.
Fox – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
6th June 2024
Cloudy, west, north westerly.
A Garden Warbler was singing away along the Causeway this morning and on Railway Pool there were three Redshank and a Little Egret. On the path to Railway Pool a Green Woodpecker was presumably feeding on ants before it flew off. There was also a dead Mole.
5th June 2024
Sunny spells, fresh westerly.
Today’s counts were as follows: a single cygnet on Railway Pool, 17 Greylag goslings in the mixed path, plus the mixed family of one Canada and a Greylag. Four Mallard broods included a single on Car Park Pool and three on Railway Pool totalling 13, three drake Shoveler, two Little Egrets, two Great Crested Grebes, an adult and a second-summer Mediterranean Gull, two Redshank, eight Oystercatchers and a chick on Car Park Pool, 20 Lapwings and still three chicks, also on Car Park Pool, four Common Tern chicks, a Hobby, a female Goosander opposite the Flood Plain gate on the River and at least five singing Cetti’s Warblers; Old Road, Reedbed, Oak Hide, Railway Hide and River Hide.
In the early evening seven Swifts came in over the Car Park to feed.
4th June 2024
Overcast, showers, fresh south-westerly.
A Red Kite again showed today, and the female Goosander was on the River at Patrick Bridge. A drake Shoveler was a new arrival and there were two Shelduck again.
Waders included a pair of Oystercatchers with a single chick on Car Park Pool, three Little Ringed Plovers and two Redshank. In the late afternoon and early evening there was heavy rain which cleared to give a reasonable evening and the Hobby was again on show along with 20 Swifts.
3rd June 2024
Overcast, fresh northerly.
The scarlet flowers of Grass Vetchling have begun to appear, particularly on the path to the Car Park screen.
The brood of three Lapwing chicks and the single Oystercatcher chick were still on Car Park Pool, as was the sole cygnet left on the Reedbed. A male Kestrel made the log today and birds have been mostly feeding to the north or south of the Reserve where I think there are two different pairs. A Green Sandpiper on the River Blythe was a very early returning bird.
Whitethroats were visible with a pair between Oak and Railway Hides and another beneath Railway.
2nd June 2024
Clear blue sky, warm in the sun, light north westerly.
A Red Kite and a Hobby soared over Car Park Pool this morning and the first Ravens for some time comprised two different birds. The first Black-tailed Skimmer was noted as well.
1st June 2024
Sunny spells, fresh northerly.
The number of Mute Swan cygnets has plummeted and there was only one visible today, with a second looking like it might have bird flu symptoms. Forty-one Canadas and 50 Greylags were also counted, with the Greylags having 21 goslings between them, thirty-three Gadwall, 15 Mallard and four broods (all on Railway), an impressive 118 Tufted Ducks, eight Cormorants, one Little Grebe, two Great Crested Grebes, two Herons, two Little Egrets, five Moorhen, 29 Coot, three Little Ringed Plovers, 20 Lapwings, nine Oystercatchers (but there seemed to be only one chick still on Car Park Pool), two Redshank, seven Common Terns and two chicks, 950 Black-headed Gull adults and 88 chicks, an adult and a second-summer Mediterranean Gull and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, one of which took a Moorhen chick on Car Park pool, made up the other counts.
Both Garden Warblers between Oak Hide and the Back Gate were still in song.