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
Tuesday 10th June – 6pm
Link to West Midland Bird Ringing Group: https://www.westmidlandsringinggroup.co.uk/
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
GATE POSTS
We are aware that the gate posts into the arable field leading to Siden Hill Wood underneath the railway line have perished and these will be replaced as soon as possible.
TREE WORKS – TUESDAY 10th JUNE
Urgent tree works are taking place in the Back Gate Copse today so could you please avoid the wood. The main path to Railway Hide is not affected.
31st May 2025
Initially overcast, light west/south-westerly, sun slowly appearing from 11.00.
Eleven Sand Martins and a Swallow went through early on (by 08.15) and seemed by their movements to be late passage birds. An adult and a fledged juvenile Pied Wagtails were on the Car Park islands and there were at least two Green Woodpeckers by Oak Hide and seemingly, a separate pair in the Crop Oaks.
Whitethroats were seen and heard by Oak Hide, Railway Hide and the west end of the Causeway in the large Willow there. That bird flew towards River Hide and it is not clear whether it was one of the pair from Oak Hide.
A Garden Warbler on the Causeway was in good song and there were at least two Willow Warblers still singing, one by the container and also one by the Causeway.
A Bullfinch was calling by Railway Hide and there are now at least seven pairs of Common Terns, with an eighth contemplating joining the others.
30th May 2025
Sunny spells, fresh south-westerly.
Three Tern chicks were visible this morning, along with 12 adults. A Bittern was seen briefly in the Reedbed and insect-wise there were two Large Skippers along the Concrete Road, three Meadow Browns in various locations and a Common Blue by the Car Park.
A Four-spotted Chaser was hunting the Causeway and a Fox was seen on the edge of Railway Pool. Otherwise, birds were similar to the previous few days.
29th May 2025
Sunny periods, fresh south-westerly.
Common Tern numbers are slowly increasing with at least 13 today, but otherwise there was little change with just the three Wigeon, three Little Ringed Plovers and two Redshank making the log.
28th May 2025
Sunny spells, showers, fresh westerly.
A pair of Hobbies were hawking over Siden Hill Wood this morning and despite the fresh westerly, a Large Skipper was seen by Railway Hide with a pair of Broad-bodied Chasers also in the vicinity.
Otherwise, birds were similar to the previous days with 10 cygnets, 11 Canada goslings, an Egyptian Goose, three Wigeon, eight Mallard broods, three Great Crested Grebes, three Little Grebes, two Redshank, nine adult Oystercatchers and a juvenile and the Canada/Greylag hybrid.
27th May 2025
Overcast, rain, light south-westerly.
Birds were similar to yesterday with the additions being two summer-plumaged Dunlin on Car Park Pool this morning. There were also three Swifts, three House Martins, a Sand Martin and a Swallow in the generally wet conditions.
26th May 2025
Sunny spells, blustery westerly.
Less usual birds today were a Hobby, a Red Kite, 11 Common Terns and a single Swift, with broods of Mute Swans on Car Park and Railway Pool still very much intact.
The Canada Goose broods of two lots of six on Railway Pool and the six Greylag broods of 34 goslings also seemed to have avoided the predations of Foxes.
There are still five Mallard broods, but the number of ducklings seems to have decreased by the day and there were only 16 on site.
The three Wigeon remain and there was a single Egyptian Goose, four Little Ringed Plovers, seven Oystercatchers and a nearly fledged juvenile, three Redshank and three Great Crested Grebes.
25th May 2025
Early rain, bright sun later, fresh westerly.
Today’s undoubted highlight was another sighting of an Otter on the Reedbed Pool. Although often quiet for birds, much of which of goes unseen, it is always worth patience to spot something like an Otter which in most still conditions would be obvious from movement or a stream of bubbles.
A few more Swifts are beginning to appear with at least five today, and Hobbies were also seen.
Other birds included a female Goosander, the long-staying pair of Wigeon, two Redshank, three Little Ringed Plovers and nine Common Terns.
24th May 2025
Overcast after overnight rain, fresh south-westerly.
A change in the weather began to occur yesterday and manifested itself with overnight rain and a change in the wind direction.
Unsurprisingly, there was not a great deal of new migration to show for it, aside from 10 House Martins at Patrick Bridge, though they could have been birds from Hampton-in-Arden.
The brood of Mute Swans from the Reedbed must have floated off downstream (assuming they made it to the river), but there were still six cygnets on Car Park Pool and four on Railway Pool. In addition, there were 34 Canadas and 12 goslings, 79 Greylags and 14 goslings, two Shelduck, 29 Gadwall, three Wigeon, 17 Mallard and 16 ducklings, 80 Tufted Ducks, eight Cormorants, four Great Crested Grebes, three Little Grebes, two Herons, six Moorhens, 20 Coot, 17 Lapwing, three Little Ringed Plover, seven Oystercatchers (six adults and a juvenile with the family party from Car Park Pool seemingly fledged), two Redshanks, nine Common Terns, 910 Black-headed Gulls, seven Herring Gulls and three Lesser Black-backs.
Greylag and Goslings – Photograph by Graham Dyer
23rd May 2025
Sunny spells, light south-westerly.
Some continued late hirundine passage included at least seven House Martins, a Swallow, and a Sand Martin today.
Southern Marsh Orchids are beginning to appear with a single by Car Park Hide and two in the Orchid Field. Two Emperor Dragonflies and a Hairy Dragonfly were also noted.
The Mute Swan brood from the Reedbed were seen walking along the path to River Hide, presumably trying to reach the river, whilst the four on Railway Pool and the six on Car Park Pool remained. It was the sixth Mallard brood noted today.
22nd May 2025
Aside from three House Martins that flew through in the late afternoon, it was not until the late evening that there was some interest when a Cuckoo was seen in the tallest tree near the Car Park at 20.20, it then flew to a tree near the Reedbed where it spent 20 minutes and then flew north after being mobbed by Black-headed Gulls around 20.40.
Of note, a Bullfinch was heard and seen in Siden Hill Wood.
21st May 2025
Some overcast weather following overnight rain, sunny intervals later, north-easterly.
The third Mute Swan brood hatched out with six cygnets present on the Reedbed Pool. There were two Canada broods and six Greylag broods, and Mallard are having a good season with five broods counted today.
A new Lapwing chick was visible in front of Oak Hide and there were again four Little Ringed Plovers and two Redshank.
A Red Kite went over and on the insect front there was a Painted Lady around the Car Park, an Emperor Dragonfly over the Reedbed, and at least one Hairy Dragonfly in the North Causeway Bay channels.
20th May 2025
Sunny, still.
The second of the Mute Swan broods hatched out on Railway Pool some time in the last 24 hours with four cygnets present. The long-staying three Wigeon remain on site and there were 10 Common Terns with seemingly five pairs now sitting. The female Goosander was again on site and the two young Oystercatcher chicks are continuing to grow well. Four Little Ringed Plovers, three Redshank and one Common Sandpiper were the other waders.
In the afternoon, a pair of Hobbies were hunting over the pools.
19th May 2025
Sunny, light easterly.
Plenty of youngsters to see today with the six cygnets and parents still on Car Park Pool, a brood of Canadas on Railway Pool, four broods of Greylags on the Flood Plain, and five Mallard broods scattered across both pools. A juvenile Grey Wagtail was seen on the Central Stream, and more interesting wildfowl included the long-staying three Wigeon, two female Oystercatchers, and 119 Tufted Ducks. 11 Common Terms today was a good count.
18th May 2025
More overcast, light north-easterly.
A Red Kite flew north along Siden Hill Wood and there were two Hobbies hawking over Railway Pool this afternoon. A Skylark also flew over the Car Park.
Birds on the pools included four Little Ringed Plovers, a Redshank, two Egyptian Geese, 10 Common Terns, two Wigeon, whilst a Whitethroat showed well in front of Railway Hide. Green Woodpeckers appeared to be present around Railway Pool and along the Old Road.
Breeding news of note is a pair of Grey Wagtails have hatched two young which have been seen from the bridge on the Central Stream but also picked up on the RockCam.
17th May 2025
Overcast, light north-easterly.
Today’s highlight was undoubtedly a pair of Whimbrel which arrived on Car Park Pool mid-morning but only lingered for 10 minutes – long enough however for a wash and a brush-up before they departed to the north. It appeared that they might have moved to the Flood Plain, but in fact there was no sign.
However, the north end of the Old Road is quite productive at the moment where an area that has been temporarily abandoned by HS2 has lots of dandelions in it and there was a flock of at least five Goldfinches and four Linnets feeding there.
A Cuckoo was heard calling from Car Park Hide this morning, and there was some late hirundine passage with at least 23 House Martins, 20 Swallows and three Swifts. Otherwise, the bird count was similar to the previous few days, although Kestrels have been noted around the Crop Field or the two settlement ponds east of the Concrete Road visible from the A452.
16th May 2025
Sunny, light northerly.
The fine weather has been conducive to odonata and butterflies with good counts today including two Hairy Dragonflies (one seen from the Reedbed screen and one on the opposite side from the North Causeway screen), at least 30 Four-spotted Chasers, three Black-tailed Skimmers and a male and female Banded Demoiselle. Damselflies included four Blue-tailed, at least 20 Common Blue, five Azure, two Red-eyed and nine Large Red.
Large Red Damselfly – Photograph by Mark Waring
A Small Copper was found by the Car Park Pool and there were also two pairs of Common Blue, a pair of Orange-tip and four Speckled Woods.
Birds included the six cygnets with parents, four broods of Greylags, a brood of Canadas, four broods of Mallard, three Wigeon, a new Lapwing brood of two on Railway Pool, the long-standing and quickly growing Oystercatcher chicks, four Little Ringed Plovers, one Common Sandpiper, a single Redshank, six Common Terns, an adult Mediterranean Gull and two Egyptian Geese.
Some informative plant news came care of Russell Tonks. Bulbous Buttercups were in flower along the west path of the railway coppice, and at the South-West Pond there were two Common Twayblades coming into flower just by the reptile cover so careful approaching the South-West Pond. This species used to be common in the paths at the Back Gate Copse but for some reason has become scarcer.
Greater Pond Sedge is also coming into flower at the South-West Pond, and a Beaked Hawksbeard is in flower, the first of the branched dandelion types to appear. There was also a large patch of Barren Brome on the right-hand side of the Car Park after entering the main gate.
The continuing drought has begun to affect the plants on the thinner ground, particularly alongside the paths, but the Yellow Flag Irises are now coming into flower, as is the Ragged Robin on the shoreline below Car Park Hide. Despite the drought, the Bird’s-foot Trefoil is now flowering and seems more drought tolerant than other plants in the sections between the Car Park and Car Park Hide.
Bird’s-foot Trefoil – Photograph by Nick Barlow
15th May 2025
No records.
14th May 2025
Sunny, light north-easterly.
A male Mandarin was present on Car Park Pool this morning for 20 minutes from 08.00 but soon departed. Otherwise, birds were much the same as the previous few days with a bit more interest supplied from the insects with two male Common Blues, two Broad-bodied Chasers and four Four-spotted Chasers at least.
A Hobby was seen hunting the front of Siden Hill Wood briefly later in the morning.
13th May 2025
Sunny, light north-easterly.
Two Hairy Dragonflies patrolled the open water in the North Causeway Bay this morning, and there was also a pair of Broad-bodies Chasers there with a third, a male, below Railway Hide. Butterflies included four Brimstones and a male Common Blue.
A Red Kite flew over, with the species now becoming a regular sighting. 2,400 Black-headed Gulls were counted, with regular patrols by at least a pair of Lesser Black-backs looking for young. Other counts today included the pair of Mute Swans, with six cygnets now, that have come out from the North Causeway Bay and are often feeding below Car Park Hide, 41 Canadas and two broods, 49 Greylags and three broods, 22 Gadwall, the long-staying pair of Wigeon, 21 Mallard and a brood of seven on Railway Pool, 105 Tufteds, 10 Cormorants, three Herons, a Great Crested Grebe, two Little Grebes, eight Moorhen, 26 Coot, eight Lapwing, a single Little Ringed Plover, seven Oystercatchers and still two chicks, two Redshank, nine Common Terns and the female Goosander.
12th May 2025
Dry, mostly sunny, light north-easterly.
The long-staying pair of Wigeon were still present and there was a female Goosander on Car Park Pool. There are now 10 Common Terns regularly on site. A Bullfinch in the Back Gate Copse was the first record of the species for the month.
11th May 2025
Dry, sunny, light easterly.
A hint of easterly did the trick today with two Black Terns briefly on both pools between 09.05 and 10.30. They often disappeared high above the pools where there seemed to be an insect hatch, and they were feeding in amongst Black-headed Gulls before descending and resting on the islands on Car Park Pool and then departing to Shustoke.
A first-summer Common Gull was unseasonal, a Red Kite went over, there was an adult Mediterranean Gull, two Common Sandpipers, four Little Ringed Plovers and two Redshank, whilst the Hairy Dragonfly was again seen in the North Causeway Bay.
10th May 2025
Bright and sunny, light easterly.
A record count of 10 Common Sandpipers was an indication of some relatively late passage for this species. There were five on each of the pools (at least). A Mistle Thrush flew over River Hide, and a pair of Oystercatchers with one chick were still present around the Car Park area, and another chick was feeding with its parents in the Orchid Field.
On the odonata front a Hairy Dragonfly was quartering the channels in the North Causeway Bay, a favoured location for this relatively new species. There were at least three Broad-bodied Chasers present on site, and a Four-spotted Chaser in the South-West Pond area.
9th May 2025
Bright, sunny, light north-easterly.
The family party of Mute Swans with six cygnets were feeding in the North Causeway Bay this morning and a slightly unseasonal pair of Goosanders were present on Car Park Pool, along with the long-staying pair of Wigeon and an Egyptian Goose.
A Red Kite flew over the Car Park and, in addition to four Little Ringed Plovers and two Redshank, the only migrant wader was a Common Sandpiper.
A single Mediterranean Gull was present in the Black-headed Gull colony on Railway Pool and there were seven Common Terns today.
8th May 2025
No records.
7th May 2025
Hazy sunshine, high cirrus cloud, light north-easterly.
Slightly warmer today but no passage to speak of.
Much the same number and group of species with the best being Long-tailed Tit families and there were parties in the Back Gate Copse and along the Causeway. There was still a single Common Sandpiper on site and the long-staying Wigeon pair remain.
6th May 2025
Sunny spells, light north-easterly.
The North Causeway Bay pair of Mutes have hatched out five cygnets, and there were two Greylag broods of two and three on Car Park Pool and Railway Pool respectively. There were still two Mallard broods, the long-staying pair of Wigeon, three Great Crested Grebes, six Little Grebes, both Oystercatcher chicks, one Lapwing chick and other waders included three Common Sandpipers, two Redshank and four Little Ringed Plovers.
An adult Song Thrush with two newly hatched youngsters were between Oak Hide and the South-West Pond.
5th May 2025
Sunny spells, fresh north-easterly.
A Red Kite worked its way west along the railway this morning and around the HS2 mitigation pools there were four Linnets, a Skylark, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Long-tailed Tits.
Despite good numbers of Swifts at Shustoke, none were picked up today in the log but a small passage of hirundines included 14 Sand Martins, three Swallows and a House Martin. One Lapwing chick and both Oystercatcher chicks remain. A female Goosander was becoming slightly unseasonal.
Oystercatcher with chick – Photograph by Graham Dyer
4th May 2025
Sunny intervals but cool north-easterly.
Not a great deal of change to report today, with just two Common Sandpipers, seven Common Terns, and only the first-summer Mediterranean Gull. At least seven Sedge Warblers and four Garden Warblers were heard in song today, but there were probably more Sedge Warblers than that with 14 towards the end of April. As the Reed Warblers come in there is some jockeying for position.
3rd May 2025
Sunny start, clouding over, fresh north-westerly.
Despite the cool winds there were plenty of insects in the more sheltered spots with a male Beautiful Demoiselle by River Hide, at least one Four-spotted Chaser, Large Red and Azure Damselfly, two Green-veined Whites, a Small White, Speckled Wood and Orange-tip. Peacock and Red Admiral were also noted.
There were two Mediterranean Gulls today, an adult and a first-summer, six Common Terns, two Swallows on the Flood Plain and Patrick Farm, nine Sand Martins, a House Martin through and a Red Kite over.
Three Common Sandpipers were counted and a more complete count of wildfowl included six Mute, 40 Canadas, 40 Greylags and three goslings, two Egyptian Geese, 27 Gadwall, a pair of Wigeon, 19 Mallard and four broods, three Teal, 70 Tufteds, 10 Cormorants, three Great Crested Grebe, two Little Grebe, a Heron, a Little Egret, four Moorhen, 26 Coot, a Little Ringed Plover, six Oystercatchers and still two broods of one each, and 10 Lapwing and a brood of one with the others having seemingly disappeared.
Lastly, of the big gulls there were three Herring Gulls and 15 Lesser Black-backed with repeated raids over the Black-headed Gull colony by the latter species, with at least one newly hatched chick carried away.
2nd May 2025
Sunny spells, light north-westerly.
There were two Common Sandpipers present today, and the Cattle Egret returned. Tufted duck numbers had increased to 88.
The long-staying pair of Wigeon remain and there were two broods of Mallard on Car Park Pool, numbering 10 and three respectively. On the odonata front there were 18 Large Red Damselflies, three Common Blue Damselflies, an Azure Damselfly, two Blue-tailed Damselflies and two Four-spotted Chasers
1st May 2025
Sunny during the day but clouding over in the evening with gusty winds and rain from 21.00.
A Dunlin was heard briefly flying through but it didn’t land, and during the evening eight Common Terns appeared to be coming in to roost. There was also a Common Sandpiper briefly, along with three Wigeon and a pair of Teal. A baby Muntjac crept along the edge of the Old Road near the cottages before disappearing into the copse north of the cottages.