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.
Link to West Midland Bird Ringing Group: https://www.westmidlandsringinggroup.co.uk/
WORK PARTY DATES 2026
Tuesday 19 May – 6.00pm
Tuesday 16 June – 6.00pm
MARSH LANE TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS
Starting from March/April 2026, and lasting about 9 months, there will be amended traffic arrangements on the A452/Kenilworth Road. These relate to the alterations that are taking place whereby the dual carriageway will rise over the forthcoming (God only knows when!) HS2 and a new junction with Marsh Lane is being formed. Use of the new section will commence shortly.
At that junction, a roundabout is due to be constructed and, in due course, Marsh Lane will be accessed off that roundabout. In the meantime, some lane closures will take place, but Marsh Lane and the Lorry Park will always be accessible. Signposting will hopefully mention the Nature Reserve but if not follow the signs for the Lorry Park.
NOTICE OF OVERNIGHT CLOSURES – A452 KENILWORTH ROAD
HS2/BBV are preparing to install a contraflow on the new southbound carriageway of the A452, starting Monday 29 June. There will be overnight closures on:
Monday 18 May 2026 from 8pm to 6am
Saturday 20 June from 6am to 6am Monday 22 June 2026
Friday 26 June from 8pm to 6am Monday 29 June 2026
During the overnight closures work will be undertaken to complete road tie-ins to move traffic onto the realigned road and installing street lighting. A fully signposted diversion route will be in place. If the works are completed early, the road will be reopened when it is safe to do so.
7th May 2026
Light cloud, sunny intervals. Light south easterly.
The only entries in the logbook were of a Whimbrel, which made a brief visit to Car Park Pool late morning, and a Common Sandpiper which was in the same area mid-afternoon.
6th May 2026
Light cloud, some sunny intervals. Light north easterly.
No records.
5th May 2026
Light cloud, overcast, occasional sunny intervals. Light northerly.
A comprehensive count across the Reserve by Graham Rowling and Glen Giles produced the following:
Two Egyptian Geese, two Shelduck, Shoveler (male), Teal (male), Goosander (male and female), four Greylag broods (Car Park Pool: seven and five; Railway Pool: five and four), 16 Mallard + two broods (Railway Pool: six and one), 22 Gadwall, one Coot brood (Reedbed: two), one Moorhen brood (North Causeway Bay: one), two Mediterranean Gulls (2S+1S), eight Little Ringed Plovers, two Redshank, eight Oystercatchers + one brood (Car Park Pool: two), two Lapwing broods (Marsh: one; Car Park Pool: four), 12 Common Terns, two Grey Herons, Little Egret, Peregrine and a male Muntjac along the Old Road.
Butterflies and Odonata were: Common Blue Damselfly, four Azure Damselflies, three Blue–tailed Damselflies, six Large Red Damselflies, Painted Lady (Car Park), Red Admiral (Old Road), Peacock, three Speckled Wood, six Orange–tip and two Green–veined White.
Additional logbook entries from later in the day included: two Mute Swans, six Canada Geese, 15 Tufted Ducks, six Cormorants, four Lesser Black–backed Gulls and a Little Grebe. Warblers were well-represented with two Blackcaps, two Willow Warblers, three Cetti’s, at least one Reed Warbler and six Sedge Warblers, with half a dozen Reed Buntings also noted. Butterfly numbers had increased slightly into the afternoon: Painted Lady were up to three with two each of Peacock and Red Admiral.
4th May 2026
Mainly overcast but with sunny spells from late afternoon; light north easterly
A count across the pools yielded:
Six Mute Swans, four Greylag Geese broods (inc. a five and a four on Railway Pool), two Shoveler (male), Teal (male), two Great Crested Grebes, a Moorhen brood (one in North Causeway Bay), 10 Oystercatchers + two broods (three in the Orchid Field; two on Car Park Pool), 14 Lapwings + two broods (one in the Marsh; three on Car Park Pool), seven Little Ringed Plovers, three Redshank, 12 Common Terns and the second-summer Mediterranean Gull.
3rd May 2026
Overcast start with sunny spells later. Light westerly.
The Egyptian Geese count was up to four, with one of these perched in an oak tree along the Central Streamline, and there was also a partially leucistic individual in the group. Other records from the pools included nine Little Ringed Plovers, three Common Sandpipers, Dunlin, the second-summer Mediterranean Gull and 13 Common Terns. Log entries from elsewhere were Red Kite over, Kingfisher in the Reedbed, Garden Warbler by the Car Park Gates and Bullfinch by the Back Gate.
Lastly, yesterday’s mammal theme was continued with the sighting of a Roebuck in the Orchid Field.
Roebuck – Photograph by Paul Casey
2nd May 2026
Bright, sunny and warm. Light south westerly
A compilation of the usual Saturday count (Graham Rowling, Dave Scanlan et al) and other logbook entries as follows:
Five Mute Swans, 28 Canada Geese, 42 Greylag Geese + one brood (six on Railway Pool), three Egyptian Geese, two Shelduck, 18 Gadwall, 13 Mallard + one brood (one on Car Park Pool), one Teal (male), 49 Tufted Duck, male Goosander, four Cormorants, two Little Grebes, two Great Crested Grebes, two Grey Herons, two Moorhens, 15 Coot, five Oystercatchers + two broods (three on Railway Pool; two on Car Park Pool), 14 Lapwings + two broods (two in the Marsh; four on Car Park Pool), six Little Ringed Plovers, Ringed Plover, Redshank and 13 Common Terns.
Gulls were 1180 Black–headed, two Lesser Black–backed and the second-summer Mediterranean. Other records were Hobby, 13 Sand Martins, two Cetti’s Warblers, Sedge Warbler in the North Causeway Bay and Willow Warbler along the north side of the Causeway.
Butterfly records were: 11 Orange–tip, three Green–veined White, Peacock, two Speckled Wood, three Holly Blue, female Brimstone and four Painted Lady. Odonata were Hairy Hawker (small pond by Car Park), 10 Large Red Damselflies, Azure Damselfly and Blue–tailed Damselfly.
Finally, a Bank Vole was seen by the south west pond.
1st May 2026
Bright, sunny and warm; clouded over from mid-afternoon. Light southerly.
With the good weather continuing, a Hobby again put in an appearance. Other log entries included the second-summer Mediterranean Gull, 12 Common Terns, six Little Ringed Plovers, 12 Common Terns, a single Redshank, two Egyptian Geese and three Goosanders (2 male and a female). Two Garden Warblers were present as was a Lesser Whitethroat, the latter in the Crop Field Oaks.