Packington Estate

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

Saturday November 9th – 2pm

Saturday December 7th – 2pm

2025

Saturday 11th January    – 2pm

Saturday 8th February    – 2pm

Saturday 8th March        – 2pm

 

Link to West Midland Bird Ringing Group:  https://www.westmidlandsringinggroup.co.uk/

 

Combination Lock Code

A reminder that the code for the combination locks at the Reserve changed at the beginning of September.  Details of the new code were provided in permit renewal letters, but if there are any queries, please contact Bernice on 01676 526711.

18th November 2024

Cloudy & overcast morning followed by rain, becoming heavy, from mid-afternoon. Light south-easterly.

A comprehensive count across the pools produced the following:

Two adult males and a juvenile Whooper Swan, nine Mute Swans, 225 Canada Geese, 79 Greylag Geese, 17 Shoveler, 78 Gadwall, 188 Wigeon, 71 Mallard, 243 Teal, 12 Pochard (nine male and three female), 37 Tufted Ducks, 22 Cormorants, six Little Grebes, three Grey Herons, three Little Egrets, seven Moorhen, 55 Coot, 97 Lapwing, six Common Snipe, a Ringnecked Parakeet (heading east along the Railway Embankment) and two Water Rails in the Reedbed. Gulls comprised 51 Blackheaded, four Common, two Lesser Blackbacked and two Herring. Last, but by no means least, the Bittern was seen in flight over the Reedbed.

17th November 2024

Bright & sunny followed by rain, some heavy, from mid-afternoon. Light westerly.

A party of five Mandarin Ducks, consisting of three males and two females, was found on Car Park Pool and other sightings in the log included 14 Common Gulls, two Water Rails (North Causeway Bay and Reedbed), five Little Egrets, two Ringnecked Parakeets in Siden Hill Wood, singles of both Raven and Skylark over, and, finally, two Lesser Redpolls along the Old Road.

Cattle Egret and friends – Photograph by Stef Fraczek

16th November 2024

Light cloud with brighter spells. Showery intervals early/mid-afternoon. Light south-westerly.

The Saturday count, courtesy of Dave Scanlan, yielded the following: 28 Wigeon, 125 Teal, 63 Gadwall, 330 Canada Geese, 65 Greylag Geese, 25 Shoveler, three Little Egrets, six Pochard, 11 Common Gulls, nine Herring Gulls and 10 Lesser Blackbacked Gulls, Other records were: singles of Bullfinch and Fieldfare, along with five Redwings, in Siden Hill Wood, five Common Snipe in the marsh to the north of Siden, two Kestrels, one by the HS2 workings and the other by the Railway Embankment, and finally a Lesser Redpoll.

The afternoon also generated a good number of logbook entries, a couple of note being 50+ Lapwing on Railway Pool and a party of 13 Longtailed Tits in the Back Gate Copse, but the most impressive by far was the murmuration of 1000+ Starlings from 15.45-16.00 which was viewed from the Car Park before the birds dropped down into the Reedbed to roost.

15th November 2024

Early frost, bright start then clouding over with some lighter intervals. Light south-westerly.

The Bittern again put in an appearance in the Reedbed and a Water Rail was seen there later. Other records from the pools included five Little Egrets, seven Pochard (six male and one female), 36 Tufted Ducks, the adult Great Blackbacked Gull, six Common Gulls and a single male Goosander.

Around the rest of the Reserve, the Cattle Egret was on the Flood Plain, a Ringednecked Parakeet was seen, two Bullfinches were in the Back Gate Copse and there was a pair of Stonechats by the Dragonfly Pond.

Away from the logbook, there were sightings, with accompanying photos, posted on the WhatsApp group of both Sparrowhawk (female) and Redwing (Old Road).

Female Sparrowhawk – Photograph by Steve Taylor

14th November 2024

Frost overnight, some bright intervals then generally overcast. Light northerly.

The Bittern was seen from the South Causeway Hide around 07.45 and early on there were 10 Goosanders (six males and four females) on Car Park Pool as well as a pair of Stonechats on the Flood Plain.

Later, there was a good selection of species around the Car Park and feeders, notably an overwintering Chiffchaff, as well as Great Spotted Woodpecker and Jay, the latter a species which rarely makes the log.

Car Park Pool also held a good variety including the regular adult Great Blackbacked Gull and, most unusually for this time of year, an Oystercatcher. While the Reserve does have a previous November sighting (9th Nov 2014), this was definitely out of the ordinary.

13th November 2024

Sunny and bright for most of the day. Light northerly.

The adult Peregrine, presumably the same one as recorded yesterday, was again present, as were six Pochard, albeit this time four males and two females. There was just a single female Stonechat noted, six Siskins went south-west over Railway Pool and a Water Rail was seen from Oak Hide.

12th November 2024

Overcast all day. Light northerly.

Sightings were not quite on a par with yesterdays, but the pools held 14 Mute Swans, a single Egyptian Goose, six Pochard (five male and one female), the regular adult Great Blackbacked Gull and six Common Gulls. Also present were an adult Peregrine, a pair of Stonechats and, last but not least, a Weasel was spotted by Railway Hide.

The Greenwinged Teal photographed by Jason Lewis on 6th Nov is the 215th species for the Reserve and the third addition to the site list this year (the others being Glossy Ibis and Roseate Tern).

11th November 2024

Mostly sunny with high cloud initially giving way to full sun and a light northerly.

An eventful day in terms of bird sightings commenced with Martin Durkin finding an adult White-fronted Goose on Car Park Pool.  This is likely to be the Ladywalk bird that was seen a few times at that Reserve and has decided to move south down the Tame Valley.  Later in the morning it moved to the Flood Plain.

The regular visiting pair of Whooper Swans with the fledged juvenile came and went during the day and were joined by another five birds in the middle of the morning, a further three adults and two more juveniles.

Whooper Swans on Car Park Pool – Photograph by Stef Fraczek

To complete the morning’s quality, a Bittern flew over the Causeway and dropped into the Reedbed where, in the evening, approximately 300 Starlings came into roost.

10th November 2024

Sunny intervals initially, light south-westerly slowing moving round to the north.

A drake Goosander flew into Car Park Pool in the afternoon, a Raven went over, two Water Rails were heard or seen, one on Railway Pool and the other at the north end of Car Park Pool.  Three Cetti’s were in song, and other birds included the roosting adult Greater Black-backed Gull, six Common Gulls, three Little Egrets, just a single drake Pochard, a Nuthatch in the Back Gate Copse, two Lesser Redpolls along the Old Road and 19 Common Snipe flushed from in front of Car Park Hide by the cattle.  The pair of Whooper Swans with the cygnet came back into Car Park Pool in the afternoon, having been off site during much of the day.

9th November 2024

Overcast and still.

The pair of Whooper Swans and the fledged juvenile were again on site for some of the day, and were joined by five Mute Swans, 179 Canadas, 24 Greylag, 10 Shoveler, 54 Gadwall, 172 Wigeon, 38 Mallard, 195 Teal, just two drake Pochard, 32 Tufted Ducks, 15 Cormorants, six Little Grebe, one Heron, one Little Egret, the Great White Egret, the Cattle Egret, three Moorhen, 54 Coot, 83 Lapwing, just three Snipe, 32 Black-headed Gulls, three Common Gulls, five Herring Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Egyptian Geese and a pair of Stonechats, the latter on the Flood Plain fences.

8th November 2024

Murky, south-easterly.

The Cattle Egret was present today, again feeding amongst the cattle on the Flood Plain, along with three Little Egrets.  The latter wandered to and from the pools as well.

Fifteen Redwings and three Fieldfares flew over, along with a Grey Wagtail.

There were just two drake Pochards, 33 Tufteds, five Common Gulls, six Herring Gulls, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull, and an unusual record of 10 Magpies together along the Old Road.

In the afternoon the two adult Whooper Swans and the fledged juvenile came in, presumably to roost, and further birds roosting on the Reserve included approximately 400 Starlings in the Reedbed arriving about 15.45.

7th November 2024

No records.

6th November 2024

Overcast, misty, still.

Undoubtedly, the bird of the day was unfortunately only subsequently identified from a photograph by Jason Lewis.  This was a drake Green-winged Teal which was photographed from Oak Hide but has not been seen subsequently.

The two adult Whooper Swans and the juvenile were present on Car Park Pool until 10.15 when they few off south, so they presumably were going to forage elsewhere.

The Cattle Egret and five Little Egrets were present on the Flood Plain amongst the cattle.  Two Peregrines were seen along with three Water Rails, two in the north Causeway Bay and one in the Marsh.

A Dunlin was also present, as was a Great White Egret, the latter on Car Park Pool.

Gull counts comprised of the roosting Greater Black-backed, eight Herring, 15 Lesser Black-backs and three Commons.

Green-winged Teal – Photograph by Jason Lewis

5th November 2024

Overcast, cool and still.

The Cattle Egret was present again today, along with a single Little Egret, two Grey Herons, seven Pochard, 99 Black-headed Gulls, a Sparrowhawk and two Ring-necked Parakeets in Siden Hill Wood.

A mixed group of thrushes worked south through the bushes on the far side of Car Park Pool during the morning and consisted of approximately 20 Redwings, five Fieldfares and a Song Thrush.

4th November 2024

Overcast and still.

A drake Red-crested Pochard was a new arrival on Car Park Pool this morning, and the Cattle Egret was also initially on Car Park Pool before moving to the Flood Plain.

Feeding amongst the cattle, or by the feeder on the Flood Plain, was a single Grey Wagtail and 14 Pied Wagtails.  Overhead 29 Fieldfares, 29 Redwings and two Ravens passed over, whilst on or around the pools there were 19 Pochard, 30 Cormorants, five Common Gulls, six Herring Gulls, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and the adult Greater Black-backed Gull with a Water Rail seen from Oak Hide.

3rd November 2024

Murky, light easterly.

A hint of east in the wind and overcast, murky conditions proved to be ideal for some less usual species at the Reserve this morning.  Firstly, a pair of Whooper Swans with a juvenile were found on Car Park Pool just after 08.00 this morning and they were present, mostly preening and washing, until they flew off south-east at 11.15.

Subsequently, three Black-tailed Godwits were found on Railway Pool, one of which was colour-ringed and details have been sought.  The birds were in winter-plumage and mostly roosted before suddenly disappearing about 09.45.  There was a Dunlin with them which was subsequently flushed and flew off with the Lapwings to relocate to Car Park Pool, but it didn’t settle.  Five further Dunlin appeared at 11.15 on Railway Pool very briefly, but they too departed.

Meantime, a pair of Ring-necked Parakeets were again in Siden Hill Wood.

A number of flocks of Starlings went south during the morning up until 10.00 at least, with 90 – 100 birds in at least five flocks.  Ten Redwings were also seen, either flying over the Flood Plain or heading south.  Song Thrushes were displaced from near Oak Hide, and a second flew off south from the Railway Embankment.

Treecreepers were heard and seen along the Central Streamline and by the South-West Pond, with a vocal Cetti’s Warbler at the west end of the Causeway.  A Linnet was heard flying around Railway Pool with another one heading south, along with four Reed Buntings.

Three Little Egrets were present on the pools.  Water Rails were heard or seen from Railway Hide and the North Causeway Bay.  Gull counts comprised the adult Greater Black-backed Gull, 20 Lesser Black-backs, 16 Herring and four Common Gulls, whilst a Lesser Redpoll was seen near Oak Hide.  A Bullfinch was seen and heard in the Back Gate Copse and a Southern Hawker was photographed by the South-West Pond.

2nd November 2024

Overcast and still.

Highlights today comprised a third-winter Yellow-legged Gull, in with the usual Black-heads and larger Gulls.  Other sightings comprised 41 Redwing, five Fieldfare and 2,500 Wood Pigeons south, a Cattle Egret which was initially on Car Park Pool but moved to the Flood Plain, a Red-legged Partridge flushed from the gate by the Causeway into the Orchid Field, and two Ring-necked Parakeets in Siden Hill Wood.

Meantime, the wildfowl counts were as follows: Nine Mute Swans, 63 Greylags, 126 Canadas, 20 Shoveler, 108 Gadwall, 96 Wigeon, 24 Mallard, 119 Teal, 18 Pochard, 16 Tufted, 28 Cormorant, three Little Grebes, three Herons, seven Little Egrets, nine Moorhen, 51 Coot, 78 Lapwing, just a single Snipe, 67 Black-headed Gulls, three Common Gulls, 14 Herring Gulls, 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and the adult Greater Black-backed Gull.

1st November 2024

Overcast, light north-westerly.

Birds making the log this morning comprised two Egyptian Geese, 17 Pochard, 110 Gadwall, five Little Egrets, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull with five Herring Gulls and 30 Cormorants.