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
Saturday 3rd October – 2.00pm
Saturday 7th November – 2.00pm
Saturday 12th December – 2.00pm (Please note change of date)
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.
NOTIFICATION OF FORTHCOMING ROAD CLOSURE – A452 KENILWORTH ROAD
Following the installation of the contraflow on the new southbound carriageway of the A452, work is to be undertaken to install streetlights and signage, clear vegetation and undertake surveys between Bradnock’s Marsh and Meriden roundabout.
On the weekends of Friday 2 October to Monday 5 October and Friday 9 October to Monday 12 October the road will close at 10.00pm on Friday night and reopen at 6.00am on Monday morning.
A fully signposted diversion route will be in place.
Additionally, the during the night of Saturday 10 October, from 10.00pm (until 6.00am on Sunday 11 October), the road closure will be extended to Park Lane roundabout so that repairs to the carriageway of Bradnock’s Marsh roundabout can be carried out.
6th October 2026
Misty start, with drizzle lifting slowly to warm, sunny spells.
A second juvenile Black-tailed Godwit appeared today, this one favouring Car Park Pool, whilst the long-staying bird was present on Railway Pool. The steady increase in Wigeon continued with 81 today and there were 50 Shoveler, together with four Great White Egrets, nine Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, an adult Common Gull, a female Stonechat on the Flood Plain and a juvenile Grey Wagtail in front of Oak Hide.
5th October 2026
Sunny spells, fresh south-westerly.
In addition to the long-staying drake Pintail, there was a second eclipse male and also a female this morning, and the juvenile Black-tailed Godwit continued its stay. Whilst there was no sign of the Brent Goose, the Nocmig sound recorder picked up a Brent Goose flying over at 00.36 this morning, presumably the long-staying bird departing for elsewhere.
The adult Greater Black-backed Gull was back on Car Park Pool having not been recorded for a few days, and other birds making the log included 19 Gadwall, 72 Wigeon, 44 Mallard, 17 Moorhen, four Tufted Ducks, nine Little Grebes, one Common Sandpiper, three Snipe, three Egyptian Geese, eight Herons, two Little Egrets, a Water Rail in the North Causeway Bay, and two Stonechats on the Flood Plain.
A Clouded Yellow butterfly was flying around Railway Hide and there were two Willow Emeralds still on the Central Stream.
4th October 2026
Sunny and mild.
There were no records of the Brent Goose in the log today, but the Black-tailed Godwit was still present, favouring Railway Pool during the day. The eclipse drake Pintail remained on Car Park Pool and there were two Kingfishers visible on Railway Pool from River Hide.
The first Siskin of the autumn went over Railway Pool, a Water Rail was heard in the North Causeway Bay and other birds making the log were three Grey Wagtails, all on Railway Pool, Jay, Common Sandpiper and seven Snipe.
3rd October 2026
Sunny, light north-westerly, similarly warm as yesterday.
There was no immediate sign of the Black-tailed Godwit this morning, but during the afternoon’s work party it came into Railway Pool, flew around calling, and then seemed to go down on Car Park Pool.
Other less usual birds included a female Blackcap on the Causeway, and a Grey Wagtail and two Linnets by the HS2 crossing.
Also, during the work party, a Clouded Yellow butterfly showed well in front of Oak Hide and at least nine Red Admirals were making their way purposefully south, low over the pools.
Graham and Dave’s full counts today were as follows: Eight Mute Swans, 180 Canadas, 4,587 Greylags, the adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, three Egyptian Geese (all on the Flood Plain in the afternoon), two Canada/Greylag hybrids, 41 Shoveler, eight Gadwall, 68 Wigeon, the eclipse drake Pintail, 28 Mallard, 83 Teal, three Tufted Ducks, 16 Cormorants, nine Little Grebes, eight Herons, three Great White Egrets, five Little Egrets, 14 Moorhen, 19 Coot, 71 Lapwing, one Common Sandpiper, three Snipe, 206 Black-headed Gulls, six Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Kingfisher on Railway Pool and four Skylarks, of which three went over and one was on the Tip Field.
Five attended the work party and the strimming of the Railway Pool islands was completed, along with the opening up of the view from Oak Hide looking towards the Marsh. Thank you to those who attended.
2nd October 2026
Sunny spells, fresh southerly, remaining mild with temperatures up towards 20°.
A juvenile Common Tern, which popped into Car Park Pool at 09.15 for just five minutes, before flying off north, was decidedly unexpected with late Terns usually being Arctics as opposed to Common.
The Brent Goose, eclipse drake Pintail and the juvenile Black-tailed Godwit were all present again, as was the juvenile Hobby.
Two Common Gulls were new in, an adult and a first-winter, and aside from a first-winter on the 27th September, represented only the second and third birds of the autumn.
Two female Stonechats were present on the Flood Plain fences, and nearby a Clouded Yellow was seen on the Old Road by the HS2 crossing.
A Tawny Owl was picked up on the RockCam along the Central Stream in the evening. This was a new species for the camera.
1st October 2026
Overnight rain giving way to warm and sunny weather for the rest of the day, light south-westerly.
The Dark-bellied Brent Goose had moved to the Flood Plain by late morning. In the meantime, the juvenile Black-tailed Godwit was showing well from Oak Hide early on but couldn’t be found later on and was not visible in the evening, suggesting it may feed/roost elsewhere at times.
In the afternoon, a first-year Hobby was hunting the Reedbed where there was also a Kingfisher, and Green and Common Sandpipers and Grey Wagtail were present on the pool margins.
In the evening, a single Great White Egret and the eclipse drake Pintail showed well from Car Park Hide, and a small Starling roost of just under 20 birds came in about 18.30 to the Reedbed. As the light was fading, 80 Jackdaws and 60 large Gulls (it was too dark to tell whether they were Lesser Black-backed or Herring Gulls) flew over the pools, the Jackdaws to roost in Siden Hill Wood, but the Gulls carried on north. There were two Chiffchaffs on the path to River Hide, a Goldcrest called in on the Causeway and a Water Rail squealed from the Reedbed.
Black-tailed Godwit – Photograph by Steve Pattison
