OLD ROAD – 4TH TO 7TH OCOTBER 2022
Please note that the Old Road is to be used for an upcoming ITV drama on the 5th or 6th October (likely to be the 6th) between the hours of 07:00 and 18:30. Set up will take place on the 4th and everything will be removed from site on the 7th.
You may therefore encounter some general disruption when accessing the Reserve off Marsh Lane (by the cottages) and may be asked to wait for a few minutes whilst scene filming is taking place. Some parking spaces in the main car park will be taken-up by the filming crew.
No disruption will be encountered if you use the other accesses.
We apologise in advance for any inconvenience but any member who wishes to discuss this further should contact Sam White, Land Agent at the Packington Estate, on 07847 484842.
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
September 6th – 6 pm
October 8th – 2 pm
November 12th – 2 pm
December 10th – 2 pm
Link to West Midland Bird Ringing Group: https://www.westmidlandsringinggroup.co.uk/
Updates
8th, 11th, 22nd and 28th September – Photographs added.
23rd April – Little Gull record updated.
9th September – record updated.
3rd September – full bird count added.
26th and 28th August – Photographs added
1st, 2nd and 5th April 2022 Records updated.
30th September 2022
Overcast and increasingly windy, with heavy rain in the afternoon.
Some better birds today with firstly two immature female type Pintail in amongst the Ducks on Car Park Pool, at just after 11 am. Unfortunately they could not be found after 11.30 am.
Then, in the afternoon, as a result of the heavy rain, a juvenile Little Stint was found on Railway Pool, at just after 2 pm and was still there at 2.30 but not at 5 pm. This is the first since a long-stayer between the 25th September and 7th October 2017.
Other birds of note included a first-winter Common Gull, Kingfisher, 12 Snipe, nine Skylark over and five House Martins and 12 Swallows in the morning, with a further five Swallows and 30 House Martins in the period around lunch-time, and at least a further 15 more Swallows and ten House Martins at 5 pm.
Other counts included 101 Teal, seven Little Grebes, six Mute Swans, 66 Shoveler, 52 Wigeon, 38 Gadwall, 28 Coot, eight Tufted, just under 200 Lapwing and 22 Cormorants.
It has been noteworthy over the last few days that Shoveler, on Railway Pool, have been diving, presumably after food that is not reachable from up-ending.
29th September 2022
Mostly cloudy, light north-easterly wind.
The only birds making the log today were a small movement of lingering hirundines comprising at least ten Swallows and two House Martins. A few Skylarks were on the move and at least three went over this morning.
28th September 2022
Sunny, cool overnight and cool northerly wind.
The Reserve’s third Cattle Egret was found in amongst the cattle on the far shore of Car Park Pool and was present for much of the day.
The late hirundine passage continued with, for example, at 9.15 am 15 Swallows and five House Martins. Seven Skylarks flew north-east and a Meadow Pipit went south-west. Many of the Swallows and Martins seemed to be moving north-east.
Cattle Egret – Photograph by Steve Taylor
Kingfisher – Photograph by Steve Taylor
27th September 2022
Occasional sunny intervals and showers, mostly cloudy, northerly wind.
The only birds making the log this morning was a steady trickle of hirundines with eight each of Swallow and Sand Martins at around 9 am and five House Martins.
26th September 2022
Windy, showers.
A steady trickle of hirundines were moving through, all day, principally Swallows and no more than 12 at any one time.
In the afternoon, Ben Dolan kindly gave up his time to help me, in protective clothing, to remove the corpses of 24 mixed Greylags and Canadas and one Heron, which have subsequently been buried and limed, in a pit. Sadly this would not appear to be the end of the carnage.
25th September 2022
Sunny intervals, cool and increasing westerly wind.
What was presumed to be the same Stonechat as at the Patrick Farm end of the river had moved to the Dragonfly Pond this morning. The Dunlin remains, along with at least one Green Sandpiper. Three Water Rails included two in the Causeway area and one by River Hide. There was also a Grey Wagtail present. At least ten Swallows went south.
At 5.30 pm a number of large Gulls had come in, to bathe, prior to flying off west and this included at least 40 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, three Herrings and a fine adult Yellow-legged Gull.
A Kingfisher was hunting in front of Oak Hide, using the fence posts, a male Sparrowhawk visited the Car Park feeders and there were at least six Little Grebes.
24th September 2022
Sunny, cool, light north-westerly wind.
Sadly it would appear that Bird Flu is affecting the Goose flock. The matter was reported to the DEFRA Help line but it is clear from reading their Website that they are not prepared to get involved on private land and it is down to landowners to take that responsibility. This is presumably a resources issue but they also appear not to offer any help whatsoever.
Birdwise, there were six Snipe, two Green Sandpipers, the first Common Sandpiper for some time, the lingering Dunlin, eight Little Egrets, and a Bullfinch calling behind Railway Hide.
23rd September 2022
Sunny intervals, some light showers, light northerly wind.
The Dunlin remained on site and there were at least two Green Sandpipers and three Snipe. 30 Swallows was almost certainly a minimum count and also only a snapshot.
A female Stonechat remained on the flood plain, three Skylarks went over, a Grey Wagtail was feeding along the Central Stream and there were at least three Cetti’s Warblers on site.
22nd September 2022
Similar weather to the 21st, cool, but light northerly wind with sunny intervals.
The Stonechat was east of the mobile phone mast this morning and there was a Dunlin on Car Park Pool. At least one Green Sandpiper was seen on Railway Pool with other counts today, on that pool, comprising at least three Little Grebes, nine Heron and seven Little Egrets. Peregrine hunted over Car Park Pool at one stage.
Green Sandpiper – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
Lastly, three Comma butterflies were seen around Railway Pool in the warm daytime conditions.
Common Darter – Reedbed – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
21st September 2022
Cool, but light northerly wind, sunny intervals.
The female or first-summer Stonechat was north of Patrick Bridge this morning and four Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap were amongst a mixed flock of Tits and Crests in the Causeway.
20th September 2022
Sunny start, quickly warming up after a cool night, light north-westerly wind.
The hirundine passage of the last few days continued this morning with, for example, at 8.30 am, 20 Swallows, 40 House Martins and 20 Sand Martins present. This year’s Sand Martin passage is going on into September much longer than normal and is, presumably, a reflection of a prolonged or delayed breeding season. 11 Pied Wagtails were along the HS2 fence, south of Patrick Bridge and, on or around the pools, there were at least two Green Sandpipers, three Snipe, eight Little Egrets and Bullfinch and Cetti’s Warbler behind Oak Hide. A Sparrowhawk was seen in the Siden Hill Wood area.
19th September 2022
Mostly sunny, cool north-westerly wind.
The movement of Swallows and Martins continued today with 60 Swallows, 40 House Martins and seven Sand Martins present at 8.30 and at least 20 more House Martins at Patrick Bridge at around 10 am. Between 4 and 5.45 pm, there were a further 60 Swallows, 30 Sand Martins and 50 House Martins through.
Ten Pied Wagtails were feeding in amongst the cattle on the Flood Plain with a further nine around the farm. A smart male Stonechat was on the HS2 fences south of the bridge, present all day. Also around the farm were nine Goldfinches, whilst mostly along the Old Road, there were eight Chiffchaffs, two Goldcrests and a Treecreeper. 30 Starlings were feeding on the Tip Field.
A Peregrine came through, mid morning, and put up all the Lapwings.
A Green Sandpiper was feeding in the new Settlement Pond beyond the Dragonfly Pool and there were two Bullfinches behind Oak Hide.
A single Brown Hawker was hunting the Dragonfly Pond and Migrant Hawkers were seen on the Old Road and along the Causeway.
18th September 2022
Sunny after overnight cool temperatures and north-westerly wind.
Pronounced hirundine movement this morning between 8 and 10 am was made up of all the three species but with birds mostly seeming to arrive from directions other than from the north and down the Blythe Valley. Estimates by 10 am were 125 House Martins, 40 Swallows and 20 Sand Martins. The number of the birds seemed to be leaving in a north-easterly direction.
At 9 am, a Tree Pipit came in over Patrick Farm from the north and appeared to land near the mitigation area, east of the farm, but there was no further sign.
At least four Ravens were seen during the morning, along with five Little Egrets, 11 Herons, four Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap. A single Collared Dove and at least six House Sparrows were present at the farm.
Black-headed Gulls were coming and going all morning with 170 the best count. They were joined by ten Lesser Black-backs with at least another ten flying over.
Later in the morning, there was still a Reed Warbler on the Reedbed side of the Causeway and a Water Rail in the channels on the other side.
17th September 2022
Sunny spells, fresh north-westerly wind, cool.
Graham Rowling’s Saturday wildfowl count covered the following: eight Mute Swans, 395 Greylags, 137 Canadas, 88 Shoveler, 49 Gadwall, ten Wigeon, 20 Mallard, 78 Teal, a female Pochard, 11 Tufted, 31 Cormorants, 14 Little Grebes, nine Herons, five Little Egrets, 16 Moorhen, 39 Coot, 88 Lapwing, one Snipe, two Green Sandpipers, 238 Black-headed Gulls, one Herring Gull, 21 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Water Rail, a Raven and five Meadow Pipits (Concrete Road.).
16th September 2022
Cool morning, light but cool northerly wind increasing throughout the day, sunny.
A small movement of Meadow Pipits was taking place up until 8 am, with seven south in ones and twos. At the same time, a party of Martins and Swallows had begun to feed over the north end of Car Park Pool, partly in the lee of the vegetation and included six each of Sand Martin and Swallow, and eight House Martins.
A flock of 60 Stock Doves were flying around Siden Hill Wood, a Green Woodpecker was feeding on the Railway Pool banks, before flying towards the wood, seven Little Egrets flew into Car Park Pool and the Dunlin remained, this time in front of Oak Hide.
Additional records included seven Linnets around Car Park Pool, the first flock this autumn, ten Wigeon, eight Egyptian Geese, a female Pochard, two Snipe and two Green Sandpipers.
15th September 2022
Sunny, warm, but a cool evening.
A Commic Tern flew south at 9 am but was seen briefly and could not be clinched to identification as between Commic and Arctic. The Dunlin remained on site, along with three Green Sandpipers. A Grey Wagtail flew south and a Peregrine put in an appearance.
14th September 2022
Sunny, fresh northerly wind.
A juvenile Shelduck was a noteworthy site this morning. The Dunlin remained, there were two Ravens and a family party of eight Egyptian Geese, but nothing else made the log.
13th September 2022
Sunny spells, fresh northerly wind.
The Dunlin remained on site today and, on the Flood Plain, there were 14 Pied Wagtails and a Meadow Pipit. At least 40 Stock Doves were seen flying around Siden and Lower Siden. Two Ravens went over.
12th September 2022
Sunny spells, heavy showers late morning and, into the afternoon, light showers.
Once of yesterday’s Dunlins remained on site and there was at least one Green Sandpiper and three Snipe. There was no sign of the Garganey this morning but the Pintail remained, as did the Great White Egret.
Other counts of note included 17 Little Grebes, 362 Canadas, various hybrids, 489 Greylags and 84 Shoveler.
A Water Rail was seen in the North Causeway Bay, a pair of Reed Warblers along the Causeway and a Small Copper again by the Dragonfly Pond.
11th September 2022
Misty and overcast start, slowly clearing to sunny intervals in the afternoon, cloud building from the south-west in the evening. The wind was still, initially, moving to light south-easterly later.
A drake Pintail was still on Car Park Pool this morning and a second Dunlin joined yesterday’s bird on the gravel bar. There were five Snipe on the islands and three Green Sandpipers spread across the pools and on the margins of Dragonfly Pool. 505 Canadas, with three Greylag / Canada hybrids and two smaller hybrids which suggested something like a cross between Emperor Geese and Cackling Geese.
30 mixed hirundines moved south in the morning and included single figures of Sand and House Martin, with the rest Swallows. A Raven flew over Siden Hill Wood, there were at least 60 Stock Doves favouring Lower Siden and five Meadow Pipits went over.
Great White Egret – Photograph by Paul Casey
10th September 2022
Overcast, light cool north-westerly wind, increasingly sunny and warm.
The Great White Egret was again on show on Railway Pool this morning and a steady movement of hirundines was taking place with, at 8.45 am, ten House Martins, eight Sand Martins and 15 Swallows. A Bullfinch called by Oak Hide, there were at least six Greenfinches by the Car Park feeders and three Cetti’s Warblers were in song (River, Causeway and the top stream).
Today’s full count was as follows: nine Mute Swans, 376 Canadas, 428 Greylags, two Canada / Greylag hybrids and two Barnacle / Greylag hybrids, one adult and three juvenile Egyptian Geese, the eclipse drake Pintail, five Wigeon, 52 Shoveler, 83 Gadwall, 30 Mallard, 92 Teal, 13 Tufted (no sign of the Garganey), 13 Cormorants, six Little Egrets, 11 Herons, 13 Little Grebes, nine Moorhen, 42 Coot, 112 Lapwing, a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, a single Dunlin, one Snipe, two Green Sandpipers, 19 Black-headed Gulls, three Herring Gulls, 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a juvenile Water Rail and last, but definitely not least, a Stoat which showed well crossing from Railway Pool to the back gate enclosures.
9th September 2022
Overnight rain from the 8th through to the 9th, mostly overcast but with increasingly sunny spells, west north-westerly wind
The Great White Egret again showed well on Railway Pool moving around the margins, but initially visible from Railway Hide. The Garganey was also present in front of Oak Hide and six Wigeon were spread between the two pools. The eclipse drake Pintail was again in the channel between the Car Park islands and the far shore. A drake Pochard, also on Car Park Pool, was new in.
15 adult and 11 juvenile Little Grebes included four to five bred on site and the rest birds from off-site.
Two Whitethroats were noteworthy, one along the Causeway and one in the gorse clump opposite the Back Gate. Four Ravens went over, there were two Water Rails in the Causeway channels and at least two Green Sandpipers. Cetti’s Warblers were in song from the River Hide area and also from Oak Hide. Four Swallows went south at 11 a.m.
8th September 2022
Periodic, very heavy rain, with occasional sunny periods in between. South-easterly wind.
The Great White Egret, moving between the pools, showed well during the day along with three Little Egrets, the Garganey and Pintail.
Great White Egret – Photograph by Steve Pattison
Pintail at Car Park Hide – Photograph by Steve Pattison
The first Meadow Pipit passage of the autumn comprised 13 that went over the Car Park and an adult Yellow Wagtail showed well on the Car Park Pool islands after most of the birds seen on the Flood Plain have been juveniles.
Raptors included Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and at least five Buzzards and waders were similar to previous days with three Green Sandpipers, the juvenile Little Ringed Plover and a single Snipe.
Hirundine passage was more marked than in the previous few days, with over 100 Swallows, 40 Sand Martins and 40 House Martins. The Kingfisher did the rounds of the pools and there was a Reed Warbler along the Causeway.
7th September 2022
Sunny spells, fresh southerly wind.
New birds in today were a male Whinchat which showed well on the cross fence in the Tip Field opposite the Car Park gate and an eclipse drake Pintail on Car Park Pool. The eclipse drake Garganey remains on Railway Pool and, in amongst the wildfowl, there were two Barnacle / Greylag hybrids and three Canada / Greylag hybrids.
A good selection of other birds included Peregrine, juvenile Little Ringed Plover, three Common Sandpipers, two Green Sandpipers, six Snipe, 15 Little Grebes and a single remaining juvenile Egyptian Goose.
Whinchat – photograph by John Hunt
6th September 2022
Overcast, showers, light south-easterly wind.
A good passage of hirundines were mostly in a single flock and comprised 100 Swallows, 25 Sand Martins and two House Martins.
The juvenile Little Ringed Plover was joined by both Common and Green Sandpiper and a Kingfisher was seen on both pools.
Duck numbers continued to increase with 82 Shoveler this morning, along with 39 Teal, six Wigeon, the Garganey, 486 Greylags, 186 Canadas, two Canada / Greylag hybrids and two Greylag / Barnacle hybrids.
Last, but not least, a flock of 50 Goldfinches were seen feeding on the margins of the Old Road.
The evening Work Party was attended by eight people, with effort concentrated on strimming the islands on Railway Pool and improving the visibility from River Hide, looking north. Thank you to all those who attended.
5th September 2022
Sunny spells, fresh southerly wind.
Despite thinking that all the Whitethroats had left, one emerged behind Railway Hide this morning in the company of a Lesser Whitethroat.
Waders included a Dunlin on Car Park Pool with a juvenile Little Ringed Plover (presumably Saturday’s bird) and three Green Sandpipers on the margins of Dragonfly Pond where the reduced water level has left a nice muddy margin.
The Garganey remained from Oak Hide, Wigeon had increased to six and Hobby, juvenile Water Rail and two Snipe were the main other birds of interest.
4th September 2022
Bright intervals, fresh south-easterly wind.
The long-staying Garganey remained on Railway Pool and a small amount of hirundine passage included six each of Sand Martin and Swallow.
There was just a single Snipe visible on Railway Pool, along with four Little Egrets, and a Raven went over.
3rd September 2022
Hazy sunshine, light southerly wind.
Today was the all day bird count where, along with a number of other West Midland sites, we see how many species can be seen in, effectively a 24 hour period.
The final total of 83 was the best autumn count we have ever had and was helped immeasurably by some passage which included the second Nightjar of the Autumn! The bird was initially ringed at just before 10 pm the previous evening and then what was assumed to be the same bird, flew along the bank to Railway Pool near the back gate at around 2 am. A pair of Tawny Owls were vocal for much of the morning in the same locality.
The ringers caught 40 Blackcaps in the back gate area (and at least 10 more were seen feeding on Elder-berries on the Causeway) and helped to add Garden Warbler to the list for the day, which I suspect would not have been seen otherwise. It was noticeable that Robins have recently become much more visible, with birds chasing each other from feeding vantage points. It was therefore not surprising that three were caught in the Back Gate Copse, all juveniles in full plumage now that they have completed their moult.
Other passage emerged early on with two juvenile Ringed and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover on Car Park Pool. A Dunlin flew over, calling, and in the middle of the morning a rather drab Whinchat appeared on the fence in the middle of the Tip Field, before rapidly relocating to the Flood Plain before disappearing. Shortly thereafter, a Great White Egret flew down the river valley and spent the morning commuting between the pools and showing well. “Difficult to get” species that fortunately gave themselves up, included a Lesser Whitethroat by the South-west Pond and a juvenile Sedge Warbler by River Hide. However, despite persistence in all the usual places, no Whitethroats were seen all day and they had clearly add departed.
A good passage of hirundines until at least the early afternoon started with the first eight Swallows at 07.20 and by 10 am, 82 had flown south. Swallows were the dominant species all morning but five Sand Martins and at least 18 House Martins were also counted, but sadly no Swifts were seen.
Initially, there were few corvids on the Flood Plain but, by 11.40 am, more started to arrive which fortunately included some Rooks and 22 was the final count. By early afternoon, there were hundreds back on the Flood Plain.
A Hobby was seen intermittently but no Peregrine. A flock of 25 Goldfinches were feeding on thistles by Patrick Farm and, fortunately, the House Sparrow flock were in the courtyard there. Three Cetti’s Warblers included birds on the Causeway, South-west Pond and the north end of Car Park Pool.
By 1.30 pm, the count had reached 81 and it took until mid-afternoon for a Pheasant to be seen! The last species to be added was a Linnet, a species which has been scarce over the past few months. Birds like Mistle Thrush, Yellow Wagtail and Red Kite, which could all have been possible eluded us.
The full count is as follows: Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Garganey, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Great White Egret, Heron, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Hobby, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Stock Dove, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Nightjar, Tawny Owl, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Whinchat, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting
2nd September 2022
Overcast, light showers, light north-easterly wind.
The long-staying Garganey remained visible from Oak Hide where there were also four Snipe on view. A Grey Wagtail went over, along with 30 House Martins.
Wildfowl included 68 Shoveler, 58 Teal and 16 Little Grebes and, amongst the Geese, were two Barnacle / Greylag hybrids and a family party of eight Egyptian Geese.
1st September 2022
Warm, sunny spells, light north-easterly wind.
A Peregrine was attacking the Pigeons over the Flood Plain this morning and there was a Hobby over Siden Hill Wood. At least four Little Egrets were commuting between the pools and the River. Plenty of Migrant Hawkers were patrolling the calmer areas of the Reserve, particularly along the Causeway.
Three Snipe tended to favour the areas of Railway Pool, churned up by the cattle which are enjoying wandering in from Lower Siden and helping control the vegetation on the islands. They have been “enrolled into the work parties”.