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
Wednesday 9th September – 6.00pm
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.
15th September 2026
Sunny spells, fresh westerly.
An impressive 14 female/immature Goosanders were present on Railway Pool this morning, which were presumably a combination of two or three family broods. Only 12 Red-heads were still present at midday.
A second-summer Yellow-legged Gull was present with at least nine Lesser Black-backs on Car Park Pool in the late afternoon, and two very vocal Green Sandpipers were feeding together and calling all the time below Oak Hide, just after 18.00.
Eight Willow Emerald Damselflies were present in various places around the Reserve, including one by the Back Gate, five on the path to the ringers’ bridge by the Central Stream, and two along the Concrete Road.
Other bits and pieces comprised seven Wigeon, 129 Teal, three Great White Egrets, four Little Egrets, 12 Herons, a single Egyptian Goose, a Water Rail, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull, an over-flying Collared Dove, and seven Stock Doves together in the evening which dropped in to drink on Car Park Pool.
Green Sandpipers – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
14th September 2026
Overcast with drizzle, brightening to sunny spells, light southerly.
A Reed Warbler was present in the North Causeway Bay, and other migrants included a bright juvenile Willow Warbler along the Old Road past the HS2 workings, whilst overhead, 11 Sand Martins and two Swallows headed south. Also over the Old Road was a single Kestrel and two Ravens, whilst around the Pools were four Wigeon, 94 Teal, nine Little Grebes, seven Snipe, a Green Sandpiper, 29 Cormorants, 14 Herons, five Little Egrets, three Great White Egrets and 138 Mallard.
13th September 2026
No records.
12th September 2026
Sunny spells, fresh south-westerly.
Wildfowl numbers are hugely variable on a day-by-day basis, but there were again over 1,200 Canadas and Greylags, along with 27 Mute Swans, seven Egyptian Geese, 45 Shoveler, 13 Gadwall, four Wigeon, 110 Mallard, 95 Teal and six Tufteds. The Heron count reached an impressive 16, along with three Little Egrets, and two Great White Egrets. A Water Rail was heard from the Reedbed, and on the insect front, there were two Willow Emeralds and two Small Coppers.
11th September 2026
Great White Egret numbers were up to five today, and the second Spotted Flycatcher of the autumn was one seen briefly along the Old Road between the Car Park and the Dragonfly Pond. There were also two Nuthatches and a pair of Linnets along the Old Road towards the cottages.
A juvenile Great Crested Grebe was new in, and of the waders, a juvenile Little Ringed Plover and three Green Sandpipers were also present.
10th September 2026
Windy, dull.
There was a Green Sandpiper in front of Oak Hide, Peregrine and Kestrel over, two Great White Egrets and two Egyptian Geese, whilst the adult Greater Black-backed Gull roosted. Three Kestrels circled together over the Flood Plain in the late morning.
9th September 2026
Overcast, fresh north-westerly.
The Spoonbill departed overnight and there was not much change in bird species with a juvenile Little Ringed Plover perhaps being the most interesting of the remaining birds in the last few days. Eight House Martins, five Swallows and two Sand Martins continued the dribble of hirundines heading south.
Another disappointing turnout for the work party saw just three people start the strimming of the Railway Pool islands. With decreasing amount of light, we only had about two hours but strimmed all of the island in front of Oak Hide, most of the largest island, known as Tern Island, towards the far side of Railway Pool, and opened up visibility from Oak Hide on the larger island close to the shoreline. Thank you to John Hunt and Paul Roper for attending.
I do hope that when we revert to the Saturday afternoon work parties, we will have more people attending. The Reserve depends on these work parties to maintain what you all appreciate.
Late evenings are a lovely time at the Reserve as the wildfowl are flighting in to roost, with much of the flighting taking place either at dusk or even in the dark.
8th September 2026
Overcast, rain until mid-morning, light south-westerly, clearing later.
The adult Spoonbill remained on site all day, pleasing a steady trickle of appreciative members.
Waders extended to singles of Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover and, in addition, there were eight Snipe, two Kingfishers, three Great White Egrets, 69 Lapwing, a further increase in Mute Swans to 37, four Wigeon, five Egyptian Geese and six Little Grebes. Hirundine passage continued with 16 House Martins, two Swallows and nine Sand Martins.
7th September 2026
Warm and sunny.
Today’s undoubted highlight was an adult Spoonbill found early morning on Car Park Pool and present all day. Also new in was an eclipse drake Pintail which started on Car Park Pool before moving to Railway Pool. The adult Greater Black-backed Gull roosted on the Car Park Pool islands and round the margins were three Great White Egrets, two Little Egrets and seven Herons. There were also two Wigeon, two Snipe and a Kingfisher seen.
A further increase in Mute Swans saw the total reach 33 (27 adults and six juveniles). There were still five Egyptian Geese and other waders included singles of Green Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover (a juvenile), whilst overhead, two Ravens, 17 Swallows and six Sand Martins made up the rest of the records.
Spoonbill – Photograph by Jason Lewis
6th September 2026
No records.
5th September 2026
Sunny spells, fresh south-westerly.
Increasing numbers of wildfowl comprised 686 Canadas, 601 Greylags, five Canada/Greylag hybrids, 30 Mute Swans, four Egyptian Geese, 37 Shoveler, 53 Gadwall, two Wigeon, 134 Mallard, 66 Teal and eight Tufted Ducks. The recent rain had made no appreciable difference to the water levels and Herons continued to patrol the margins, including nine Grey Herons, four Little Egrets and three Great White Egrets.
Waders, despite the low water levels, were limited to 41 Lapwing, three Snipe and a Green Sandpiper. Water Rails were seen or heard in the North Causeway Bay and the Reedbed and, at the last location, a Kingfisher was again present.
A Raven went over along with four House Martins and seven Swallows. There were still nine Willow Emeralds spread across the Reserve.
Willow Emerald Damselfly – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
4th September 2026
Overcast after early morning rain.
Yesterday’s juvenile Ringed Plover was still present, joining singles of Common and Green Sandpiper, five Snipe and three Great White Egrets.
A flock of 25 Goldfinches fed along the Old Road. A Mink was seen from Car Park Hide.
3rd September 2026
Sunny intervals, fresh south-westerly.
There was no sign of the Little Ringed Plovers this morning, but a juvenile Ringed Plover was new in and was present all day. There were over 1,000 mixed Canada and Greylag Geese, but probably of more interest were lingering warblers which included a Whitethroat in front of Railway Hide, Chiffchaff and Blackcap on the Causeway and at least three singing Cetti’s Warblers.
2nd September 2026
Rain.
One of yesterday’s juvenile Little Ringed Plovers was still present again this morning, joining a single Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, and nine Snipe.
Raptors included Hobby, Kestrel and a male Peregrine, and a further trickle of hirundines comprised six Swallows, two Sand Martins and seven House Martins.
1st September 2026
Sunny, fresh south-westerly.
The highest count of Willow Emeralds that I can recall was 14 today, all on the path to the ringer’s bridge. There was also a Clouded Yellow by the HS2 crossing.
Two House Martins, two Sand Martins and a Swallow were a rather poor return for thin hirundine passage, and birds should be piling through at this time of year.
Other counts care of Graham were 25 Mutes, 589 Canadas and 562 Greylags, along with two Canada/Greylag hybrids and two Egyptian Geese, 39 Shoveler, 37 Gadwall, two Wigeon, 190 Mallard, 76 Teal, 15 Tufted, 32 Cormorants, six Little Grebes, six Herons, six Little Egrets, three Great White Egrets, 18 Moorhen, 29 Coot, a Water Rail, 42 Lapwing, five Snipe, two Common Sandpipers, 59 Black-headed Gulls and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls. In the event, the Egyptian Goose count had increased to five and there were two Little Ringed Plovers new in, both juveniles.