Spent the morning at Shustoke where from the car park I could see there were c.30 Common Tern, there were c.600s hirundines with the majority Swallows, before I finished for the day I upped the estimate to closer to 1000.
I hadn’t walked far before I came across my first White Wagtail at Shustoke for a few years, bizarrely it was with a Meadow Pipit. I continued round but it was quiet with very few birds singing, but it was rather cold which was probably a contributing factor.
I decided to check out farmland on the other side of the railway and a recently ploughed field yielded two fine Wheatear and a Stoat came dancing along the road towards me apparently unaware of my presence before heading into the undergrowth.
I have a new site on the outskirts of Curdworth which looks promising it is the footpath that runs towards Water Orton through the old Sewage beds, it is very overgrown but is good for warblers and I would imagine it will be good in the Autumn. It is a large area, but unfortunately access is limited to the footpath so you are only going to see a fraction of what is available but so far I have heard/seen 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 5 Chiffchaff, 8 Blackcap and 1 Garden Warbler. The best bird so far was a rather brief Cuckoo which disappeared from sight over the bank never to be seen again.
Yesterday in a brief visit to Wishaw I saw a further 2 Wheatear but was driven back by the rain.
Friday, 28 April 2017
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
Tuesday 25 April –A busy few weeks
Firstly, on a personal note, Joy and I have finally moved from our house in Shustoke, in a way I will miss it, but it was way too large for us. With the kids having both left home we really were rattling around. Also the garden was a full time job with nearly an acre of garden to look after. Whilst I can copeat the moment, in a few years time it may have been a different story.
I saw a total of 96 different species in our 15 years, with highlights being, in no particular order: Woodcock, Osprey, Goshawk, Merlin, Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl, 3 Whinchat, 6 Stonechat, Wheatear not to mention breeding Spotted Flycatcher and annual Hobby.
Anyway back to birding, Shustoke (I still intend to cover it) has had nothing unusual, over the last month there have been steady passage of Sand Martin with, in recent weeks more and more Swallow and during the last few days a scattering of House Martin and yesterday a few Swift.
Warblers have been slow with Blackcap appearing at the beginning of April with several singing birds now present. Chiffchaff, an earlier arrival peaking at six singing birds. Whilst yesterday saw my first Whitethroat and Willow Warbler. Normally there would be several Common Sandpiper but the water levels are the highest I can ever remember with very little open shoreline to attract waders. A CS was reported over the weekend and I saw one yesterday on top of one of the green floats by the car park.
RSPB Middleton has been good and over the past month there have been good birds on offer with nearly 100 Black-tailed Godwit in the past week. There have been showy Grasshopper Warblers and a good showing generally of warblers. But the bird of the year so far for North Warwickshire was a male Green-winged Teal which I missed despite spending the morning on-site – I did have a Osprey over. When news broke I returned in the evening and eventually the bird showed quite well if distantly.
I used to bird down Castle Lane but as the years moved on it became a bit of a rat run and I never felt save walking along the lane. Now I have Wishaw on my doorstep with a network of paths and quiet lanes I am looking forward to exploring this site further. These fields are well known by birders, mainly for two species that appear to be no longer present or at best very difficult Corn Bunting and Grey Partridge.
On Sunday Joy and I walked along Blindpit Lane and saw both Whinchat and Wheatear. I returned yesterday afternoon but there was no sign of the Whincat. I walked through the field towards the Cock Inn and in a vast field with stubble had seven Wheatear on it. There could have been any number as I only had my binoculars. There were 100s of mixed corvids and 40+ Stock Dove. I carried on walking to return via Hempit Lane, it was rather windy so I didn’t find any warblers but a Peregrine went over and as I got back to the main road there were a further 5 Wheatear and 3 Yellow Wagtail.
I saw a total of 96 different species in our 15 years, with highlights being, in no particular order: Woodcock, Osprey, Goshawk, Merlin, Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl, 3 Whinchat, 6 Stonechat, Wheatear not to mention breeding Spotted Flycatcher and annual Hobby.
Anyway back to birding, Shustoke (I still intend to cover it) has had nothing unusual, over the last month there have been steady passage of Sand Martin with, in recent weeks more and more Swallow and during the last few days a scattering of House Martin and yesterday a few Swift.
Warblers have been slow with Blackcap appearing at the beginning of April with several singing birds now present. Chiffchaff, an earlier arrival peaking at six singing birds. Whilst yesterday saw my first Whitethroat and Willow Warbler. Normally there would be several Common Sandpiper but the water levels are the highest I can ever remember with very little open shoreline to attract waders. A CS was reported over the weekend and I saw one yesterday on top of one of the green floats by the car park.
RSPB Middleton has been good and over the past month there have been good birds on offer with nearly 100 Black-tailed Godwit in the past week. There have been showy Grasshopper Warblers and a good showing generally of warblers. But the bird of the year so far for North Warwickshire was a male Green-winged Teal which I missed despite spending the morning on-site – I did have a Osprey over. When news broke I returned in the evening and eventually the bird showed quite well if distantly.
I used to bird down Castle Lane but as the years moved on it became a bit of a rat run and I never felt save walking along the lane. Now I have Wishaw on my doorstep with a network of paths and quiet lanes I am looking forward to exploring this site further. These fields are well known by birders, mainly for two species that appear to be no longer present or at best very difficult Corn Bunting and Grey Partridge.
On Sunday Joy and I walked along Blindpit Lane and saw both Whinchat and Wheatear. I returned yesterday afternoon but there was no sign of the Whincat. I walked through the field towards the Cock Inn and in a vast field with stubble had seven Wheatear on it. There could have been any number as I only had my binoculars. There were 100s of mixed corvids and 40+ Stock Dove. I carried on walking to return via Hempit Lane, it was rather windy so I didn’t find any warblers but a Peregrine went over and as I got back to the main road there were a further 5 Wheatear and 3 Yellow Wagtail.
Monday, 3 April 2017
Monday 3rd April
After two Egyptian Geese on Sunday, this morning saw four fly through, they thought about landing but in the end headed off in a southerly direction.
Other good birds today included my first Oystercatcher of the year, again it flew through and my first Common Tern, which, you’ve guessed flew through.
Other species of note were eight singing Chiffchaff and two Blackcap as well as a Kingfisher on the river.
This evening saw a flock of c100 Sand Martin accompanied by a single Swallow.
Other good birds today included my first Oystercatcher of the year, again it flew through and my first Common Tern, which, you’ve guessed flew through.
Other species of note were eight singing Chiffchaff and two Blackcap as well as a Kingfisher on the river.
This evening saw a flock of c100 Sand Martin accompanied by a single Swallow.
Sunday, 2 April 2017
Sunday 2nd April
Got around relatively early and it looked quiet on the birds front, the reservoir was busy with a “Boot Camp” training session going on, I haven’t seen that much stretched Lycra in my life!
There were c.30 Sand Martin but most of the flocks move straight through at this time of year, especially if the weather is good. As I was making my way round two Shelduck flew past but didn’t land, then I picked up a new species for me at Shustoke, I can’t remember if it has been recorded before at Shustoke I suspect it has, but anyway two Egyptian Geese were new for me, my first new species for a couple of years. Unfortunately, like the Shelduck they went straight through headed east.
I had another singing Blackcap between the two pools but as it was dull there wasn’t an awful lot of birds singing.
There were c.30 Sand Martin but most of the flocks move straight through at this time of year, especially if the weather is good. As I was making my way round two Shelduck flew past but didn’t land, then I picked up a new species for me at Shustoke, I can’t remember if it has been recorded before at Shustoke I suspect it has, but anyway two Egyptian Geese were new for me, my first new species for a couple of years. Unfortunately, like the Shelduck they went straight through headed east.
I had another singing Blackcap between the two pools but as it was dull there wasn’t an awful lot of birds singing.
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| The locals give their opinion on the introduction of parking charges. |
Saturday, 1 April 2017
Saturday 1st April
Most of the week as seen a steady trickle of Sand Martin with my first Swallow seen on Wednesday which also had a Blackcap singing from the Car Park. Tuesday saw a single adult Little Gull which had morphed into upto six by the next day.
The best bird of the week was a Great White Egret, which unfortunately was seen flying over Blythe Bridge not at the Reservoir.
I went over this morning in the drizzle and there were c100 Sand Martin and several Swallow, there was also another Blackcap.
I look forward to the forthcoming week as things start to hot up. Hopefully we should have a few Warblers coming through and maybe a few Terns.
Keith Barnsley emailed to say he had seen c.26 Sand Martin and a distant Peregrine in the direction of Hams Hall. Plus the Skylark in the lane were still in full song.
The best bird of the week was a Great White Egret, which unfortunately was seen flying over Blythe Bridge not at the Reservoir.
I went over this morning in the drizzle and there were c100 Sand Martin and several Swallow, there was also another Blackcap.
I look forward to the forthcoming week as things start to hot up. Hopefully we should have a few Warblers coming through and maybe a few Terns.
Keith Barnsley emailed to say he had seen c.26 Sand Martin and a distant Peregrine in the direction of Hams Hall. Plus the Skylark in the lane were still in full song.
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