What with this being my first birding trip out for three weeks for various reasons I decided yesterday was an ideal occasion to visit the wonderful Middleton Lakes RSPB nature reserve in Warwickshire.
The main incident of the day was when c.100 Greylag Goose took to the air circling around and making a right racket, they were presumably 'spooked' by a predator of some kind, maybe a raptor or fox, after flying around in the air for about ten minutes they eventually settled at the other end of the reserve to which they originally were, whatever the reason for them flying up it was a great visual and aural occasion to witness. It was great to see so many Mute Swan, Grey Heron and Lapwing in particular on the reserve as well as sightings of Snipe, Little Egret and Shoveler. Off the water it was great to see Stonechat, Reed Bunting, House Martin, Green Woodpecker and it was also great to get up close and personal with Nuthatch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal, Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock and Robin at the unofficial feeding station by the boardwalk just before you reach the reserve.
Birds seen today were, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Wren, Stonechat, Nuthatch, Reed Bunting, Starling, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Pheasant (cock and hen), Pied Wagtail, Little Egret, Lapwing, Snipe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Shoveler. Teal, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Greylag Goose and Canada Goose.
Trip out to North Warwickshire today to visit a very damp, misty and foggy Kingsbury Water Park where the highlights were seeing the hundreds of House Martin either flying just above the water on the lakes or high up in the air, seeing a Kingfisher dart over the water from the a tree on the waters edge to another tree on an island on the middle of a lake which was visible through binoculars, what an amazing bird ! Seeing Sedge Warblers in the bushes, especially as they be off to far away climes soon, seeing many flocks of Long Tailed Tit including a mixed flock together with Blue Tits of which there were at least fifty birds and finally seeing two juvenile Great Crested Grebe as well as Pied Wagtail and Woodpigeon juveniles.
Birds seen today were, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Kingfisher, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Greylag Goose and Canada Goose.
Another trip back to North Warwickshire to visit Shustoke Reservoir where the highlights were seeing forty three Mute Swan which including eight juveniles which was a great sight because on lots of visits here you don't see any at all, c.600 Coot and c.50 Canada Geese who flew in shortly after my arrival.
Apart from seeing many waterfowl it was very quiet but it was great to see a Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch and House Martin who may have all gone by my next visit.
Birds seen today were, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Robin, Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, House Martin, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose/
Short trip to Plantsbrook Nature Reserve this morning where it was nice to see that the Muscovy Duck and Domestic Goose are still resident but the Indian Runner Duck has mysteriously disappeared, apparently it went missing back in May some time, it was also great to see two great looking Great Crested Grebe chicks.
Birds seen today were, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Robin, Wren, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Muscovy Duck, Domestic Goose and Mallard.
Ironically the highlight of the day was actually after leaving Plantsbrook which was catching a rare glimpse of a Peregrine Falcon which was flying from the canal towards the Fort Dunlop at a rate of knots, hard to see if it had any prey because I was in the car and it so quick, awesome sight all the same.
Nice trip to Shustoke Reservoir in North Warwickshire apart from there were originally four benches on the grass near the car park a couple of years ago and there's now only one, with one being wrecked and thrown on the bushes whilst a Severn Trent wooden plaque has been torn from it's hinges and the bird feeders that were in the tree are now nowhere to be seen, bloody mindless morons !!!
Back to the birding, it was great to see the waterfowl have a good breeding season here this year because they don't normally fare very well here, it was great to see eight juvenile Mute Swan (one pair had seven while another pair unfortunately only had one survive), five Great Crested Grebe (three and two) which is amazing because you very rarely see juvenile Great Crested Grebe at Shustoke, there were at least four juvenile Little Grebe plus there were countless Mallard and Coot birds going into adulthood, as well as that there were also plenty of Pied Wagtail juveniles including one poor individual with only one leg.
Birds seen today were. Kestrel, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Wren, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Swift, House Martin, Swallow, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Common Tern, Grey Heron, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.
First trip to Pype Hayes today for while which is mainly due to the heavy roadworks going on around the roads to the park over the summer holidays.
Highlight of the was seeing a rather resplendent looking juvenile Robin, other juveniles seen were Bullfinch, Reed Warbler, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie and three Mallard Ducklings.
Birds seen today were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Bullfinch, Nuthatch, Reed Warbler, House Sparrow, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard and Canada Goose.
I didn't see the resident Muscovy Duck today but it could have been asleep on the island which is very overgrown and it's impossible to see what's on there.
The only other news is bad news, after the female Mute Swan was decapitated last year the male has now been run over and killed on the road between Pype Hayes Park and Plantsbrook Nature Reserve, the roads around the park are a nightmare and are well known for 'speeders', in fact there was collision on Monday (17/08/2015), but how you manage to run over and kill a Swan is beyond me, they aren't exactly known for the speed when on terra firma.
The only birding trip out this week and it was off to Cole End Park Local Nature Reserve in Coleshill, North Warwickshire for a walk around the fields and a stretch of the River Cole.
On the whole it was quiet but there were still plenty of flocks of Tits around and it was also nice to see juvenile Chiffchaff and Dunnock. There were also two adult Buzzard in the air with at least three of their fledglings in the trees and sitting on a pylon.
Birds seen today were Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Starling, House Martin, Swallow, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Woodpigeon.
