Just a little update from me as my birding trips have been short and sweet since our return from Devon. I haven’t been too great but I’m looking forward to some top quality local birding throughout Spring at various patches throughout Warks, Worcs, Staffs and the West Mids.
We popped out to Upton Warren Flashes on Thursday afternoon and got our first Little Ringed Plover and Green Sandpipers of the year. Also seven Avocets have returned and Redshank, Curlew, Shelduck, Teal and BH Gulls were present. We then had a jaunt to Grimley New Workings to see if the Black Redstart and/or Scandanavian Rock Pipit were still around but found neither. Worryingly the water is being drained from the North End and the cliff is being levelled out. Apparently there were concerns that it was dangerous? Not if you don’t stand right on the edge…there’s enough warning signs! Sand Martins used to use the cliff for nesting and local birders are most unhappy with the situation. Such a shame.
From the other end we saw Green Sandpiper, Redshank, 2 Oystercatchers and Little Grebe, but not a lot else.
This morning we decided we should twitch the Black Necked Grebe at Belvide Reservoir. We’d missed them in Devon and we didn’t know when we’d have the chance to see one again. It was still there; a stunning adult in breeding plumage (lifer – 208). Also Wigeon, Goldeneye, GC Grebe, Tufties etc. Feeders alive with Nuthatch, Tits (including a nice Willow Tit), Finches etc. We also saw a Weasel running across the road on the way there. Would have liked to spend more time there this morning or go out looking for some of the Little Gulls that were around the region yesterday but I wasn’t feeling so well so had to go home…
On the Bright Side (there’s always a bright side here!) I heard back from the County Recorder in County Donegal regarding my report of Mealy Redpolls in Gleveagh National Park on Tuesday 29th January. My sighting has been accepted. That’s a good find for over there, so I’m chuffed with that.
The other news is that as I’ve been doing so well on my year and life lists so far this year I’ve calculated that there’s a very good chance of achieving 200 for the year and have decided to make this my new aim.
We popped out to Upton Warren Flashes on Thursday afternoon and got our first Little Ringed Plover and Green Sandpipers of the year. Also seven Avocets have returned and Redshank, Curlew, Shelduck, Teal and BH Gulls were present. We then had a jaunt to Grimley New Workings to see if the Black Redstart and/or Scandanavian Rock Pipit were still around but found neither. Worryingly the water is being drained from the North End and the cliff is being levelled out. Apparently there were concerns that it was dangerous? Not if you don’t stand right on the edge…there’s enough warning signs! Sand Martins used to use the cliff for nesting and local birders are most unhappy with the situation. Such a shame.
From the other end we saw Green Sandpiper, Redshank, 2 Oystercatchers and Little Grebe, but not a lot else.
This morning we decided we should twitch the Black Necked Grebe at Belvide Reservoir. We’d missed them in Devon and we didn’t know when we’d have the chance to see one again. It was still there; a stunning adult in breeding plumage (lifer – 208). Also Wigeon, Goldeneye, GC Grebe, Tufties etc. Feeders alive with Nuthatch, Tits (including a nice Willow Tit), Finches etc. We also saw a Weasel running across the road on the way there. Would have liked to spend more time there this morning or go out looking for some of the Little Gulls that were around the region yesterday but I wasn’t feeling so well so had to go home…
On the Bright Side (there’s always a bright side here!) I heard back from the County Recorder in County Donegal regarding my report of Mealy Redpolls in Gleveagh National Park on Tuesday 29th January. My sighting has been accepted. That’s a good find for over there, so I’m chuffed with that.
The other news is that as I’ve been doing so well on my year and life lists so far this year I’ve calculated that there’s a very good chance of achieving 200 for the year and have decided to make this my new aim.
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