Salford Prior GP flyover treat

Salford Prior 

Surrounding fields

Main Pit 

Severnside Sunday

This spring I got frustrated with the constant disturbance at Arrow Valley so I thought I'd try another area ten minutes from home just over the border in Warwickshire called Salford Prior Gravel Pits. 

The Gravel pits have been excavated there for many years and the land is now being returned to agricultural use which is a real shame as the site did have some fantastic habitat. There has been some super birds recorded there over the years including Montagu’s Harrier, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Temminck’s Stint, Spotted Redshank,  Grey Phalarope , Turtle Dove, Hoopoe, Richard’s Pipit and Aquatic Warbler to name just a few, mostly all found by Jon Bowler ex-county recorder.

There is no public access to the site as it's still plenty of work going on at the site. In just a few months since I've been visiting some great habitats have gone forever, very depressing on some weeks, as the site would have made an amazing reserve.

Highlight on Saturday was a flyover the main pit by a Great White Egret, 3rd record for site. At first glance I presumed it was a Little Egret but as it got closer I got some nice view in the scope. I did try a few digiscoped images but nothing was of a decent quality. 

Other birds observed were 19 Wigeon (with the flock favouring Pophills Pit, viewable from roadside, Peregrine, 16 Shovellor, Teal, Tufted Duck, 24 Pochard, Water Rail, 10 Little Grebe, Greylag, 6 Mute Swans, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 13 Gadwell 3 Snipe, a Common Sandpiper still, Linnets, Cetti’s Warbler singing, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Cormorant, Red-legged Partridge and 2 Chiffchaffs. 

Other sightings reported included a Pintail, Jack Snipe, Goldeneye,  Merlin, Med Gull and 2 Goosander.

On Sunday the aim was to finally rid my Black Redstart hoodoo. Well the hoodoo struck once again as first a drive over to Stourport resulted in nothing a feat then repeated down in Bristol. A double dip ! We did call him at New Passage on the way back home but the birds were distant. Sighting included 700+ Wigeon, 10 Golden Plover, 40 Lapwing, 30 Knot, 100+ Black-tailed Godwits, 500+ Dunlin that treated us to some spectacular flying displays. (Please note this was previous weekend)