Still about the patch…..for now

Sandwell Valley Bullfinch

Oystercatcher near the river at Sandwell Valley

Bullfinches paired up

Red Kite over Dunnington

Chiffchaff in plantation

Green Sandpiper

Kestrel

Kestrel watching closely

Upton Avocet

Black-headed Gulls ready for a busy few months

Another cold spring week (that certainly put off those planned early migrants) lead to me doing all my birding close to home. On Tuesday I visited RSPB Sandwell Valley for an early morning walk before work. Eight Wigeon remained from the previous week although they were on the river not the marsh. There was only one Goosander as the others have left for their breeding grounds. The bird of the morning was most definitely the Bullfinch, as many as eight were all in one bush looking splendid in the sunshine. I recorded two Chiffchaffs in different parts of the reserve whilst the only other birds of note were three Oystercatchers.

With the sports taxi covering basketball in Coventry & local football Sunday it kind of suited me being around so I could see all the action and get some more patch time under my belt. I teamed up with the Squire on Saturday morning and we did the pits, Abbots Salford & a small piece of land that’s always worth a mooch. There really wasn’t many changes, Abbots Salford had 24 Sand Martin above the lake whilst our additional walk found good numbers of Chaffinches, a new Chiffchaff & a late flock of Fieldfare.

On Sunday I started early trying to cover as many areas as possible. An additional Little Ringed Plover has joined the first pair which could seen on Pophills and the main pit along with 5 Green Sandpipers. That’s a pretty good count compared to other local reserves. The successful pair of Sparrowhawks from last year were displaying giving encouraging signs and there were two new Chiffchaffs in the plantation singing loudly. The regular pair of Shelducks looks to have chased out the competition from last week. I picked up the regular Red Kite  at 8am flying over Dunnington & later again on the way home near Weethley Church. The duck numbers have fallen considerably within a week but Shoveler bucked the trend with seven recorded.

A winter male Wheatear was seen late morning by Jon but couldn’t be located late afternoon by anyone else. Water Rails were recorded on the main pit and were calling from the Reed Lagoon.  

The wind had really picked up by the time I reached Abbots Salford where the Sand Martin flock has increased to 40, whilst other birds of note were a pair of Pochard, 3 Chiffchaffs, female Peregrine & the heronry was busy with birds building nests.

After watching Dusty clinch a last gasp 2-1 win for his football team we headed over to Upton Warren for an hour in afternoon. 30 Avocets were present but no Green Sandpipers or LRP's. 

First Ring Ouzel is April addition

Midweek Ouzeling

 Chiffchaff

 Chiffchaff

Common Sandpiper

First brood of Canada Geese

 Turnstone

Our local idiotic dog walker

The last few days of April and the start of May brought some more nice birds to the pits.

On Tuesday evening I was searching for a Winchat seen by Jon, near the central lagoon, when I flushed a male Ring Ouzel from the scrub. The bird flew into cover and headed up on to the bunds. After Paul arrived we both headed up the bund and I got a terrific flight view across the area into one of the drainage ditches. Ring Ouzel is a species I’ve been desperate to record on site, finally the patience had paid off.

Saturday was very quiet but I did record my first Swifts over the south lagoons. I got some amazing views of the Chiffchaffs by the railway line that certainly made the morning worth the splodging round in the mud. On the main pit, the Oystercatcher was trying to keep a large number of Herring Gulls away from its second nest of the spring.

Jon and I did a full site visit on Sunday the highlights we recorded were two Golden Plover in summer plumage flying over, seven Common Sandpipers and 14 Swifts.

With heavy rain showers forecast for Monday afternoon I held back my visit until then. Just as I was getting ready, Mike Inskip called to say a Turnstone was on the main pit. The bird was still there on arrival and was feeding on the main island. Sadly the bird was flushed by our local dog walker who despite walking past myself and Paul, climbed down to waterside and flushed the Turnstone, Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper. Mind blowing………………………….