Super Powered Owls on the iplayer

It was rather ironic that BBC2 showed a brilliant documentary on Tuesday evening about Owls given my recent sightings. The programme shows how silently they hunt and grow from small Owlets. Make sure you check it out, simply brilliant. Super Powered Owls: http://bbc.in/1wSPmcz via @bbciplayer

Final work party of winter at Upton Warren

 Returning Avocets

 The Flashes

 Shelduck Nest box

Turf digging for nest Shelducks

Rescue of parts from old nest box

Work party in full swing

I felt it was only right to help out on the last work party before the breeding season at Upton Warren on Sunday. Thankfully the weather was kind to us although a few layers of clothing was needed before we headed down to the Flashes.

Before work commenced we had a quick session from the hide. It was great as always to see the returning Avocet whose numbers had already reached 16. We flushed at least 10 Jack Snipe and 20 Snipe before commencing the duties. Other sightings included eight  Shelduck, 20 Coot, a pair of Mute Swan, 11 Curlew, 200+ Lapwing, two Oystercatcher, two Little Egret, 5+ Herring Gull, 50+ Black-headed Gull and a single Linnet.

A good party of 14 included Dave W, Des J, Fraser D, Ian J, John L, Mary O, Mike W, Paul, Phil W, Rich, Tim O, Tracey B, our leader John Belsey and myself were on hand to work through a number of tasks including  rebuilding the two Shelduck boxes, clearing the main breeding island of vegetation, relaying the first flash island, installing heavy duty fencing along the stretch north of the hide, clearing the smaller shingle islands, laying wood chippings along the low points of the main path and checking the fox fence.

As always there was good quality home made lemon drizzle and sausage rolls. A great effort by every one. I for one was nursing a stiff back on Monday morning.

Oystercatchers pair up & Little Owls relocated

Oystercatchers pairing up

A very poor photo with phone of Little Owl on hedgerow

A second Oystercatcher joined our first arrival on Saturday and the pair looked to be prospecting for a suitable nest site.

Over at Pophills the Skylarks were in good voice again. I managed to flush four Jack Snipes which I got within inches of. The first bird flushing didn't effect the others and it wasn't until I got close to each bird in turn they revealed themselves. Shelduck numbers had increased to four whilst Teal and Tufted Duck numbers remain the same.

I was over at Upton Warren on Sunday (more of that on next blog) but Jon reported 140 Teal, three Shoveler, an adult male Merlin hunting in the snipe meadow, pair of Peregrines , five Water Rail, six Jack Snipe, 75 Common Snipe, an exceptional flock of 36 Curlews which flew through to north-east,  Green Sandpiper, Common sandpiper, adult Great Black-backed Gull went through with the other four common species , an influx of 50 Meadow Pipits, Chiffchaff still in plantation in addition to 10 Fallow and 6 Roe Deer!

On Monday evening I called past the gravel pits as I headed to Evesham on the hope of seeing the Barn Owl. Passing one of pit signs I picked up a Little Owl on the corner which then took flight. When heading back on the same route two hours later I picked up two Little Owls sat on top of the hedge looking straight back at us in the car. Whilst one of the birds flushed the other one stared back at us allowing me to take a very rough photograph through the windscreen. Very encouraging sighting given none of us had seen a Little Owl since November. As it was a pair we can hope they have found a new home and will breed this spring.

From there we headed down to Pophills were our timing was perfect as the Barn Owl came out of the field to cross the road and then flew right past us and then back across into the Pophills field. As we headed home the bird treated us to another fly past. 

A very good start to March.

Peregrine eyes Wood Pigeon breakfast

Peregrine perched high

Peregrine

Peregrine watching us closely

Old Railway

Siskin

Wood Pigeons above the fields

The weekend allowed me a double session of patch birding at Gravel Pits. Numbers were similar of both days bar a couple of exceptions. On Saturday I picked up three Siskin calling from the centre of the plantation they were the first of the year at the site. 

The male Peregrine was observed on both days with him showing very well on Sunday. He  seemed to wait for us to reach each area of the pits and when birds were flushed he swooped to get a tasty snack. When up on the bunds the Peregrine was just 20 metres above us.

On Sunday morning there were an estimated 9-10,000 Wood Pigeons and 400 Jackdaws around the farm that were most alert to the hunting Peregrine. Another Shelduck had joined the three from Thursday.

Two wintering Chiffchaff were located in the small pits than run along side the A46. 

Other notable sightings included three Jack Snipe, two Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, two Pochard, 100 Tufted Duck, 10 Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tits, 20 Linnet and a Water Rail.

Midweek at the Pits

An early finish at work enabled me to get an hours birding in at Salford Priors late afternoon on Thursday.

As I parked up I could see a large flock of Greylag feeding at Pophills so I thought I'd try this area first. As I walked along the hedgerow I flushed a number of Yellowhammers whilst there were Sky Larks in good voice again.

Sadly I couldn't see any rare geese among the 95 Greylag who were in company of a single Shelduck and 25 Canada Geese. On the pit shingle Sundays Oystercatcher had been joined by another two Shelduck, Common Sandpiper and a first winter Dunlin. Whilst the light wasn't great I did get a couple of record shots. 

As I headed towards the road I came across 2 Jack Snipe and 5 Snipe in the Pophills field.

Over on main pit a Lesser Black-backed Gull was keeping the Black Headed company. A Dunlin was on the main pit however it looked to be the bird from Pophills. Diving duck numbers were very low as I only counted 24 Tufted Duck and one Pochard.

Oystercatcher returns to Salford Priors

Oystercatcher on Pophills Pit

Patchwork Midlands Mini League

I was pleased with our standing of 12th out of 30 in the Patchwork Midlands Mini League at the end of January. We certainly haven't got the habitat that a couple of sites have that entered. It was interesting we scored the same number of species as @earlswoodbirds but our two 2 pointers (Jack Snipe and Scaup) pushed us up a couple of places and Morton Bagot recorded 64 species. 

After yesterdays excitement up north it was more regulation birding today. Spring is edging closer as the Oystercatcher had returned to Pophills Pit. There was also a single Shelduck and two Wigeon to accompany the regulars. The Skylarks and Yellowhammers were both in good voice with the Skylarks showing very well. 

I didn't pick up anything new in the plantation despite a good walk round.The Teal on the main pit were showing well for a change but the Pochard and Tufted Duck numbers were lower than normal.

I headed over to the hidden pools on the hope of locating a Water Rail but had to settle for one Jack Snipe, 10 Snipe, 115 Teal, Reed Bunting and a flock of 45 Golden Plover which flew over at 10.00am. 

I finished off with a walk around Dunnington and Hillers (great for sausage sandwich and coffee) where the highlights were 2 Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, large flock of Chaffiches and a Long-tailed Tit which had been outstanding on the patch year list ! Phew ! Roll on next week.

Upton Warren getting ready for spring

 North Moors

 Oystercatcher behind Shelduck

North Moors

Reed Bunting on feeder

Moors Pool

With a couple of days off for half term I took advantage of the lads wanting to play basketball in Bromsgrove for an hour to drop in at Upton Warren. 

The team at the site are undertaking plenty of projects ahead of the breeding season including the introduction on some new channels for Bitterns, a new look North Moors Pool with new hide (not built yet) and the path to the west hide has been resurfaced. 

After a quick look at the ongoing work on the North Moors I walked down to the West Hide for a good scan. Two newly arrived Oystercatcher were on the islands along with fourteen Shelduck, Grey Heron and Cormorant.

Other highlights included two Bullfinch, six Reed Bunting, 14 Shoveler and Teal.

Let's hope all the hard work results in a couple of rarities turning up there.