Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
As I plan to visit this area on a regular basis, I thought I'd start a new thread to log any sightings. My first ever visit to Trench Wood was circa. 1986. In those days, it was notable for its Nightingales with 10+ pairs still present in the latter years of the 1980's. I last recorded them here when I visited in 1993 but they were rapidly diminishing and in 1994 I failed to hear one. During those visits I also recorded a passage Wood Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, several Woodcocks and, in 1989, a Quail could be heard in the nearby fields.
The wood, itself, is now much more disturbed and often seems quite lacking in birds. However, over the past few years, I have made the occasional visit and started to explore the surrounding areas - some of which look quite promising and could produce some interesting birds at passage times. The following sites are worth checking out:
Lower Saleway Meadows and Paddocks
Lower Saleway Farm Meadows SSSI is a species-rich hay meadow supporting an array of wild plants including a few species of orchids. It is full of Cowslips and Yellow Rattle. The surrounding fields and paddocks are worth checking. Visits over the past few years have produced Cuckoos, Ravens, Peregrine, Yellowhammers, Linnets, Skylarks, Lesser Whitethroats, Common Whitethroats, Little Owl and Canada Geese. Yesterday, a Red Kite appeared over an adjacent field when the farmer started cutting his alfalfa crop.
Trench Wood (itself)
Still worth a visit. Recent trips have yielded Spotted Flycatchers (up to 4), Garden Warblers, Willow Warblers, Cuckoos and, in the evenings, both Tawny Owls and a Barn Owl. Roe Deers and Muntjacs are relatively easy to see.
Fields around Sale Green
On Sunday, 2 Curlews were in the fields between Sale Green and Crowle. A few of the fields look quite species-rich floristically with Yellow Rattle and other plants. Yellowhammers and Lesser and Common Whitethroats present.
Fields and woods between Netherwood Lane and the Droitwich - Birmingham Canal.
This is a varied and interesting area bounded by Trench Wood, Crowle Green, Tibberton and Oddingley. Some very interesting flower-rich fields with very thick hedges border the canal (where there are Cuckoos and Reed Warblers). On the other side of the railway embankment, the larger fields with wide ditches are surprisingly good, too. This area supports decent flocks of Lapwings (33 counted on Sunday), 15+ Mistle Thrushes, Yellowhammers, both Whitethroat species, a Curlew was present a week or so ago and a Marsh Tit in one of the hedges. Brown Hares seem quite common around here and spectacularly close views of a female Roe Deer and her fawn were obtained yesterday.
I will continue to explore the area and post my sightings.
The wood, itself, is now much more disturbed and often seems quite lacking in birds. However, over the past few years, I have made the occasional visit and started to explore the surrounding areas - some of which look quite promising and could produce some interesting birds at passage times. The following sites are worth checking out:
Lower Saleway Meadows and Paddocks
Lower Saleway Farm Meadows SSSI is a species-rich hay meadow supporting an array of wild plants including a few species of orchids. It is full of Cowslips and Yellow Rattle. The surrounding fields and paddocks are worth checking. Visits over the past few years have produced Cuckoos, Ravens, Peregrine, Yellowhammers, Linnets, Skylarks, Lesser Whitethroats, Common Whitethroats, Little Owl and Canada Geese. Yesterday, a Red Kite appeared over an adjacent field when the farmer started cutting his alfalfa crop.
Trench Wood (itself)
Still worth a visit. Recent trips have yielded Spotted Flycatchers (up to 4), Garden Warblers, Willow Warblers, Cuckoos and, in the evenings, both Tawny Owls and a Barn Owl. Roe Deers and Muntjacs are relatively easy to see.
Fields around Sale Green
On Sunday, 2 Curlews were in the fields between Sale Green and Crowle. A few of the fields look quite species-rich floristically with Yellow Rattle and other plants. Yellowhammers and Lesser and Common Whitethroats present.
Fields and woods between Netherwood Lane and the Droitwich - Birmingham Canal.
This is a varied and interesting area bounded by Trench Wood, Crowle Green, Tibberton and Oddingley. Some very interesting flower-rich fields with very thick hedges border the canal (where there are Cuckoos and Reed Warblers). On the other side of the railway embankment, the larger fields with wide ditches are surprisingly good, too. This area supports decent flocks of Lapwings (33 counted on Sunday), 15+ Mistle Thrushes, Yellowhammers, both Whitethroat species, a Curlew was present a week or so ago and a Marsh Tit in one of the hedges. Brown Hares seem quite common around here and spectacularly close views of a female Roe Deer and her fawn were obtained yesterday.
I will continue to explore the area and post my sightings.