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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Kingsbury Water Park (2 Viewers)

At least 2 chiffchaff new in today; one near Hemmingford Pool and one on the Nature Trail. Didn't have chance to walk much more of the site today to check for anything else new in, but there does appear to be a pair of kingfisher looking to nest on the site.

Adam
 
Pre-work jaunt around Broomey Croft produced 2 singing willow warblers between BC pool and Canal Pool, 4 swallows and one sand martin over BC pool.

I also saw a fox, rather dark in colour (almost black in parts) carrying a dead cormorant along the far back from the hides. It then appeared about 5 mins later without the bird, so I am guessing that it's either stashed away for later, or left with the cubs.

Through the day the birds kept racking up. Singing blackcap near the donkey rides, at least 30 swallows arouns the southern bridge over the river Tame by Hemmlingford Water, skylark singing in the nature reserve fields, grey wagtail in the 'Logs for sale yard' 2 kingfishers over Bodymoor heath pool and loads of chiffchaff all over the site now.

Some hawthorn is now in flower around Bodymoor Heath Water, and colts-foot is in flower around the model boat pool. There is frog spawn (or toad spawn I guess) in the pond dipping pond too. As well as lesser celandine in flower by the play park and marsh marigolds in flower by Hemlingford Water.

Adam
 
Common Tern

Pre-work jaunt around Broomey Croft produced 2 singing willow warblers between BC pool and Canal Pool, 4 swallows and one sand martin over BC pool.

I also saw a fox, rather dark in colour (almost black in parts) carrying a dead cormorant along the far back from the hides. It then appeared about 5 mins later without the bird, so I am guessing that it's either stashed away for later, or left with the cubs.

Through the day the birds kept racking up. Singing blackcap near the donkey rides, at least 30 swallows arouns the southern bridge over the river Tame by Hemmlingford Water, skylark singing in the nature reserve fields, grey wagtail in the 'Logs for sale yard' 2 kingfishers over Bodymoor heath pool and loads of chiffchaff all over the site now.

Some hawthorn is now in flower around Bodymoor Heath Water, and colts-foot is in flower around the model boat pool. There is frog spawn (or toad spawn I guess) in the pond dipping pond too. As well as lesser celandine in flower by the play park and marsh marigolds in flower by Hemlingford Water.

Adam

5 Common Tern this evening Bodymoorheath Water (Chris Cook)
 
At least 3 common terns still present on Bodymoor Heath Water today. Also saw my first house martin of the year over Broomey Croft.

There was a peacock butterfly on the wing near Mitchell's Pool, depsite the very strong winds and odd light shower.

Adam
 
Brimstone butterfly today at KWP. Just on a path we cleared from the Broomey Croft Car Park. This is the path that will be used as a diversion once the upcoming bund works start; please see signs on site for more details (as I cant remember all of them at the moment).

A blackcap was signing today just behind the train station. Possibly the same one I saw on Saturday near the 'Logs for sale yard.'

Adam
 
I had another birmstone on site on Wednesday, this time by the main car park.

Common terns must have reached double figures by midday on Wednesday. I didn't have my bins with me (as I was working), so didn't get a definate count though. They just seemed to be everywhere over Bodymoor Water.

Adam
 
Plenty of common terns on both Bodymoor Heath Water and Hemlingford Water.

Muntjac deer seen on an island on Hemlingford today.

I also had a whimbrel through over Bodymoor Heath Water at 5.50pm.

Adam
 
Finding the singing wood warbler on my way to the Skan Hide this morning made my day! A little stunner, what a song it has, and was quite a surprise to find it if I'm honest. Not a mega rarity, but a nice reminder of why people wake up early and work a patch.

I also had a common sandpiper from the hide and a single lapwing (which was later displaying). I had a possible yellow legged gull as well, but with the sun not helping matters I didn't want to claim it. Will be interesting to see if anyone else had it later in the day.

2 lesser whitethroat heard; one by Sita Hide and one on the most northern path of Canal Pool. Sedge warbler were in similar places, as well as between Broomey Croft Pool and Canal Pool.

2 white wagtails were on the foreshore of Bodymoor Heath Water too.

Adam
 
Wood Warbler

Finding the singing wood warbler on my way to the Skan Hide this morning made my day! A little stunner, what a song it has, and was quite a surprise to find it if I'm honest. Not a mega rarity, but a nice reminder of why people wake up early and work a patch.

I also had a common sandpiper from the hide and a single lapwing (which was later displaying). I had a possible yellow legged gull as well, but with the sun not helping matters I didn't want to claim it. Will be interesting to see if anyone else had it later in the day.

2 lesser whitethroat heard; one by Sita Hide and one on the most northern path of Canal Pool. Sedge warbler were in similar places, as well as between Broomey Croft Pool and Canal Pool.

2 white wagtails were on the foreshore of Bodymoor Heath Water too.

Adam

Nice find Adam Wood Warbler, not so well represented in Warwickshire as your home County of Staffordshire, no longer a breeder in Warwickshire and only a handful are found on passage each year.
Nice to have a warden at the Country Park interested in Wildlife, we have not had one since warden Mark Priest was at the park, I can remember Mark finding a Black-necked Grebe when going around the park in the morning opening up and also putting out a Spoonbill at Cliff Pool that someone had reported to him.
There has been a Yellow-legged Gull in the park for a number of years now and well documented by Alan Dean with plumage changes on his website Gulls of the West Midlands, the Gull is mostly seen in the Southern end of the park (assuming it's the same bird).
I used to have a year carpark permit at the park and covered the northern end of the park before walking up the canal to the now RSPB Middleton lakes. Since the free carpark at Middleton not so many cover KWP, I know Steve Cawthray and WJE cover the north end of the park and Alan Dean covers the Southern End.

Regards, John
 
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Saw my first lesser whitethroat of the year today (heard 2 last week) in the ditch on the north side of Canal Pool on the way to the hides. Also saw my first reed warbler of the year in the same ditch.

The hides produced 2 redshank, 3 dunlin and 3 LRP. However, the dunlin and LRP quickly wandered off around the back of the island and out of view, so it is possible more were present.

Adam
 
Not had chance to go birding at KWP this week. But walking around work today has proven productive.

Kingfishers were seen on Kingfisher Pool (what are the chances!). 3 buzzards were up over Mitchell's Pool. 2 Gadwall and 4 tufted duck still there as well. More warblers than I could count or locate around the site too.

Highlight of the day has to be the first male orange tip of the year, seen between Kingfisher and Heron Pools. A small tortoise shell was seen near Mitchell's Pool.

We have begun moth trapping, although we can only do it in the secure depot area, so we aren't expecting anything too rare. Last nights trap produced:

1 lesser swallow prominent
1 oak beauty
4 clouded drab
3 common quaker
2 hebrew characters

Adam
 
KWP Public moth trapping event

We (Warwickshire Country Parks) will be running a public moth event at Kingsbury on Sat 25th May with additional help from Bob Cox and the other memebers of our group! Should be interesting to see what turns up!!

Regards, Ben
 
lesser whitethroat showing really well at Pine Pool yesterday. A yellow wagtail was on the river bank at 6pm yesterday at the back of Hemlingford. Sand martins on the river are becoming a bit of a spectacle, close views of so many birds is always good.

Adam
 
LRP from the hides this morning. The common terns look settled in now, hopefully the floods will spare them this year.

The moth trap has turned up a few good uns lately: lime hawk moth, white-pinion spotted, pebble prominent and brimstone.

Adam
 
Tame Valley ‏@thetamevalley 3h

At Kingsbury Water Park today looking into creating an exciting new wetland area that both people&wildlife can enjoy! pic.twitter.com/zkR2rI7H2g
 
Yeah, to stop the river (and the pools) flooding into the canal, a new flood bund is being created. The material from this is being removed from the edge of Cliff Pool. This wil create shallow areas were we are hoping to create a larger reedbed than we currently have. So hopefully wintering bittern will become a very regular thing.

This does mean part of the footpath network is currently closed (mainly along the canal). Please follow all signs on site to help keep yourselves and the workmen safe.

There is also talks about creating more wet grassland areas on site, for wintering waders. However, this is still in discussion and no decision is finalised yet.

Adam
 
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