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

Sandwell Valley (2 Viewers)

You can also have great views of the Kingfisher from the viewing screen at the bottom of the wood walk through (RSPB Reserve as I call it it's just over the railway bridge past the gate on the left and about 10 yards or less up on the left) this appears to be a very little used area but great for the views of species like the kingfisher
 
My sightings from a walk around forge mill/rspb reserve today.

Black-headed Gull
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Bullfinch
Canada Goose
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Cormorant x4
Gadwall x6
Goldfinch
Goosander x20(1 male)
Great Crested Grebe
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Greenfinch
Grey Heron x2
Grey Wagtail x2(feeding on the rivers edge)
House Sparrow
Jay x4
Kingfisher (flying down river)
Lapwing x16
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Long-tailed Tit
Magpie
Mallard
Moorhen
Mute Swan
Pochard
Robin
Snipe
Sparrowhawk (flyover by powerlines)
Starling
Teal x6
Tufted Duck
Woodpigeon
Wren

The rain cut short my walk a little but still fun.
 
At Sandwell plans for the new works on the island and reedbed are coming to a head with the contractors rolling in later this month. The Environment Agency have been on site to look at the plans first hand and have been able to consent to the works with only a couple of minor tweaks to the design. The work parties now will be preparing the way for the machines to come and doing some important prep work in the reedbed. Next time that bittern comes by we reckon he will like what he finds!

Nick Martin
Note this is copied from an RSPB Newletter
 
Birds of interest around Forge Mill Lake today were:

Common gull
Redpoll species (I assume lesser but they were fairly distant)
Water rail (at least 3 around the lake)
Ring-necked parakeets
Redwings (and good numbers of other thrushes)
Peregrine
Goosander
Goldcrests
Plus all the regulars
 
Hi all, another resonable morning in the hide nothing to exciting and no idea whether water rails were about due to the very bright sun, here's the main sightings I jotted down,

Black headed Gull 50+, Goosander x8, Sparrowhawk x1, Buzzard x2, Snipe x4, Tufted Duck 10+, long tailed Tit 5+, Goldfinch 5+, Lesser black backed Gull 5+, Canada Goose 10+, Gadwall 5+, Teal 5+, Crow 5+, Lapwing 10+, Coot 20+, Moorhen x1, Mute Swan x1 (Atilla the swan), Grey Heron x1, Ring necked Parakeet 3-4x.

The Parakeets showed well at an area known as Kingfisher corner they have been seen near the old centre today and I was told one flew over the main lake near the ramp.

Hope this helps

WMBB
 
Had half hour to kill while waiting for somebody at Sandwell Hospital so I popped down to Park Farm Wood, in the twenty minutes I was there I had. Ring Necked Parakeet x3, Nuthatch x2, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Treecreeper.
Good Birding YAMYAM
 
I always provide my name if I report anything different as I think the reports coming from people who DON'T leave any name or contact should either be left as unconfirmed or suspected sightings this way people can make their own minds up.
 
hughie king said:
Another one to go with Nightingale & Gt w Egret in the Phantom Birder of the Valley file! About time all Bird Information Services asked for names to reference these elusive birds for official recording purposes.

Hughie.
Click to expand...

Both Nightingale and GW Egret (plus a whole lot more ;)) quoted on Dave Saunders' BUBO list for the Valley
 
I ignore anything decent seen down the Valley unless its seen by more than one person, or I see it myself. I learnt my lesson years ago.
 
Had a walk around this morning. Slightly disappointed that the hide was not open when I passed it at 12.15.

Rspb pool
Bhg, black bird, blackcap, blue tit,bullfinch, buzzard, can goose, crow, chaff, coot, cormorant 4, gadwall 20, goldcrest, goldfinch, goosander, Gsw, great tit, greenfinch, grey heron, jackdaw, jay, lapwing, lt tit, magpie, mallard, moorhen, pied wag, pochard 14, redwing 300-400, robin, shoveler 4, starling, snipe 5, teal 3, tuf duck, willow it, wood pigeon, wren.

Swan pool
Bhg, can goose, crow, cormorant 8, gc grebe, great tit,grey heron,kestrel, Lbbg, herring gull, lt tit, magpie, mallard, mistle thrush, moorhen, mute swan 10, pochard,redwing, reed bunting, tufted duck,wood pigeon.

Dartmouth park.
Bhg, blackbird, b tit, can goose, crow, chaff, coot, goosander 7, g tit, lt tit, magpie, mistle thrush, moorhen, mute swan, pied wag, robin, shoveler 4. Starling, tufted duk, wood pigeon.
 
Last edited:
Phil Andrews said:
Both Nightingale and GW Egret (plus a whole lot more ;)) quoted on Dave Saunders' BUBO list for the Valley
Click to expand...

There's a lot of stuff 'quoted' but actually seen is another matter! It's been going on for years but, for some reason, it generally gets ignored by the listing websites like BUBO / Surfbirds which makes them a laughing stock in my opinion. I, and most others, just dismiss any 'reported' birds on the pager from Sandwell Valley - it's become depressingly familiar every year! Seems though that the regular sequence of birds, seen each year in a familiar order, has moved to Bumblehole Meadows...
 
Hi all, a few good sightings from today, a Drake Mandarin Duck was the main surprise, the bird was sheltered under the trees by the ramp before flying quite near to the hide, it was then mobbed and attacked constantly by Gulls before flying of towards the Golf course. The Water Rail was seen on a few occasions and in fact two birds were seen at one time, also a Common Gull was another species seen in the morning. A few Snipe also made an appearance. Work on the island apparently starts on Tuesday this week so there may be a lot of disturbance during the week.

Hope this helps

WMBB
 
Quick visit to Swan pool and Forge Mill lake this afternoon produced:

About 30 Goosander, 12 of which were on Ice House pools.

Good numbers of Redwings feeding at the paddocks and in trees beside Swan pool.

PMH reported 7 Ring-necked parakeets.

2 Buzzards, one of which appeared at first glance to have unusually long and slim wings until we got a better look at it.

Only 4 Wigeon which was disappointing. Loads of Chaffinches, Goldfinches and Redpolls.
 
Sandwell Valley this afternoon. Combined bird totals from Swan pool, Forge Mill lake, Ice House pools/Priory Woods and Park farm:

GC Grebe..........1
Mute Swan........16
Canada.............61
Mallard.............84
Gadwall............4
Shoveler..........16
Teal................25
Tufted............79
Pochard..........14
Goosander.......34 (15 male/19 redhead)
Wigeon............7
Coot...............154
Moorhen..........28
Herring Gull......8
LBB Gull...........45
Buzzard...........3
Kestrel............1
Ring-necked parakeet...3
Redwing..........55

Colour-ringed Lesser Black backed Gull on Swan pool, red ring on left leg. code 9JF. I've submitted the sighting to the BTO.

The marsh was totally devoid of birds because of the work thats going on at that end of Forge Mill lake. The absence of Teal and Snipe being the most noticeable.
 

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