Cole Valley (1 Viewer)

[zomerset]

More River Cole kingfisher

24-05-14 07:00
What a treat this River Cole is turning out to be!!! All my favourites this morning, a Grey wagtail, Bullfinch, Heron and a possible blue dart of the KF. All the regulars as well with a Thrush having a really good sing. The Swans on Trittiford pool have 6 cygnets. I decided to put something back in by picking up all the rubbish (four full bags) around Sarehole mill - it looked like someone had, had a party with too many energy drink bottles and plastic cups. I decided to do this as for me this has been a great KF stretch. I was then rewarded with a high speed kingfisher fly past on the John Morris Jones Walkway and then it flew up and down a couple times calling 'chi'!!!!!!!!! Great!! (And I missed the rain)

 

[zomerset]

8-06-2014 8.00
Plenty of bird song from Blackbirds, Thrushes and Robin along the JM walkway. Heron behind and a pair of Swans with 5 cygnets on Trittiford pool. Didn't hear or see a KF, was hopeful of fledglings. (someone on one of my Essex patches saw 9KF!!)

 

[zomerset]

14-06-2014 07:00
Still plenty of bird song along the R. Cole. 4 Heron. Mallards and Moorhens. Swan with cygnets on Trittiford and a few young GCG. My first LSWP. No KF though!!

 

[zomerset]

21-06-2014 07:00
Plenty of bird song along the R. Cole. I thought the kingfisher had moved on but saw it today, firstly in a tree over the river at perfect fishing height (although the water level was only approx. a foot deep) and then it flew past me head height a few feet away. Great!! (Still curious though if there is a nest some where)

 

[zomerset]

05-07-2014 06:15,
I had just started to walk along the path next to the R.Cole, after Trittiford, when I heard a couple dull 'chiiiiiiii' calls coming towards me, I looked along the River only for the kingfisher to fly past me on the path, not the River. I then heard the echo of it's calls as it went under the bridge up to Trittiford. I then had a look around Trittiford and there was a family of 4, GCG and a lone GCG that caught a fish, whilst I watched. Also a few heron present.

 

[zomerset]

20-07-2014 06:00
Another great morning on the R. Cole just after Trittiford. So many songbirds. A family of LTT and other blue/great tit families feeding, 2 heron, 2 territorial wrens making a right din! (2 KF)

 

[zomerset]

26-07-2014 07:00
So many songbirds singing and feeding along the River Cole just after Trittiford, I had to run a couple miles until I could hear a 'chiiiii' in amongst the bird calls. Then a 'teeeee-chiiiiiiiii' or 'chi-keeeee'. Then I saw the kingfisher flying back up the river. Also my first Nuthatch on this stretch.

 

[zomerset]

02-08-2014
Another great morning on the Cole, plenty of songbirds down from Trittiford. 10 BBs feeding on the ground. Heard the KF in the distance. I was only saying yesterday on a run around WVCP not seen a Grey Wagtail, one of my favs and hey presto one turns up on the Cole! Great!!

 

[zomerset]

02-08-2014 15:00
This afternoon at Kingshurst Brook which runs into the R. Cole, there was a kingfisher on the lake at Meriden Park. Even more impressive was a flock of over 50 feeding birds which I could see included LLTs and Willow Warblers. I presume it included other members of the tit family. Also a single L. Grebe.

 

[zomerset]

Three kingfisher!!!!!!!!!!!

09-08-2014 06:30
Great morning on the Cole down from Trittiford, less songbirds now. A duck with eight chicks, a heron hiding. The swan has five cygnets on Trittiford. A few minutes run along the Cole, I heard the loud shrill 'chiiiiiiiii' as the kingfisher went up the river, then a couple minutes later it called as it went back down. I waited on the river bank, thinking it might fly back up again. I got more than I expected!!!!!!!!!! Next thing, I heard quick, repeated calls, slightly different in pitch, 'chi, chi, chi, chi, chi, chi, chi' then one, two, three kingfisher flew past in real close succession, almost touching. I then found two on a bend together and they flew off and then the third one flying back down again. I then left them to it. Stunning!!!!!!!!!!

 

[zeberdy]

Trip Down Memory Lane

Morning All,

Having found this thread on the river cole that used to be my play area I thought I would do a quick walk this morning.

Starting at the Drawbridge PH I crossed the drawbridge and headed down to the go under the aqueduct bridge stopping to look at the fish below continuing on past the new housing development being built on the flood plan fields it was interesting to see the trouble they are going to but in under ground drainage pipes. Following the river Cole along Aqueduct Rd I wished I had but some decent shoes on as the long wet grass soaked my feet

I continued to Colebrook road and crossed over to follow the Cole through Nethercote gardens and then following a field path that brings you out in Scribbers lane crossing this into Scribbers lane nature reserve that brings you out in slade lane one of the few roads still having a Ford crossing the road into Trittiford Park I beared right and did a circuit around the park. Sighting a Heron and the normal resident Canadian geese and park ducks I retraced my steps back into Scibbers nature reserve were I caught the fleeting sight of I think a Buzzard with something big in its claws being pursued by a Magpie also some wrens in the river bank.

In Scribbers lane I turned right to wall up to Priory road turning left for a short distance I crossed over to go into the nature reserve at the back of Priory Mill pond not a lot to see on this trip there, I carried on and followed the path keeping right it takes you on to the Stratford upon Avon Canal towpath and turning left I followed the canal back to my start point.

A pleasant walk of just over 3.5 miles with more time I will extend it down to Sarehole Mill and try an early morning start to see if more is about and hope to see the kingfisher's you mention.

Zeberdy

 

[zomerset]

Morning All,

Having found this thread on the river cole that used to be my play area I thought I would do a quick walk this morning.

Starting at the Drawbridge PH I crossed the drawbridge and headed down to the go under the aqueduct bridge stopping to look at the fish below continuing on past the new housing development being built on the flood plan fields it was interesting to see the trouble they are going to but in under ground drainage pipes. Following the river Cole along Aqueduct Rd I wished I had but some decent shoes on as the long wet grass soaked my feet

I continued to Colebrook road and crossed over to follow the Cole through Nethercote gardens and then following a field path that brings you out in Scribbers lane crossing this into Scribbers lane nature reserve that brings you out in slade lane one of the few roads still having a Ford crossing the road into Trittiford Park I beared right and did a circuit around the park. Sighting a Heron and the normal resident Canadian geese and park ducks I retraced my steps back into Scibbers nature reserve were I caught the fleeting sight of I think a Buzzard with something big in its claws being pursued by a Magpie also some wrens in the river bank.

In Scribbers lane I turned right to wall up to Priory road turning left for a short distance I crossed over to go into the nature reserve at the back of Priory Mill pond not a lot to see on this trip there, I carried on and followed the path keeping right it takes you on to the Stratford upon Avon Canal towpath and turning left I followed the canal back to my start point.

A pleasant walk of just over 3.5 miles with more time I will extend it down to Sarehole Mill and try an early morning start to see if more is about and hope to see the kingfisher's you mention.

Zeberdy

Hi Zeberdy!
Kingfisher present today approx 7.30 as in my other thread, also Grey Wagtail and a Mink!! I saw a couple fish in the Cole, quite a decent size!!

 

[zomerset]

23-08-14 07:00
After a boring week away in Germany working, it was refreshing to get back home and out and stretch my legs. Cologne park lakes seemed void of birds. On the R.Cole within a couple minutes, heard the 'chii' and a kingfisher went past around the bend. It must have stopped cus it passed me again later. Great!! Plenty of bird song all around to delight my ears and then another favourite LTTs.

 

[zomerset]

24-08-14 11:00
I was out later this morning so found the kingfisher further along the Cole past Sarehole. It flew past me in quiet stealth mode as I ran along, it was straight and fast like a dart. I could see it fly down the river. Plenty of bird call on the JMWW. I found the kingfisher taking on a couple Magpie for a river perch location. I thought at first the magpie were after the KF. I think it was 50/50 as the KF then came back for the perch. Before that one of the Magpie was thinking of getting in the River to take on some Mallards. Great kingfisher display fishing with the quick call when it dived. A heron flew overhead and I found it later in some long grass next to the river. I presume it was looking for frogs.

 

[zomerset]

30-08-14 07:00
As I arrived at Trittiford pool, I could hear the kingfisher calling in the distance down on the R. Cole over the noise of a couple calling geese feeding at the side of the pool. I thought the kingfisher might fly up and over the pool but I found it fishing from a perch on the River and it quickly caught a couple fish before disappearing up the River. Then found over 10 LLTs feeding. I read one of my other favourites, the Grey wagtail, their numbers have dropped 32% in 20 years according to the BTO. With Pied and Yellow numbers down as well. Glad to have spotted some GW recently!!
(also added the photo of the hovering KF on my flickr page - not a great shot! It was more luck really as when it took off I had no idea where it would hover)

 

[zomerset]

06-09-14 07:00 Trittiford Mill Pool and River Cole Valley
I had a feeling I might have to run a bit further this morning to find the R. Cole KF and I was right. It was a bit mirky/dark at the usual perches/KF bends but this meant plenty of bird song along the way which was great! Found a thrush which did not want to give up it's place on the path until I was a foot away. Also found a heron doing some hidden fishing on the River. Then finally found the kingfisher on it's perch over a section of the river with some light (where it took on the magpies the other week). It flew down the river and I continued my run for a couple hundred metres before stopping again and I found the KF on a bank perch this time. It then flew back up the river and I left it to it. On the way back I picked up some litter at sarehole as pay back. Also interestingly this week I found a fishing website that suggested fly fishing on the R.Cole? And that the EA used to top it up with fish? Not sure I believe that, I think there are a couple outlets on the Cole where fish get in. I think the large fish that I've seen on the Cole were Trout.

 

[zomerset]

07-09-14 07:00 River Cole Valley
As I ran along the Cole, I could hear the kingfisher call in the distance, past Sarehole. I got to the path after the ford and stood on the stepping stones across the river, when the kingfisher silently flew past me and did a huge loop and came back and flew past me again. It then went up and down the river a couple times, passing under the bridge. Also present was a Grey wagtail feeding on the river stones and a Jay in a tree overhead.

 

[zomerset]

Whilst at Woodgate Valley yesterday for a quick run, I stopped and asked the Ranger about Mink on the River Cole. He told me there were a lot along the River Cole, four or five colonies. He told me there were no Water vole present from a previous survey carried out on the KFCP section of the Cole. I'm pretty certain I saw one on the Cole before that section, after Sarehole.

 

[zomerset]

14-09-14 07:00 River Cole Valley from Trittiford
I did a full run along the Cole without seeing the KF and thought I was going to be unlucky. Then heard it call as it flew from a tree over the Cole on my return leg, just down from Trittiford. It was right next to a Heron in the river. I then took one more look along the Cole and saw the Kingfisher flying silently from a River perch. Also present were 2 Grey Wagtails feeding on the stones by the River. Plenty of Thrush, Robins, Wren, Tits and Blackbirds singing/feeding.

 

[zomerset]

22-09-14 10:00 River Cole Valley from Trittiford to the ford just past Sarehole.
A quick morning run and a grey wagtail flew past and landed on the bank next to the river just past the ford. Plenty of wrens, robins, blackbirds and feeding tits calling, I thought I could make out the sound of the kingfisher in the background and found it perched over the river before it flew off up the river and gave it's distinctive call. I then found it once more and left it to it.