Dowles Brook, Wyre Forest (1 Viewer)

[Reader]

Today I spent a few hours wandering around the forest from Dry Mills Lane car park and managed a few of my target species. I had a couple of Tree Pipit from the gate opposite the bench, two Pied Fly's plus I heard a possible seven others in their usual area. A Wood Warbler as you entered the Pied Fly area plus another one heard but not scene close to the youth hostel. A cracking male Redstart at the top end of the orchard plus another one heard but not seen.

I failed to find any Dippers or Mandarin but one birder had a Dipper well down the Fred Darling track.

 

[Isaac2]

Early morning visit from dry mill lane approx 9 singing pied fly,5 wood warbler 10 + tree pipit , 2 lesser pecker, 2 pairs mandarin, grey wags, and a garden warbler most seen within 400metres of farm. Still dipped on a dipper although walked up six bridges ,water level very low for time of year and forest paths as dry as I've seen them for years.

 

[jackied]

2 Painted Lady butterflies plus loads of Pearl Bordered Fratillaries on the wing today.

 

[Rob_S]

A couple of hours this morning from Dry Mill Lane car park.

Spotted Flycatcher and Tree Pipit by the bridge south of Lodge Hill Farm. I also heard a Cuckoo calling several times here.
A male Redstart and several Pied Flycatcher in the woods between the farm and Knowles Mill.
Tawny Owl roosting in a tree next to the path down to Knowles Mill, already being mobbed as I arrived, flew off shortly after.
Wood Warbler about 100 yards along Dowles Brook from the mill, heading towards Dry Mill Lane car park.

I spoke to the lady at the farm briefly when she came in from walking the dog. She told me that the nests around the farm have suffered significant predation from Magpies in particular already this spring.

 

[Isaac2]

8pm till late still dipped on dipper but water levels in brook low even after recent rain.Not to much about but as the light dropped cuckoo landed close and proceeded to call ,surprising loud when the bird is near , no wonder the call carries a long way .Highlight a pair of woodcock Roding seen several times.

 

[xFritzx]

Had quite a few Spot Fly's and a very confiding Wood Warbler yesterday. I don't visit this site a lot, but it always delivers!

 

[Isaac2]

Still woodcock patrolling the sky over wyre ,not much else ,but first glow worms of the year.

 

[Dick-E-Dipper]

Whereabouts in the Wyre is the best place to see, hopefully, the Woodcocks. Presumably after 9.00pm?
Always a pleasant place to visit

Richard

 

[Isaac2]

Woodcock over path above old railway track half way between farm and car park ,also north end ,Far forest,use footpath and follow Dowles brook down stream . Time of sightings 10pm--->.

 

[Dick-E-Dipper]

Many thanks for the above info, will give it a try now cooler

Richard

 

[JoshT01]

Nice first visit to the area this afternoon. A brief visit with not much birding managed to produce 2/3 Spotted flycatchers, as well as a Kingfisher, and Garden Warblers along the old railway line. I'll have to return soon and put in a bit more time.

 

[Isaac2]

morning visit to wyre 2 vocal dippers and 2 grey wagtails along with 5 species of tit along dowles brook ,dry mill lane ---coopers mill. 3 spotted flycatchers in dead tree above and to right of farm.

 

[Dick-E-Dipper]

Visit this morning yielded absolutely nothing. The only unexpected sighting was of a MINK in the river, between the car park & the Mill.

Dipped on the Dippers!

Richard

 

[DaveJones]

Wood Warbler and Hobby late afternoon. :t:

 

[Reader]

I tried posting to this thread on the 18th April but it said that as the last reply was over 217 days old the thread could no longer accept replies. Obviously that was a glitch.

On the 18th April it went well. All target birds seen, bar the reported pair of Mandarins that had been seen along the brook.

The Redstart was quite hard to find. Not at the usual place in the paddock area but further along the track by the four finger post. Even here I had to sit on the bench for nearly an hour before I first heard, then saw one.

Pied Fly's and Tree Pipits in the usual place plus passed the bridge to the four finger post where both species were quite prominent as well. A few Wood Warblers were seen and heard along the length of the track from just passed the Dry Mill Lane car park and also along the brook.

One Dipper was eventually found near Coopers Mill but no Mandarins could be found.

It had been a warm day on that day and was a pleasure to walk my dog around the wood. I'm just surprised that no one has been posting to this thread until now as it is very productive there and well worth visiting.

 

[IvanS]

I tried posting to this thread on the 18th April but it said that as the last reply was over 217 days old the thread could no longer accept replies. Obviously that was a glitch.

On the 18th April it went well. All target birds seen, bar the reported pair of Mandarins that had been seen along the brook.

The Redstart was quite hard to find. Not at the usual place in the paddock area but further along the track by the four finger post. Even here I had to sit on the bench for nearly an hour before I first heard, then saw one.

Pied Fly's and Tree Pipits in the usual place plus passed the bridge to the four finger post where both species were quite prominent as well. A few Wood Warblers were seen and heard along the length of the track from just passed the Dry Mill Lane car park and also along the brook.

One Dipper was eventually found near Coopers Mill but no Mandarins could be found.

It had been a warm day on that day and was a pleasure to walk my dog around the wood. I'm just surprised that no one has been posting to this thread until now as it is very productive there and well worth visiting.

we went yesterday - the cool conditions probably accounted for the absence of pied flys and redstarts, although one was spotted before we arrived at the spot, but there were pushing double figures of wood warblers and some very vocal tree pipits

 

[DaveJones]

Thanks to the tripod guys that got nice pics of Pied Fly... Me?... None lol.

Woodie,'s seem common this year, Tree Pips too... Got pics of both. Need a bridge camera... the one guys butterfly pics were fantasticB

 

[Rob_S]

This morning:

Wood Warbler singing in various places along the railway track, particularly on the Dowles Brook side, and also in the trees along the brook.
Tree Pipits doing classic Tree Pipit treetop flights, and gathering nesting material.
Several Garden Warbler, including a very obliging individual which sang loudly from the same tree as a Tree Pipit for a good 30 seconds.
M + F Pied Flycatcher in the woods between Knowles Mill and the farm.
M + F Mandarin on Dowles Brook just downstream of Knowles Mill.

Redstart proved much harder to find. The only one I located flew off just as I got the bins on it.

 

[Rob_S]

Species behaviour question - do Garden Warblers catch insects in the same way as Spotted Flychatchers i.e. short flights from a prominent perch, to which they return afterwards?

Thinking back on what I saw today, and realising that I'd put this bird down as Garden Warbler simply because it was along a stretch of the old railway line where there were a number of Garden Warbler, but now not sure.

 

[Reader]

You do get Spot Fly's there as well. Are you sure it wasn't a Spot Fly?