Fort Dunlop (1 Viewer)

[Ste-gull]

Updated species list - Fort Dunlop

Canada Goose
Cormorant
Common Buzzard
Peregrine
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Pied Wagtail
Mistle Thrush
Starling
Magpie
Carrion Crow

+Redwing & Fieldfare Peregrine prey items

 

[CarrieI]

Fascinating to read your sightings - great project. Often give my son a lift to Fort Dunlop but have never been lucky enough to see peregrines there. Several years ago they nested and there was a live RSPB webcam. Only one egg was laid and then deserted. From memory it was believed female was inexperienced. There also used to be a Pied Wagtail roost at Fort Shopping Centre - not sure if they still roost there. Will read your sightings with interest.

 

[Ste-gull]

Fascinating to read your sightings - great project. Often give my son a lift to Fort Dunlop but have never been lucky enough to see peregrines there. Several years ago they nested and there was a live RSPB webcam. Only one egg was laid and then deserted. From memory it was believed female was inexperienced. There also used to be a Pied Wagtail roost at Fort Shopping Centre - not sure if they still roost there. Will read your sightings with interest.

The pied wags are the forts speciality most definately. When spring comes and when you drive your son in drop him at the car park side entrance and if you look up at the top right part of the building theres two nest boxes. theyre nearly always there through spring summer.

great to have you on board and hope i get some more species for the fort dunlop lists for you

 

[CarrieI]

Thanks for that tip re: Spring and Summer - I will definitely have a look in the direction of the nestboxes then now I know they are still in the area - was really pleased to hear about that Good luck with seeing more species.

 

[Ste-gull]

New LIVE species to the FD list...

Horrible drizzly day today - not great for birds...

BUT - from the car park viewed a Peregrine land on one of the buildings ledges and dashed to the roof for a better view. Stunting small male, keeping out the rain.

I then heard something new above me which turned out to be two Redwings batting around. Love a bit of speed birding.

 

[Ste-gull]

Species list update

Fort Dunlop List:(15)
Canada Goose
Cormorant
Common Buzzard
Peregrine
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Pied Wagtail
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Starling
Magpie
Carrion Crow

Peregrine Prey Items:(2)
Redwing
Fieldfare

 

[Ste-gull]

An unusual meal

Up on FDs roof today on our Peregrines ledge was a Little Grebe! Or rather the head of one. Amazing to see what these Peregrines will and can take. Ill post some photos of the FD roof later and an updated list. Only from my phone camera so nothing spectacular but I shall try and get some birdy snaps sometime when I remember my actual camera.

Anything else of avi-interest in Brum lately?

 

[Ste-gull]

Update

Fort Dunlop List:(15)
Canada Goose
Cormorant
Common Buzzard
Peregrine
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Pied Wagtail
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Starling
Magpie
Carrion Crow

Peregrine Prey Items:(3)
Redwing
Fieldfare
Little Grebe

 

[Ste-gull]

and here is said Peregrine...

Horrible drizzly day today - not great for birds...

BUT - from the car park viewed a Peregrine land on one of the buildings ledges and dashed to the roof for a better view. Stunting small male, keeping out the rain.

I then heard something new above me which turned out to be two Redwings batting around. Love a bit of speed birding.

Terrible photo on my phone - really need to take my camera:

 

[Ste-gull]

And as promised, some pics from FD's rooftop

Again - sorry about the poor quality...phone camera and all that...
1. View above the ledge used by the Peregrine for feeding
2. THE ledge (with what I think is a Little Grebe's head...any other suggestions?)
3. FD roof
4. FD roof

 

[scary-canary]

You seemed to have circled a tree.

 

[Ste-gull]

You seemed to have circled a tree.

It does rather look like that but that's just a circular bench. The ledge is in the foreground of the picture and potential Little Grebe is in the top right hand quarter of it.

As I said, I really need to take my camera and not use my phone, would help tremendously with these things.

 

[Upland Birder]

Interesting Thread

Ive just had a sense of vertigo! Interesting thread. Visible migration in the spring could be interesting!

Dean:t:

 

[Matt Griffiths]

2. THE ledge (with what I think is a Little Grebe's head...any other suggestions?)

Probably is Little Grebe with the pale bill, although the cheeks look rather whitish!
Matt

 

[tperry]

Yes you certainly must have a head for heights!

Can't see much lapwing habitat round there any more but hope your list grows over the winter!

Tony

 

[scary-canary]

Imagine if you looked over there and a peregrine was sitting on the ledge. i don't know who would be more surprised - you or him!

And yes it does look like little grebe to me too.
Chris

 

[Ste-gull]

Probably is Little Grebe with the pale bill, although the cheeks look rather whitish!
Matt

Imagine if you looked over there and a peregrine was sitting on the ledge. i don't know who would be more surprised - you or him!

And yes it does look like little grebe to me too.
Chris

Glad I've got some backing on the Little Grebe - must have been one heck of a catch though, can't imagine how it might have caught it other than a brave LG taking a significant flight.

And as for seeing a Peregrine on that ledge...that would be something special, and more than startling for us both haha!

 

[Ste-gull]

Lunchtime birding

Today was a bit more exciting on my short little roof top birding trip.
A Buzzard was residing in the FD airspace for a long while being continual mobbed by a team of 2 Carrion Crows and 2 Herring Gulls. Patient old thing just kept on floating by.

Pied wags as per usual and 2 Fieldfare - I've been trying to keep an eye on the surrounding greenery for the more common of our birds (the garden favourites etc) to help the FD list but no success today.

The Little Grebe head was still there today somehow too, with the recent weather blowing and washing away the majority of the cack that was there before - a clear Little Grebe (head) now. I think the original "white cheeks" could well have been downy feathers or foreign material of some description; the colouration is what you'd expect now its been washed off.

 

[Ste-gull]

another fieldfare dinner

Male Peregrine was showing again today. Was flying passed the rooftop when I got up there.

A nice whole Fieldfare prey item was on the hand rail (pleasant) of the roof, caught sometime between today and yesterdays lunch times. I noticed it and walked up to see what it was and after a quick photo retreated to see if the Peregrine would come back for it while I was watching. No such luck - I just hope I didn't disturb it unwittingly and that it was actually just left there 'for later.'

Herring Gulls and Pied Wags were present again along with the resident feral bunch

Fieldfare attached:

 

[Ste-gull]

Update

Fort Dunlop List:(16)
Canada Goose
Cormorant
Common Buzzard
Peregrine
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Pied Wagtail
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Fieldfare
Starling
Magpie
Carrion Crow

Peregrine Prey Items:(4)
Feral Pigeon (2)
Redwing (1)
Fieldfare (2)
Little Grebe (1)[/QUOTE]