RSPB Middleton Lakes (1 Viewer)

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

30/7/12 DBP North pit Green Sand, 6 Common Tern, 68 Mute Swan, Tufted Duck and 3 ducklings, also a Hare seen.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

31/7/12 DBP North pit Sanderling - Little Stint confusion again on the north pit, this happened in Spring with 3 birds . Birdguides report of a Sanderling this afternoon and later known birder Steve Haynes visited and said probable Ad Little Stint. The best chance to I.D these if the light conditions are not ideal is to look at the size when they pass another wader i.e Dunlin, Ringed Plover or Common Sandpiper, if these waders are present.

Regards, John

 

[spuggyhawk]

It was myself and my mate sean that that found the sanderling/little stint, yes I put it out as sanderling after viewing it for 45 mins or more.
It was was a long way off in fact it couldnt have been any further away without being on the far bank.

We didnt have any other waders to compare the size against. Steve Haynes arrived and eventually relocating it after a heavy down pour Steve was still unsure when I left.
Later he rang me to say it was a probable little stint.

Jon

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Sanderling/Little Stint

It was myself and my mate sean that that found the sanderling/little stint, yes I put it out as sanderling after viewing it for 45 mins or more.
It was was a long way off in fact it couldnt have been any further away without being on the far bank.

We didnt have any other waders to compare the size against. Steve Haynes arrived and eventually relocating it after a heavy down pour Steve was still unsure when I left.
Later he rang me to say it was a probable little stint.

Jon

Thanks Jon, Sanderling and Little Stint are not easy to tell apart with no other waders for comparison of size. I would bet a number of these have been mis-identified over the years and appeared in the WMBC annual report. I only saw 3 Little Stint in Spring on the north pit no Sanderling as yet, normally Sanderling are the one's most likely seen in Spring.
The re-landscaping of the North pit by the RSPB with less mud showing so Sanderling and Tundrae Ringed plover sightings have gone down in Spring.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

2/8/12 DBP North pit a wisp of 19 Common Snipe got up circled and landed again on the North pit. Also 3 Common Tern and a Gadwall with 3 young. A Juvenile Lesser Spotted Woodpecker seen on the Warks side at Middleton Hall.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

8/8/12 Arriving at the carpark this afternoon, I looked at the notice board and a Curlew Sandpipier was reported on the north pit in the morning. Some of these board sightings are accurate but many are inaccurate or when somebody reported seeing a Dodo on the reserve, I started to question these sightings.
Anyway no waders seen on the north pit there were 8 Common Tern and a Gadwall brood, second brood Peacocks and Small Coppers were seen and a Roesels' Bush Cricket singing, Purple Loosestrife and Marsh Woundwort in flower.
4 Peregrine reported on the notice board would probably be Hobbies.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

15/8/12 DBP North pit at 17:48 3 Black Tern came in from the private area 2 Moulting Ad and a juv also seen Garganey, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Egret, 9 Common Tern and 7 Snipe.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

20/8/12 DBP a quick visit to the north pit this morning, no waders seen, along the track by the canal 2 young Pike dead in the drying pool. A Spotted Flycatcher, elusive hawking insects both sides of the canal adjacent to the new reedbed section.
Delay on the re-landscaping of the mid section due to a check on the RSPB bridge over the canal and found unsafe for heavy vehicles.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Middleton Lakes

23/8/12 DBP no passage waders seen on the North pit, a Hare along the track by the canal and Red Bartsia in flower, an Essex Skipper seen nectaring on Thistle. Visitors from far and wide today 2 elderly birders from Florida stopping at relatives at Bromsgrove. A birder from Cheadle who does not use Bird Forum. Also 2 couples from Bishops Storford Hertfordshire, popped in while on a camping trip one member female said she liked the site. I saw a horsefly on her sleeve, then told her what they do, cut into the skin with razor mouthparts for blood. She seemed a little concerned after I mentioned this and pulled her sleeves down to full extention.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

10/9/12 DBP North pit Dunlin, Snipe, Little Egret and a Hobby over the mid section. Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

DBP 2 House Martin and a Swallow above, migrants a Whitethroat in the hawthorns along the canal and a Reed Warbler in the reeds.
Whilst talking to an RSPB volunteer a Hobby 5 foot above the ground swooped by us on the track, no doubt after the dragonflies along here.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

2/10/12 DBP Male Stonechat along W-E track south of North pit. North pit win plum Dunlin and 60 Lapwing, Little Egret, 18 Cormorant, 20 plus Wigeon in area. 3 Pochard New reedbed pool.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Re-landscaping middle section

Work is due to start this week using heavy machinery, however the reserve remains open. The work undertaken will create spits, islands and scrapes.
Two large sluices in the southern corners are going to control the water flow.
The area once recovered by vegetation will be fenced off and will be grazed by Longhorn and Konick ponies.

Regards, John

 

[spuggyhawk]

Will the sluices control the water level on the north pit John?

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Re-landscaping middle section

Will the sluices control the water level on the north pit John?

Hi Jon,
I have not looked at any plans but the only way they could do this is re-direct the water from the river up a channel to the southern sliuces. We will have to wait and see, however the North pit in it's present state is no good for breeding waders even in the driest periods it will flood and destroy nests after a good rain storm. Since the new RSPB re-shaping of the north pit it is not so good for passage waders, and those that do drop in visibility is poor, especially for those learning I.D of waders. In the Spring 2012 those waders that landed I only identified most by call and jizz at they flew off not being able to see them with the vegtated islands.
Previous to the RSPB landscaping of the North pit when water levels went down exposing mud visibility of waders was good.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

9/10/12 A Rock Pipit flew from Fisher's mill scrapes to DBP Nort pit. Snipes with wisps of 17 and 11 with total of 31 Snipe seen. No doubt Jack Snipe remain unseen in vegetation.
North pit Little Egret, min of 50 Lapwing a Ruddy Darter seen west of the north pit, min of 52 Wigeon around the reserve.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

18/10/12 DBP 2 Raven low over newreedbed pit, 4 Pochard here and 2 Little Egret with 4 more over the north pit. 150 Lapwing west of north pit.
Wetland circular walk is restricted due to work on the named Jubilee wetlands, with a JCB working here. Plenty of rough grass for Owls and Harriers at the moment if they should wander here, looks like the RSPB are not cutting the grass this year as the creation of jubilee wetlands will make the area bare, probably in later stages but rough grass will remain around the newreedbed pit.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

30/10/12 DBP Cetti's in reeds by the canal track, 2 Common Darter also a migrant Hawker seen and a Comma Butterfly. 4 Red-headed Goosander circling, a snipe over then dropped onto the reserve.
The circular path and thus the north pit will be out for a long time whilst the landscaping goes on, a bonus for the birds as they can use the little flashes south of the north pit on the East-West track.
250 Lapwing noted above the North pit and 7 Little Egret south at dusk.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

1/5/12 DBP Probable Dunlin north pit, 8 Little Egret south at dusk also a 1000 Starling. Red Headed Goosander north.

Regards, John

 

[chris23565]

1/5/12 DBP Probable Dunlin north pit, 8 Little Egret south at dusk also a 1000 Starling. Red Headed Goosander north.

Regards, John

Hi John, I think you've gone back in time 1/5/12!!:eek!: