West Midlands/Warwickshire local patches. (2 Viewers)

[jeff]

I need advice on some birds that I have seen today and I think that this thread would be a good place to ask.

I arrived at the Village Hotel Walsall junction 10 M6 this evening at about 5.30 and noticed a flock of around 20 small birds (in the distance) that appeared to be hunting insects high in the sky.

The birds remained in a tight group and made continuous circles, it seems there was a cloud of insects, looking like a drift of smoke, that they were hunting.

I was in the hotel for about 40 mins, and when I returned to the car the birds were still circling high.

I didn't have binoculars with me. My instant thoughts were that the birds looked like a flock of starilng but the behaviour and hunting technique might suggest otherwise.

Has anybody got any thoughts as to what else these birds were?

Any advice would be appreciated.

I'd go with your initial thought and Starlings, they tend to group together in the evenings and can put on spectacular displays, especially when you get really large flocks, before going to roost.

Jeff

 

[Sedgley]

House martins perhaps

 

[senatore]

Yesterday :-

2 Osprey at Brandon Marsh.

A Little Gull at Shustoke reservoir.

Anyone heard of anything else in our area?

Max.

 

[Quamen]

Hi Senatore,

Great idea, I was wondering if there was a W mids thread to post sightings and exchange info.

I went to Kingsbury Waterpark on sunday (the bird reserve part, not the main park) great views from the hides there. Notable sightings were several snipe, a pair of kingfishers showing really well, 5 gadwall, a few teals and wigeon, hundreds of lapwings and an oystercatcher. Apparently at dusk Little Egrets may come in to roost.

Might go to Belvide on sunday if my permit comes in time.

kstar

Kingsbury Waterpark is my local patch, The main park is worth a wonder around in the quieter times of year,If your in the area middleton hall and dosthill quarry are also worth a visit.


Rob

 

[KayD]

Kingsbury Waterpark is my local patch, The main park is worth a wonder around in the quieter times of year,If your in the area middleton hall and dosthill quarry are also worth a visit.


Rob

Yes the main park can be good for birds too, sometimes go there too. Was at Kingsbury again today. Usual waterfowl - wigeon, gadwall, pochard, shoveler, teal etc...saw a GS woodpecker, lots of flyover geese. Any interesting sightings there lately Quamen?

Will check out those other places next time I'm there. Thanks for the info and a big welcome to BF :t:

 

[Quamen]

Yes the main park can be good for birds too, sometimes go there too. Was at Kingsbury again today. Usual waterfowl - wigeon, gadwall, pochard, shoveler, teal etc...saw a GS woodpecker, lots of flyover geese. Any interesting sightings there lately Quamen?

Will check out those other places next time I'm there. Thanks for the info and a big welcome to BF :t:

Thanks for the welcome |:d|

Nothing of real intrest the last few times I have been up but there is always a good selection of waterfowl

 

[senatore]

Recent reports:-

Jack Snipe and 31 Lesser Redpolls at Brandon Marsh.

Ring Ouzel at Lutley.

Yellow Legged Gull at Bartley Reservoir.

Bittern at Ladywalk.

2 Little Egrets at Kingsbury Water Park.

Red Throated Diver at Slough NR Bedworth.


Max.

 

[senatore]

Reported in our area yesterday:-

Red Throated Diver still at Slough NR.

Goshawk seen at Shustoke.

Med. Gull and 2 Y/L Gulls at Bartley Reservoir.

Max.

 

[Adey Baker]

Red Throated Diver still at Slough NR.



Max.

That's a good bird for Bed'orth - might give it a look-in at the weekend if I get time

 

[senatore]

Bittern reported at Ladywalk again yesterday.

Max.

 

[senatore]

The Red Throated Diver is still at Slough NR.

A Black Redstart was in a garden in Stockingford.

A Shore Lark was seen at Edgbaston Res. earlier in the week.

Max.

 

[Adey Baker]

The Red Throated Diver is still at Slough NR.

And a very nice bird it is, too. It's not a very large pool but a scope is best for viewing if it's in the middle. It does occasionally come in close to the side but dives about half a second before you press the camera-shutter

I thought it was going to fly off at about 9:00am - it took off, flew around the pool several times gradually gaining height in an ever-increasing circle and flew away into the distance, took one look at Coventry and promptly returned to Bedworth! http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/112050

 

[senatore]

And a very nice bird it is, too. It's not a very large pool but a scope is best for viewing if it's in the middle. It does occasionally come in close to the side but dives about half a second before you press the camera-shutter

I thought it was going to fly off at about 9:00am - it took off, flew around the pool several times gradually gaining height in an ever-increasing circle and flew away into the distance, took one look at Coventry and promptly returned to Bedworth! http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/112050

Great shot Adey.

Max.

 

[Adey Baker]

Great shot Adey.

Max.

Cheers, Max. I went again this morning to try for a better shot on the water and it came in close - eventually! If you go for it, it's best to let it come towards you whilst it's feeding. There's a viewing area close to the (small!) carpark and if you stand with the big tree at your back you won't stand out too much so you can get a shot from there.

Whilst it's not feeding it tends to drift around in the middle of the pool but when feeding it covers the whole area, sometimes coming in very close, so just a bit of patience is all that's required. I've uploaded another shot into the gallery: http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/112191 and, although I've cropped it a little bit, this is substantially the full-frame with a 400mm lens.

 

[senatore]

Yesterday a Black Redstart was reported at Larkstoke Hall near the radio mast.

Max.

 

[senatore]

Reported yesterday in our area:-

Arctic Tern at Shustoke reservoir.

Bittern at Ladywalk.

Med. Gull and Yellow Legged Gulls at Bartley Reservoir.

Red Throated Diver still at Bedworth.

Med. Gull on Dunstall Park Racecourse.

Max.

 

[senatore]

Yesterday reported in our area:-

Lea Marston and Coton Lakes : Caspian Gull, Med. Gull and 2 Yellow Legged Gulls.

Kingsbury : 2 Little Egrets and 2 Stonechats.

Bartley Reservoir: Little Gull.

Max.

 

[senatore]

Yesterday in our area :-

Shore Lark at Edgbaston Reservoir.

Jack Snipe at Brandon Marsh.

Hen Harrier at Kingsbury Water Park.

Bittern at Ladywalk.

Anyone seen or heard of anything else in our area??????

Max.

 

[The Barn Owl]

Not a lot at Brandon today - 5 Snipe and 180 Redwings was all we could muster. Mind you, most of the time spent there we were pulling willows - joy...

No sign of the Jack Snipe

Sam

 

[senatore]

Keep the reports coming in.We need to know what's in our area.

Max.