During the course of the last year or so my research into "the birds of around here" has produced a surprising anomaly. There is no recorded breeding record of Lesser Black-backed Gull in Redditch, despite there being plenty to see every summer. Surely they are breeding.
This morning I set out to wander around the huge Moons Moat industrial estate. An obvious problem was that the warehouses were high, while I was stuck at ground level. Initially I found several pairs calling and could quite easily believe that this meant they were nesting, but I wanted proof.
Eventually I scanned a series of roofs which were more easily visible and got what I wanted. A single Lesser Black-backed Gull on a nest.
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| Bingo ! |
Having achieved my objective, the remainder of the morning was spent adding the typical range of common species you'd expect to find in a town. The highlight was finding some recently fledged Goldcrests near the MacDonalds traffic island.
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| Recently fledged Goldcrest |
There were a few scruffy areas around the factories, while the typical woodland edge which borders roads in much of Redditch was productive for Tits, Wrens, Blackbirds, and Blackcaps.
A pair of Herring Gulls was also present, but there was no evidence that they were nesting. I suspect it's only a matter of time though.
Not too many butterflies appeared, but I did manage to see Green-veined White, Small Tortoiseshell, and Speckled Wood.
Obviously, wandering around an industrial estate in Redditch isn't everyone's idea of a good day out, and no doubt this is the only reason that large Gulls have not previously been proved breeding here.
I prefer birding in the countryside, but to cover the Circle properly I do need occasional days in urban areas and as today proved, there are discoveries to be made.
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