Tuesday March 3 - Spernal STW

 Well you know what they say. It's not what you know, but who you know that matters. I have the good fortune to be friends with Tony and the Redditch Ringing Group, and they had the wherewithal to gain official access to Spernal STW.

So this morning I had the opportunity to spend a pleasant hour or so in their company within the hallowed ground of the sewage treatment works. 

While the ringers got on with what they do best, I spent my time trying to boost my year list. The first of at least two Cetti's Warblers piped up almost immediately. I scanned the small lagoon which is hard to see from outside the fence and counted 15 Teal, a few Mallard, three Moorhens, and eventually one of at least two Water Rails whose squeals had been heard.

A new highlight was two pairs of Mandarins which flew over, unfortunately wrong-footing me camera-wise. Actually I didn't manage decent photos of anything before I had to leave. A single Chiffchaff was singing, and at least three Reed Buntings were no doubt preparing for the breeding season.

Chiffchaff in the early morning light

Reed Bunting

I wish I could have spent longer there, but Cetti's Warbler and Mandarin were added to the year-list so it was mission accomplished.

I've since heard from Tony that they caught 39 birds of 13 species as follows:

Blue Tit 15 (5)

Great Tit 3

Long-tailed Tit (2)

Chiffchaff 1

Goldcrest 2

Wren 1

Treecreeper 1

Robin 2

Dunnock 1

Chaffinch 1

Greenfinch 4

Goldfinch 5

Reed Bunting 1

Although they didn't catch a Cetti's Warbler today, they estimated four were present and they did catch one on their previous visit on February 28.

Cetti's Warbler - per Tony Kelly