Sunday May 11

Another cloudy, windy morning. After I had done a quick tour of the south end, Dave joined me for a walk around the rest of the patch.

It proved to be pretty uneventful. The pair of Shelducks was still present, and we eventually saw a couple of Swifts going over. The current chick situation is that one brood of Lapwings has hatched, one brood of Mallard, and so far two broods each of Moorhens and Coots.

Coot chicks at the dragonfly pools

Dissatisfied with our efforts we decided to drive to Haselor to see if there was anything there. This plan proved useful insofar as the single Shelduck was still present, proving that the Morton Bagot birds were different. We also saw a pair of Little Ringed Plovers, a Redshank, and a Lapwing chick.

Saturday May 10

This was a visit that nearly didn't happen. I had prearranged to take our friends, Richard and Jan, around the patch. The Tawny Owl chicks being a particular target. The forecast by Thursday was so bad I nearly cancelled, but we held our nerve and it paid off.

The overnight rain stopped by 7.00am and the sun broke through. Heavy shower clouds scudded overhead and the rain held off until we were safely back home.

We parked at the church and headed straight for the Tawny Owl tree.

Mission accomplished

It was great to share this sighting, so although the wind was gaining in strength I felt that the morning had been a success regardless of whether events nosedived.

I needn't have worried though. We battled into the gale, past singing Whitethroats and Yellowhammers until we reached the flash. Through the trees it was immediately apparent that Shelduck was finally getting onto my year list. There were actually a pair present, the first since the pair I missed in March.

77. Shelduck

I scanned the remaining flash, but there were still no waders. Well the young Lapwing was still present, along with a number of grown-ups. Above us several Swifts appeared and defied my attempts to get a worthwhile photograph. I suspect this could become a theme this summer. Then a call, and another, definitely Yellow Wagtail. It called once more but I couldn't see it. Another year tick.

The field behind us produced a male and female Wheatear, and also this Brown Hare.

I led my companions along my usual route. The strong wind made it tough to get sustained views of passerines, but we saw a Whitethroat well, and heard Bullfinches, Reed Warblers, Chiffchaffs, and a Cuckoo before we returned to the car.

Thursday May 8

After a day of sometimes torrential rain I thought a visit to the patch would surely produce the goods. Think again. Not a single wader on the flash, again, and no migrant passerines to speak of.

Oh well. Sharing the disappointment was Redditch birder Neil Duggan. He at least was a tick. I showed him where the Tawny Owls were, and we both photographed the one bird we located in the canopy.

The pool filled up with a dozen Tufted Ducks, and on the walk back the singing Lesser Whitethroat popped out for just long enough to allow a hastily taken shot.

More wet weather is forecast for the weekend so I guess I'll be trying my luck again.

City centre quality

On the way in to work this morning I heard a Black Redstart singing near the cathedral in Colmore Row.

The big day - at last

Well I couldn't put it off any longer. The forecast was good and so I was on the patch for 04.45 determined to try to get a big day list in spite of a rather unpromising week leading up to the event.

In fact my start was almost too late, the May date nearly catching me out. My first bird was a Blackbird in the car headlights, but as soon as I opened the car door I was greeted by a singing Lesser Whitethroat, so the dawn chorus had pretty much started without me.

I still got some impression of the early start though as the young Tawny Owls were squeaking, and an adult was hooting not far from them. My first visit to the flash failed to produce the Little Owl, and sadly this was one species which I failed to find all day. One or two of the singing Blackcaps tantalised me with varied song phrases full of mimicry, but I failed to convince myself that any of them were, for example, Garden Warblers.

The first decent find was a raptor sitting on pylons. I suspected a Peregrine, and fortunately this was confirmed when I finally got close enough. The bird was actually in first-summer plumage and showed pretty well in the end. A photo tick no less.

75. Peregrine

This was my first here since a distant silhouette in February. A good start.

I had parked under Bannams Wood, so my first circuit brought me along the road beneath the wood where I added two potentially tricky species, Treecreeper and Coal Tit. So I went home for breakfast on 53 species and could reflect on a reasonable start.

I met Dave at around 09.00am with a list of birds I still needed committed to memory. The first to fall was one I didn't think we would see, as a distant immature Herring Gull flew south and onto the list. We followed the road after Dave picked up Cuckoo and Reed Warbler for his year list, and also saw the Peregrine which was obligingly still present. By the time we reached the flash we had gained Jay, Nuthatch, and Yellowhammer. The flash produced two Black-headed Gulls, but nothing else.

Shortly afterwards a Sparrowhawk cruised over Bannams Wood, and then Dave picked up a female Wheatear, which I later photographed.

I was really pleased to get the Wheatear because it was a sign that some passage was still taking place. As we neared the cars Dave pointed out a Cuckoo heading towards us. This was the first one I had actually seen, as opposed to heard, this year. My camera was in my bag, turned off, and with the lens cap on, so I am pretty pleased to be able to say that I still got a shot away before it disappeared.

76. Cuckoo

That's what I call quick on the draw. I may well not see another Cuckoo here this year so I am adding it to the photo-year list even though it is only just identifiable - I think - from the picture. With the score on 60 we both went home for lunch.

By 14.30 I was back at the flash again. Still no waders, and no Little Owl of course. After hanging around for about forty minutes I decided to head towards Bannams Wood where there were still a couple of potential day ticks to look for. On the way I noticed a small party of Lesser Black-backed Gulls circling on thermals over the wood. With them were two Swifts my only year tick today. Shortly afterwards, another five appeared. The wood delivered Goldcrest, which called twice but remained unseen, and my last bird, a Marsh Tit. Final score 63 species and an aching back.

The full list is as follows:

1. Greylag Goose 2. Canada Goose 3. Mallard 4. Tufted Duck 5. Red-legged Partridge 6. Pheasant 7. Grey Heron 8. Sparrowhawk 9. Buzzard 10. Kestrel 11. Peregrine 12. Moorhen 13. Coot 14. Lapwing 15. Black-headed Gull 16. Lesser Black-backed Gull 17. Herring Gull 18. Stock Dove 19. Woodpigeon 20. Collared Dove 21. Cuckoo 22. Tawny Owl 23. Swift 24. Green Woodpecker 25. Great Spotted Woodpecker 26. Magpie 27. Jay 28. Jackdaw 29. Raven 30. Carrion Crow 31. Rook 32. Goldcrest 33. Blue Tit 34. Great Tit 35. Marsh Tit 36. Coal Tit 37. Skylark 38. Swallow 39. House Martin 40. Long-tailed Tit  41.Chiffchaff  42. Blackcap 43. Lesser Whitethroat 44. Whitethroat 45. Sedge Warbler 46. Reed Warbler 47. Nuthatch 48. Treecreeper 49. Wren 50. Blackbird 51. Song Thrush 52. Robin 53. Wheatear 54. Dunnock 55. House Sparrow 56. Pied Wagtail 57. Chaffinch 58. Bullfinch 59. Greenfinch 60. Linnet 61. Goldfinch 62. Yellowhammer 63. Reed Bunting

 I think I got all the birds resident on the patch apart from Little Owl. It's a shame there wasn't a little more passage or quality birds, but on the whole I am pleased with the day.

Friday May 2

A cloudy, rather cool morning. Another slog around the patch with little to distinguish it from the rest. Too cool for insects so I had to rely on the birds to lift the day.

Three fly-over Sand Martins were the most unexpected of a pretty predictable crop. I attempted a photo, but as they failed rule 1 (not identifiable from the snap as being a Sand Martin, or indeed a bird) I deleted them pretty quickly.

The female Gadwall was still present on the furthest flash, and a Little Owl was visible for the first time this week.

Four other species occurred which I still haven't photographed, but neither the two Reed Warblers, Coal Tit,  Jays, nor Cuckoo even showed themselves so they remained "heard only" records.

So that just left flowers. I have added some more, the ones I managed to identify to my satisfaction, to the flower page of this blog.

Owls of delight

Sorry about the pun. Today dawned grey, gloomy and damp. However, the rain was intermittent and not heavy., and I had owls to see.

I went straight to the Tawny Owl tree and there they were. Four of them. One, arguably more advanced than the others, was sitting alone and was posing perfectly.

Trying to look intelligent

The other three were huddled together at the top of the tree, and it was impossible to get a clear view of all three.

Two in view, the third mostly obscured on the right

Well that was easy. Had the murky weather dropped anything into the flashes? No.

However, walking back passed the pool I counted five male Reed Buntings. This species has transformed its status since I first started coming, taking advantage of the extra habitat created under the Stewardship scheme.

To my surprise I also saw a Pipit, possibly two, flying about. Eventually it called to reveal itself to be "just" a Meadow Pipit. A late migrant or a potential new breeding species for the site? Time will tell.