Birding in the local area, Gulls and Farmland birds.

28/02/14

With a juvenile Iceland Gull currently roosting at Bartley, the decision was taken to rush down there to try and get one of these gorgeous white winged beauties from up north.

The usual scrum of local Gull roosters had assembled, and it wasn't long until the Gulls started to pile in. While panning the Gull flock as they settled in front of us, I was suddenly stuck by a small white headed bird towards the left hand end of the flock. Being larger than the surrounding Lesser Black-backed and Herring, and with its pale back it stood out like a beacon from the flock. It was only another CASPIAN GULL! And a stunning example of a 1st winter bird!

In my honest opinion, 1st winters are by far the best looking age of Caspian Gull, so to have self found one in the roost at Bartley (where I rarely manage to find many birds) was pretty awesome!

As I shouted this bird out to the next car along, occupied by Andrew, a return came, the juvenile ICELAND GULL, and soon after, I was watching this very crisp looking stunner!

As the Gull flock was very restless, they soon relocated, and most dropped in by the sailing club. We quickly adjusted our viewing position, where we had stunning views of the Iceland Gull, but I couldn't refind the Caspian. And then the phone call, Terry was watching it sitting on the pontoon from the dam!

 

With a quick powerwalk to the car, and an equally quick drive around to the dam, we arrived to the news that it had flown off!

Relentless scanning until the very last shreds of light revealed only one other brief view, as it again returned onto the water near the pontoon. But once again, the flock flushed and it was not seen again!

 

1/03/14

 

The next day was spent birding in the home county with fellow young birder and NGB Espen. Having trained it up from his home the main intention was trying to find him his first Casp, so, following a drop into Shenstone, it was up to the local tip and onto the beautiful location of Bartley Green!

It was great to exit the car at Shenstone to the sound of singing CORN BUNTINGS, and it took a ridiculous amount of effort to walk the entirety of 20ft to get a view of these. And not just a couple, a superb flock of at least 25 as they commuted between a hedgeline and the ploughed field. Unfortunately however, viewing was cut short when a local dogwalker walked along the hedgeline, flushing the vast majority of the Finch/bunting flock, which also consisted of a few gorgeous Yelowhammers!

 

Moving onto Wildmoor, it didn't add too much optimism when a local birder, who was just leaving and had been present all morning said that it was very quiet. Regardless, we headed up, and were soon scanning the amassed Gull flocks in the adjacent fields.

 

Which contained not a single bird of interest...

 

So, refocusing my attention, and the juvenile ICELAND GULL was picked up flying about over the tip, moving back and forth in the airspace between our location and the far side of the tip. However, it refused to land, and after some time circling with the gull flock, was seen to fly off west!

A single Green Sandpiper within the quarry was a first for the year, but one I had been trying to hold back for later in the year. In this instance, the bird found us!

 

Our last port of call was Bartley, via Hopwood, where we failed to find the Shrike!

 

Pulling up on Scotland lane revealed the presence of very few Gulls, and it remained that way until the very last available light, when masses of gulls piled in. Sadly, a little to late, and we soon gave up, the light was just unworkable by that point!

 

7/03/14

Another roost session at Bartley was again fairly uneventful, but the presence of 4 Goldeneye was something different, as I haven't seen too many of them at Bartley this winter!

 

8/03/14

It about time I gave the patch a good old thrash right?

Of course!

 

So, at a relatively early time (please do remember I am a student after all!), I grabbed the scope and the bins and set off. It was great to see the Mandarins still haunting the river margins, with a minimum of 4 found (2 pairs). Also adding a splash of colour to the drab greys and browns of the riverside vegetation were a pair of resident Goosander, which were diving in their usual area as they have done all winter! Needless to say, they were as timid as always and soon scooted upriver.

 

What really made my patch visit though were the small numbers of 'farmland' birds present around the paddocks, a flock of 18 Lapwing fed in a flooded field, and a party of 7 Meadow Pipit were flitting around the area.

I couldn't help but think that spring was on its way, and I would soon be joined in these very fields by stacks of migrants!

On the return leg, I managed to find a singing Marsh Tit well away from the normal areas they visit! So I am also very hopeful that they may finally expand their range a little more on patch!

 

Later the same day, I couldn't resist another drop into Shenstone, and this is why!

 

Standing on the roadside I was completely surrounded by the flock of 30c CORN BUNTINGS, most of them singing that lovely jangly song that is so reminiscent of the English countryside! Its so sad to think that now that this exact sound is missing from most areas of the UK, fields that once were filled by the sound of birdsong now lies quiet and desolate.

 

It makes me feel somewhat glad I have a location such as Shenstone so close to home.

 

 

 

 

MB

Tri-county Birding- Seabirds and Gulls

17/01/14

With the days slowly getting longer, the opportunity for some late night gull watching in the roost at Bartley comes into play, and after suffering the horrendous traffic from Dudley to Bartley Green we arrived with about 15 minutes before darkness.

Luckily, a selection of locals were already present, and after getting out of the car i was quickly ushered by Terry onto a stunning 1st winter CASPIAN GULL, which really was a looker of a bird.

 

Even in the low light, it stood out like a sore thumb, so much so that after leaving Terrys scope and setting up my own, i was on it within a few seconds! Luckily, it was in with the closest mass of Gulls, with most having landed near the dam end.

Unfortunately, i failed to pick out the Iceland, but the light had all but gone by that time.

 

18/01/14

Having dipped the Velvet Scoter earlier in the week, i was somewhat relieved to hear that it had been refound! This time in adjacent Shropshire! So with the morning tasks done, we took the relatively short journey up to Telford.

Luckily, again, a few familiar faces were present and on site at the time, and they relieved me by saying the bird was still showing.

Pulling into the layby at Priorslee Lake revealed a nice group of mostly local birders, all of whom had come to admire this seaduck!

Soon after, i was watching the female VELVET SCOTER as it swam around with the flock of Tufted Duck, Pochard and Coot really close in to the dam! It was great to be able to study this unusual seaduck so closely, as most Scoter are usually miles away sitting on the sea. It was quite surreal to see a duck, so closely tied to the sea swimming around and happily feeding with a flock of Tufted Duck just about as far from the sea as you can get! 

What made the visit even better though was the presence of 3 GREATER SCAUP (1w drake and 2 females) which were similarly swimming around and roosting with the Tufted's at close range!

 

 

Priorslee is also famed for its Gulls, and it wasn't long before a YELLOW-LEGGED GULL joined the flock briefly before it was flushed by a Sparrowhawk and flew north with the majority of the Gulls.

 

With a dark cloud now approaching, we decided to bite the bullet and blast along the A5 towards Cannock, were more avian treats awaited us.

 

Gailey Reservoirs was the next destination, despite no news having emerged from the site, so we were 'going in blind'. Once parked and scanning, we quickly located the GREAT-NORTHERN DIVER, which was showing well on the sailing pool. It was while watching this though that i turned and scanned the edges of the fishing pool, were i was struck by a white 'object' in the reedbed adjacent to a flock of Grey Herons. A few seconds later, and the head and neck of a GREAT WHITE EGRET emerged from the reeds, showing off its bright yellow bill. It was while trying to get the attention of some nearby birders though that i saw the bird jump out of the reeds, and then very quickly fly off along the shore, and then over the treeline heading south.

As if the Egret had sensed danger, this was quickly followed the by arrival of the local hunting 'party' (Feel free to change the word 'party with a word of personal preference). Needless to say, once they started going 'gun ho' on anything that flew by, i vacated the site in disgust at how such vile people can live in a so called 'civilised world'. It was somewhat heart wrenching to see a female Goldeneye flying for its life followed by a barrage of gunfire, and more so to see an unidentified duck fall out of the sky having had its body plastered in shotgun shot.

 

With the light now dropping, a brief drop into Engine lane, Brownhills was rewarded with very good views of the GLOSSY IBIS as it fed in the now very saturated 2nd paddock. After a brief time watching, the streams of Gulls passing over our heads became obvious, and it was time for the pilgrimage to Chasewater,

As if just to show the amount of luck i have had for the day, everything about the Gull roost was perfect. Due to the strong southerly winds, a large proportion of the gulls seemed to be using the south shore as cover, and were very close in for roost standards. Having just placed my scope down on the south shore, i panned onto my main targets. A stunning juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL! As it was still 'early' in the roost, and with the bird being very close in, i took the opportunity to get some pictures and video as it sat on the water!

 

Having been joined by a few extra gullers, we were soon grilling the flocks, and being in the prime position we were able to pick out 3 CASPIAN GULLS (The 2 regular adults and a 3w bird), which was also a huge surprise, as i have never had more than singles in the roost before. As if to complete the set, we also picked up 2 YELLOW-LEGGED GULL, ending what was probably the best possibly days birding in the midlands for the time of year!

MB

GullWatch Failing

15/02/13
An Iceland Gull had been found near Bromsgrove, so biting the bullet i decided to hit the roost at Bartley. And it turned out to be the correct decision, as the bird turned up in the roost just prior to our arrival. Once getting to the Scotland lane viewpoint however i was told that after a few minutes the bird had flown and hadn't been relocated, and that was how it remained throughout the evening vigil, and the bird wasn't seen again.

MB

Bartley again. (White-winger Heaven)

3/02/12
After having only brief views of the Iceland Gull the previous friday i wasnt really happy, sure i'd ticked the bird for the year, but there was something not quite right, I fancied another Look.

We accidently arrived at the dam end of the reservior, but quickly found this to be to our advantage, with many of the small gulls alot closer in, however, the large gulls again seemed in the middle of the water. However i was soon scanning 70% of the thousands of gulls (the remaining 30% were into the setting sun),

and after about 20 mins, at 4:55, just as i was saying to a visiting birder that Iceland Gulls had been seen, i panned onto a white winger.

A 2nd winter ICELAND GULL

I quickly get the rest of the 'crowd' onto the bird, of which for one of them it was a lifer!

The light was still Ok, with it being perfect for a gull roost, and i was able to take a long range, shakey video of our white winged beauty!

This bird was quite easy to point out, as it spent the whole time near to the yellow boyd in the water.

However, as time went by, it became more and more obvious the there seemed to be two different birds in two areas of the flock, however it took untill 5:12 for me to confirm this, when both birds appeared within my scope, and i was able to get this image containing both of them!

My first double 'white-winger' day!

Now wheres my Glauc?

MB

Bartley Reservior

27/01/11

Friday night birding is generally off limits, due to having to go shopping, however, with the lengthening days i saw a opporotunity to get out somewhere.

mmmm, A gull roost it is!

Bartley seemed to be the closest, and with the added attraction of an Iceland Gull roostin there, it seemed a good idea.

We just about manadged to get to 'scotland lane' at 4:40, with a mass of gulls already assembled, and to other birds already looking, i joined the crowd and after about 15 mins, the Iceland was called.

A Birder offered me a look through his scope and i saw a Juv/2w ICELAND GULL sitting amongst the mass of gulls. i thanked him for his kindness, and also the fact that he gave me the last few views of the bird before it totally dissapeared, not to be seen again before dark, and i didnt manage to locate it within my scope :(

As the birds all pitched up near the Dam end of the Reservior, the bird was quite far off, so here is a few 'From the file' photo's of a similar ICELAND GULL i saw at Stubbers green in 2010.

Hopefully i will be visiting Stubbers this weekend for more Gull action!

Also on the reservior was a flock of 6 Goldeneye showing quite well, if only it had been daylight, i could have had some ok footage of them!

MB