Again things were relatively quiet around Shenstone this morning, although I did pick up 2 Common Whitethroat in the bushes alongside the Islamic School on Heath Lane, so all was not lost. Also of note were a Little Owl sat perched in its regular spot and a juvenile Kestrel.
I also saw a Hornet buzzing around the Ivy flowers on Heath Lane. This is only the second time I've recorded Hornet on the patch.
Later that day, on my way back from Halesowen, I popped to Wassell Grove/Lutley to catch up with fellow local patch birder Craig Round. Whilst I was there we had 6 Swifts over and I also managed to pick up the Lesser Whitethroat (found by CR earlier that morning) feeding on a blackberry in a bramble near Wassell Grove Fisheries.
I wouldn't really like to comment further on my visit here as I cannot do the area justice. I would however recommend checking out Craig's blog (Lutley Birder) at the below link for further information, sightings and visible migration photographs:
http://lutleybirder.blogspot.com/
Monday 30th August 2010 - Shenstone
A very quiet day around the patch today, so I decided to walk the Butts Lane circuit. Of note were a flock of 30 Linnets, 2 Yellowhammers, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Common Buzzard and a juvenile Kestrel.
Butterfly species have now decreased significantly with only Large and Small Whites being in any numbers. Other butterflies seen were 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Meadow Brown and 1 Speckled Wood.
Butterfly species have now decreased significantly with only Large and Small Whites being in any numbers. Other butterflies seen were 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Meadow Brown and 1 Speckled Wood.
Sunday 29th August 2010 - Grimley and Upton Warren
This afternoon I returned to Grimley, with my better half in tow, to see the Little Gull again. The bird was again present and showing well, although not quite as close as on my previous visit. Also present were the 2 Greenshank, 3 Little Egrets and 2 Common Terns. The highlight of the visit though was at 1pm when a Hobby drifted NW over the new workings and landed in a tree on the edge of the wood just West of the main pit, giving pretty good scope views.
Early evening I received news that a flock of 8 Curlew Sandpipers had dropped in at Upton Warren flashes. Curlew Sandpiper is an increasingly scarce passage wader in Worcestershire so I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to see these birds. Myself and TS quickly travelled the 10 miles down the road to Upton Warren and got reasonable, but slighlty distant, views of these birds which were towards the rear of the flash. After about 10 minutes of observing the birds they flew of in a South West direction. Also seen during our visit were 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers and a Common Snipe.
A short record video of the Curlew Sandpipers can be seen by clicking on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuOLZyVVhUg
Curlew Sandpipers - Upton Warren, 29/08/10:
Early evening I received news that a flock of 8 Curlew Sandpipers had dropped in at Upton Warren flashes. Curlew Sandpiper is an increasingly scarce passage wader in Worcestershire so I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to see these birds. Myself and TS quickly travelled the 10 miles down the road to Upton Warren and got reasonable, but slighlty distant, views of these birds which were towards the rear of the flash. After about 10 minutes of observing the birds they flew of in a South West direction. Also seen during our visit were 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers and a Common Snipe.
A short record video of the Curlew Sandpipers can be seen by clicking on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuOLZyVVhUg
Curlew Sandpipers - Upton Warren, 29/08/10:
Saturday 28th August 2010 - Shenstone
A single Yellow Wagtail flew North over Heath Lane at 9.20 am. The mixed gull flock in the ploughed field on Heath Lane has decreased, with only c.30 Lesser Black-backed, c.40 Herring and 3 Black-headed Gulls present. Also seen in the ploughed field were a covey of 7 Red-legged Partridge (2 adults & 5 juvs). A Chiffchaff was singing from the trees next to the Islamic school.
Elsewhere on the patch, 2 Green Woodpeckers (1 juv) were in Stanklyn Lane paddocks. 14 Housemartins and 7 Swallows were over Witch Lane bean field.
Elsewhere on the patch, 2 Green Woodpeckers (1 juv) were in Stanklyn Lane paddocks. 14 Housemartins and 7 Swallows were over Witch Lane bean field.
Friday 27th August 2010 - Shenstone & Grimley
Today I went around the patch mid-late morning. The flock of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, in the ploughed field along Heath Lane, now numbers c.240 birds. Also with them were 4 Black-headed Gulls. 3 Yellowhammers and 4 Linnets were also seen on the adjacent hedgerows. 8 Wheatears were reported from this field this morning (Bob Williams), but no sign when I was there :-(
3 ♂ Wheatears were present along Heath Lane just before dusk this evening (TMH). These three Wheatears were all well marked males that were not yet in moult, unusual this time of year as most birds we tend to see are dowdy brown jobs. It is likely that these birds are of the more Northerly races, as Northerly birds tend too moult later than Southerly birds due to climatics.
From Shenstone I popped to Grimley New Workings (Camp Lane) to see the juvenile Little Gull that has been showing well. I wasn't disappointed and this elegant tern-like Gull was literally just flying within feet of me whilst I was stood on the causeway, stunning! Also of note were 2 Greenshank, 4 Little Egrets and a Common Snipe.
3 ♂ Wheatears were present along Heath Lane just before dusk this evening (TMH). These three Wheatears were all well marked males that were not yet in moult, unusual this time of year as most birds we tend to see are dowdy brown jobs. It is likely that these birds are of the more Northerly races, as Northerly birds tend too moult later than Southerly birds due to climatics.
From Shenstone I popped to Grimley New Workings (Camp Lane) to see the juvenile Little Gull that has been showing well. I wasn't disappointed and this elegant tern-like Gull was literally just flying within feet of me whilst I was stood on the causeway, stunning! Also of note were 2 Greenshank, 4 Little Egrets and a Common Snipe.
Little Gull - Grimley, 27th August 2010:
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