30th December 2012

Car Park: Greenfinch (2), Reed Bunting (2), Chaffinch (6), Great/Blue Tits, GS Woodpecker (1), Bullfinch (1 male 1 female)
Flashes: Fieldfare (1 along path), Wren (3)

10th December 2012

Feeding Station: Fox at the feeding station, along with good shows from the Nuthatch, maybe 2/3 different birds. Great-spotted woodpecker (Jason Wood)

08th December 2012

Pools mainly frozen

Main Pool: Teal (9), Coot (1)

Feeding Station/Woods: Sparrowhawk (1), Long-tailed Tit (20+), Blue/Great tits, Nuthatch, Redwing (10+), GS Woodpecker (4), Goldfinch (1), Mistle Thrush (1)

Car Park: GS Woodpecker, Reed Bunting

26th Novemeber 2012

Posted on Tame Valley Birding Blog

Woodcock x 2 (S Cawthray)

24th November 2012

Lower parts of the reserve a little wet, wellies needed.

Feeding Station: Nuthatch (1), Marsh Tit (1), Willow Tit (1), GS Woodpecker (1f 1m)

Woods: LT Tit (12), Goldcrest (1), Siskin (2), Redwing (3), Dunnock (3)

Main Pool: Wigeon (2), Tufted Duck (1)

River Pool: Goldcrest (1), Teal (several teal calling in channel at back of pool), Grey Heron (2)

11th November 2012

Main Pool: Teal (2), Moorhen (2), Coot (1)

Feeding Station: Nuthatch (1), Willow Tit, Siskin (2 on path to hide)

Car Park: Greenfinch (1), GS Woodpecker (1 male), Green Woodpecker (1), Bullfinch (1 male), Sparrowhawk (1), Sky lark (1 over)

Woods: Long-tailed Tit (20+), Goldcrest (1), Redwing (2)

Flashes: Goldfinch (2), Redwing (15), Starling (20), Reed Bunting (3)

Northern Pastures: Redwing/Fieldfare flock (20+)

28th October 2012

Fieldfare

Redwing (60+), Fieldfare (c.30), Skylark (several over), Blackcap (1 male), Willow Tit (2), Treecreeper (1), Goldcrest (1), Long-tailed Tit (20+), Jay (1),Blackbird (15), GS Woodpecker (2), LS Woodpecker (1), Green Woodpecker (2), Goldfinch (2), Sparrowhawk (1), Shoveler (11), Teal (7), Little Grebe (1)

Please note:
The Flashes hide has now been dismantled ready for work to start on wetland enhancement work.

13th October 2012

Nuthatch

Flashes: along path to hide, Redwing (c.10), Goldfinch (2), Goldcrest (1), Chiffchaff (1)

Feeding Station: Nuthatch (1), Willow Tit (1), Chaffinch (2)

Main Pool: Shoveler (2), Little Grebe (1), Bullfinch (1)

12th October 2012

Flashes: Stonechat (2) (P.Casey)

11th October 2012

Flashes: Stonechat (2), Reed Bunting. (P.Casey)

03rd October 2012

Still a little wet under foot :O)

Main Pool: Little Grebe (3), Tufted Duck (1), Mute Swan (2), Cormorant (2 diving on the pool)

Flashes: Buzzard (2), Kestrel (1), Song Thrush (2), Jay (2 collecting acorns), Green Woodpecker (1), House Martin (c50), Swallow (c10), Starling (c50), Wagtails (2 over), Common Snipe (1, first i've seen for a while)

Still a few common darter and migrant hawkers about and a Red Admiral butterfly.

14th September 2012

Main pool - 20+ teal, 4. Shoveller+ 1 gadwall (A.Boddington)

09th September 2012

Brown Argus

 Flashes: Goldfinch (2 adults feeding 1 youngster), Blackcap (2 male, 1 female), Swallow (20+), Long-tailed Tit (18), Willow Tit (1), Chiffchaff (singing)

Woods: Nuthatch (1), GS Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Bullfinch (2), Goldcrest (1)

Scrape: Little Grebe (+ 2 young)

Main Pool: Teal (63), Shoveler (5), Mallard (10), Little Grebe (2)

River Pool: Teal (2), Little Grebe

Butterflies: Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock

Brown Argus

Dragonflies: Common Darter, Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker,

Migrant Hawker

31st August 2012

Flashes: Yellow Wagtail (3), Buzzard, Kestrel.
Path to Flashes Hide: Spotted Flycatcher, Black Cap (2), Whitethroat, Willow Warbler (3), Chiffchaff (2). Willow Tit (reedbed near Scrape Hide).
Butterflies: Peacock, Brimstone, Common Blue, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown.(per P Casey)

30th August 2012

Flashes: Yellow Wagtail (7), Kestrel (2), Buzzard (2). Redstart (Farthest woodland path from Carpark to Flashes), Chiffchaff (2)
Butterflies: Peacock, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown. (per Paul C)

19th August 2012

Buzzard (1), Greenshank (1 flew over flashes calling), Swallow (15), Whitethroat, Little Grebe, Shoveler (1)

Butterflies: Small Copper (1), Common Blue (1 female), Peacock (50+), Large White, Small White, Brimstone (1 male, 1 female), Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper.

Migrant Hawker (4), Brown Hawker (2)

12th July 2012

The Scrape:

Mink (3 + 1), Kingfisher (Rob Whitcomb)

American Mink

American Mink

American Mink

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

09th July 2012

Flashes: 
Hobby, Kestrel, Green Woodpecker, Swift (20+), Whitethroat (2), Reed Bunting. (P Casey)

28th June 2012

Redstart, female. (per Birdforum)

17th June 2012

Short Eared Owl hunting over Flashes at 19.00. After catching rodent settled on wooden fence post, below metal gate, in front of cream coloured house. Was still perched on post at 19.45. (Paul Casey)

04th June 2012

Flashes: Skylark (2), Linnet (2 female), Buzzard (1), Swift (6), Swallow (3), Reed Bunting

Car Park: House Martin (15), Linnet (1 male, 1 female)

Main Pool: Little Grebe (2), Mute Swan (2), Coot, Tufted Duck (1m 1f), Gadwall (1), Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler

Common Blue (4), Orange-Tip (1 male), Large White (2), Cinnabar moth (6).

Orchid (Southern Marsh and Common Spotted) numbers in the hundreds.

Nature Force Dates

The Himalayan Balsam Season is upon us!

As you may be aware, we have a large amount of Himalayan Balsam control scheduled into the Nature Force Programme this Spring and Summer.

We will be targeting Whitacre Heath SSSI nature reserve on the Tame Valley.

We are aware that balsam control can sometimes be a little monotonous, but we want you to know how vital it is for nature conservation:

The work at Whitacre Heath SSSI is essential in preventing the spread of this invasive non-native species onto further areas of the reserve and onto surrounding land. Work in recent years has helped to reduce its hold in some areas, which has enabled other wildflowers to flourish. The 350 hours of work that Nature Force undertook at the reserve last year meant that we could prove that we are doing ‘our bit’ to control balsam – without this, the Trust would have been docked a significant percentage of funding that we receive for reserve management. Thank you for your tremendous efforts last year, which ensured that we met our management requirements and retained this essential funding.

Nature Force Dates for Whitacre Heath if you wish to help out:

31st May 2012 - Path Clearance
07th June 2012 - Path Clearance
12th June 2012 - Balsam
14th June 2012 - Path Clearance and Balsam
26th June 2012 - Path Clearance and Balsam

13th May 2012

Long-tailed Tit, juvenile

Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Tit (feeding young), Long-tailed Tit (feeding 6+ juv), Buzzard, Swift (9), Swallow, GS Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Little Grebe, Mute Swan (2), Canada Goose (2), Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler

Fox cub (1), Green-viened White, Peacock, Orange-Tip butterflies.

Cornsalad sp. (Identified as Common Cornsalad)

Common Cornsalad - Valerianella locusta

06th May 2012

Little Grebe

Red-legged Partridge (2), Buzzard (2), Sparrowhawk (1), Swallow (4), Whitethroat (6+), Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Little Grebe (6), Mallard (9), Teal (1 male), Gadwall (1 male), Grey Heron (3), Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler

Fox, Muntjac deer

Butterflies: Comma, Peacock, GV White, Orange-tip, Small Tortoiseshell

04th May 2012

Posted on TameValleyBirding Website:

Hobby, Cuckoo

19th April 2012

Flashes: Wheatear, Kestrel, Buzzard (2), Reed Bunting (2), Green Woodpecker, Fox and 3 cubs.
Woods: Marsh Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker (2) Chiffchaff (2). (Paul Casey)

15th April 2012

Peregrine

Flashes: Buzzard (2), Peregrine (2)

Main Pool: Bullfinch (2), Moorhen (2), Buzzard (1), Blackcap (1 male), LT Tit (2), Pheseant

Woods: Willow Warbler (3), Chiffchaff, Bullfinch (2), Buzzard (1), GS Woodpecker, Oystercatcher (over)

Car Park: Blackcap (1), Willow Warbler (1), Chiffchaff, Greenfinch, Skylark

Butterfly: Orange-Tip, Peacock

10th April 2012

Orange-Tip

Buzzard (3), Sparrowhawk (1), Kestrel (2), Peregrine Falcon (1), Chiffchaff (5+), Willow Warbler (1), Goldfinch (3), LT Tit (6), GS Woodpecker (1), Willow Tit (2), Song Thrush (2), Sand Martin

Butterflies: Orange Tip (3 male), Small Tortoiseshell (2), Comma, Brimstone (1 male)

25th March 2012

A few photo's from the scrape hide (Rob Whitcomb)

Muntjac Deer

Muntjac Deer

Muntjac Deer

Canada Goose

Blackbird

Mallard

Buzzard

22nd March 2012

Lesser spotted Woodpecker briefly this morning near Main pool (AJ Hale)

19th March 2012

Flashes: Buzzard, Canada Goose (2), Song Thrush, Peregrine (1 on pylon), Stock Dove (3)

Feeding Station: Lesser Redpoll (4), LS Woodpecker (calling nearby), Sparrowhawk (1 flew through)

Woods: Lesser Redpoll (8), Treecreeper (2), Bullfinch (2), Raven (1 over), Sparrowhawk (1 circling high above the woods), Couldn't find the LS Wood :(, Chiffchaff (1 singing)

Fish Pool: Kestrel (1), GS Woodpecker (1)

Car Park: Skylark (2 opp. reserve entrance)

Long-tailed tit

17th March 2012

Flashes: 60 Fieldfare, Buzzard, Kestrel, Oystercatcher. Peregrine on pylons.

Woods: GSW, Green Woodpecker, Willow Tit, 8 Lesser Redpoll, 6 Redwing. Elf Cup fungus. (Paul C)

02nd March 2012

Feeding Station:

Redpoll (6 visits by at least 3 different birds to sunflower & Nyger seed 5m in front of hide)
Goldfinch (5 visits to Sunflower & Nyger Seed 5m in front of hide)
GSW (Numerous visits to lard & nut smeared to usual feeding points)
Wren on pond
Dunnock
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Willow Tit
Long Tailed Tit’s (10+) towards back
Chaffinch
Pheasant
Robin
Buzzard came in to trees approx. 25 feet high.(Jon Bowcutt)

Blue Tit ©Paul Lathbury

Great Spotted Woodpecker ©Paul Lathbury

Reed Bunting ©Paul Lathbury

Lesser Redpoll ©Paul Lathbury

01st March 2012

Coal Tit

Coal Tit, Feeding Station (Rob Whitcomb)

25th February 2012

Kingfisher (1 male), Goldcrest (1), Buzzard (3), Willow Tit (1)

05th February 2012

Robin

Goldfinch, male

Feeding Station: Lesser Redpoll (9), Goldfinch (2), Chaffinch, Blackbird, Willow Tit (2), Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Bullfinch (2), GS Woodpecker (2)

Around the reserve: Lapwing (14 over), Buzzard, Fieldfare (40+), Treecreeper (1)

Lesser Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll

03rd February 2012

Sparrowhawk flew into the feeding station and took a Lesser Redpoll from the niger seed feeder.
A group of 12 crows mobbing a Sparrowhawk over the flashes. (Alan Butler)

27th January 2012

Feeding Station: Lesser Redpoll (3)

Woods: Goldcrest (4), Treecreeper (1), Long-tailed Tit (5)

Car Park: Siskin (1), Fieldfare (over)

21st January 2012

Posted on Tame Valley Blog

Woodcock (M Pollard)

10th January 2012

Posted on Tame Valley Birding

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Redpoll (7)

07th January 2012

Flashes: Kestrel, Buzzard, Goldfinch, Redwing

Woods: Long-tailed Tit (20+), Sparrowhawk

The Scrape: Sparrowhawk, Bullfinch (3)

River Pool: Pair of Teal mating

Teal

5th January 2012

Sparrowhawk @ feeding station © Rob Whitcomb

03rd January 2012

4 visits by male & female Sparrowhawks, 1 right outside the hide on one of the props but flew off straight away….No casualties noted!
5 visits by GSW (2 female 3 male)
4 Goldfinch on the Niger feeder at the back
5 Lesser Redpoll (2 visits to the pond to drink) the rest on the Nyger feeder. 1 male had a terrific pink breast.
Numerous visits by Willow (I think) Blue, Great, Coal & 1 Long Tailed Tit.
Robin
Blackbird
Dunnock
Usual number of hen Pheasants & 1 cock.

I heard a Buzzard above, a field fare in the car park.

(Jon Bowcutt)