Monday 16 January 2012

15-1-12, Alrewas GP.

I still have not decided on what my main objectives are this year birding wise but today I thought I would stay pretty local and mop up some year birds.......that is until I was checking the Chasewater wildlife website about any white-winged gulls when I saw it was WeBS count weeknend. Doh. So it was off around the pits I go. I was out of the house at dawn, on my bike, and soon walking over some very frozen grass. Absolutely lush, it can stay cold, frosty and sunny for ever as far as I'm concerned but might have to move to the tundra for that. Birds noted were Redwing, Robin, Canada Geese, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Pied Wagtail, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Carrion Crow, Fieldfare, Wren, Great Crested Grebe, Wigeon, Pochard, Gadwall, Blue Tit, Goldeneye, Mute Swan and Grey Wagtail which was an unexpected but welcomed bonus.


National Arboretum.

Although this is not a proper counting area I have to pass through here for the other sites so I noted down what I saw plus any wildfowl/waders on the river. Birds noted were Bullfinch, Dunnock, Mallard, Carrion Crow, Lapwing, Blue Tit, Robin, Canada Geese, Blackbird, Wren, Cormorant, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Lesser Redpoll, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldeneye, Buzzard, Magpie, Tufted Duck, Coot and Greenfinch.

Junction Pit.

Once again not a lot to report on here. Grey Heron, Canada Geese, Mallard, Blue Tit, Kingfisher, Blackbird, Wren and Bullfinch were all I could find with Mallard being the most numerous with a single pair. Say no more really.

Croxall GP.

During the walk around Junction Pit I walked along the river to pass through the arboretum and here I could view the wides a lot easier than spooking everything from the reserve side and I noted Redshank, Canada Geese, Mute Swan and Little Egret. From the arboretum I could see that duck numbers were pretty high on here so walking upto the hide I concentrated on counting the ducks then the other birds on the way back. I added Lesser Redpoll, Goldfinch, Long-tailed Tit, Fieldfare, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Grey Heron, Wren, Gadwall, Moorhen, Goldeneye, Mute Swan, Great Tit, Bullfinch, Snipe, Dunnock, Black Headed Gull, Kingfisher, Cormorant, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Robin.

Whitemoor Haye.

Apart from a quick trip to Barton marina pool that was the count done so I had a steady walk around the usual patch to see what was about. Unortunately the pool was very unproductive, the birds have been well frightened off from the boats. Is this the end of this pool for birding??? A nice find was feeding in the small wood by the quarry entrance but it was back to earth with a bump with some quiet lanes. Birds noted were Grey Partridge, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Blackbird, Tufted Duck, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Robin, Wren, Stock Dove, Blue Tit, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Willow Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Mute Swan, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Tree Sparrow, Little Owl, Lapwing, Skylark, Golden Plover, Linnet, Pied Wagtail, Wigeon and Bullfinch.

Fradley Junction NR.

After Barton pool to count ducks it was the last visit of the day to the reserve I work on in work and I fancied doing a bit of photography. I have set up a feeding station in the reserve and I regularly get Nuthatch on the bird table and this was my main target but a decent photo of anything would have done. Infortunately rsults were pretty poor but I might put my best ones up. Birds noted whilst there were Mallard, Black Headed Gull, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, Great Tit, Woodpigeon, Buzzard, Blackbird and Chaffinch. Nothing stunning but was nice just sitting watching the birds feed away pretty close.

No comments:

Post a Comment