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Marsh Lane News - December 09
Best wishes to everyone for the New Year!
31st December 2009 - Dry and bright with a cold north-easterly wind
A drake Goosander came in this morning from the Berkswell direction, took one look at the ice on Car Park Pool and departed to the south. A female Brambling was in with the slightly reduced Finch and Bunting flock in the crop field.
A Peregrine put in a brief appearance during the early afternoon. Water Rails showed in the marsh and opposite Oak Hide and Snipe totalled 60.
30th December 2009 - Overcast and persistent drizzle.
Car Park Pool still remains frozen but the patch of open water has increased on Railway Pool and attracted slightly more wildfowl with counts today of six Mute Swans, 260 Greylags, 150 Wigeon, 47 Shoveler, 59 Mallard, four Gadwall, 21 Teal, seven Pochard and 71 Coot.
Slightly more Lapwings were present today - 98 - but the cold weather has obviously driven many further to the west and south.
The best birds today were a flock of 20 Lesser Redpoll which flew north-east over the Old Road. A Tree Sparrow visited the Oak Hide feeder, whilst 28 Jackdaw and a Buzzard were in the crop field along with the usual finches and buntings.
29th December 2009 - Overcast all day, cold north-easterly. Persistent rain / snow showers overnight to the 30th.
Only a small patch of open water remains on Railway Pool on or surrounding which were, 31 Shoveler, 67 Mallard, 52 Coot, four Teal, two Pochard, two Common Gulls and about 50 Black-headed Gulls. Elsewhere, ten Snipe and single Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers were also recorded.
28th December 2009 - Sunny, cold, pools iced up. Some fog.
The Linnet numbers were up again to over 125. Yellowhammers totalled at least 60, Chaffinches about 20, but Reed Buntings (15), Greenfinches (10) and Goldfinches (5) were all lower than recently.
19 Snipe roosted on the Car Park Pool islands, whilst 104 Lapwings are hanging on in the area despite both the cold weather and the fact that many have moved off to the west.
27th December 2009 - Sunny, but cold north-westerly wind.
There is obviously still enough food in the crop field to hold plenty of finches and buntings, with approximately 200 there today. The spinner feeder is also in use in the hope of holding the flock for longer than in previous years, but is pulling in the local Pheasants - 50 today, a Reserve record. The wild radish helpfully suggested by Matt Wilmott of Natural England, has been a real winner.
26th December 2009 - Sunny, slightly milder.
The best birds today were a Marsh Tit and Tree Sparrow at the Oak Hide feeder and an adult male Peregrine, which flew over. The Marsh Tit visited the feeder but was otherwise elusive, revealing itself only by its regular call.
25th December 2009 - Sunny after fog.
Save for a small open patch of water on Railway Pool, the rest of the pools remain iced up. On the open water, birds included two Dabchick, six Mutes, one Greylag, 42 Shoveler, six Teal, six Mallard, five Tufted, a single Pochard, 57 Coot, 12 Moorhen, 16 Lapwing and four Snipe, whilst 165 Wigeon fed to the north along the River.
An elusive male Brambling joined the finches and buntings in the crop field, whilst a single Redpoll and three Siskins fed in the Alders along the Old Road. Numbers of both of the latter two species seem to be low this winter.
24th December 2009 - Foggy morning, very slowly clearing.
After last night’s rain, the Old Road and paths around the Reserve are sheets of ice and anyone visiting is advised to be particularly careful.
There is a small patch of open water left in front of Oak Hide on which two Little Grebes were a new arrival. However, other than five Mute Swans, four Mallard, a pair of Shoveler and some Coots and Gulls, there was nothing else there of note. A single Snipe and four or five Moorhens were the only birds in the Marsh, the feeder stream into which is still clear. Two Tree Sparrows and a Nuthatch were amongst a number of birds visiting the feeders by the Oak Hide.
The Linnet flock was noticeably smaller today with only about 60 birds, but otherwise the other finches and buntings appeared to be similar in number.
23rd December 2009 - Sunny and cold, some cloud building up at 10.30 a.m.
Although the crop field was its usual busy self, the best birds were elsewhere, with a male Peregrine over at 9.40 a.m. and a Woodcock flushed from the top stream by the gate just after 10 a.m. Three Skylarks flew over low to the south-west.
22nd December 2009 - After the morning fog had cleared it was sunny, but temperatures remaining below freezing.
The remaining patch of open water on Railway Pool held 55 Coot, 11 Moorhen, 30 Shoveler, 30 Black-headed Gulls and a Common Gull, but otherwise most of the activity was in the crop field. At least 170 Linnets and 60 Yellowhammers were joined by about 30 Chaffinches and 20 Greenfinches. Reed Bunting numbers appeared down with no more than 15 birds, and 29 Golden Plover flew over, flying east.
Three Siskins, three female Bullfinches and a Green Woodpecker were by the back gate, and in the tip field 35 Jackdaws, 15 Starlings, two Meadow Pipits and a few finches and buntings fed around the cattle.
21st December 2009 Cold and frosty.
No records.
Saturday and Sunday 19th and 20th December 2009 - Cold, frosty and pools all iced up.
On an otherwise mostly bird less pools (there were still a few ducks on the Reserve or on the flood meadows), the best bird of the weekend was an immature female Peregrine which was perched on the islands on Car Park Pool for 15 minutes on Saturday morning. Otherwise, all the interest was largely confined to the crop field where totals for the weekend were estimated as follows:
100 Yellowhammers, 100 Linnets, 80 Reed Buntings, 30 Chaffinches, 20 Greenfinches, 20 Goldfinches, 30 Pheasants and a male and female Brambling.
There were a few thrushes and Bullfinches on the Old Road, but the northern most game cover seemed very quiet.
16th to 18th December 2009 - No Records.
15th December 2009 - Drizzly and cold, south-easterly wind.
As yesterday, a Jack Snipe showed on the shoreline in front of Oak Hide, but only visible looking back from Railway Hide. There were also at least 56 Common Snipe.
Four Tree Sparrows visited the Oak Hide feeder and, in the crop field, a female Brambling joined at least 150 Linnets and 100 mixed Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers. The Oystercatcher was again present on Car Park Pool for a short while in the morning, but was seen feeding on the golf course at Stonebridge yesterday.
14th December 2009 - Overcast and drizzly, and increasingly wet.
Andy Hale has kindly let me know that a Jack Snipe was showing on the front of the Marsh, in front of Oak Hide, but only viewable from Railway Hide.
13th December 2009 - Sunny, cold light northerly wind, occasional showers.
As seems to be usual at the moment, Bramblings appear at dawn but then disappear - a pair showed well in the hedge near the car park feeder until 9 a.m., but not thereafter. At least 40 each of Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers were joined by 25 Linnets, 15 Greenfinches and a handful of Chaffinches.
At 10.30 Pete Scragg and John Ashby discovered seven Whooper Swans (five adults and two juveniles) on Railway Pool. These were “spooked” and flew off, low, over an appreciative audience in River Hide and headed off north. About 15 minutes later they re-appeared with another seven, all of which flew around the Reserve, before 13 departed to the north (the fourteenth seems to have split off). Through scopes the 13 were seen to split into six which then headed west and seven to the east. An incredible record after only three previous records of singletons.
Other counts of note included 16 Common Gulls, 175 Black-headed Gulls and 50 Snipe.
12th December 2009 - Sunny, light north easterly wind.
The waterfowl and other counts on Saturday included 23 Cormorants, one Heron, 15 Mutes, 260 Wigeon, 35 Teal, 36 Shoveler, 51 Mallard, 12 Gadwall, 34 Pochard, six Tufted Duck, 40 Coot, 14 Moorhen, 314 Lapwing, 24 Snipe, 14 Common Gulls, ten Meadow Pipits (tip field), 60 Linnets and 30 to 40 Yellowhammers.
A slightly variable day’s ringing was enhanced by a good catch of Reed Buntings going into the Reedbed to roost. The total of 84 birds ringed included, 47 Reed Buntings (four re-traps) nine Yellowhammers, one Starling, two Song Thrushes, one Blackbird, one Greenfinch, one Goldfinch, 14 Blue Tits, four Great Tits, a single Long-tailed Tit, two Dunnocks and a Wren. Of the total, 42 birds were caught along the hedgerow by the Old Road, and 43 in the Reedbed, making 85 trappings as one Reed Bunting was caught in both locations. Of the three Reed Buntings re-trapped from previous sessions, all were from the Reserve, one from the 23rd October 2007, one from 6th January 2008 and one from 2nd January 2009. The re-trapped Blue Tit was also from the 2nd January 2009. Of the Reed Buntings, 29 were male and 18 were female. Back in the spring, the ringers re-trapped a male Reed Bunting, which had been ringed at Marsh Lane on the 2nd January 2009, and was caught at Brandon Marsh (17km east, south-east) on the 2nd May 2009.
11th December 2009 - Foggy.
A female Brambling showed well in the Old Road hedge between the cottages and the car park, with the usual finches and buntings. The Jackdaw flock increased to nearly 100 and there were also 40 to 50 Wood Pigeons as well. 25 Snipe fed around Car Park Hide.
10th December 2009 - Sunny and still.
The most unusual record of the day was an Oystercatcher which flew into Railway Pool to roost in the early evening. This is a very early returning bird, with most not usually appearing until early in the New Year.
The crop field continues to attract “new” birds, with the first male (as opposed to female) Brambling of the winter, in amongst at least 25 Yellowhammers and 100 Linnets (plus the usual supporting cast of Chaffinches, Greenfinches and Reed Buntings).
There were over 50 Snipe on Car Park Pool and three Water Rails were either heard or seen (Marsh and either side of the causeway).
9 December 2009 - Generally fine with a light south westerly wind following overnight rain
The crop field was again lively and birds included at least 120 Linnets, 50 Yellowhammers, 30 Greenfinches, 20 Reed Buntings, 10-15 Chaffinches, a Song Thrush, 50-60 Wood Pigeons and a similar number of Jackdaws.
Thrushes on the Old Road included 20+ Redwings, ten Blackbirds, five Fieldfares and a Mistle Thrush. There were also three Bullfinches.
8 December 2009 - Generally fine with a light south westerly wind
The usual thrushes and buntings were around the car park and the crop field. Six Common Gulls were on Car Park Pool and, amongst other birds on the Old Road there were a pair of Bullfinches.
The two observers who reported four Whooper Swans flying over this afternoon, have now courageously withdrawn the record as they cannot be certain enough about it. Thanks to both of them for calling in.
7th December 2009 - Strong southerly wind, with regular rain showers.
As viewed from the west of the river, there was no sign of yesterday evening’s Whooper Swan. A walk through Siden Hill Wood and around the new scrapes yielded two Woodcock, one almost exactly where the two storey hide is proposed to go and another on one of the ditch lines.
6th December 2009 - South-westerly wind but remaining mild.
The only bird noted in the log for the morning was a Raven over Siden Hill Wood. In the afternoon, a good turn out for the work party carried out a variety of jobs including strimming down the side of the concrete road, opening up channels in the Marsh and cleaning out some of the drain gulleys on the Old Road. As a result of the work in the Marsh, at least 100 Snipe and a Water Rail were seen there.
Complacency is not a good virtue for bird watchers, and when a calling Swan flew over those finishing the work party with a coffee in the car park, it was dismissed as the hybrid Whooper / Mute. The bird continued to call, having landed on Car Park Pool, and Lee Johnson remained uneasy about it and went to investigate, being rewarded by a vocal adult Whooper Swan which showed well, despite the gathering dusk.
5th December 2009 - Sunny in the morning and showery in the afternoon, with further heavy overnight rain.
A stakeout from first light in the crop field proved rewarding, with the re-finding of the elusive Corn Bunting and female Brambling amongst an excellent flock of over 200 Linnets. About 35 Yellowhammers, 20 Reed Buntings and 40 mixed Greenfinches and Chaffinches.
Some of the birds departed relatively early on and the Corn Bunting and Brambling were not re-seen.
Nine Tree Sparrows were spread across the Reserve, with two in the crop field and seven at the Oak Hide feeder. Over 100 Fieldfares and 20 Redwings were present on the Reserve, mostly along the Old Road.
Graham Rowling’s waterfowl count yielded 18 Cormorants, three Herons, nine Mute Swans, the lonely escapee Black Swan, 135 Greylags, 225 Wigeon, 48 Teal, 16 Gadwall, 40 Mallard, 41 Shoveler, 19 Pochard, 17 Tufted Duck, 61 Coot, 13 Moorhens, two Water Rails (Railway Hide and Reedbed), 180 Lapwing and 39 Snipe.
A Peregrine flew over to the north during the late morning and, in addition to the Tree Sparrows, both Coal Tits and Nuthatch visited the Oak Hide feeder.
4th December 2009 - Sunny, but frosty again.
There seems to be little change in the species of birds this morning, although a Redpoll flew over low and appeared to drop into the crop field.
Later in the day a Greater Black-backed Gull roosted briefly on Car Park Pool. For those less familiar with the status of birds at the Reserve, this remains a scarce species with few annual records. The writer, in his 13 years of familiarity with Marsh Lane has only seen this species twice.
3rd December 2009 - Cold north-westerly wind, dry all day.
The only news refers to a Water Rail again from Oak Hide, and a Muntjac nearby.
2nd December 2009 - Drizzly and misty all day, with a light southerly wind.
A Peregrine spent a fruitless 20 minutes hunting the Reserve at 1.30 p.m. today, before disappearing from site. Two Tree Sparrows visited the Oak Hide feeder, with another one at the Car Park Hide.
1st December 2009 - Severe overnight frost with temperatures down to between -3 and -5.
The pools were partly frozen this morning and there were plenty of finches, buntings and thrushes around the car park, but there seemed to be nothing unusual amongst them. A Water Rail showed well again from the Oak Hide, together with a couple of Snipe.
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