Sandwell Valley

• About Sandwell Valley
• Star species
• Seasonal highlights
• Recent sightings
• Events
• Facilities
• Accessibility
• How to get here
• Our work here
• Visitor book
• Map

• Home >
• Reserves >
• Reserves by name >
• S >
• Sandwell Valley >
• Recent sightings

Recent sightings

• 15 May 2012

  April 2012

  Good news is that 3 lapwing chicks were spotted amongst the undergrowth on the island towards the end of the month. Also the oystercatcher pair seems to be settled on their nesting site and are regularly changing over sitting duties, they were joined by a third bird for a few days. Other nest sitting birds include, coot, moorhen, Canada geese and mute swan, which is occupying the same very large nest on the corner of the island that has been used for several years. On a sinister note up to 10 lesser-black-backed gulls were loitering around the lake awaiting a predation opportunity.

   The sound of singing warblers has increased greatly at the reserve with willow warbler (3 noted on 13^th.), whitethroat (21^st.), reed (22nd.), sedge (23^rd..), garden warbler (24^th.), joining the earlier arrivals of chiffchaff and blackcap, which could be heard everywhere.

   A male and a female wheatear have been seen around the flattened bund area since the 3^rd. and 2 common tern, which showed several signs of being a pair, have returned (15^th.).

   The first swifts were noted on the 26^th, joining the large flocks of swallows, sand martin, and house martin skimming across the lake.

   Waders, particularly in the re-landscaped marsh area, included dunlin, black-tailed godwit, green sandpiper, 3 common sandpiper, 2 little-ringed plover, 8 common snipe,

   Other sightings were 2 yellow wagtail, 3 white wagtail, grey wagtail, 2 kingfisher, greylag goose, willow tit, long-tailed tit, 4 reed bunting, goldfinch, 6 bullfinch, 2 meadow pipit, mistle and song thrush and green woodpecker.

   On the lake up to 10 goosander and 3 goldeneye could still be seen towards the end of the month as well as great-crested and little grebe, gadwall, teal, shoveler, pochard, and wigeon and over 50 tufted duck.

   A hobby was seen (27^th.) as well as regular sightings of buzzard, kestrel and sparrowhawk.

   Compiled by Colin Sedgwick

  Posted by Chris Edwards

• 18 April 2012

  March Sightings

  Early summer migrants have arrived at the reserve. The first warblers were chiffchaff (8^th.), blackcap (21st.) and towards the end of the month several singing males of both species could be heard. The hirundines arrived late in the month with sand martin, house martin and finally swallow (31^st.) being seen.

   Other visitors were redshank (14^th.), dunlin (4^th.), a little ringed plover (16^th.) joined later by another and a pintail for a few days. The oystercatcher pair seems established on the main island and was joined by a third bird for a while. About 40 lapwing were spread across the marsh and the islands, some becoming territorial and showing signs of aggression. On a corner of the island a pair of mute swan have created a huge nest after being observed treading down the area.

   Several winter visitors were still with us all month including up to 30 wigeon, 20 goosander, 3 goldeneye and the occasional redwing was noted.

   Some human visitors, those with lots of patience and good telescopes, were sometimes able to watch 2 water rails preening themselves in the reedbed opposite the hide. Other water birds included about 18 gadwall, 4 pochard, 61 tufted, 10 shoveler, 17 teal, 2 little grebe, cormorant and a pair of great-crested grebe as well as common snipe and jack snipe and up to 5 grey heron.

   The new bird table by the hide has already attracted reed bunting, bullfinch, long-tailed tit, greenfinch, dunnock and robin.

  Other notable sightings around the reserve were siskin and lesser redpoll, willow and marsh tit with more than 20 great tit near the feeders, pied and grey wagtail, flocks of goldfinch, coal tit, song and mistle thrush, green and great-spotted woodpeckers, kingfisher, goldcrest, jay and ring-necked parakeet.

   5 buzzard were seen in the air at the same time (24^th.), kestrel and sparrowhawk were regular sightings and a raven flew over (3^rd).

  Compiled by Colin Sedgwick

  Posted by Chris Edwards

• 12 March 2012

  February Bird sightings

  2 oystercatcher have returned to the reserve, a male was first recorded on the 7^th. and a female arrive almost 2 weeks later. They are probably the same pair from previous years, as the female can be identified by her damaged foot.

   Other exciting visitors included a red-head female smew (12^th.) that stayed for several days, a rare sight at Sandwell Valley, a male pintail, which was around most of the month, a black-tailed godwit (22^nd.), a yellow-legged gull was identified on the same day and 4 greylag geese (15^th.).

   In the early part of the month most of the lake was frozen but in a small patch of open water most of the waterbirds had gathered including 2 male goldeneye, with their heads bent backwards over their backs, displaying to the females. Also 2 little grebe, a great-crested grebe, 34 goosander, 16 shoveler, 15 teal, 14 gadwall, 10 pochard, 8 mute swan and numerous tufted and mallard were concentrated in this area. A flypast by 2 kingfisher added to this.

  Later in the month, the newly landscaped marsh area with its much higher water level attracted many of these species as well as 40 wigeon grazing on the grassy areas

  Lapwing numbers peaked at 106 (8^th.) and a snipe count produced 60 common snipe and 8 jack snipe (29^th.)

   Other birds recorded around the reserve were siskin, goldcrest, 2 water rail, song thrush and mistle thrush, 5 ring-necked parakeet, grey wagtail, great-spotted woodpecker and small flocks of fieldfare and redwing. Around the feeders were various finch species, notably 6 pairs of bullfinch as well as various tit species including a couple of elusive willow tit and several reed bunting.

  Compiled by Colin Sedgwick

  Posted by Chris Edwards

• 14 February 2012

  January Sightings

  Wintering ducks and other water birds were the main points of interest during the month including counts of 22 gadwall, 71 teal, 40 mallard, 26 wigeon. 51 tufted, 65 pochard, 14 shoveler. Also around the lake were 35 goosander, 3 goldeneye, 2 little grebe, grey heron, 6 mute swan and cormorant.

   About 20 common snipe could be seen in small groups along the south bank of the island or in the marsh and a water rail could occasionally be picked out in the reeds on the bank opposite the hide. There was a count of 77 lapwing on New Year’s Day.

   Some less frequent sightings included a peregrine falcon (14^th.), ring-necked parakeet (21^st.) and a yellow-legged gull (13^th.). Also among the hundreds of black-headed gulls were common, herring, a mediterranean and lesser black-backed gulls. Along the water’s edge a feeding grey wagtail was an occasional sighting as was the turquoise blue flash of a kingfisher.

   Small birds continually visiting the feeders were willow tit, marsh tit, coal tit, about 30 great tit, up to 14 bullfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch, several robin and a few reed bunting. Other sightings around the reserve were jay, song thrush, 3 mistle thrush together, green woodpecker, small flocks of goldfinch, redwing, fieldfare, long-tailed tit, starling and a mixed flock of siskin and redpoll.

   Buzzard, kestrel and sparrowhawk were daily raptor sightings.

   Colin Sedgwick

  Posted by Chris Edwards

• 24 January 2012

  A walk around the whole Valley

  So, an afternoon off Uni and a nice day, what to do?
  
  In the name of laziness I parked in the Swan Pool car park and set off around the pool itself towards Priory Woods. There was very little of note on the water with 3 great crested grebes being of most interest seeing as one pair were hanging around the location where they have tried to nest the last couple of years. I had my fingers crossed that I might stumble upon a very early bit of weed dancing, but this proved a little optimistic (I did forget it was still January and NOT Spring). So seeing as they didn't dance for me, here is a pic of a pair having a quick shimmy in the same spot taken in late February last year.
  
  

  Great Crested Grebes 'dancing' on Swan Pool - Feb. 2011 - Mike Ixer

  There is a long boom which sits in the water at Swan Pool and it is always worth a look through the assembled gulls to see if anything 'unusual' has sneaked in. At the end of January last year a yellow-legged gull put in an appearance, but today there was nothing of note (unless more experienced gull watches than myself (of which there are many) can see anything).
  
  

  Gulls at Swan Pool - Jan. 2012 - Mike Ixer

  As I pushed on into Priory Woods I was initially surprised by how quiet it seemed - then I noticed the smouldering remains of a couple of bonfires and the rangers packing up and the apparent quiet was no longer a mystery. A shrill squawking call then resounded through the woods followed by another, then another, and so on. The Heronry is active again! Emerging out of the trees and through to Ice House Pool I counted at least 25 grey herons standing watchfully over the nest sites which have been used for years - my second early sign of Spring; the first being watching two mistle thrushes forage together outside my flat near to a regular nesting spot whilst seeing off any rivals.
  
  

  A record shot of a few of the herons - Ice House Pool - Jan. 2012 - Mike Ixer

  The accompaniment to the herons came in the form of 10 goosander, pochards, turfted ducks, gadwall, mallards, coots, moorhens, canada geese and mute swans with the later few vying for the best spot not to get fed in front of me.
  
  Moving through the woods everything again seemed quiet until a very quiet and high pitch noise caught my attention. I turned my gaze upwards to see a treecreeper shimmying up the tree ... followed by a nuthatch ... heading towards a goldcrest. Amazing! Nothing particularly rare but to see these three highly charismatic species, which can all be a pain to see on occasions, all in the same field of view was a real treat. Further inspection revealing a second nuthatch and a second treecreeper on an adjacent tree with a pair of bullfinches also in attendance.
  
  Now the only disappointment which arose from this thoroughly enjoyable situation was that all the photos which I took are rubbish! It is the one problem with the camera and lens combo I carry around. The lens has a very good magnification (150mm-300mm Olympus fit which is apparently a 300mm-600mm in normal cameras) and is also very compact. However, in anything other than good lighting it struggles massively; a fact which is a problem while trying to photograph things in woodland.
  
  

  Nuthatch in Priory Woods - Jan. 2012 - Mike Ixer

  
  Frustrating!
  

  Treecreeper in Priory Woods - Jan. 2012 - Mike Ixer

  Even more frustrating!
  
  Anyway, I left Priory Woods and had a good look around the Paddocks with the hope that I would find a little owl after it was seen last week. Of course I had no luck finding the little blighter - it seems unlike other little owls, the Valley residents do not have a regular resting place, just a tree that you 'might' see them in. The paddocks were well populated with Turdus (and not because of the horses), the vast majority of which being redwings but fieldfare, blackbirds and mistle thrushes also featured. There was also the addition of a great spotted woodpecker, some stock doves and a collared dove to keep things interesting. I have attached a photo below to prove the little owl does exist and it is not just a myth conjured up by RSPB volunteers wanting to keep people looking. It was taken in the Paddocks 12th February last year.
  
  

  Little Owl with Great Spotted Woodpecker - Paddocks - Feb. 2011 - Mike Ixer

  I walked back through the skylark (but not yet) field and around the other side of Swan Pool. A cormorant and 5 herring gulls had now joined the previously assembled gulls on the boom but nothing else had appeared.
  

  Next stop, Forge Mill Farm and a very welcome cup of tea. I went for a very quick walk through the farm and around the mile-long Farm Trail which can sometimes prove to be very productive (I've previously had woodcock, lesser redpoll, siskin, goldcrest, and more) because it is quiet due to very few people ever walking around it. It was beautiful when we had the heavy snow at the end of 2010 and the only tracks were that of foxes - no human had been down there for what felt like weeks!

  Fox on the Forge Mill Farm Trail - Dec. 2010 - Mike Ixer

  Today was quiet with long-tailed tits, redwings and wrens being the only company.
  

  All the regulars were on Forge Mill Lake with goldeneye being the only notable absence. Goosander, wigeon, gadwall, shovelers, teal, mallards, tufted ducks, pochard, canada geese, mute swans, a little grebe, coots and moorhens were all flying the flag for the waterfowl. 105 lapwings was a pleasing count and I could find at least 9 common snipe without the use of a telescope. Also of interest around the lake was another treecreeper with some siskin in the trees which line the banks and a song thrush in the scrub.

  A final trip up to the feeders outside the old centre was disappointing because they had run out of food (something which I'm sure will be rectified tomorrow when the RSPB facilities are open again). Despite the lack of food there were dunnocks, blue tits, great tits, bullfinches, chaffinches and goldfinches all hanging around.

  The walk back to the car offered me my final photo opportunity of the day, and here it is...

  Robin - RSPB Sandwell Valley - Jan. 2012 - Mike Ixer

  As I was leaving, this was the sight that bid me farewell (along with some hail!), pretty impressive I felt...

  Clouds - RSPB Sandwell Valley - Jan. 2012 - Mike Ixer

  
  
  

  Posted by Mike Ixer

• 10 January 2012

  December Sightings

   

  The feeding station has been a great attraction with lots of activity including marsh tits joining the resident willow tits on darting runs to the table from the close-by bushes. The marsh tits have seldom been seen in recent years. Also seen there were up to 4 pairs of bullfinch, the red of the males being particularly colourful on these grey winter days, numerous great tits and blue tits, an occasional coal tit, house sparrow, reed bunting and various finches particularly greenfinch and chaffinch.

   A juvenile kittiwake was seen resting on the island (18^th.) possibly exhausted or ill but was being hassled by crows. About 16 common snipe congregated in small groups along the south edge of the island on most days and small flocks of goldfinch could always be seen feeding on the island. A water rail patrolled the edge of the marsh, which is now filling with water after being virtually dried out due to the lack of rainfall this year.

   A green sandpiper made an appearance (21^st.), as did a grey wagtail and kingfisher.  Flocks of siskin, lesser redpoll and long-tailed tits were a regular sight feeding in the trees and bushes around the reserve, as were redwing and fieldfare with a small number of song and mistle thrushes. Other sightings included little egret briefly, goldcrest, green and great-spotted woodpeckers.

   On the lake there were counts of up to 27 goosander, a pair of goldeneye, 14 shoveler, 32 pochard, 14 gadwall, 70 wigeon, 28 tufted, 34 teal, 9 mute swan, 11 cormorant, mallard, 3 little grebe and a great-crested grebe. Lapwing flocks numbered more than 60

   Among the hundreds of black-headed gulls were a mediterranean gull, a common gull and a 2^nd. year herring gull and the usual lesser black-backed gulls.

   Daily visits were made to the reserve by the usual raptors, sparrowhawk, buzzard and kestrel.

  Colin Sedgwick

  Posted by Chris Edwards

• 6 December 2011

  November Sightings

  The extensive work re-profiling the marsh and creating more spits out into the lake, as well as a channel into the reedbed, has provided new habitat and birds have been quick to occupy it. About 50 lapwing, several snipe, grey heron, moorhen, pied wagtail and a knot (23^rd. for a couple of days) have all been taking advantage of it.

   On the lake a pair of goldeneye has been sighted regularly along with16 goosander, up to 24 wigeon, 14 shoveler, 22 pochard, 6 gadwall, 6 teal and 40 tufted. In deeper water there were great-crested grebe and several cormorant, often seen drying themselves on the fence across the lake.

   2 water rail have been seen almost daily from the hide, flitting in and out of the reeds on the far bank, by those visitors with ‘scopes. Other birds seen around the water’s edge have been grey wagtail, little grebe, reed bunting and kingfisher.

   The trees around the reserve seemed to be full of redwing, fieldfare, large mixed flocks of siskin and lesser redpoll, numerous greenfinch and the occasional willow tit and mistle thrush.

   The winter-plumaged meditteranean gull could still be spotted amongst the dozens of other gulls if you had the patience to search. Other resident birds to be seen were coal tit, long-tailed tit, house sparrow, bullfinch, goldfinch, goldcrest, green and great-spotted woodpecker.

   An unusual attraction for visitors has been a crow with distinctive white in its wings.

   Colin Sedgwick

  Posted by Chris Edwards

• 19 November 2011

  A productive Autumn walk...

  Today's walk around the whole of Forge Mill Lake (which is actually on a bit over a mile) provided loads of different birds to be enjoyed.

  Before we had even started walking we were greeted by the sound of an angry Mistle Thrush outside the temporary centre as well as the ever present irritable Magpies. A short walk over the railway bridge and the horse field (which I'm still sure will be good for something one day!) was filled with Woodpigeons and Crows but surprisingly no Collared Doves - have they now left us for the winter?

  We carried on up the driveway to the feeding station in front of the old centre which is starting to gain in popularity as it gets colder and natural foods become that bit harder to find. We saw all the regulars like Great Tits, Blue Tits, Chaffinches and Greenfinches as well as (the pretty much regular) Willow Tit and Reed Bunting. From here we walked around towards the river accompanied by Robins, Wrens and Blackbirds who did not seem to appreciate us being on 'their' reserve.

  As we walked along the river bank, Redwings were regularly flying overhead in all directions and we picked up our third thrush species of the day, a Song Thrush, which was kind enough to sit still on the top of a bush to be ID'ed. We stopped to look back over the island to scan the edge which is opposite the hide (and therefore invisible from it) for Snipe. Sure enough along with the Teal which also seem to have a preference for that edge we found 5 Common Snipe (probably more if we had a telescope to scan the edge). From here we could also see that the lake was full of all regular waterfowl, Coots, Moorhens, Tufted Ducks, Mallards, Black-Headed Gulls, Lesser Black-Backed Gulls and Canada Geese.

  Progressing along the river, a Jay flew overhead, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling and some small silhouetted finches at the top of an alder were probably Lesser Redpoll or Siskin. We dropped on to a lower path which runs along the side of the lake and paused in a gap to look over the deeper end. First spot was a very smart male Goldeneye who dived as soon as he was spotted, only to reappear 20+ ft away and who continued this elusive behaviour all day! There was also a group of 21 Pochard who were just floating around resting presumably after completing a potentially 1000+ mile migration.

  Continuing around the lake we were accompanied by yet more Redwings, Blackbirds and the almost constant noise of a large flock of Long-Tailed Tits. We stopped at Forge Mill Farm for a cup of tea and also to see a barn load of House Sparrows, Pied Wagtails and the farms regular compliment of Feral Pigeons. Leaving the farm we came across another flock of small finches which this time were positively identified as a mix of Siskin, Redpoll and Goldfinches.

  Things were a little quieter as we moved around the top end of the lake with highlights being a Grey Heron and Little Grebe near the newly re-profiled North Island as a large flock of Starlings congregating on a electricity pilon. As we approached the hide, yet another group of small finches were identified as Redpoll, Siskin and Goldfinches but this time with the added bonus of a pair of Bullfinches with them.

  We got into the hide just in time to glance at the back end of a Water Rail disappearing into the reeds. The flock of Lapwing had grown to over 40 and there were now at least 15 Goosander relaxing either on the boom across the lake or with the Pochard. A couple of Cormorants arrived and promptly began drying themselves whist perched on the boom. A scan through the Black-Headed Gulls revealed a Common Gull (unfortunately no Mediterranean Gull today) and the family of Mute Swans from this year swam in convoy in front of the hide. Suddenly the call of Kingfisher came from the other end of the hide but alas it had vanished - or so we thought. After some careful scans through the bushes which it had been seen near it was found perching a few feet above the water. It sat there for about 5 minutes before diving for a fish, bashing the fish around a bit, swallowing it down, diving a couple more times and then flying off. I don't care how many 'rare' birds I may see, I will never get tired of seeing Kingfishers - they are fantastic birds!

  After this the sight of a pair of Gadwall floating along was a bit of an anti-climax - it's easy to forget that these birds only bred in the Valley for the first time in 2003 yet now it is a surprise not to see them. As we were preparing to close the hide for the day a Stock Dove flew over, closely followed by a few more.

  Walking back up to the temporary centre we saw the winter spectacle which is 100's of Jackdaws heading to roost as dusk falls. A final stop at the feeding table on the way past was rewarded with a Coal Tit and a pair of Willow Tits sat next to each other. We got back to the centre and counted up an impressive 50 species - not bad for a little reserve between Birmingham and West Brom!

  That said, we still missed a number of birds that on any other day you would not be at all surprised to see. Dunnocks were conspicuous in their absence. Also missing were Fieldfare, Great Crested Grebe, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker, Shoveler and Wigeon. Not that I'm complaining of course.

  Posted by Mike Ixer

• 6 November 2011

  October Bird Sightings

  October 2011

   There have been regular, almost daily, sightings of water rail in the reeds on the bank opposite the hide with up to 3 birds sighted (25^th.). More goosanders arrived during in the month, with a count of 19 (22^nd.) and a pintail paid a brief visit on the same day. Other wintering visitors included numerous redwing, fieldfare, teal and wigeon.

   Flocks of small birds were everywhere including 40+ goldfinch feeding off the teasel, similar numbers of linnet, mixed feeding groups of lesser redpoll and siskin, house sparrows in the hedges, parties of long-tailed tits in the trees and a small flock of swirling starlings on the main island. Also on the island were several common snipe together with more than 50 lapwing and earlier in the month a green sandpiper.

   Water birds seen around the main lake were up to 19 gadwall, 20 shoveler, 30 pochard, 40 tufted, 3 little grebe, 2 great-crested grebe, a dozen cormorant and a few grey heron.

   A challenge for visitors to the hide was to pick out the mediterranean gull, in winter plumage, amongst the 200 or so black-headed gulls and several lesser black-backed and juvenile herring and common gulls.

   On the feeders there were good sightings of 2 willow tit, 4 bullfinch and numerous other finches and tits. Other interesting birds seen were 3 grey wagtail, a kingfisher sat on a post in front of the hide, reed bunting, green and great-spotted woodpecker, ring-necked parakeet and jay. The usual raptors kestrel, sparrowhawk and buzzard could be seen daily

    A few lingering swallow flew through (5^th.) and a chiffchaff could still be heard. The good weather also produced views of migrant hawker and common darter dragonflies.

  Thanks to Colin Sedgwick for compiling this report.

  Posted by Chris Edwards