31st January - Sightings

RSPB - Short-Eared Owl Fisher's Mill (J Fincham)

30th January - Sightings

Shustoke - Mediterranean Gull (partial summer plumage adult) this evening (S Haynes)
Wishaw - 1000 Golden Plover Wiggin's Hill (G A Williams)

29th January - Sightings

Ladywalk - Merlin (m) nr Car Park. Mealy Redpoll with Lesser Redpoll around feeders (S Cawthray)

27th January - Sightings

RSPB  - 2 Jack Snipe Fisher's Mill flushed during conservation Work (G Williams et al)

Ladywalk - During last week Bittern, Water Rail, Tawny Owl, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Green Sandpiper, Snipe, 2 Shekduck, 20 Goosander. On feeders upto 12 Lesser Redpoll, Marsh & Willow Tits.(S Cawthray)

The recent Night Heron has been proved to be an escape from Twycross. For the full story see here.

21st January - Sightings

RSPB - Brambling Mill Plantation (G Williams)
Kingsbury - Little Egret, 2 Goosander (J Wesson)
Kingsbury South - 2 Little Egret, 3 Redpoll (TP)
Whitacre Heath NR - Woodcock (Mike Pollard)

Night Heron

The recent Night Heron at Alvecote has been relocated on the canal near Atherstone Railway Station. It is metal-ringed and has proved to have originated from Burgers Zoo, Arnhem, Holland. Contact has been made with the zoo who say they have haven't lost any of their birds but they have sold some to zoos in England. Further detail to follow.

Night Heron - Dave Hutton

19th January - Sightings

Kingsbury - 17 small grey geese sp over Cliff Pool (presumed Pink-Feet) (S Cawthray)

18th January - Sightings

RSPB - 2 Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker (m,f) Woodland Walk (K Sargent et al) 11 Little Egret West over Fisher's Mill in evening (W Eley)
Dosthill - 3 Short-Eared Owl (per Birdguides)
Alvecote - Late News from 16/01/2012 of report of Night Heron(ad) Pretty Pigs Pool (Roy Boulstridge per BBRC) A convuincing description was sent to BBRC and forwarded on:

"Weather conditions: BITTERLY COLD. POOLS FROZEN, LIGHT SW WIND, BRIGHT SUN. SUN WAS IN THE SOUTH THE BIRD TO MY NORTH, EXCELLENT VISABILITY AT 25 METRES. BIRD PERCHED ON BRANCH 10M FROM GROUND FORE TWO HOURS. ANOTHER PERSON WAS THERE BUT HE WAS NOT A BIRDER.
Circumstances: I WAS FISHING WHEN I SAW THE BIRD, I KNEW THAT IT WAS A HERON BUT COULD NOT RECALL WHICH SPECIES,THE BIRD WAS RESTING IN A TREE WHEN I GOT TO THE TOP OF THE LENGTH. I POINTED THE BIRD OUTTO THE OWNER OF THE LAND, NOT A BIRDER, HE COMMENTED ON HOW MUCH SMALLER IT WES THAN A HERON AND HOW SHORT ITS NECK AWS. I JOTTED DOWN THE MAIN DESCRIPTION POINTS AND CHECKED IT ON THE WEB TO CLARIFY WHAT IT WAS.
Description: LEGS YELLOW, BARE, BILL STONG 5-7CM LONG, DARK BLUE / BLACK, HEAD WHITE FLASH ABOVE THE BILL, CROWN OF HEAD ABOVE EYE LINE BLUE/BLACK BELOW EYE LINE CREAM. BACK, BLUE /BLACK CONTINUING FROM HEAD, WINGS LIGHT
GREY, REMAINIG BODY CREAM WITH A HINT OF VERY LIGHT GREY. BODY ABOUT 60CM STANCE HUNCHED WITH CURVE OF BACK FLOWING OVER THE HEAD TO THE POINT OF THE BILL
Age/Sex reason: PLUMAGE SEEMED TO BE THEAT OF AN ADULT SHOWED NO SINGS OF IMMATURE FEATHERS."

17th January - Sightings

RSPB - Bittern flew south 5pm over Cow Field and KWP Otter Pool (S Cawthray)
Shustoke - 46 Goosander roosted (S Haynes)

16th January - Sightings

Ladywalk - Bittern this morning. 2 Lesser Redpoll (Brian Jones) Green Sandpiper (J Allen)
Shustoke - 39 Goosander roosted (S Haynes)
Wishaw - Peregrine, Little Owl, 100 Golden Plover (S Haynes)
Hams Hall - 4 Chiffchaff, Green Sandpiper around outfall (S Haynes)
Dosthill - 2 Short-Eared Owl still (S Haynes)

14th January - Sightings

RSPB - 2 Short-Eared Owl still. 3 Pintail (Many Obs)
Coton - Peregrine (K Wimbush)
Dosthill - Chiffchaff (Bobby D)

13th January - Sightings

Short-Eared Owl - Jon Morgan

RSPB - Short-Eared Owl still over bunds. Redpoll Woodland Walk. 10 Little Egret over Fisher's Mill (J Morgan, M Hodson) 15 Little Egret over (G Williams)
Coton - 80+ Pink-Footed Goose over NW at 1100hrs (K & L Wimbush)

12th January - Sightings

RSPB - Short-Eared Owl hunting bunds. Oystercatcher (J Allen)

11th January - Sightings

RSPB - 2 Short-Eared Owl hunting bunds (Bobby D) 9 Little Egret over at dusk (W Eley)
Tamworth - 2 Chiffchaff in trees by Tamworth Castle  (M Hodson)

10th January - Sightings

RSPB - 2 Short-Eared Owl hunting banks along river, 6 Raven (Ryan Adams et al) Grey Plover over Fisher's Mill to North 11.09am. Smew(m) mid pools still. Willow Tit Canal (J Harris)
Kingsbury - 5 Lesser Redpoll, Yellowhammer along canal near Bodymoor Heath. 86 Greylag Goose Cliff Pool (M Hodson)
Whitacre Heath NR - 7 Lesser Redpoll, Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker (J Morgan)

9th January - Sightings

RSPB - Short-Eared Owl South of North Pit. Earlier over Dosthill Bunds mobbed by Ravens (J Morgan, G Williams) 20+ Lesser Redpoll Mill Plantation (M Hodson) Smew(m) still Middle Pools though mobile. 81 Greylag Goose (G Williams)
Middleton - Redshank Hall Lake (M Hodson, G Williams)

8th January - Sightings

RSPB - 2 Siskin, c20 Redpoll, Little Egret (S Valentine, M Hodson) Smew (m), 2 Stonechat, 7 Shelduck (G Williams)
Middleton - Green Sandpiper Hall Lake (G Williams)
Hams Hall - 2 Peregrine, Goosander (K Wimbush)

7th January - Sightings

RSPB - Smew (m) still on middle pools though mobile (TP et al)
Hams Hall - 3 Chiffchaff, Green Sandpiper at Outfall (K Wimbush)
Ladywalk - Bittern, Tawny Owl, Woodcock, 15 Goosander, Lesserr-Spotted Woodpecker. On feeders 2 Mealy Redpoll, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Siskin, Marsh Tit, Willow Tit (S Cawthray)
Wishaw - 4 Grey Partridge (S Cawthray)
Coton - Yellow-Legged Gull(ad), leucistic Black-Headed Gull in roost (S Cawthray)

Kingsbury Work Party - 11/01/2012

Steve Cawthray has organised a Work Party for Cliff Pool, Kingsbury. Meet at 10am on 11th Jan at Broomey Croft Car Park. All Welcome. Please bring loppers, saws if you have them.

6th January - Sightings

RSPB - Short-Eared Owl, Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker, Stonechat, Smew (m) (S Cawthray, J Harris)

5th January - Sightings

Tamworth - Pintail (m) still Wilnecote Lakes (Sean Allison) Pic by Sean above.

4th January - Sightings

Kingsbury - 2 Smew (redheads) still Cliff Pool (Bobby D)
RSPB - Mealy Redpoll with c20 Lesser Redpoll, Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker Mill Plantation. 2 Stonechat New Reedbed Pool(G Williams)

3rd January - Sightings

Kingsbury - 2 Smew (redheads) Cliff Pool (C Cook)

2nd January - Sightings

Coton - Mediterranean Gull (ad), Yellow-Legged Gull (2nd Win), leucistic Black-Headed Gull in roost (A Dean et al)
Kingsbury South - Yellow-Legged Gull (ad), 5 Little Egret Bodymoor Heath Water. Goosander(f) on river (A Dean)

1st January - Sightings

RSPB - Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker Woodland Walk (M Hodson) Jack Snipe (G Williams) Smew (redhead) (S Cawthray) Up to 4 Little Egret, 2 Stonechat (Many Obs) 60+ species seen on reserve today.
Wishaw - Merlin, 4 Grey Partridge (S Cawthray)
Ladywalk - Bittern, Peregrine,4 Goosander, Chiffchaff (S Cawthray)

Tamworth - Peregrine over Deer Park, Fazeley yesterday afternoon (M Hodson)