One thing I like about working at Middleton, is that you are never far away from a wildlife encounter. While I am writing today, I can hear a pair of kingfishers on the moat by the office. They have been a great thing to watch this week as they zoom up and down chasing each other, perching in the over-hanging yews to fish, oblivious to the people who stop to watch them. Aren’t birds brilliant!
Other brilliant birds on the reserve this week include the return of some waders! Quite a lot of the wader species clear off to coastal spots as they are less likely to freeze and are more plentiful with food. The usual lapwings (up to 300) have been on jubilee along with up to 5 ringed plover, 3 oystercatchers, 2 green sandpipers, 10+ snipe and 50+ golden plover. The sentinels of the fence posts, the stonechats, are still hanging around, with at least 6 on site. This winter we have had up to 13. Mainly keeping to edges of the wetlands or following the cattle around.
Duck numbers are the same as last week, no real movement in or out from them. Goosanders have started using the north pit more to either loaf on the islands or display to their females. They are also found on the river, as are the goldeneyes. The river edges can often be over-looked, I know I am guilty of this, preferring to look for creeping waders around the scrapes. But in February, the scrapes aren’t always that fruitful. As well as the ducks and geese, along the river this week chiffchaffs, goldcrests, treecreepers, kingfishers, bullfinches and the bird which still evades my binoculars, lesser-spotted woodpecker, have been seen in the willows and slinking around the roots over-hanging the river bank. More brilliant birds!
Away from the wetlands, and in the farmers fields which join our site and the canal, skylarks have started their high altitude display. One of the most iconic, rural sounds of spring, for me at least. Checking the hedges in these areas can also produce yellowhammers which feed off the spilt grain from the pheasant hoppers in the adjacent fields. At least 9 are kicking about. Winter thrushes, (redwings and fieldfares) are still flocking, mainly in the southern meadow, hopping around the konik’s feet.
Our site manager and area manager ventured forth on the reserve yesterday, and heard a willow tit calling from the canal meadow. Willow tit’s have had it rather tough in recent years, seeing a population crash of 94% between 1970-2012. That’s disastrous to say the least, with many areas of the UK having no willow tit populations for miles around when there used to be several. The reasons for the decline are yet to be fully understood, but we do have more of an idea of what they like and in areas where populations are clinging on, we survey and manage for them. The Tame valley used to have several territories, but these are declining, with them having a toe-hold at Middleton. If you see or hear any willow tits, please let us know, as this time of year is when they are establishing their breeding territories.
Willow tit by Nick Martin
As has been the norm the past month, you don’t have to venture far from the car park to see a great bird spectacle. Whether it be the grey herons (some now sitting tight on their eggs) or the feeding frenzy at the feeders. The increasingly bold water rails are regulars under the feeders – daring to chase the mallards and a cockerel away from the fallen seeds! Lesser redpolls have been frequent on the niger seeds and there have been more reed buntings and finches visiting the feeders. The tree sparrows are still in ‘their’ hedge, although only 3 have been reported this week.
We will endeavor to keep this blog updated on a weekly basis, but to keep your finger on the Middleton Lakes pulse check out our RSPB Birmingham, Black Country and Warwickshire facebook page and follow us on Twitter @RSPBMiddleton. If you enjoy taking photos, we would love for you to add them to our Community page. To keep up to date with other sightings in the valley check out the tame valley birding blog http://tamevalleybirding.blogspot.co.uk/