Patch Birding - Salford GP

I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to make it to the patch today as I was out till 05:30 for birthday celebrations.  However I somehow managed to get up at 07:30.....

I arrived on site with a strong cup of coffee and headed straight to the Main Pit where I was hoping to see the Pochard again however they had departed along with most of the other water fowl.  The Tufted Duck were still there but left shortly after I arrived as there was some shooting going on in the back ground.

While scanning the water I noticed another birder, it was @NeilDuggan who is also birding Salford Priors GP for Patchwork Challenge 2015, great to finally meet up.  As detailed in a previous blog post, we have separated the area so we can cover more ground in an attempt to understand what the area holds.

Neil has visited the site a lot more than I have so has greater knowledge of where to look.  We checked out the old tree but still no sign of the Little Owl.  Neil then showed me the area where he'd seen 15 Jack Snipe about a week ago, again there were about 15 Jack Snipe.  I've never known anything like it, they seemed to be everywhere.

We said our goodbyes as we'd parked at opposite ends of the site, I decided to head up past the flooded field and the small pit.  The flooded field held a small number of Skylark whilst the small pit held a small number of Mallard and Tufted Duck.

A lot less about today than yesterday but still managed to add 4 species to the Patch Birding list:

Herring Gull - fly over
Lesser Black-backed Gull - fly over
Skylark - Flooded Field
Goldcrest - Pophills.

The Goldcrest was a bonus as it was my 100th species for 2015 for my year list and means I reached my target of 100 species for January.

@Patchbirding - Salford Priors GP

I was determined to get a decent visit in at Salford Priors GP as part of the Patchwork Challenge. Today I arrived on site at 07:30, it was absolutely freezing and it wasn't long until my hands were completely numb, even with two pairs of gloves on!!

I went straight to the Main Pit, where I counted:

Mallard x 47
Tufted Duck x 41
Coot x 35
Teal x 10
Grey Heron x 2
Moorhen x 1
Pochard x 5
Lapwing x ~50
Little Grebe x 4

There was vast numbers of Woodpigeon flying over, I estimate 500 which contained 3 Stock Dove.  I also had a single fly over Fieldfare.  The fields to the rear of the Main Pit holds large numbers of Red-legged Partridge and Pheasant for the shooting fraternity, this in turn attracts large numbers of Carrion Crow and Jackdaw which roost in the small copse on site, this large flock contained a single Raven which flew over 'kronking', a sound I'll never tire of and one which I feel privileged to be able to hear in the heart of Warwickshire.

I carried on past the pit over to the area which was once a nice reed bed, no so now though, as part of returning the gravel pits to agricultural land they have been cut down.  I took a walk through so I could get to a viewing point for the flooded field opposite.  Walking through the old reed bed I flushed a Jack Snipe which for me is a great find, I don't record Jack Snipe generally most years so to have a local site hold them is great, even better that it's my chosen site for the Patchwork Challenge 2015.

I checked the old tree for the resident Little Owl but still no luck, not sure if it's decided to move on with all the activity in the area reshaping the landscape.

I had a quick check of Pophills Pit where I found:

Black-headed Gull x 58
Yellowhammer x 10
Tufted Duck x 4
Coot x 14
Red-legged Partridge x 2
Magpie x 3
Greylag Goose x 60 - fly overs
Common Sandpiper x 1
Pied Wagtail x 1

Other birds noted were Blackbird, Robin, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Dunnock, Buzzard, Kestrel.  I then returned home where I added Song Thrush to the list from my garden.

I managed to add 12 species to my Patch Challenge list:

Pochard
Lapwing
Moorhen
Fieldfare
Jack Snipe
Common Sandpiper
Yellowhammer
Greylag Goose
Pied Wagtail
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Collared Dove
Song Thrush