Birdwatching at Oldbury Power Station

Site details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Map of OPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1st half 2008

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Contact information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Latest Site Species List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Earliest/Latest Dates

Latest Sightings

Wednesday 23/7/08 – A Greenshank and a Lapwing on lagoon 1, c200 Swallow going to roost in the reeds on lagoon 2 and c300 Curlew on mudflats.

Sunday 20/7/08 – A male Teal was a surprise, moulting in reeds on the lake.

MP reported: 4 Dunlin, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Sand Martin and 2 Peregrine.

Saturday 19/7/08 – What looked to be the same Yellow-legged Gull as MP reported, on lagoon 1 this morning; it appears to be a 3rd year moulting to adult (or a ‘worn’ adult moulting). Large high tide gull roosts on lagoons 1 and 3, and after the latter dispersed, an adult and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull were left.

AM reported: a Grey Wagtail at the water works (possibly carrying food) and 15+ House Martin.

(Total of 130 species seen at the site so far this year.)

Yellow-legged Gull, lagoon 1. (19/7/08).

Friday 18/7/08 – A Sedge Warbler singing on lagoon 2. Another large gull roost at evening High Tide, including 3 Great Black-backed Gull (2 x 3rd yr and a adult). Also 5 Jay and 3 Fox seen.

Earlier, SK reported: 1 Little Egret and 3 Green Woodpecker.

Thursday 17/7/08 – MP reported a 3rd year Yellow-legged Gull and a Mediterranean Gull on lagoon 3 in the evening, with c900 Black-headed Gull.

Yellow-legged Gull, lagoon 3. (17/7/08). (Photo by MP)

Wednesday 16/7/08 – A Mediterranean Gull moulting from summer plumage (thought different to yesterday’s bird) with the c800 Black-headed Gull on lagoon 3 in evening roost, another c200 Black-headed Gull on lagoon 1.

Tuesday 15/7/08 – MP reported: 1 Mediterranean Gull beginning to moult from summer plumage with the c600 Black-headed Gull (inc. 11 juveniles) and 2 Common Gull on lagoon 3 in evening roost. Also: 2 Redshank and 2 Peregrine.

Sunday 13/7/08 – 2 possible ‘Islandica’ Black-tailed Godwit, a Whimbrel and a Little Egret on lagoon 1. 5 Common Sandpiper, 5 Redshank and 2 Oystercatcher on the shore. c450 Black-headed Gull on lagoon 3 and c100 on lagoon 1. The last Buzzard juvenile has fledged the nest. Also a Grey Wagtail on lagoon 2.

Saturday 12/7/08 – Pretty much same again. The possible ‘Islandica’ Black-tailed Godwit and a Whimbrel on lagoon 1; and an adult Mediterranean Gull in summer plumage with the Black-headed Gull flock on lagoon 3. Two of the Buzzard juveniles have left the nest, leaving one remaining. A small juvenile Coot was on the lake. Also a Sedge Warbler and a male Emperor Dragonfly.

MP also reported 2 Mediterranean Gull and 4 Common Sandpiper this morning.

‘Icelandic’ Black-tailed Godwit, lagoon 1. (12/7/08).

Whimbrel (lagoon 1) and Pyramidal orchids. (12/7/08).

Friday 11/7/08 – A Green Sandpiper, a Black-tailed Godwit of Islandica sub-species (I think) and a Whimbrel on lagoon 1. Another 2 male Black-tailed Godwit Islandica on the shore, and 2 Little Egret there. A Peregrine was flying low over the river carrying prey. Also 4 juvenile House Sparrow in hedge along main rhyne.

‘Icelandic’ Black-tailed Godwit and Green Sandpiper, lagoon 1. (11/7/08).

Tuesday 8/7/08 – An adult Mediterranean Gull in summer plumage roosting with the Black-headed Gull flock on lagoon 3, and 2 Whimbrel with Curlew on lagoon 1. The 2 Canada Goose goslings are still on the lake with parents and the Buzzard fledglings were still in the nest.

Mediterranean Gull, lagoon 3. (8/7/08).

6/7/08 – AM reported: 13 Common Sandpiper and a juvenile Herring Gull with orange leg-ring with blue letters ‘DYT’.

Wednesday 2/7/08 – Return passage really got going with an adult Mediterranean Gull among c150 Black-headed Gull flying downriver at High Tide and then roosting at the yacht club, this evening. Also 28 Curlew there. Another c250 Black-headed Gull, 2 Common Gull and 6 Oystercatcher were roosting on lagoon 3. Along the shore were 8 Common Sandpiper and Shelduck broods of 20+ and 8+. A Buzzard nest just off-site has 3 fully grown juveniles in it; wing-flexing and ready to go.

Buzzards in nest. Third juvenile is behind on left. (This was taken from about 100 yards away from nest; digi-scoping using x40 zoom.) (2/7/08).

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