Bird species becoming more scarce in Warwickshire

The greenfinch population in Warwickshire appears to have fallen dramatically in the past decade.

Andy Morris9th Apr, 2019

SOME bird species in Warwickshire appear to be dwindling.

The results of this year’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Big Garden Birdwatch – which sees people spend an hour counting birds in their garden – revealed there were fewer sightings of nearly half of the top 20 species than a decade ago.

The biggest fall was among the greenfinch population which saw less than half the number spotted in 2009.

Sightings of song thrushes, chaffinches, collared doves, dunnocks, starlings and blackbirds were also significantly down on ten years ago.

The January count – the 40th anniversary of the event – saw the house sparrow keep its top spot for sightings in Warwickshire.

Sightings of goldfinches were up significantly, while the number of house sparrows, wood pigeons, magpies, long tailed tits, jackdaws, carrion crows and feral pigeons also rose.

Samantha Lyster, from the RSPB in the Midlands, said: “People are becoming more and more aware of the challenges and threats that our UK wildlife is currently facing.

“Citizen science surveys, such as our Big Garden Birdwatch, really help empower people of all ages and backgrounds to play an active part in conservation, and to speak out for the wildlife they love and want to protect.”

Visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch for more information.

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Paraglider 'flies into nature reserve and scares off birds'

Warwickshire Police are investigating the incident at Middleton Lakes RSPB reserve

Daniel Newbould

13:09, 25 APR 2018

Police are investigating reports a paraglider flew into a nature reserve near Tamworth and Sutton Coldfield and scared the birds.

The incident happened on Thursday evening at Middleton Lakes RSPB reserve.

Site manager Nick Martin said: “There were several hundred birds breeding in the area, including rare and endangered birds such as the avocet.

“The incident has been reported to Warwickshire Police as the paraglider was disturbing breeding species, and this is a criminal matter.

“Middleton Lakes is a haven for rare and endangered birds, and we work hard to manage it so that they can thrive but also that people can enjoy this natural wonder.

 “We would like to thank everyone who has shown support, and acted quickly to protect this special site.”

A spokesperson for RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) said: “We have notified the police and BHPA (British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association) who have a photo to pass around their members to help with identification of the person.

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Meet the rare bird calling the West Midlands home

14:30, 14 AUG 2016

BY MIKE LOCKLEY

For the very first time, little egrets, birds usually associated with Mediterranean climes, have nested in our patch.

It’s the West Midlands first that has birdwatchers in a flap.

Yes, the egret has landed. Not only that, it’s nested.

For the very first time, little egrets, birds usually associated with Mediterranean climes, have nested in our patch.

West Midlands Bird Club broke the news after being tipped-off by residents living close to the heronry at Middleton, Warwickshire.

They had seen small, snow-white birds that definitely weren’t herons. A closer inspection revealed three little egrets had hatched high in the dense cover of trees.

Bird Club leading light Ray Davies said: “No one knew about it until they could be seen standing in the nest. It really is a wonderful event.

It may be a first, but it’s not totally unexpected.

Little egrets, perhaps spurred by climate change, began to colonise the south of England 20 years ago and the small number of newcomers quickly began to grow. What’s more, the egrets’ range expanded rapidly.

When they began to nest in Conway, North Wales, birders knew it was only a matter of time before the little egret became a West Midlands breeding species.

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Ospreys fill up on fish at Clifton Lakes in Warwickshire

3 October 2014 Last updated at 11:31 BST

Ospreys - a protected bird of prey usually found in Scotland - have been in Warwickshire for the past two weeks, en route to their winter home in Africa.

The fish-eaters have temporarily settled near Clifton Lakes in Rugby, where BBC Midlands Today's David Gregory-Kumar spoke to the owner of the angling ponds, John Daleman.

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Twitchers in a flap over rare bird sighting at Seeswood Pool

BIRDWATCHERS have been in a flap about sightings of a rare species at a Nuneaton beautyspot.

Twitchers have been flocking to Seeswood Pool in a bid to get a glimpse of a rare Black-Crowned Night Heron.

It was earlier in the week when a fisherman first spotted the bird, and word soon spread about the bird among feathered friend fanatics.

It is understood that there are, on average, ten records of Night Heron in the UK each year.

The sighting at the beautyspot on Astley Lane is the sixth record for Warwickshire.

The News was lucky enough to be given a few photographs taken of the bird at Seeswood Pool earlier in the week.

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Rare red-backed shrike causes a flap in Midlands

Birmingham birders are celebrating after a rare bird was spotted in our patch for the first time in 30 years.

Twitchers were stunned to discover a red-backed shrike at Ladywalk Nature Reserve, North Warwickshire - just ten miles from the city centre.

The striking bird was first spotted on tree stumps at the reserve on June 5, causing feathers to flap and sparking a flood of tweets among ornithologists.

David Hutton posted on the West Midlands Bird Club site: “Red-backed shrike at Ladywalk! Distant, but who’s complaining. First for 30 years in the county.”

“Archie’s British Birding Blog” recorded: “At lunchtime this afternoon a stunning adult male red-backed shrike was discovered at Ladywalk Nature Reserve.

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Eagle has landed but whose is it?

Eagle-eyed Warwick resident Ruggy Singh spotted this bird of prey perched on a porch in Sydenham and helped to have it returned to its owner.

eagle owl (Wikipedia)

Mr Singh took photos of the bird when it landed near his father’s house in Saint Brides Close last Thursday and he also contacted the RSPB.

He was told it was able to hunt animals the size of a Labrador due to its sharp talons and impressive flying power.

It was later caught by a falconer, who contacted staff at Arden Falconry at Hatton Adventure Farm to see if they could care for the owl until the owner was found.

Hatton’s Danielle Shearsby from Leamington, who collected the owl, said: “The bird was healthy and it had obviously been trained, but it didn’t have any ownership rings on it.

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