Friday 4 March 2011

Lutley Wedge 04/03/11 2.40pm Cold (5°c) Sunny, clear skies and patchy cloud. Cold NE wind

Finally some signs today that things are beginning to move! I found (1♂1♀) Eurasian Teal at Wassell Grove Pools this afternoon, the first sighting at Lutley Wedge for 9 years! These birds represent only the 3rd record for the local patch with the only two previous records of Teal being (1♀ 21/12/00 and 1♂ 10/3/02). 
According to the books (BTO Migration Atlas/New Birds of the West Mids) spring migration of Teal from Britain & Ireland to northern European breeding grounds begins in late February, with numbers wintering in the Midlands typically reaching a peak in December then declining until few are left by April. 
Also seen at Wassell Grove Pools :- 1 Redpoll sp, 2+ Siskin, 1 Common Buzzard. approx 160 Black-headed Gulls flew over >East probably heading for roost at Bartley Reservoir.  
♂♀ Teal Wassell Grove Pools 4/3/11

1 comment:

Jason K said...

Nice one on the Teal Craig. Teal would be a lifer on my patch for me..all though there has been a one or two of records of them on Captains Pool a few years back