14th October 2009

I'd been feeling rather low and peeved recently; birders being the cause, which is disappointing. However, I'm now able to cycle again (thanks to my uncle who'd kindly spent a few hours yesterday fixing my bike's brakes, gears and two punctures!), so went on the bike to the lakes, hoping something good would be there to cheer me up - thank goodness there was (several in fact!).

Arriving at the causeway before first light, I soon noticed two small ducks on Windmill Pool. Whilst waiting for it to get lighter, I guessed they'd be Teal. Wrong! As it got lighter, I realised that they were actually 2 Rμ**Ϋ Ducks - only the second and third birds I've seen here. Other birds observed at Windmill Pool during the morning included 2 Wigeons, 4 Teals, a Mute Swan (which I was glad to see move on - this species doesn't seem to have much luck at Earlswood), a Tufted Duck and 2 Kingfishers. Whilst some good birds were on the lakes, there was quite a lot of visible migration going on up above, many birds of which seemed to be Redwings with 224+ counted, plus 5+ Skylarks and 2 Meadow Pipits, but a significant number of other passerines went unidentified; 6+ Rooks also flew back and forth over the lakes. There wasn't much of note at Terry's Pool, apart from 2 Wigeons that were almost certainly the same two seen earlier. Finally, I visited Windmill Pool's south side and after a c. 25-minute vigil saw a Water Rail in the small reedbed at the southwest corner - my third at the lakes this year but always nice to see this species. It showed well for just over 8 minutes, then on and off during the next half hour or so; 2 Buzzards were also seen soaring high over the vicinity. Came back through Forshaw Heath, and for the second time in the last few days saw no hirundines there. Still, easily one of my best days at the lakes this year so far.

M.P. Griffiths

Reminder: RSPB Solihull Local Group field trip to the lakes and surrounding woodlands this time next month. Provided I remember, I'll put one final reminder on here closer to the time.