Bird Reports (2017)

Buildwas (15 Dec) – Just 30 mins after Leighton Red Kite sighting another red kite was attempting to fly down to road kill just over 1 mile from Leighton sighting. (Glenn Bishton)

Leighton (15 Dec) – Red kite attempted to fly off with pheasant road kill but dropped item presumably due to heavy weight and disturbance by cars. (Glenn Bishton)

Shropshire edge of Ceri Ridgeway (1st Dec) – 3 Hawfinches. (Dave Stafford)

Badger Moor (1st Dec) – Merlin. (Dave Stafford)

Between Cross Houses & Cressage (28 Nov) – a single red kite (Les Abbott)

Shrewsbury, The Dingle (27 Nov) – The Night Heron has been removed by Cuan House Wildlife Rescue owing to its poor condition and taken into care. (Various)

Rabbit Warren, Long Mynd (26 Nov) – 28 Red Kites together (Pete Jennings)

Muckley Cross, nr Bridgenorth (25 Nov) – Two Red Kites together (Nick Winckler)

Riverside Inn, Cound (24 Nov) – Four Redwing enjoying worms on the lawn of the pub (Sandra ?)

Shrewsbury, The Dingle (19 Nov) – Night Heron. Flew right up to us within a few inches and tried to eat the swan and duck feed we had. He couldn’t eat it but kept picking it up and putting it down again. He kept looking at us as if asking for suitable food. Eventually flew to the edge of the pond looking for fish but none coming to the surface now. We’re concerned that he’s not flying to a warmer climate and may starve as a result (Peter Banner)

Whitcliffe Common, Ludlow (16 Nov) – Twelve Hawfinches seen today all preening at top same tree. (Barbara Daniels)

Whitcliffe Common, Ludlow (15 Nov) – Six Hawfinches in view, late morning, perched in trees on slope above Dinham Bridge. (Barbara Daniels)

Shrewsbury, The Dingle (15 Nov) – Night Heron flew to 6 locations around the pond finally landing 3 feet away on the decking area. Still a few fish coming to the surface but the heron didn’t catch anything whilst we were there. Does anyone know where he’s been since our last sighting on 1st November? Will he survive the winter in this country? (Peter Banner)

Whitcliffe Common, Ludlow (9 Nov) –  Three Hawfinches perched, and then noisily chasing each other, in area of hornbeam & beech (Barbara Daniels)

Shrewsbury (6 Nov) – Woodcock, between Drawwell Street and Hereford Road around 09:30 (Ron ?)

Wall Farm (5 Nov) – Marsh Harrier at the farm today. Also Merlin, Peregrine and Golden
Plover. (Jonathan Porter)

Blackhill, Clun (5 Nov) – Snow Bunting; Forest track beside grassed-over clear-fell above Sowdley Wood (Dave Stafford)

Shrewsbury (1 Nov) – Night Heron still at the Dingle (Peter Banner)

Dryton (30 Oct) – Red kite hunting over farmland (Glenn Bishton)

Leighton (30 Oct) – Little egret feeding in River Severn. Probably same bird observed over Ironbridge heading west previous day (Glenn Bishton)

Ironbridge (29 Oct) – Little egret high over Ironbridge heading west (Glenn Bishton)

Shrewsbury (17 Oct) – Night Heron present at The Dingle (Peter Banner)

Blackhill, Clun (15 Oct) – Great Grey Shrike  (Dave Stafford)

Bourton, Corvedale (12 Oct) – Hobby actively hunting hedgerows (Harvey Sherwood)

Shrewsbury, Mousecroft Community Wood (9 Oct) – Night Heron at pond (relocated Dingle bird?)  (Terry Cripps)

Bridgnorth (16 Sep) – Two ospreys flying south over river. Over Friars street 2.00 pm. (Len Mullins. Richard Owen)

Clun (16 Sep) – Tree Sparrow > 12 in mixed flock on edge of freshly mucked stubble field on back of Weston Hill, and single flock of > 30 moving along weedy laneside hedgerow verge NE of Llanllwd towards Badger Moor. (Dave Stafford)

Tittenley Pool, Shavington (2 Sep) – Great White Egret (David Cotterill)

Black Hill, Clun (30 Aug) – 9 Spotted Flycatchers beside clear fell all feeding together from edge of scrub facing evening sunshine. (Dave Stafford)

The Dingle, Shrewsbury (26 Aug) – Night Heron still showing (Colin Gill)

Wall Farm (25 Aug) – Cetti’s Warbler  3pm also Marsh Harrier, Whinchat, Kingfisher, Spotted Flycatcher and Redstart (Jonathan Porter)

Wall Farm (21 Aug) – Greenshank in front of hide in evening (Jonathan Porter)

Leighton (15 Aug) – Little egret, hobby (Glenn Bishton)

Shrewsbury (The Dingle) (2 Aug) – Night Heron still present (Peter Fox)

Venus Pool (28 Jul) – Osprey and 8 Black-tailed Godwits (Alan Williams)

Near Pattingham, on Shropshire side of border (26 Jul) – Black Redstart seen in bushes and on fence on equestrian premises (Rhoda Stocking)

Shifnal area (25 Jul) – My first and second Spotted Flycatchers (separate locations) for 2017 on Hatton Grange Estate (Harvey Sherwood)

Buildwas (9 Jul) – Little egret, 3 little ringed plovers, 2 common sandpiper, lapwing (Glenn Bishton)

Colemere (2 Jul) – 6 common scoter 7am today. 4 male 2 female (Robert Machin)

Wood Lane NR (30 Jun) – Redshank, Gadwall + 6 ducklings, 36 Lapwings, 2 LRP, 1 Shelduck 1 Curlew (B&M Jones)

Priorslee Lake (29 Jun) – Sandwich Tern this evening after I had left!! (seen by Clive Biddulph and 3 other birders) (Jim Almond)

Wellington (29 Jun) – red kite at 3 p.m. today over Admaston Road, TF1 3NL. It was being mobbed by crows (Elisabeth Cholmondeley)

Dudmaston (25 Jun) – Osprey (north side of A442 opposite main National Trust entrance drive) (Dave Stafford)

The Dingle, Shrewsbury (23 Jun) –  Night heron still present (Glenn Bishton)

Whittington Castle (11 Jun) – Sacred Ibis (Gerald Roberts).

Wrekin (3 Jun) – Red Kite over farmland at foor of Wrekein (Sharon Turley).

Shrewsbury (28 May) – Night Heron still at quarry (under decking) (Patrick Lanaway).

Bayston Hill (16 May) – Pair of Yellow Wagtails near the pond at Bayston Hill Community Garden (Geoff Harris)

Lyth Hill (10 May) – Cuckoo heard calling (Geoff Harris)

Lyth Hill (7 May) – 2 Whimbrel flew north over Lyth Hill CP at 8.00am (Nigel Barratt)

Leighton (7 May) – 2 hobby hunting insects, displaying and harrying sparrowhawk’s, 2 sparrowhawk’s displaying and soaring, buzzard sky-diving, kestrel, 2 redstart song with a nest with five eggs, sedge warbler, little ringed plover.(Glenn Bishton)

Buildwas (7 May) – 3 sedge warbler 4 garden warbler in song. (Glenn Bishton)

Plaish (6 May) –
2 peregrines flying in close proximity. Parted in opposite directions and ignored a thrush flying between them (Steve & Bridget Paling).

Long Mynd (6 May) – two Dotterel at the Glider Station to the right of the track going in Malcolm Loft via John Arnfield).

Cardington (5 May) – 5 Swifts (Steve & Bridget Paling).

The Wrekin (2 May) – 9 pied flycatcher, 4 redstart, 1 tree pipit in song (Glenn Bishton)

Shrewsbury (2 May) – night heron still at the Dingle (Steven Dawes)

Wall Farm (1 May) – Dunlin 2, Redshank, Shoveler, Cuckoo, Corn Bunt pair, Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear4, Lapwing 31 + 8 chicks (Martin Grant)

River Onny at Choulton (1 May) – Goosander female plus 4 small young (Peter Jennings)

Whixall Floods (1 May) – Ruff, Redshank, 2 LRP, White Wag, Cuckoo on the Moss (Jim Almond)

Colemere (30 Apr) – 2 black terns! (Jim Almond)

Lydbury North (29 Apr) – 1 Greenland Wheatear (Peter Jennings)

Venus Pool (29 Apr) – 1 Redshank, 3 LRP & a common sandpiper at VP (Dawn Micklewright)

Radbrook, Shrewsbury (29 Apr) – Red Kite (Phil Harvey)

Plowden Woods (27 Apr) – 3 singing Wood Warbler, 2 singing Tree Pipit (Peter Jennings)

Oswestry (27 Apr) – Hobby flying over A483 through the grounds of Sweeney Hall (Rhys Jenkins).

Long Mynd (26 Apr) – Female Ring Ouzel in Batch Valley on the slopes below Jinlye. 5th successive year for them here. (Mike Shurmer).

Shrewsbury (26 Apr) – Night Heron still in The Quarry in am (Patrick Lanaway).

Shrewsbury (26 Apr) – 3 common sandpiper and 2 greylag geese spotted on sand bank river severn at top of the mount. (Adam Weston)

Long Mynd (26 Apr) –  6 Greenland Wheatear on Gliding Stn field last night with 2 more in close vicinity (Geoff Hall).

Leighton (23 Apr) – 3 redstart in song, 2 little ringed plover, 2 common sandpiper (Glenn Bishton)

Buildwas (23 Apr) – 1 whitethroat singing from oil seed rape, 1 common sandpiper, 1 little ringed plover, 120 sand Martin (Glenn Bishton).

Shrewsbury (23 Apr) – Night Heron still present in The Dingle Shrewsbury Quarry Gardens (Graham Walker)

Long Mynd (22 Apr) – Short-eared Owl and Whinchat (Rob Vaughan).

Long Mynd (21 Apr) – 8pm 3 Ring Ouzels top of Lightspout Hollow feeding (Dave Pearce).

Whixall Floors & Moss (21 Apr) – Wood sandpiper still on floods and first cuckoo seen and heard on the moss earlier (Dave Chapman).

Titterstone Clee (21 Apr) – Red Grouse calling – no sign of Shore Lark in 4 hours – unlucky or moved on? (Mark Wilson)

Long Mynd (20 Apr) – Flock of 40 Golden Plover (John Arnfield).

Devils Dingle (16 Apr) – 4 little ringed plover, common sandpiper, 3 lapwing, 2 oystercatcher, 4 passage wheatear, 2 willow warbler, peregrine (Glenn Bishton).

Atcham (16 Apr) – Osprey (Jim Almond).

Broseley (15 Apr) – Pound Lane, Broseley. Number of wheatears in field opposite weighbridge has risen to 30 today! (John Powell).

Whixall Floods (14 Apr) – wood sand still present at whixall floods, also 2 lrps (Damon Howells).

Broseley (13 Apr) – 15 Wheatears in the field by the weighbridge in Pound Lane, Broseley this afternoon; also skylark and two lapwings. (John Powell).

Venus Pool (14 Apr) – decent number hirundine thru this morn inc good %age swallow – followed closely by my 1st Hobby of the year (Mark Wilson).

Buildwas (11 Apr) – 2 little ringed plover, 1 common sandpiper, 2 lapwing, 2 oystercatcher, 52 sand Martin, 2 female mandarin duck. (Glenn Bishton).

High Rock, Bridgnorth (11 Apr) – Peregrine, above River Severn (Richard Owen).

Wood Lane NR (11 Apr) – 3 Little Egrets (B&M Jones).

Wall Farm (8 Apr) – Exciting viewing of Sparrowhawk actively hunting the snipe around pool fringes in front of hide. 44 lapwing on windmill fields. (Martin Sherwood)

Condover (9 Apr) – Singing male Redstart (Nigel Barratt).

Titterstone Clee (4 Apr) – 7 Wheatear (Terry Hinett).

Bagley Marsh, near Ellesmere (4 Apr) – Sacred Ibis (Derek Clifford).

Venus Pool (7 Apr) – LRP, Common Sand, 2 Oystercatcher, 3 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, Blackcap and Willow Warbler. (Geoff Holmes)

Batch Valley (7 Apr) – My first Redstart of the year singing as I went through the moth trap (Mike Shurmer)

Venus Pool (7 Apr) – Night Heron (Michael Murphy)

Cardingmill Valley (7 Apr) – Fem type ring ouzel half way up valley a nice surprise on a family walk. Also stacks of Willow Ws (Michael Murphy)

River Morda (7 Apr) – Just seen my first of the year alongside the River Morda. Also saw my first orange tip. (John Clarke)

Bagley Marsh (5 Apr) – Sacred  Ibis at a small pool I’m not sure how rare or interesting this is but I have photos and can give the exact location if anyone is interested. (Derek Clifford)

Shooting Box, Long Mynd (3 Apr) – Short-eared Owl (David & Katherine Stafford)

Titterstone Clee (1 Apr) – Ring Ouzel. (Paul King)

Shawbury (30 Mar) – 2 Swallow. (Brian lyon)

Whixall Floods (27 Mar) – Two Green Sandpipers and one Wood Sandpiper c.10:30am. (Robin Sutton)

Colemere (27 Mar) – Twelve Waxwing feeding on last of mistletoe berries in bush by gate from main carpark c.4:30pm. (Robin Sutton)

Leighton Meanders (26 Mar) – First few Sand Martin at usual Leighton Meanders river bank site. (Harvey Sherwood)

Attingham Park (26 Mar) – Lesser Spot WP drumming early morning in Attingham Park veteran trees, no visual. (Harvey Sherwood)

Attingham Park (26 Mar) – lesser spotted and greater spotted woodpeckers both at AttinghamPark NT (Tris Pearce)

Diddlebury (25 Mar) – Thirty plus Fieldfare still around Corve flood meadows (Harvey Sherwood)

Venus Pool (25 Mar) – 2 x Sand Martin 10:02 am  (Michael Wall)

Cardington (23 Mar) – Chiffchaff singing in garden (Steve Paling)

Colemere (17 Mar) – 30+ Sand Martin, 2 singing Chiffchaff and a Kingfisher (Andy Morris)

Shrewsbury (17 Mar) – around 30 waxwing seen on Luciefelde Road and South Hermitage. Flew off toward cemetery area (Nigel Jones)

Stirchley (15 Mar) – First Blackcap singing in garden shrubbery Stirchley Village 6pm (Harvey Sherwood)

Ironbridge (15 Mar) – Blackcap and chiffchaff gave several burst of song (Glenn Bishton)

Harmer Hill (14 Mar) – Two Chiff Chaff in song. 40+ Fieldfare flying North. (Harvey Sherwood)

Cardington (12 Mar) – Pair of bramblings in garden (Steve Paling)

Black Hill (11 Mar) – Great Grey Shrike; still on south facing young Spruce plantation (David Stafford)

Venus Pool (11 Mar) – 4x Sand Martin, Chiffchaff, Redwing, Oystercatcher (Kev Wardlaw)

Polemere (Mar 11) – The usual fare at Polemere… breeding getting going (blackbird with food) but winter flocks still evident (inc 120 linnet) (James Grundy)

Hawkstone Golf Club (11 Mar) – Black Redstart still showing at Hawkestone golf club today (Ian Baggely via Jim Almond)

Choulton (9 Mar) – Chiffchaffe singing this morning (Pete Jennings)

Wilderly Hill (25 Feb) – C 60 Golden Plover & 7 Snipe .(Dave Pearce)

Holly Banks NR (20 Feb) – Little Egret (Gareth Egarr)

Priorslee Lake (7 Feb) – Water rail calling, 2 male pochard (Glenn Bishton)

Little Bolas (6 Feb) – 1600 lapwing 300 golden plover in winter-sown wheat and flight (Glenn Bishton)

Wroxeter (6 Feb) – 900 fieldfare in fallow field and sheep pasture (Glenn Bishton)

Wall Farm (4 Feb) – 830+ Golden Plover (Jonathan Porter)

Chelmarsh (22 Jan) – Common Scoter drake still on Chelmarsh res viewed from the causeway end. (Jim Almond)

Shrewsbury (21 Jan) – 20+ waxwings at Hatfields Jaguar garage 15.30 today.Feeding on small rowans. Very flighty. (Cathy Mills)

Ellesmere (21 Jan) – Glaucous gull, 1stW again in roost at 15.40 (Anthony Griffiths)

Whitemere & Ellesmere (20 Jan) – LTD still on whitemere this pm. Ellesmere roost, 2 YLG and 1 GBBG only highlights (Anthony Griffiths)

Cranmere Bog (21 Jan) – 6 Tundra Bean Geese still at The Big, Cranmere, Shrops and one Egyptian Goose (no rings) (Gary Palmer)

Chelmarsh Reservoir (16 Jan) – Drake Common Scoter, and a drake Pochard which is now probably rarer here! (Martyn Owen)

Cound (16 Jan) – Whopper and Bewick in usual field adjacent A458 (Roger Gibb)

Gobowen (15 Jan) – Pair of little egret. River Perry 09:10, (Andy Cawthray)

Wood Lane NR (15 Jan) – Water Rail, Oystercatcher, Curlew, 2 Chiffchaff, 40 Goldfinch, 5 Siskin, 50 Lapwings, GSP Woodpecker and 2 Goldcrest (B & M Jones)

Oswestry (15 Jan) – 5 waxwings now at morrisons, Oswestry by old railway station, after weeks of checking all these bushes they’ve finally arrived (Anthony Griffiths)

Chetwynd Pool (15 Jan) – 11-00 Long-tailed Duck, female Scaup, 8 Goosander (Martin G Grant)

Oswestry (Jan 15) – Waxwing, 5  now feeding in main car park and showing well, (Anthony Griffiths)

Fenns Moss (14 Jan) – Male Hen Harrier today (Steven Savage)

Cole Mere (14 Jan) –  The 3 Scaup still on Colemere this pm. Decent roost on the mere – 2 ad YLG but no white winger. (Jim Almond)

Market Drayton (14 Jan) – 27 Waxwings returned to my back garden Ellesmere Grove / Farcroft Drive Market Drayton Guess same flock as last week (Dave Barnes)

Venus Pool (14 Jan) – 3 Whoopers using VP as a roost flew out at 0757 (Mark Wilson)

Cranmere Bog (12 Jan) – 6 Tundra Bean Goose on the water. (D Banks)

Venus Pool (11 Jan) – 4 (3m 1f) Brambling plus 2 Corn Bunting at Venus Pool. 2 GWTeal reported by others c.0915 (Michael Murphy)

Whitemere, Colemere (11 Jan) – 2 Long tailed duck still on Whitemere. 3 Scaup on Colemere, 1 ad drake, m/f 1st winter. (Jim Almond)

Venus Pool (10 Jan) – 4 Brambling & 4+Corn Buntings but no Pine Bunt or GWTeal. 93 Mute Swans Coundlane but no wild swans (Tom Lowe)

Shrewsbury (8 Jan) – 5 waxwing Heron drive Shrewsbury this morning, 40 mins between visits , worth sitting tight (Dave Chapman)

Venus Pool (8 Jan) – Drake Green-winged Teal at VP. Distant but appears to be the December bird. (Jim Almond)

Clive (7 Jan) – flock of 50 lapwings at Shooters Hill (MattA)

Venus Pool (7 Jan) – 4 Bewicks and 3 Whooper swans this morning (Jim Almond)

Buildwas (6 Jan) – Red kite hunting. Possibly same bird seen at Leighton 28.12.16. (Glenn Bishton)

Venus Pool (6 Jan) – Pine Bunting showed well in usual hedge 9.30 – 10.15 (Helen Griffiths) then heavy rain, no more reports. (Jim Almond)

Venus Pool (5 Jan) – 3 Whooper Swans 8.15, no sign Pine Bunting so far. (Jim Almond)

Chetwynd Pool (4 Jan) – Long-tailed Duck back mid-day + 13 Goosander 6 Shoveler. (Martin G Grant)

Shrewsbury (4 Jan) – 4 waxwing on rowan at Lancaster rd/ fitzalan rd corner this a.m  (Dave Chapman)

Shrewsbury (4 Jan) – 9 Waxwing in Shrewsbury near Aldi this morning (Geoff Holmes)

Market Drayton (3 Jan) – C40 Waxwings in my Market Drayton back garden now feeding on Rowan berries! Garden tick of course (Dave Barnes)

Whitemere, Colemere, Whixall (3 Jan) – 2 lt duck Whitemere and 2 scaup colemere. Usual male hen Harrier Whixall (Paul Rutter)

Cleobury Mortimer (3 Jan) – Dipper on Jan 3rd on the River Rea nr Mawley Hall. (Paul Bateman)

Venus Pool (2 Jan) – Pine Bunting showing well c 100m from the gallery line and currently settled on top of crop! (Jim Almond)

Shrewsbury (2 Jan) – Waxwing x5 Heron Drive Shrewsbury 1030hrs 02/01/17. (Terry Cripps)

Monkmoor (2 Jan) – Waxwings Abbots Road Monkmoor. Scared off by Sparrowhawk this morning. (Kain)

Oswestry (1 Jan) – I have been watching a flock (40/50 birds) of waxwings all morning (01/01/2017) outside my parents house in Oswestry, Shropshire (Cabin lane, SY11 2LL) (Ashley Roberts)

Hanwood (1 Jan) – 20 waxwings Hanwood, by The Cock Inn (Jim Almond, Mike Shurmer)

Venus Pool (1 Jan) – Female Pine Bunting at VP in the morning, found by Simon Davis (Yvonne Chadwick)


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