dudley no2 canal

Saltwells 2002
This is a list of the 80 species of birds I saw at Saltwells LNR and Netherton Reservoir during my 140 visits in 2002. These included 14 species which I hadn't seen there before, but unfortunately none of which were new for the site. To give an idea of abundance I have included the number of times that I saw each species.

The year started off with cold weather which caused the canal and part of the reservoir to freeze. This resulted in an influx of birds from surrounding shallower waters, and over a thousand birds were on the reservoir at lunchtime on January 4th. These included a Great Black-backed Gull, my first for the site. Temperatures started to rise and birds left to return to their breeding sites.

Things remained quiet until the return of the summer migrants in April. The morning of April 24th was memorable for me, with my first Common Sandpiper on the reservoir, followed five minutes later by my first singing Lesser Whitethroat. Other site ticks for me during this period were Rook and Sedge Warbler.

My visits during May and June were restricted due to holidays, illness and the World Cup. During the period I finally managed to see my first House Martin here. July provided me with more site ticks when two Cormorants flew over one morning, and then two Reed Warblers were spotted frequenting the area between the canal and the reedbed.

Autumn migration got underway in August, with highlights including a Skylark, a Common Tern and two Tree Pipits. These were followed in September by a group of three Spotted Flycatchers and a single Wheatear.

My final site tick of the year was a Lesser Redpoll in October, which was followed by a mobile flock of these birds in November and December. This year's milder weather was probably responsible for fewer interesting birds on the reservoir in the last three months of the year.

Little Grebe (15/140) - Single birds seen occasionally on the reservoir from the start of the year to March 4th, and from July 4th to the end of the year.
Great Crested Grebe (137/140) - Two pairs bred on the reservoir, one successfully, although the two chicks didn't survive. Peak count of nine on January 11th.
Cormorant (1/140) - Two flew over in a south-westerly direction on July 9th.
Grey Heron (23/140) - Seen occasionally outside the breeding season, often in Doulton's Claypit. Peak count of three at Daphne Pool on September 1st and October 11th.
Mute Swan (133/140) - A pair bred on the reservoir, rearing six cygnets. The male disappeared at the end of June, the seven remaining birds were still present in December.
Canada Goose (49/140) - A pair bred on the canal between the reservoir and Saltwells Bridge, and another pair on Daphne Pool. Peak count on the reservoir of 65 on January 4th.
Wigeon (1/140) - Two on the reservoir on September 2nd.
Teal (3/140) - Three on the reservoir on January 3rd, with two on September 23rd and October 10th.
Mallard (140/140) - Bred on the canal, with the first brood seen on March 19th. On March 26th a Canada Goose was observed shaking a Mallard duckling to death. Peak count of 110 on January 2nd.
Shoveler (2/140) - Single males on the reservoir on March 5th and 16th.
Pochard (7/140) - Seen on the reservoir on five dates in January, one in September and one in November. Peak count of ten on January 3rd.
Tufted Duck (48/140) - Seen regularly on the reservoir from the start of the year until the end of March, and then only occasionally until November, when it became more regular. Peak count of 120 on January 5th.
Goldeneye (2/140) - Single females on February 14th and 19th.
Ruddy Duck (1/140) - Single female on January 5th.
Sparrowhawk (28/140) - Present throughout the year, with birds displaying in March. Encountered in every area of the reserve, making numbers difficult to judge.
Buzzard (9/140)- Seen on single dates in February and September, on five dates in October, and on two dates in December. Peak count of three on October 4th.
Kestrel (22/140) - Present throughout the year. A pair were reported to have bred in a disused building at the foot of Netherton Hill. Most often seen hovering over the hill.
Moorhen (137/140) - Bred along the canal. Peak count of 11 on August 19th.
Coot (140/140) - Bred along the canal and on the reservoir, although those choosing the latter appeared to be unsuccessful. Also bred at Daphne Pool. Peak count of 100 on the reservoir on January 2nd.
Common Sandpiper (7/140) - Singles on April 24th and 25th, May 2nd, July 9th and August 14th, with two on July 4th and 19th.
Black-headed Gull (107/140) - Present until March 25th, the first birds returning on June 25th. Peak count of 800 on the reservoir on January 4th.
Common Gull (1/140) - Two on January 4th.
Lesser Black-backed Gull (92/140) - Seen in every month except May. Peak count of 112 on January 4th.
Herring Gull (16/140) - Seen occasionally in both winter periods. Peak count of 6 on January 22nd.
Great Black-backed Gull (1/140) - One standing on the partially frozen reservoir on January 4th.
Common Tern (1/140) - One resting on a buoy on the reservoir on the morning on August 12th.
Stock Dove (19/140) - Bred in Saltwells Wood.
Woodpigeon (133/140) - Bred in Saltwells Wood, where it continued to roost in large numbers.
Collared Dove (68/140) - Breeding resident.
Swift (14/140) - First birds seen on May 2nd with the last on August 7th. Peak count of 20 on June 12th and July 15th.
Kingfisher (22/140) - One on several dates from July 9th to the end of the year, with two on September 9th and 12th. Usually seen at the reservoir or along the canal, but also on three occasions at Daphne Pool.
Green Woodpecker (17/140) - Presumably bred in Saltwells Wood.
Great Spotted Woodpecker (10/140) - Presumably bred in Saltwells Wood.
Skylark (1/140) - One on Netherton Hill at lunchtime on August 6th.
Sand Martin (3/140) - Singles over the reservoir on April 1st and May 2nd, with two on May 3rd.
Swallow (7/140) - four on April 14th were the first of the year, with 12 returning birds seen over the reservoir on September 11th.
House Martin (5/140) - one on June 12th was the first for the year. Peak counts of 20 on September 12th and 27th, with 3 on October 10th.
Tree Pipit (1/140) - Two on Netherton Hill on the morning of August 22nd.
Meadow Pipit (2/140) - One on Netherton Hill on March 12th, with another on October 2nd.
Grey Wagtail (18/140) - a single bird was seen on five occasions from the start of the year to March 16th, and on twelve occasions from September 11th to the end of the year. One on the shore of the reservoir on July 4th was more unusual.
Pied Wagtail (9/140) - reported to have bred in a disused building at the foot of Netherton Hill.
Wren (115/140) - common resident. Eighteen singing on April 15th.
Dunnock (78/140) - common resident, especially in the gorse on Netherton Hill. Three singing on April 13th.
Robin (115/140) - common resident. Twelve singing on April 15th.
Wheatear (1/140) - One on the gravel path at the foot of Netherton Hill at lunchtime on September 13th.
Blackbird (111/140) - common resident. Six singing on April 25th. Over fifty birds were feeding with Redwings on December 10th.
Fieldfare (9/140) - only seen once in the first winter period, with two on January 4th. First returning birds were three on November 11th with a peak count of 10 on November 27th.
Song Thrush (47/140) - resident, most commonly seen on Netherton Hill, where six were singing on April 19th.
Redwing (20/140) - seen on three dates in January. The first returning birds were six on October 23rd, with a peak count of over fifty on December 10th.
Mistle Thrush (31/140) - A pair was seen on Netherton Hill in March and April. Peak count of sixteen birds on the cricket pitch on July 7th.
Sedge Warbler (2/140) - One singing on Netherton Hill on May 9th, with presumably the same bird seen in the same area on July 1st.
Reed Warbler (3/140) - two birds were seen in the reedbed at the foot of Netherton Hill on July 14th and 15th, with one seen carrying food on August 6th.
Lesser Whitethroat (5/140) - two were heard singing on Netherton Hill on April 24th, with single birds on April 26th, May 2nd, June 19th and July 11th.
Whitethroat (23/140) - first of the year was singing on the hill on April 21st, with four in song on June 12th.
Blackcap (28/140) - first of the year were two singing on April 5th, with six singing on the 15th. A male was feeding on the hawthorn bushes beside the canal on December 6th.
Chiffchaff (59/140) - first singing on March 18th with the last on October 7th. Peak count of ten singing on April 15th.
Willow Warbler (10/140) - first heard singing on April 10th, with a peak count of four on April 24th. Numbers down on previous years.
Goldcrest (28/140) - seen on only six dates in the first nine months of the year, with none seen between April and September inclusive. Seen regularly in Saltwells Wood from October 3rd onwards, usually associating with mixed tit flocks.
Spotted Flycatcher (1/140) - a party of three was seen on September 1st at the top of the hill near the church.
Long-Tailed Tit (103/140) - common resident with regular flocks of over ten in the autumn/winter period. A nest was found on the hill in one of the burnt gorse bushes.
Willow Tit (13/140) - At least one pair resident on Netherton Hill throughout the year and could often be heard calling from the gorse.
Coal Tit (20/140) - At least one pair resident in Saltwells Wood throughout the year.
Blue Tit (126/140) - common resident. Peak count of 22 on April 25th.
Great Tit (119/140) - common resident. Peak count of 20 on April 15th.
Nuthatch (7/140) - appears to be resident in Saltwells Wood, but not easy to find. Three on June 28th.
Treecreeper (9/140) - same comments as for Nuthatch. Two on July 11th.
Jay (43/140) - seen regularly in Saltwells Wood. Seen on 21 dates in October and November compared with two in the previous year, suggesting a much better acorn harvest.
Magpie (135/140) - common resident. Peak count of 29 on April 25th, and a flock of 28 flying over at dawn on November 7th.
Jackdaw (5/140) - all sightings related to birds flying over, with a peak count of 4 on November 7th.
Rook (2/140) - Three flew over Netherton Hill on April 9th, with one over the reservoir on December 18th.
Carrion Crow (95/140) - at least one pair bred in the area, with a peak count of 7 on September 29th.
Starling (47/140) - continues to breed on the surrounding housing estates, often visiting the cricket pitch to feed. Peak count of 45 on June 20th.
House Sparrow (38/140) - continues to breed on surrounding housing estates, most often seen in the hawthorns along the canal between the reservoir and Saltwells Bridge.
Chaffinch (34/140) - seen on 16 dates between January and April, and 15 dates in November and December. The only sighting in the breeding season was one singing near the reservoir on June 12th.
Greenfinch (43/140) - two birds singing on Netherton Hill in March and April. Peak count of eight on December 31st.
Goldfinch (17/140) - Scarce prior to the middle of September when small groups could be seen feeding on Netherton Hill. Peak count of 26 on Cinder Bank on December 15th.
Linnet (20/140) - Present on Netherton Hill in the breeding season. Peak count of fifteen on July 11th.
Lesser Redpoll (8/140) - First of the year was one in the birches between the reservoir and Saltwells Wood on October 23rd. Peak count of 25 on November 25th.
Bullfinch (47/140) - There appeared to be at least three pairs present during the year. Peak count of 8 on September 1st included seven juveniles.
Reed Bunting (6/140) - first of the year was a male singing in the reedbed by Primrose Bridge on April 11th. A male took up residence on Netherton Hill and probably bred, whilst another was seen singing in the reedbed on July 8th. Last sighting was two on August 5th.

Last updated 31 December 2002

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