Black Redstart brightens things up!

This morning a Black Redstart was found feeding along the track, up and down off the posts along with a pair of Stonechats. The 134th species recorded at the site this year and making it a 2-redstart year with the site's first Common Redstart back in September. A Corn Bunting was also reported this morning - another good bird for this time of year.

The find brightens up an otherwise dull period with nothing much else to report.  A Jack Snipe has been flushed on two occasions along with some Common Snipe but, thanks to the draining of the main pit, very few wildfowl have been noted.  A few Teal appear every now and then and a male Gadwall joined the domesticated Mallards today.  Up to 3 Mute Swans have also visited on and off while up to 3 Little Grebes remain, but diving ducks are yet to return.

Mute Swans on 30th November

Up to 6 Grey Partridge are occasionally flushed while the odd Golden Plover has been seen flying over the site but not landing.  Up to 4 pairs of Stonechat remain on site while other regulars such as the Green Sandpipers and Grey Wagtail are regularly recorded.

Male Stonechat on 19th December

One positive development is the discovery that the scraped areas of the actual quarry workings are attracting a regular gull roost and Lapwing flock.  The area is viewable from the public footpath adjacent to Coopers Green Lane and 30th November saw 166 Lapwing roosting on the mud.  Combined with birds at Coopers Green main pit down the road it seems there is a flock of about 200 birds in the area.  So far no unusual gulls have been found but late December is a good time for these to show up - including the now locally rare Great Black-backed Gull.

The scraped area in the workings

Significant changes continue to the site as 2 pumps now battle the re-filling pools daily.  I'm hoping this battle is lost as the whole idea of pumping such a vital resource away from the land is ridiculous not to mention irresponsible! In addition, new fencing (and no doubt eventually hedgerows) are now lining the track and cutting across the main field, dividing it into 3 smaller fields.  While this may change the site dynamics in the future, for the moment the new posts provide a focal point and will possibly attract Merlin or Short-eared Owls.

With plenty of water building up on site again we can perhaps continue to hope that good birds will be found despite the obvious loss of habitats. Perhaps some grey geese or a winter wader might be attracted but it was enjoyable watching a Sparrowhawk today, making use of the track pools to bathe.

Sparrowhawk on 19th December