The year started with the unexpected one-day re-appearance of the drake Red-crested Pochard that had brightened up mid-December 2020. A full array of annual but less regularly-occurring gulls was present with Great Black-backed, Common, Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls all noted on 6 January. The latter two were seen on numerous days thereafter. A Herring Gull I photographed in flight on the 23 February was noted wearing a yellow plastic ring that was traced to a bird that fledged from the Isle of May in 2019.
The winter was colder than many recent years. The lake was almost frozen over on numerous occasions. During this period there were no records of any 'winter ducks'. No Goosanders were noted on the water or overhead until a rather unexpectedly late sighting on 6 March when birds would normally have been on their riverine breeding sites.
Dabbling ducks heading out north and east to breed were noted on 4 March (Wigeon), 22 March (Shoveler) and 12 April (Teal). The Shelduck on 3 April would have been moving from the coast to find an inland breeding site. By far my best sighting was a lone first year Common Scoter that flew through on the misty morning of 18 March. Could that really have been another I glimpsed leaving early on 11 May?
The chilly weather continued through the whole of Spring, often accompanied by northerly winds slowing the progress of migrants. The first notable sighting was of a Stonechat on the dam vegetation on 19 February, just a few days before contractors cut the vegetation down.
In early March a Little Egret was seen on five separate occasions flying East just before dawn. Later one was seen by fishermen along the banks. Then on a foggy morning a white plastic bag in a bush turned out to be a roosting Little Egret in disguise. On 8 March a trio of Egyptian Geese flew around low down, but did not stay.
The first 'waders' of the year were Woodcock seen returning from nocturnal feeding to their day-roosts on the ground in dense wooded areas on many days from the turn of the year in to mid-February. A single Lapwing flew over on 23 February. Two Curlews circled low over on 24 March. Three Oystercatchers made a brief visit on the 28 March. These are transient species I record most years. The first Common Sandpiper appeared more or less on cue on 9th April with the last of Spring on 11 May. I flushed a Snipe off the dam-face on 28 April. A Little Ringed Plover was an unexpected sight on a late date of 16 May and it, or another reappeared on 19 May when my first Dunlin for at least seven years stopped off. Next day two more Oystercatchers circled over.
An early Sand Martin flew through on 4 March with no others until late in the month. I saw my first Barn Swallow on 1 April and my first House Martin on 9 April – both on later than usual dates. Numbers stayed low though this was more likely due to the clear weather. In such conditions these species do not need to feed exclusively on insects hatching from the water. My next House Martin was not until 25 April when I also saw my first Swift.
The first singing Chiffchaff was heard on 26 February though whether this was an over-wintering bird encouraged to sing or a new arrival is impossible to say. No such confusion with other warblers – Blackcap on 23 March, Willow Warbler on 2 April, Reed Warbler on 18 April, Common Whitethroat on 21 April and Garden Warbler on 25 April. A Sedge Warbler also on 25 April did not stay long, though there were records of one or two birds on several days until 06 May. Then on 12 May a very vocal Sedge Warbler appeared and was heard singing until 20 May and seen for a few more days. I then assumed it had gone and was amazed when I saw one carrying food in the same location on 23 June It was again seen carrying food on 24 July with a juvenile seen on 26 July. This is the first breeding attempt for many years and successful too. Meanwhile a late male bird arrived on 4 July, presumably having failed elsewhere: it sang most days until last seen on 21 July.
Numbers of Chiffchaffs and, especially Willow Warblers, were in higher numbers than recently. The Willow Warblers were all passing through, taking their time to do so.
A Lesser Whitethroat was heard on 20 April with another passing through on 10 May. It is always hard to know whether this arch skulker might stay and breed as it did regularly about 10 years ago.
My first Hobby of the year was noted on 27 April – my first April record here and a species I often don't see until Autumn when they are feeding up on dragonflies, feeding up before heading off to Africa.
I saw my first 'youngsters', Mallard ducklings, on 24 April (one of the fishermen saw them on 23 April). As usual these did not survive. Another group was seen on the 2 May only and noted for just two days. Then on 27 June a third brood appeared with a fourth on 28 June. I think just two ducklings may have made it to maturity.
The Mute Swans nested at their usual site. I noted seven cygnets on 10 May. Two had been lost by 24 May – a not unusual occurrence as we would be knee-deep in these long-lived birds if they all survived. Another cygnet disappeared at the end of July. I noted one of the four survivors looked rather smaller on 10 August and it had gone by next day. It was a puzzle when a fourth apparent full-sized but unfledged cygnet appeared on 15 August. Thereafter one of the cygnets – this one? - was increasingly separate from the others and taught itself to fly and ventured well outside the lake on numerous occasions. All four stayed around with three of them being successfully fitted with blue Darvic rings on 9 October which was the last date the now ringed fourth cygnet was seen. One adult took the surviving three cygnets away on 24 October with the other adult leaving the day after. The adult and the three cygnets returned several times being last seen on 1 December. The lonely cob finally left on 4 December. Then on 30 December the adults and their three cygnets returned. Several other Mute Swans had arrived and left during this period but none stayed more than two days.
I noted my first juvenile Coots on 5 May. Some Coot juveniles do usually survive predation though many do not. Later broods always survive better and in late June there were at least 11 extant broods with up to 13 broods in July. About 25 juveniles seemed to achieve independence.
Our very first breeding Canada Geese hatched five goslings by 12 May losing two quite quickly and all by 21 June, probably from attacks by the very aggressive Mute Swan. With the goslings gone the adults departed.
Little Grebes were typically elusive. Birds sang from two locations at the start of the breeding season. Later occasional single adults were seen or, more unusually, heard with no sign of any juveniles. From mid-September up to three adults were noted sporadically until the end of of the year: no sign of any juveniles.
As last year the Great Crested Grebes were late settling down to breed and there was again not time for any second broods. The first pair were noted with two young on 18 July. A second pair were with a single juvenile confirmed on 24 July. A third pair had two juveniles by 10 August. All five juveniles survived to become independent. Two other pairs of adults were present for many weeks without apparently attempting to nest. Oddly in late September all the juveniles disappeared when some, at least, seemed too young to fly. A mystery. Then, most unusually, all the adults also departed. None had returned by year-end.
The actual number of breeding pairs of warblers is always hard to determine precisely. I think 12 Chiffchaffs, one Sedge Warbler, 10 Reed Warblers, 15 Blackcaps, four Garden Warblers and three Common Whitethroats. Up to three Lesser Whitethroats appeared for several days after 12 August leading to thoughts that this secretive species might also have bred somewhere in the area.
Mistle Thrush is a species that can be hard to detect once it stops singing. This year a trio on the football field grass in June suggests they had at least one successful brood. Three were back singing and disputing territory by mid-December.
The first winter Grey Wagtail wearing several coloured rings and first seen at The Flash in December 2020 moulted to show it was a male. This had been traced to having been ringed at Heysham in Lancashire. It was subsequently seen paired and often along the Wesley Brook or the dam. On 15 May it was seen with at least one juvenile. More juveniles were seen in July but the identifiable male was not seen again until it turned up again at The Flash in late September.
Alongside the Grey Wagtails on the dam were Pied Wagtails, as usual, busy gathering food and ferrying beakfuls over the M54 to a nest somewhere in Stafford Park. Young were seen after 23 May. Another pair were using the football field and taking food towards the Ricoh grounds.
Both the football field and especially the academy playing field were the feeding ground for the Starlings that were nesting around the estate. As many as 30 birds were present some mornings. Once the youngsters fledge they all tend to move away from the area. This year this species seemed to suffer from the cold and damp weather in April and May. What I assume were juveniles from replacement broods were present in mid June.
Mid-Summer was typically quiet on the birding front. A pair of Mandarin Ducks were a surprise, making a brief visit on the 10 June. Unusually Common Terns appeared on only two days during the breeding season with three on 19 June and one the next day. A Yellowhammer was a surprise visitor from Woodhouse Lane to the dam-face on 26 July. Two juvenile Bullfinches were in the same place next day. Three Bullfinch pairs bred successfully despite the closeness of two of these breeding sites to the work on the housing development.
Another strange Summer sighting was a Red-legged Partridge on the 15th July. It half-flew and half-ran across Castle Farm Way, dodging the traffic. It had likely been flushed from the small copse to the S of the dam by approaching contractor's mowing machines. Could it have been nesting there?
Return passage started with a single Common Sandpiper on 20 June. The first returning Black-headed Gulls were seen on 23 June. A Willow Warbler singing on 19 July was presumably on its was back to Africa. The local geese recommenced their morning passage overhead after 26 July having spent a month grounded while they grew new wing-feathers. Later in the Autumn and Winter the usual fly-over local geese were almost non-existent with only a few sporadic visits to the lake even after the Mute Swans had departed (see below).
By the end of July the warblers had stopped singing; as had Blackbirds; leaving just Song Thrushes and Reed Buntings in a much-reduced dawn-chorus. All had stopped by 10 August by which time some of the Robins had completed their annual moult and started their winter territorial songs. Wrens of course carried on singing throughout.
The final Swift of the year was noted on 4 August. The first party of departing Barn Swallows was seen on 15 August. The following day a trio of Common Terns stopped off for 10 minutes on their way South. It was reported that at least one Arctic Tern was also seen. Two more Common Terns, both juveniles, stopped off in rain on 14 September.
The last Sand Martin was seen on 5 September; the final House Martin on 10 September with a late Barn Swallow on 2 October. The swallows in particular seemed to be in low numbers.
A small passage of returning ducks took place in early September with four Gadwall on 3rd; six Common Teal circling over on the 4th; a drake (Eurasian) Wigeon with a trio of Shoveler all on 5th; and a small number of Tufted Ducks starting to appear from the same date. Later in the month a trio of Pintail flew around on 20th with a duck Wigeon flying in with a drake Tufted Duck(!) for a short visit later in the morning.
A calling Tawny Owl before dawn on 13 September became bird species #105 here for me. One, perhaps two, were heard again on 18 September and on several occasions thereafter. Then, after the gap of nearly a month, one was heard on 7 November.
Autumn passage proper started with at least two Meadow Pipits on 17 September. A passage of Meadow Pipits throughout the West Midlands on 26 September saw me logging at least 44 over here. Unexpected was the small passage of Jays with one on 24 September and three on 29 September, all flying W and part of a general influx of this species in to the country, probably associated with a failure of the acorn crop in Central Europe.
Two Sandwich Terns dropped in on their Autumn migration on 30 September. This a rare species in Shropshire. They did not stay long-enough for other birders to catch up with them. That was species #107 for me this year. Species #108 was, belatedly, my first Common Kestrel of the year that flew high over on 4 October (it, or another, was seen next day). Species #109 was a Great White Egret on 10 October that was seen off by gulls before it could land. Another Great White Egret flew high over on 27 October.
By mid-October early morning visible migration was in full swing. Over a thousand Redwings were noted on 14 October, part of a huge influx that saw over 35000 noted at a site in SE England. Thereafter Redwing passage was rather slow and their usual companions, Fieldfare, almost non-existent until low numbers passed in early November. Generally numbers of both species seemed much reduced for me this year.
Wood Pigeon passage started earlier than usual with over eleven hundred on 16 October. Low cloud paused the passage, or perhaps prevented observation of it. It resumed with over 1650 on 21 October; over 2350 were noted the next day. It was mostly over by the end of the month.
Another bird always noted during Autumn passage is Skylark. After one on 17 September I noted five overhead on 29th. I had no big day-totals this year but small numbers continued to pass almost gaily until 7 November. A late individual was heard 18 November and a very late bird was seen on 3 December
On 20 October a calling Cetti's Warbler was glimpsed along the N shore. Next day it was heard to give its explosive song. Species #110 – a new record number of species in any one year for me here. This is my fourth record of this species here. It stayed around and was often very vocal until at least mid December when two birds were thought to be present. One at least stayed until year-end.
Also on 20 October I noted the first Starlings leaving an overnight roost around the lake. Sporadic for a while they became regular at the start of November with at least 800 seen leaving some mornings. They had moved on by mid-month.
The next addition to my year list was a single fly-over Brambling on 25 October.
After several were they / weren't they distant sightings I finally nailed some slightly less distant Golden Plover on 2 November to add to my species total. Almost equally distant but in a vertical direction was a stratospheric flock of over 200 on 9 November. Eight birds flew fast and high over on 29 November. It turned out my best year for this species with several more distant flocks and then 34 high overhead on 4 December
The first Woodcock of the Winter flew past me pre-dawn on 7 November with one or two seen going to their day-roost on many days thereafter. A Water Rail was heard on 30 November and 10 December only.
A single duck, and later, up to three drake Pochard were present in late November with only sporadic sightings thereafter. The build-up of Tufted Ducks seemed rather slower than usual. Counts were very variable and numbers generally smaller than usual. A Greater Scaup was reported on 19 November: I did not see it.
On 20 November a trio of Little Egrets flew over. Sightings of more than one bird are most unusual here.
The number of Coots wintering varies from year to year. Sometimes numbers exceed 200. This year numbers were the lowest I can recall with fewer than 50 noted on many days.
The winter build-up of gulls was rather disappointing. A few Yellow-legged Gulls were noted in early November. The first Great Black-backed Gull was noted on 24 November. Two first-winter Common Gulls on 29 November were a decidedly uncommon sight. Not seen by me there was a report of a Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull present on 3 December. This is probably the same bird that was first identified here in 2012 and which has been seen in the West Midlands area every winter since, often in the Belvide gull roost.
Mid-December was quiet, mirroring the dull and cloudy conditions. Three Peregrines together on 21 December were noteworthy. Last sighting to be highlighted was the four Lapwings over on 27 December – a species that has dramatically declined everywhere. Twenty years ago flocks of 75 birds used to roost on the dam face and could often be seen in front of the sailing club shelter.
More dull weather leading to the end of the year saw very few large gulls visiting and low numbers overhead. Tufted Duck and Coot numbers were also well down, possibly due to poor water quality after rains introduced a lot of mud in to the water.
Bird species recorded by me in 2021 but not in 2020
Red-legged Partridge
Egyptian Goose
Mandarin Duck
Teal
Common Scoter
Golden Plover
Dunlin
Sandwich Tern
Red Kite
Stonechat
Brambling
Bird species recorded by me in 2020 but not in 2021
(Common) Ringed Plover
Green Sandpiper
Barn Owl
Merlin
Ring-necked Parakeet
Willow Tit
Spotted Flycatcher
Wheatear
Common Crossbill