Evening all…and happy new year!

I appreciate it’s not a WMBC site, but I wondered if anyone had any advice for visiting Whitemoor Haye, please?

My son wants to visit before he goes back to school, but I can’t figure out the parking / access…can anyone help, please?

Many thanks 😊

My first visit to Blithfield today and was fortunate to get good views of 3 x Whooper Swan, Red Kite, Stonechat and several Pink Footed & Egyptian Geese from the Cliff Hide.

Will definitely be back for more in the coming weeks and months.

I spent a couple of hours recording bird sightings on BTO BirdTrack at HNR this afternoon and noticed 3 ringed birds among them: Blue Tit, Robin, and Coal Tit. Unfortunately, the rings were largely unreadable.

All 3 were on the feeder in the upper little meadow. The ringed Robin (assuming it was the same one) was also at the lower feeder nearer the allotment gate.

Are there local projects where they are likely to have been ringed?

Do we often have ringed birds at the reserve?

We have always had Tawny Owls in our village but this autumn and winter we have noticed a very significant increase in the frequency of day-time calling - including in the middle of the morning. Can anyone offer an explanation? We suspect there has been a population increase but have no proof.

John Macmillan

If I could remind members to take care when using the the Dam road (pictured below) so that there is no danger of meeting another vehicle whilst using the road. Please take time to check if another vehicle is already on the road. Giving way by reversing off the Dam is suggested as it is forbidden for safety reasons for vehicles to pass on the road

Many thanks for your understanding

This is an important request for volunteers to pick up helping with the BTO WeBS activities at Blithfield Reservoir

We have had three excellent members doing the surveys between them for the the last 10 - 20 years

Peter Betts, Graham Mount and Roger Rooke

All three are standing down after the December count and it’s certainly with a great many thanks for the excellent work over the years that we will lose their support, whilst wishing them many happy hours visiting Blithfield in the future

We are looking for some new blood to do the counts and liaise with the BTO with the results; starting in the new year. A good level of competence / proficiency at bird identification and an interest in helping building our understanding of transient and resident species from the surveys

This a really important contribution at a major UK body of water

Following a partial site review by WMBG’s Martin Smith and SSW’s Estate Manager to flag any, I am pleased to report the a step has been added to the entrance to the Beech Tree Point hide. Please see picture below.

In addition the cattle grid by the Stansley Wood Court residents car park has been filled in