Worcestershire Record No. 22 April 2007 p. 10

KEMERTON CUTTINGS – SEPTEMBER 2006 – FEBRUARY 2007

John Clarke

Kemerton Lake

After what seems like record rainfall water levels at the lake finally reached maximum and the overflow was in action for the first time in four years.

Presumably because there was so much standing water elsewhere – and the winter was so mild – the lake was not as busy with birds compared with previous years.

On the 8th October 6 Grey heron, 19 Wigeon, 33 Mallard 21 Tufted Duck and 128 Coot were amongst birds counted.
On 2nd November 2 Stonechat, 40 Fieldfare, 25 Wigeon and 8 Little Grebe were there.
On 24th November 127 Teal and 26 Pochard were reported.
On 19th November there were 28 Wigeon, 36 Mallard, 11 Pochard, 20 Tufted Duck, 168 Coot and 2 Jack Snipe.
127 Teal and 26 Pochard were reported on 24th November
25 Pochard were there on 2nd December.
180 Coot, 3 Kestrel, 8 Skylark and 5 Meadow Pipit were seen on 16th December.
17th December saw 7 Jack Snipe and 10 Snipe.
On 17th December there were 4 Grey Heron, 31 Pochard, 24 Tufted Duck, 3 Ruddy Duck, 178 Coot, 7 Jack Snipe and 10 Snipe.
5th January saw 8 Cormorant and 1 Water Rail
An observer noted Siskin on 7th January.
40 Tufted Duck were there on 19th January.
74 Pochard were counted on 20th January.
25th January found 9 Cormorant (inc. 1 in breeding plumage), 25 Shoveler, 40 Pochard and 2 Raven.
On 27th January 108 Tufted Duck, 71 Pochard and 18 Shoveler were counted.
16 Shoveler, 18 Pochard, 6 Gadwall, 21 Teal and 1 Stonechat were there on 5th February.
On 9th February there were 26 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, a Jack Snipe and a Stonechat. A Muntjac was also seen.
The 18th February saw 2 pairs of Ruddy Duck and 2 Sparrowhawk.
On the 19th a Little Egret, 22 Shoveler and 140 Lapwing were amongst those present
2 Oystercatcher were there on 20th February.
2 Oystercatcher, 36 Tufted Duck, 29 Pochard and 3 Roe Deer were seen on 26th.
The Starling roost attracted a number of visitors and this winter was estimated to contain around 7,000 birds.

Elsewhere

Very few reports came in from across the estate or from surrounding land. However, a visit from a Worcestershire Recorder found 14 species of grassland fungi in a small meadow near the reserve, including 10 ‘waxcap’ species.
There were a few Snipe on a river meadow near Bredons Norton in October.
A Woodcock was flushed from a plantation near the lake on 14th November.
A count was made of birds using a game strip on Bredon Hill and despite the flock being scattered by a Sparrowhawk the observer counted 50 Yellowhammer, 35 Chaffinch plus a few Linnet and Meadow Pipit.
Nuthatch has been seen regularly on garden bird feeders in Kemerton and Overbury.
One garden in Ashton-under-Hill has 18-28 (various counts) of Goldfinch feeding on niger seed. When the birds were discovered roosting in a bay tree in the garden the owners did a roost count and estimated 50 birds.

Kemerton Conservation Trust is grateful to all who provide records of wildlife at the reserve and elsewhere.