Wildgoose

NEW ACCESS DETAILS FOR WILDGOOSE N.R.

The Club understands that new access arrangements will be in place from June 2022 when the Nature Reserve will be partly open to the public subject to access restrictions. A Tea Room known as " Bonnie’s" is now open with a full menu of British and Seasonal dishes, breakfasts, tea and coffee. The Tea Room is open seven days per week (Mon-Sat 0800-1600, Sun 0900-1600).

WMBC members will have extended access on the permitted path of the Wildgoose Reserve including a Conservation Area via gates with coded locks. The Code is available from the Tea Room when you show your WMBC membership card. In the coming weeks there will be a signing in system instigated and general access will be during the Tea Room opening hours, if would like to access the reserve earlier or later then you should contact Brian Rickett or the Wildgoose Rural Training office on 01905 620840.

The Reserve and Conservation Area will be open throughout the weekends .

If you have any difficulties then please contact Brian Rickett by email on worcs-rep@westmidlandbirdclub.org.uk

(Please note that the Wildgoose code is different from all those used by the Club)

Club members, and those of other specialist wildlife groups can arrange a visit by phoning Wildgoose, during weekdays, on 01905 620840 prior to a planned visit. On arrival you will be required to sign in at Reception. Remember to sign out before you leave.

Please let the Club Representative, Brian Rickett, know what you see on your visit by emailing

worcs-rep@westmidlandbirdclub.org.uk

Wildgoose Report 2021 Wildgoose Report 2020 Wildgoose Report 2019

Wildgoose Ringing 2021

956 birds of 39 species were caught by the Wildgoose Ringing Group in our first year on the reserve. 810 were newly ringed and 146 were retraps, both from earlier in 2021 and from previous years.

Activity was limited in spring, the highlight being working with the BTO Cuckoo Tracking Project to fit satellite transmitters. Many of the group turned out to help catch two Cuckoos at first light on 15^th May. Both were males, the first was already ringed, having been caught the previous year. This bird was too small to be fitted with a tag. A second larger bird was caught shortly after and a tag fitted. Severn Trent who had generously sponsored the tags ran a competition among their employees to choose the name, ‘Calypso’. In February 2022 Calypso was still in his winter quarters in the Democratic Republic of Congo before starting the return journey. You can follow Calypso and the other BTO Cuckoos at >https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/cuckoo-tracking-project/calypso<

Ringing took place most weeks from the end of July and good numbers of residents and migrants were caught. As expected warblers were well represented with Blackcaps (229), Chiffchaffs (116) and Reed Warblers (53) being most frequent. Numbers peaked on 5^th September, when of the 148 birds ringed, 126 were warblers including 94 Blackcaps.

Ringing was interrupted in October and November when a case of Avian Flu was found just under 10km away. This shutdown occurred at the time when good numbers of Redwings could have been expected.

The year ended with a varied catch of 50 birds; including Thrushes, Redpolls, Reed Buntings and an overwintering Blackcap.

Many thanks to Jim Hidderley and Roger Bates for their help and support. Thanks to the other staff, volunteers, students and visitors for taking a keen interest in the birds we catch. Finally thanks to the ringers, friends and helpers who made the ringing sessions so interesting and enjoyable.

The list of birds caught in 2021 is here: Wildgoose Ringing Report

Stuart Brown.

Secretary Wildgoose Ringing Group

City skyline

Photo By: John Doe
Button
Birthday Sparks

Photo By: John Doe
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The West Midland Bird Club has funded the provision of a digger to excavate some new ponds.

Reserve Details

Address Old Quarry Drive

Main Road,

Hallow,

Worcester

WR2 6LS*

Phone 01905 620 840

email enquiry@wildgooseruraltraining.org.uk

or contact Brian Rickett ,

worcs-rep@westmidlandbirdclub.org.uk

* The postcode covers a large area. Satnavs will direct you to an industrial site some distance away. Visitors may prefer using google maps.Old Quarry Drive is on the Tenbury-Worcester Road. Travelling towards Worcester it is the first left after the Top Barn site 450 yards before the turn to Grimley

This Yellow-browed Warbler was the third to be ringed at this site historically. The YBW has made it all the way from Siberia. Amazingly, the first Cetti's Warbler was ringed in 2019 at the site but the bird trapped and ringed, seen here (11th October 2020), was the eighth in 2020 demonstrating the site's suitability to attracting this once rare Mediterranean species. (Photos by Fergus Henderson)

Bioblitz

Almost from the beginning of the Club's involvement at Wildgoose Nature Reserve it became apparent that there was a good variety of other forms of wildlife so it became the Club's intention to involve other specialist groups. This culminated in the organising of a Bioblitz on May 11th 2019. The owners Wildgoose Rural Training welcomes Club members and specialist groups to the Reserve.It is essential,however, that arrangements for your visit are made in advance. Please ring 01905 620 840 to book.

We proudly present the report of the Bioblitz of that wonderful day.

Bioblitz Final Report