Camp Lane Pools, Grimley :: 19 July 2025

It had been a strange week for weather. As Saturday approached, conditions turned wet, with easterly systems sweeping across much of the country and suggested that the best birding spots might be in the west. As it happened, a black-crowned night heron had been reported at Camp Lane Pools, Grimley, Worcestershire, from 15 July. So, when I messaged Kev @kev07713, he already knew where I’d want to go. It was one of just five UK records that week—and with a travel time of only 1¼ hours, we didn’t need an early start.

Camp Lane Pools, part of the Grimley Nature Reserve, is a mosaic of former gravel and brick pits now transformed into a haven of open water, reedbeds, and grassland, ideal habitat for wildfowl and the occasional rarity.

We left Banbury under dry skies, though rain would be following us. Fortunately, by the time we arrived at Grimley, it remained dry. Could we be lucky enough to avoid the rain altogether?

Grabbing our gear, we set off through the trees along a public footpath. A short way in, we paused at a gap in the left-hand hedge to speak with two birders scoping the water. The heron had been favouring the southern end of the main pool, and we were only halfway to the causeway, our intended vantage point. They confirmed we were on the right path and that the bird had been showing that morning.

Continuing along the path, we crossed a field and passed through a gate, turning left toward the causeway. A small group of birders was already stationed there with scopes, and as we arrived, they confirmed the heron was still in view, perched in a tree to the left. Viewing through a gap cut in the willows, we shifted to the far right and finally had eyes on the bird. Before long, the group began to move, giving us a better viewing position before more birders arrived.

The black-crowned night heron is a medium-sized, globally widespread species, but in the UK it remains a rare visitor. They’re most frequently seen in spring and summer, typically in wetlands and reedbeds, with individuals likely drifting in from continental Europe. UK sightings are often of wandering juveniles from southern Europe, which are brown with white spotting. This bird, thought to be a second-summer individual, also lacked the vibrant colours we saw on the adults during our trip to Ossett a couple of years ago (that report here).

Before long, our bird took flight, moving to the right and landing in a more exposed, leafless tree, actually a better spot for photos. From the gate at the end of the causeway, we could shoot through the willows for clearer views.

We also heard Cetti’s Warbler and Kingfisher calling nearby, though both remained stubbornly out of sight ... for now.

Kev also had a great video of the bird which can be seen on his post on X --> here .

We could hear kingfishers calling, but frustratingly, they stayed out of sight. A Cetti’s warbler also sang from the willows behind us, and we caught only fleeting glimpses as it flitted through the cover. Our friends Nick @old_caley and Anne Truby arrived not long after, but by then, the night heron had dropped down into the reeds and was now only partially visible.

The group of birders had grown, with conversations buzzing around us, yet the heron remained stubbornly hidden. Some began to drift away, though a steady stream of new arrivals kept the numbers up.

Back in front of the gap cut through the willows, we scanned the water again and were rewarded with views of great White egrets, adding to the gathering of the night and grey heron already present. We had a shower of rain, not heavy but we were under the cover of trees and would stay dry.

A kingfisher called again, this time from our left, roughly where the night heron had originally been perched - this was the fifth time that Kev had said he'd heard the call and still had not seen one. We scanned the area casually, and before long I spotted it further along the bank - it must have shifted position since its last call.

Still, we waited for the night heron to re-emerge, but it remained stubbornly tucked away in the reeds. Eventually, Nick and Anne decided they'd had enough and were preparing to leave. We were thinking the same and made our exit shortly before them, encouraged by a tip about a nearby café, Bonnie’s Tea Room and Visitor Centre at Wildgoose, just a few minutes down the road. Brunch was calling.

As we made our way out, we paused to watch a kestrel lift from the stubble field. Moments later, a peregrine falcon soared over the pools, attracting the attention of a common tern and a lesser black-backed gull. The gull soon gave up the chase, but the tern wasn’t so easily put off, relentlessly mobbing the peregrine with sharp calls and impressive aerial manoeuvres until it had cleared the water.

We stopped to talk with another birder who was scanning the hedges, and he informed us there were common redstarts flitting around them - Kev had thought he'd scoped one from extreme distance when we were on the causeway and this now seemed more likely - it took only five minutes, and we were on a juvenile. We then left for brunch.

Bonnie’s is part of Wildgoose Rural Training (WGRT), an organisation that, wherever possible, uses produce grown directly on-site. When local or British ingredients aren’t available, they prioritise high-quality alternatives with minimal food miles. Wildgoose operates as a Care Farm, a centre offering support and meaningful day opportunities for adults with learning difficulties and young people facing challenges in mainstream education.

In 2017, the charity acquired the land: a former quarry and disused asparagus field. By 2019, the main hub was up and running, and the site has continued to evolve and grow ever since.

Next to the centre is a 14-hectare nature reserve, formerly a sand and gravel quarry. The landscape retains many post-industrial features: settling ponds, a shallow reservoir, embankments, and old tracks, which have given rise to a rich mix of habitats. These include woodland, scrub, pockets of flower-rich grassland, reedbeds, and shallow open water.

After brunch, we explored the reserve, hearing reed warblers, great spotted woodpeckers, and a variety of other species. While nothing particularly unusual turned up, it was a genuinely lovely area to walk through.

WGRT works closely with the West Midlands Bird Club (WMBC) and the local RSPB group. WMBC supports the reserve by organising an annual Bioblitz, a nestbox and open nest breeding bird survey, and a ‘birds seen and heard’ report. They’ve also helped develop infrastructure such as wildlife ponds, gates, and access steps. The RSPB group carries out breeding season bird surveys and holds regular conservation volunteer work parties. The site also has a strong tradition of bird ringing, with an active Wildgoose ringing group.

We debated our next move, whether to make a stop on the way home or head back to Camp Lane Pools to look for the common redstarts. In the end, we chose the latter and were back on site within five minutes.

As we walked down the slope, I caught a flash of orange-red, a redstart’s tail, as it darted out and along the hedge. We continued down and stepped out into the field slightly to give the bird some space. After a short wait of around ten minutes, we were rewarded with another sighting - a juvenile redstart, moving steadily along the hedge, a little ahead of us. On the edge of the water, we found a Mediterranean gull preening and then asleep.

Common redstarts are striking and relatively shy songbirds that often prefer the cover of hedgerows, woodland edges, and scattered trees, especially during migration or in breeding areas. They often forage low in hedgerows or along woodland edges, flicking their bright orange-red tails and making short dashes after insects. They are nervous and agile, rarely staying in one spot long and you’ll often see a flash of orange-red as they dart from a perch, especially when disturbed.

Young redstarts are more mottled in appearance (pale speckled breast, duller tail) and often quietly work through hedges feeding, often making them harder to spot than adults.

We continued watching the juvenile, but by now there was a noticeable increase in disturbance as more people arrived, hoping for a glimpse of the night heron, among them Adrian Sparrowhawk, Bryan Manston, and Mark. Wanting a bit more peace, we moved on to another section of hedge, and sure enough, we soon picked up both a male and juvenile redstart. It’s always a treat to see the stunning colours of a male, even if often briefly.

We spent a good while observing them, occasionally joined by passing birders, and were still enjoying the views when our friends returned. They were heading off to Slimbridge, hoping to catch up with the tundra bean goose currently present there, most likely the same bird that’s been roaming the West Midlands for the past couple of years.

After a while, we decided to explore more of the site. As we crossed another track between the pools, we came across a group of birders who mentioned that the night heron had just flown from the southern end in our direction, and they were now searching for it. We pointed out a Mediterranean gull nearby, and together we watched a family group of little ringed plovers moving along the water’s edge in front of us, gradually working their way farther into the distance.

While Kev scanned the water, my attention was caught by a family of reed warblers moving through the reeds. I followed them for a while, watching the adult feeding its young both among the reeds and along the fence line.

Reed Warblers typically begin their autumn migration from the UK between August and September, with most gone by mid-September. Juveniles often leave a little later than the adults, but by October, reedbeds fall silent as the last few stragglers head south.

We spent another half hour scanning the area, but eventually it was time to head home. We’d managed to stay mostly dry, only encountering a brief shower. With much wetter weather back home, it was clear we’d made the right choice and enjoyed a fantastic day out birding - Kev's other videos from today can be seen on X --> here.

RSPB Otmoor & Bernwood Forest :: 12 July 2025

There was a UK heatwave from 9–15 July, with amber warnings issued for the South East, including Oxfordshire, with temperatures peaking at around 33°C. Kev @kev07713 and I talked over our plans for the day - spending hours out in the sun didn’t seem like the smartest idea. That led us to a new thought: maybe today was the day to finally go looking for a purple emperor butterfly - we’d been meaning to for a couple of years but had never quite made the time.

These butterflies favour mature deciduous woodland, especially areas with a mix of sunny glades, ride edges, and closed canopy - with oak and sallow trees - and in this weather just like the kind of habitat we wanted today. Not only would it give us a shot at seeing one, but it would also offer shade and respite from the worst of the heat.

As we talked more, I suggested we make a quick stop at RSPB Otmoor for a couple of hours in the morning, then head over to Bernwood Forest, just a few miles beyond Otmoor and a well-known purple emperor site. These butterflies are only on the wing for a short time each year, with timing dependent on weather and region. In southern England, they usually fly from late June to late July, peaking in the first half of July, but this year’s warmth had triggered an early emergence with some sightings already a couple of weeks old. From what we’d read, we were likely at the tail end of peak activity, that precious window when the emperors descend from the canopy. We were hopeful there might still be one or two about.

We set off and, with only short drives planned, grabbed a meal deal at the petrol station - no café breakfast this time. Arriving at Otmoor, we found the car park holding 10 cars, the sun already making it t-shirt weather. We joined the track leading to the bridleway and were almost immediately greeted by a (family) group of lesser whitethroats - my first of the year, it turned out, though I only realised that later. I tried to get a photo, but they stayed frustratingly active and just out of reach, never quite still in the open.

Further along the bridleway, we picked up both sedge and reed warblers and carried on, eventually spotting a rather scruffy-looking chiffchaff. It was partially hidden at first, buried in the foliage, but soon popped out onto our side of the track for a clearer look.

Along the far hedge line of Greenaways, we spotted cattle egrets - some gathered close to the cattle, others perched in the trees nearby. We paused to scan the group, now mostly lifted off the ground, and managed to count 30 birds in total.

These egrets are a familiar sight on Otmoor’s wet grassland pastures, often seen foraging alongside grazing cattle or sheep, using the animals to stir up insects and other prey. As evening approaches, they tend to gather in willow trees near the hides, where large flocks settle to roost before nightfall.

Otmoor’s transformation began in 1997, when former farmland was restored into diverse marshland, creating ideal conditions for wetland species like these cattle egret. The site became a potential breeding location by 2023, with 2 or 3 birds regularly present through early summer. By 2024, their presence had grown significantly, with regular feeding flocks of 30 to 40 birds, and a record peak of 62 arriving to roost on 24 September.

We worked round until we reached First Screen where we joined a handful of people watching across the water - the glossy ibis was feeding out at the base of the tree. After 15 minutes or so it climbed up into the dead tree branches and started to preen. We talked with some of those present and heard reports of water rail off to the left - distracted we were lucky that someone was still watching forward and called a bittern flying across the water from right to left, and down a channel in the reeds. I wasn't quick enough to get a photo.

A bunch of the regulars dropped in, filling up the remainder of the space at the Screen: Peter Barker, John Reynolds, and others. A single cattle egret dropped into the dead tree with the glossy ibis, and then a further 24 landed in the taller tree beside. I'm not sure how many birds were still left on Greenaways.

We dropped down the steps to check the usual spot for common lizards, hoping to catch a glimpse of them basking. Otmoor is a great place to see them, particularly on warm, sunny mornings, when they often appear on logs and tile piles at the so-called “Lizard Lounge”, tucked just beside the First Screen.

These lizards become active in spring, emerging from winter hibernation, and can be seen basking well into late summer. The common lizard is the UK’s most widespread reptile, and unlike many others, it gives birth to live young in July rather than laying eggs.

They typically grow to 10–15 cm in length, with long tails and a wide range of colour variations - many show striped or patterned backs, and males often have yellow-orange spotted bellies, while females tend to be plainer underneath.

We were lucky enough to see at least two, both stopping long enough for me to squirm around for an angle to get a photo.

The regulars emerged from the Screen and were off down to Second Screen, although reports suggested there were no extra species to be found down there. The temperature and sun had both noticeably risen and we decided not to linger - we have a butterfly to find. Back at the car we jumped in and made for Bernwood Forest, less than 10 minutes away.

Once a vast royal hunting forest spanning over 400 km² and covering around 50 parishes, including parts of Oxfordshire, Bernwood Forest was established by Anglo‑Saxon kings and was especially favoured by Edward the Confessor - Deforestation began around 1217, accelerating in later centuries and by King James I’s reign, much of the original forest had disappeared. The modern Bernwood Forest comprises Shabbington Wood, Waterperry Wood (Oxon), Oakley Wood, York’s Wood, and Hell’s Coppice, forming part of the Shabbington Woods Complex SSSI. It covers about 465 ha of public access land, with approximately 88% ancient woodland, much of which is being restored to ancient semi-natural woodland (ASNW).

The area is renowned as one of the finest butterfly sites in Britain, with about 40 species recorded, including our purple emperor, silver-washed fritillary, white admiral, purple hairstreak, black hairstreak, Duke of Burgundy, and more. Bernwood Meadows, managed by BBOWT, lie adjacent to the forest and consist of traditional hay meadows rich in wildflowers such as green-winged orchids, lady’s bedstraw, knapweeds, ox-eye daisies, and more, attracting abundant insect life.

Facilities are minimal - no visitor centre - but this contributes to the forest’s quiet, tranquil feel and low footfall - however, access is free and open year-round; there are no parking charges. Bernwood Jubilee Way (61 miles long) and a dedicated butterfly trail with waymarked routes guide walkers through woods, rides, and meadows.

We’d never visited before but had some intel on where to search for the purple emperors, so we headed straight there, occasionally branching off to explore nearby areas when we had no early luck. There were plenty of butterflies, just not the one we’d come for.

What did catch our attention, though, were the numbers of silver-washed fritillaries - the largest and one of the most striking fritillaries in the UK. Once largely confined to southern England, they’ve been steadily expanding their range northward, with recent sightings as far as Yorkshire and the East Midlands.

These butterflies are a vivid orange with black spots, and the males are unmistakable thanks to four bold black scent streaks on their forewings - the greenish-bronze hindwings reveal the distinctive silvery streaks that give the species its name. On a trip away from our spot Kev came across something quite special, a Valesina form of the silver-washed Fritillary. This rare genetic variation occurs in a small percentage of females, mostly in larger colonies in southern England. Instead of the typical orange and black, Valesina females have a dusky olive-green or violet-brown upperwing, with a pinkish flush underneath, while still displaying the trademark silver streaks ... a remarkable find.

We saw a few species we have seen more regularly such as the small, large, and green-veined whites but they were all great company as our wait continued.

Time wore on and we continued to add to the count with large skipper and comma butterflies. We waited, eyes lifted toward the oak canopy, scanning every movement and glint of light - waiting to see a purple emperor appears to not just a matter of chance; it’s a quiet exercise in patience and hope - we know the feeling from some of our birding trips. The woods around us were alive: ringlets danced low over the brambles, silver-washed fritillaries continued to cruise confidently along sunlit rides, and red admirals zipped through in flashes. But still, no emperor - we knew they were up there, gliding high in the canopy, invisible against the leaves.

The ruddy darter is widespread across southern and central England, with its range steadily pushing northward. The woodland ponds and shaded pools found in and around Bernwood Forest provide ideal habitat for this species. As we watched butterflies along one of the rides, several dragonflies drifted through, weaving along the sunlit paths. One (a ruddy darter) paused long enough for me to manage a photograph as it settled briefly on a leaf right in front of us.

You wait, and the waiting becomes part of the experience. Because when the emperor finally appears, it’s special. At first, we thought the butterfly that landed in front of us was a white admiral, but it turned out to be our target - a female - we'd then see another (a female) as a family stood motionless as one landed just to the side of them on the stone path. We followed it up the track and into the car park before we lost it into the trees and lost from view.

Male and female purple emperor butterflies can be distinguished by several physical and behavioural differences, even though they are similar in overall size and shape. Both sexes have beautiful, mottled underwings - browns, greys, and a distinctive orange-ringed eyespot but the male has striking iridescent purple sheen on upper wings when viewed from certain angles, while the female lacks purple sheen on the upper wings - they are mostly dark brown/black with white bands.

We'd get one more chance to see another (another female), this time following it down the path before it again disappeared into the trees.

I spotted one high in the canopy, but it refused to come down, and when it moved, it settled even higher and completely out of sight.

Our final species of the day was a purple hairstreak - most of their flight and interaction happen high in the oak canopies, with occasional descents to lower levels during cooler or later parts of the day. It is a small butterfly with a glossy purple sheen and a narrow black border on the upper wing, then a silvery-grey with a white streak and orange eyespots near the tail.

It was a lovely and slightly different kind of day - I think Kev’s caught the bug, as he headed back for another go midway through the following week.

RSPB Frampton Marsh :: 05 July 2025

It was shaping up to be another potentially damp Saturday, so Kev @kev07713 and I headed northeast, where the forecast looked driest; our destination this time was RSPB Frampton Marsh. There was nothing particularly headline-worthy reported and most of the recent highlights had already moved on - but there’s always hope, and a day spent birding at Frampton is never wasted.

We skipped our usual breakfast stop, planning instead to grab something from the Visitor Centre once it opened. Arriving in good time, we made our way toward the 360 Hide and Reedbed Hide, pausing along the way to enjoy good numbers of black-tailed godwits, ruff, little ringed plovers, and a couple of redshanks mixed in with the usual wildfowl. A reed warbler darted across our path, while linnets and goldfinches flitted overhead.

At the 360 Hide, we settled in and began scanning the pools. Reports of spotted redshanks had come in recently with 11 individuals reported earlier in the week, it looked like they were all still present and showing well.

The spotted redshank is a striking and elegant wader, medium-sized, with long legs and a distinctive silhouette. They pass through the UK mainly on migration and occasionally overwinter in small numbers. Seeing a group like this together made for one of the day’s highlights. In summer breeding plumage it sports striking black with white spots, long red legs, and a slightly upturned bill with a red base. Our birds were in this form but as winter approaches they will return to non-breeding plumage - a pale grey above and white below, more subdued.

They do not breed in the UK but in the far north of Scandinavia and Russia. A passage migrant, they are typically seen in spring (April–May) and more commonly in autumn (July–October). There are often up to 5 birds but there has obviously been a bit of an upgrade! Between here and the Reedbed Hide we had some distant but occasional good views. From the Reedbed Hide there was an individual who was sleeping in the edge of the grass, beak tucked under its wings and motionless - well every five minutes or so it would look up and before you could even reach for the camera it would be back down.

At one point, something spooked the flock - godwits, lapwings, ducks, and even the spotted redshank all lifted into the air in a sudden burst of activity. After a couple of circuits over the hide, the birds gradually settled back down. The spotted redshank returned to the island, at first keeping close to cover. After a few minutes, it stepped back into the open water, spent some time preening, and then returned to its preferred roosting spot to doze.

From the 360 Hide, we had a good view across the pools. Most birds were either sleeping or preening, though a few were actively feeding in the shallows. Spotted redshanks forage by wading through shallow water, using their long legs and slender, slightly upturned bills. In deeper areas, they often sweep their bills from side to side, a technique similar to that of an avocet, to detect and disturb prey. Much of their foraging is done by touch rather than sight, thanks to sensitive receptors in the bill that can detect movement in the water.

On the island, behind the spotted redshank was a single spoonbill - others were grouped elsewhere and as usual, fast asleep.

From the 360 Hide, we also watched a pair of little ringed plovers fiercely defending their territory. They repeatedly chased off any birds that strayed too close, first a few ruff, then a couple of unsuspecting lapwings. After a few minutes, the reason for their agitation became clear - two tiny chicks appeared, likely no more than a day old. Cute.

Within just a few hours of hatching, little ringed plover chicks are up on their feet - long legs and all - and leave the nest almost immediately to begin foraging. They’re precocial and nidifugous, meaning they’re mobile and feeding independently from the start, though both parents stay close to guide them to invertebrate-rich spots and keep watch for danger.

We started back to Reedbed Hide and came across a sedge warbler calling and perch just below the tops of the reeds - in the end I found an angle I could get a clear view - I suppose it won't be too long before they are on the move.

Almost back to the Reedbed Hide we stopped to look at the sand martin wall - there had been significant numbers of them in the sky above us and here we saw them returning to their chicks to feed them. In mid‑June, the reserve team observed the first nesting tunnel being dug in a constructed sand/gravel bank, and now 67 Sand Martin nests are active in the colony. Many pairs attempt a second brood before they depart in late summer or early autumn

Several of the nest holes had chicks perched right at the entrance, their tiny heads poking out as they waited to be fed. Now and then, a cluster of adults would gather near the wall, only to scatter suddenly, as if sensing a nearby threat. I managed to capture one of these moments on video.

We continued toward the East Hide, pausing along the way to watch several ruff and a mix of dabbling ducks and other wildfowl. At one point, Kev picked out a bird and called it as a wood sandpiper, a call we both quickly agreed on. It stood in place preening, giving us a good look, though it didn’t move much. Eventually, it took off to feed elsewhere, leaving us to carry on to the hide.

From the East Hide, Kev once again picked out the wood sandpiper, this time feeding along the far side of the pool. It moved steadily from right to left, and a few others in the hide were eager to get onto it. Once they realised just how distant it was, most abandoned any hopes of a photo, though one determined birder mentioned heading to another hide in case it offered a better view.

We lost sight of the bird for a while but managed to relocate it a couple more times before heading off to continue our walk along the sea wall.

Now on the sea wall we saw marsh harrier, male and female, quartering on the saltmarsh, and a single brent goose - the UK hosts tens of thousands of brent geese from October to March and this time of year they have usually migrated to Arctic Russia, Svalbard, and Greenland to breed (May–August). RSPB Frampton Marsh and similar wetland reserves occasionally report isolated birds in summer.

Back off the sea wall, we chatted with a reserve volunteer who mentioned a couple of green sandpipers had been seen along the return route. We’d already picked up a couple of common sandpipers, so it was great to add another species to the list. Thinking about it, I’ve seen fewer green sandpipers this year than usual, so it was a welcome addition, and our 57th species of the day.

We stopped at the Centre for some food, catching it still serving, but not long before they would close – almost too late even for lunch!

Year list: 219.