Pelsall North Common West Midlands

Site Location Details

Site Details

Located on the northern edge of Walsall and on the site of a 19th-century ironworks (demolished 70 years ago), this haven for birds, butterflies and dragonflies was given local nature reserve status by Walsall MBC less than 10 years ago. It comprises - country canal (the main Wyrley and Essington Canal and the dead-end Cannock Extension Canal), marsh and pools (with small reedbed areas); lowland heath (the original habitat); farmland (arable, dairy, set-aside and horse paddocks); woodland (deciduous copses and conifer plantations); willow and birch scrub; mown and unmown grassland; extensive bush and hedgerow areas; a dilapidated orchard; a landfill site on the northern perimeter. North Common is not noted for rarities (it is massively under-watched) but provides good, all-year birding (I've been watching it for 14 years - 110 species so far). Regular Common Buzzard, two woodpeckers, nine warblers(inc. Grasshopper), five tits(inc. Willow and Coal), seven finches(inc. Brambling), winter thrush flocks, Common Snipe, Grey Heron, breeding Little Grebe, good gulls and occ. Stonechat; passage Redstart, Whinchat, Wheatear and Common Tern; breeding Tree Sparrow; Long-eared Owl winter roost (max. 7 birds) since 1997; breeding Little Owl and occasional Short-eared Owl in winter.

Address

Contact Details

Telephone: 01922 650000 (Walsall MBC)