About Hatherton Reservoir

Work Parties will be every second Sunday of the month meet on the Car Park at 10am.

2013 Bird Sightings

Little Grebe, Great crested Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Teal, Mallard,  Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goosander, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard,  Moorhen, Coot, Common Sandpiper, Black headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Tern, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Tawny Owl, Swift, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great spotted Woodpecker, Swallow, House Martin, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Reed warbler, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Redpoll, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting. Total 67

Hatherton Reservoir is my local patch, the Reservoir is in Cheslyn Hay on the border with Bridgtown.  The reservoir used to be a lot larger than it is now, but some of the reservoir was lost due the building of the adjacent roads the latest being the M6 Toll road, which runs alongside it. 

In the 1840s the Reservoir, also known then as ‘Walkmill Reservoir’, was used as a feeder reservoir by the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal Company, for the Hatherton (Churchbridge) branch of the canal. 

There was also a railway line close to the Reservoir, which was used to transport Coal from Hawkins colliery and tiles from Rosemary tiles.  One of the engines is now believed to be at Chasewater.

The reservoir probably dates further back than the 1840’s.  But as yet I have not managed to find the precise date. 

Many thanks to Cheslyn Hay and Bridgtown History Societies for the above information.

The reservoir now has a friends Group organised by Staffordshire Council Countryside Rangers that meet once a month to carry out work parties. 

This is my list of bird sightings for the area -

Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goosander,

 Ruddy Duck, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Pheasant, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Coot, Lapwing, Woodcock, Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Black Tern, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Swift, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Wood Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Redpoll, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting. Total 91

Before Toll road

 Here are a few photos of the reservoir and some of it's wildlife.

Comma butterfly

six spotted Burnet moths

Also on my patch is Redland Pool which is just across the road from the Reservoir it doesn't get much waterfowl but it is good for woodland species.