This article first appeared in the Annual Report of the Birmingham (latterly West Midlands) Bird Club for 1948.
Bird and place names were spelt as shown.
ALVECOTE POOLS.
Alvecote Pools are about 1¼ miles north of Polesworth, in north Warwickshire. They occur on either side of the River Anker and extend over an area of about half a square mile.
The Pools have been gradually forming over about 30 years as the result of flooding of meadow land and by subsidence of this land into old colliery workings. During the last 10 years, tbe Pools have increased considerably in extent, and the ground is still sinking. At present, approximately 50 acres are permanently under water, and the largest lake covers about 20 acres.
The Pools are on the fringe of the Warwickshire Coalfield; the majority are bordered by land given over to mixed farming, but one or two to the south-west are on marshy ground which adjoins a colliery.
Although we only have a few records made from mid-1947 onwards, it is already evident that the bird-life of these Pools is particularly interesting.
Shoveler bred this year (1948) and Pochard, Tufted Duck and Garganey were present during the breeding season giving rise to hopes that these may nest before long, even if they do not aleady do so.
The two largest lakes, which are in the course of the river, held a remarkable number of Great Crested Grebes this summer; from local enquiry, it seems probable that these birds have increased considerably during the last year or two.
Up to 10 Redshank were present during the breeding season, and at least one pair bred.
Black-headed Gulls were around all the year, and although there was probably no breeding this time, a pair definitely reared young in 1947.
A considerable expanse of mud is exposed in dry weather, which in autumn attracts large flocks of Lapwings and small numbers of other waders on passage.
The variety of birds visiting the Pools for a short time is remarkable, and already after only about 25 visits such unusual species as Grasshopper-Warbler, White-fronted Goose, Gadwall, Pintail, Goldeneye, Curlew, Green Sandpiper, Golden Plover and Black Tern have been recorded.
A motor road passes close to two of the larger lakes and this provides very good opportunities for watching the wildfowl at close quarters.
The Pools are fast developing into a unique focal point for Warwickshire bird life, and it is a pity that their future is made uncertain by the threat of opencast coal-mining.
H.L.