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Birding In Staffordshire (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Upland Birder
- Start date
ScottPetrek
Well-known member
I've spent far too much time at work over Easter, all of it being at The Wolseley Centre for the annual kid's activity trail. But on the odd occasion that I got out of the office, there were some nice birds about.
A good number of Swallows are passing along the Trent valley, with lots feeding over the sheep fields, visible from the boardwalk. Also about with them are House Martin and a few Sand Martin.
There are loads of Chiffchaff singing on site, with a very confiding bird in the sensory garden. Plenty of Goldcrest holding territory too, which is nice to hear. I also found a Blackbird nest over the weekend so I'll be monitoring her progress over the next few weeks.
The Nuthatches are in over-drive with their trilling call, and Treecreeper are making an appearance here and there. Plenty of the usual garden birds about, including a lovely pair of Coal Tit on the feeding station along with a group of Mallard which seem to enjoy the free meal! :-O
Locally the Little Egret is still on the Trent Meadows to the west of the reserve, along with a lot of Lapwing and Teal settling into the new wetlands created. Also a pair of Oystercatcher about.
Its not going to guarentee any rarities, but if you fancy a nice day out with some familiar birds and a great pub across the road, Wolseley is the place to be! Besides, Cannock Chase is the other side of the road so you can go in search of all those unspeakable birds as well as the usual suspects for a longer, nice day out.
All for free, except for your petrol or bus ticket! :-O
A good number of Swallows are passing along the Trent valley, with lots feeding over the sheep fields, visible from the boardwalk. Also about with them are House Martin and a few Sand Martin.
There are loads of Chiffchaff singing on site, with a very confiding bird in the sensory garden. Plenty of Goldcrest holding territory too, which is nice to hear. I also found a Blackbird nest over the weekend so I'll be monitoring her progress over the next few weeks.
The Nuthatches are in over-drive with their trilling call, and Treecreeper are making an appearance here and there. Plenty of the usual garden birds about, including a lovely pair of Coal Tit on the feeding station along with a group of Mallard which seem to enjoy the free meal! :-O
Locally the Little Egret is still on the Trent Meadows to the west of the reserve, along with a lot of Lapwing and Teal settling into the new wetlands created. Also a pair of Oystercatcher about.
Its not going to guarentee any rarities, but if you fancy a nice day out with some familiar birds and a great pub across the road, Wolseley is the place to be! Besides, Cannock Chase is the other side of the road so you can go in search of all those unspeakable birds as well as the usual suspects for a longer, nice day out.
All for free, except for your petrol or bus ticket! :-O
Steve Turner
Well-known member
Upland Birder
Birding On The Edge
Hi Terry,
The Pied Flycatchers should arrive down there in the next week or so and I'm on the lookout for the first of the House martins to arrive above the house. There is a bit of nest rebuilding/maintanance to do but there is plenty of mud in the field at the back of me and also on the brook. Lets hope the House martins are not delayed by weather systems like they were last year.
Dean:t:
The Pied Flycatchers should arrive down there in the next week or so and I'm on the lookout for the first of the House martins to arrive above the house. There is a bit of nest rebuilding/maintanance to do but there is plenty of mud in the field at the back of me and also on the brook. Lets hope the House martins are not delayed by weather systems like they were last year.
Dean:t:
Last edited:
Rockbirder
Well-known member
2 White Wag's and one or two LRP's @ Utch this mornin'.
Andy.
Andy.
bull's birder
Well-known member
Wimpy
Well-known member
Aqualate today
Nice little session at Aqualate, no osprey or kite but dancing grebes and the pair of lovers. Large numbers of sand and house martins over the far side of the lake. Swallows seen at nearby Coley Pools.
Nice little session at Aqualate, no osprey or kite but dancing grebes and the pair of lovers. Large numbers of sand and house martins over the far side of the lake. Swallows seen at nearby Coley Pools.
Attachments
Got another one folks.
With the general election coming up, now is the perfect time to pressure our candidates into acting on green issues, such as conservation and climate change.
http://campaigning.rspb.org.uk/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=13&ea.campaign.id=5386
Fill in the form, click submit or send (forget which one) it comes up with a generic letter about signing the letter to the future, which you can edit if you feel there is anything you would like to add, then click submit and it sends it to your local candidates (might be different depending where you are).
Again, a 2 minute job that will show politicians the subject actually means something to a lot of people.
Thank you
Adam
With the general election coming up, now is the perfect time to pressure our candidates into acting on green issues, such as conservation and climate change.
http://campaigning.rspb.org.uk/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=13&ea.campaign.id=5386
Fill in the form, click submit or send (forget which one) it comes up with a generic letter about signing the letter to the future, which you can edit if you feel there is anything you would like to add, then click submit and it sends it to your local candidates (might be different depending where you are).
Again, a 2 minute job that will show politicians the subject actually means something to a lot of people.
Thank you
Adam
chris23565
Well-known member
Westport Lake
Highlights at Westport this morning from 06.10 - 08.50, Chiffchaff x6, Great Crested Grebe x8, Great Spotted Woodpecker x1 (drumming & calling), Tufted Duck x38, Grey Heron x1, Willow Warbler x5, Sparrowhawk x1, Reed Bunting x1, Blackcap x1 pair, Sand Martin x40+, Shoveler x1, Stock Dove x3, Curlew x4, Swallow x 6+ & Little Ringed Plover x2.
Total species seen 43 (highest of the month).
Chris.
www.westportlake.blogspot.com
Highlights at Westport this morning from 06.10 - 08.50, Chiffchaff x6, Great Crested Grebe x8, Great Spotted Woodpecker x1 (drumming & calling), Tufted Duck x38, Grey Heron x1, Willow Warbler x5, Sparrowhawk x1, Reed Bunting x1, Blackcap x1 pair, Sand Martin x40+, Shoveler x1, Stock Dove x3, Curlew x4, Swallow x 6+ & Little Ringed Plover x2.
Total species seen 43 (highest of the month).
Chris.
www.westportlake.blogspot.com
Rob Swift
Well-known member
River Sow Meadows,Baswich,Stafford.
3 hour visit down the local this morning and at last it feels a little more like Spring, especially with the Song Thrushes & Chiffchaffs going at it!
Highlights;
Goosander x 4..... one pair looking really 'settled' in on the river.
Sand Martin x 6 .... feeding over the river,slowly making their way N/E.
Willow Warbler x 2... first of spring on the site.
Goldcrest x 1
Skylark x 6+ singers.
Green Sandpiper x 1 ... on a small, field flood pool.
Lapwing x 6 pairs... some nice displaying.
I notice that two pairs are nesting within meters of each other and at one point all four birds flew up to mob a Kestrel.... safety in numbers instinct behaviour.
Good Birding
Rob
3 hour visit down the local this morning and at last it feels a little more like Spring, especially with the Song Thrushes & Chiffchaffs going at it!
Highlights;
Goosander x 4..... one pair looking really 'settled' in on the river.
Sand Martin x 6 .... feeding over the river,slowly making their way N/E.
Willow Warbler x 2... first of spring on the site.
Goldcrest x 1
Skylark x 6+ singers.
Green Sandpiper x 1 ... on a small, field flood pool.
Lapwing x 6 pairs... some nice displaying.
I notice that two pairs are nesting within meters of each other and at one point all four birds flew up to mob a Kestrel.... safety in numbers instinct behaviour.
Good Birding
Rob
Rob Swift
Well-known member
A very nice sequence of photo's there Wimpy! :clap:
well its not us signing the letter again, its getting the local candidates to take notice of the idea. obviously the more people who send it to them the more they will have to sign it and then it'll carry more weight with whoever gets voted in.
just been uni today. had to do some pitfall traps with another student for her mini-project. the idea is dig a hole, put a cup in with some alcohol in, insects walk along, fall in and you can then check the biodiversity. unfortunatley we got a newt in one of them, looked like a smooth newt. not too impressed that we killed a newt to be honest, but its the first smooth newt i've seen.
5 chiffchaffs on site and 3 bullfinches over.
plenty of frogs knocking about in the edge of the lake.
also a blue tit using a box, filling it with moss.
Adam
NickPomiankowski
Well-known member
Silverdale Colliery
Never thought I'd say this - it's getting like Utch here with 16 gazzunders on the lake today :eek!: Also 3 wheatears.
Nick
Never thought I'd say this - it's getting like Utch here with 16 gazzunders on the lake today :eek!: Also 3 wheatears.
Nick
Steve Turner
Well-known member
What??!! Are they breeding there or something?? Or has there been a proliferation of Guzzander-friendly food in the depths of the Void?!!
Steve
kev burrows
Well-known member
hi terry or anyone else who birds in that area, just been for a walk along red road heading towards alton castle and was watching what i thought were half a dozen sand martins whizzing along the river and going into holes in the sandy bank,i have only seen sand martins once before so would i be right in thinking thats what they were...
Richard Powell
Once Bittern, Twice Shy
Certainly puts the phrase "****** as a newt" in a new light.
7 Goosander at Poxey Croxden Quarry this evening.
7 Goosander at Poxey Croxden Quarry this evening.
