Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (2 Viewers)

[dwe]

a few shots of the black redstart today, came quite close later in the day when most people had gone.

s.g.

Nice photos. Any chance of a few full-size shots for the WMBC annual report?

[email protected]

Dave

 

[Steve Turner]

More Black Redstarts!

A pair of adult birds reported at the bottom of Loomer Road, Chesterton today - anybody know more specific location details?

 

[The blackbird]

Steve Williams

The Rosefinch was found by Steve Williams on his local patch that he works daily. He found the bird on a nut feeder at 11am with the local House Sparrows. He hadn't got his mobile phone with him at the time so couldn't get the news out until he got home. I know Steve quiet well and is sound. While I was there, a lot of the Sparrows moved off into the nearby housing estate, so whether the Rosefinch is tagging along remains to be seen.
The bird will be looked for again early tomorrow morning.

Cheers

May I ask is this the Steve that wears glasses, used to work for Barclays, likes trains, supports Wolves?
Cheers

 

[Steve Nuttall]

May I ask is this the Steve that wears glasses, used to work for Barclays, likes trains, supports Wolves?
Cheers

That's the one :t:

 

[The blackbird]

Steve Williams

That's the one :t:

Thanks, Steve. Glad the old dog is still at it. There would usually be a train line near the Rosefinch site but maybe not ? That's why he likes Doxey.

 

[andyr]

Great Grey Shrike : Upper Longdon

Hi All

Thought it might be helpful to give a bit of an update on the GGS, which is presumably last Winter's returning bird.
It is, so far at least, not showing very well this time around, since it was first seen again last weekend. Having stopped off at it's Startley Lane clearfell four times already, albeit for never more than an hour, I have dipped each time (including this morning) and I know I am not alone.
On my first three visits however, a pesky Kestrel has been covering exactly the territory used by the Shrike, using the very same tree stumps as perching posts, plus the GGS went missing last year for a few days at a time. But hopefully it will stay around once again.Last year I believe the bird was first seen at Upper Longdon on 17 November incidentally, so this year's return is three weeks ahead of that. That is presuming it's the same one, as up to three GGS were seen on and around Cannock Chase in 2011. I live only 15 minutes away, but I have said to a few longer-distance birders this week, maybe it's best to head off elsewhere for a few hours and come back later in the day, rather than make a single/specific journey say, only to be disappointed.

Hope this helps anyone planning to go sometime.

Cheers

Andy R.

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Hi All - I'd be interested in opinions as to whether there were 2 or 3 birds there late 2011 please. I have records of one at Anson's Bank 1-15 Nov, and one at Upper Longdon from 17th Nov onwards. This ..might.. be the same bird relocating, maybe not. Plus there was the regular at the Rifle Range.

So is this two or three birds or can't we be sure one way or the other??

I'm in the process of writing up the 2011 annual report in case you were wondering!
Thanks, Nick

Hi All

Thought it might be helpful to give a bit of an update on the GGS, which is presumably last Winter's returning bird.
It is, so far at least, not showing very well this time around, since it was first seen again last weekend. Having stopped off at it's Startley Lane clearfell four times already, albeit for never more than an hour, I have dipped each time (including this morning) and I know I am not alone.
On my first three visits however, a pesky Kestrel has been covering exactly the territory used by the Shrike, using the very same tree stumps as perching posts, plus the GGS went missing last year for a few days at a time. But hopefully it will stay around once again.Last year I believe the bird was first seen at Upper Longdon on 17 November incidentally, so this year's return is three weeks ahead of that. That is presuming it's the same one, as up to three GGS were seen on and around Cannock Chase in 2011. I live only 15 minutes away, but I have said to a few longer-distance birders this week, maybe it's best to head off elsewhere for a few hours and come back later in the day, rather than make a single/specific journey say, only to be disappointed.

Hope this helps anyone planning to go sometime.

Cheers

Andy R.

 

[ScottPetrek]

Hi All - I'd be interested in opinions as to whether there were 2 or 3 birds there late 2011 please. I have records of one at Anson's Bank 1-15 Nov, and one at Upper Longdon from 17th Nov onwards. This ..might.. be the same bird relocating, maybe not. Plus there was the regular at the Rifle Range.

So is this two or three birds or can't we be sure one way or the other??

I'm in the process of writing up the 2011 annual report in case you were wondering!
Thanks, Nick

ooo :eek!: annual report, I'd better get that done! :-O

 

[Dean Peach]

Andy, The Kestrel was there again late afternoon today but again no Shrike.

 

[andyr]

Andy, The Kestrel was there again late afternoon today but again no Shrike.

"Pesky" was back then Dean ... Pity, because I guess we can never expect the two birds to cover such a tight territory at the same time.

Cheers

Andy

PS Nick ... I'm not sure I can help with your questions, especially remembering also that there was GGS mention on the Chasewater site if I recall, about a bird over nearer to Castle Ring/ Beau Desert or somewhere nearby. Sorry I can't be of any help here.

Anyone else maybe ?

Cheers

Andy R.

 

[andyr]

Great Grey Shrike - latest !

"Pesky" was back then Dean ... Pity, because I guess we can never expect the two birds to cover such a tight territory at the same time.

Cheers

Andy

PS Nick ... I'm not sure I can help with your questions, especially remembering also that there was GGS mention on the Chasewater site if I recall, about a bird over nearer to Castle Ring/ Beau Desert or somewhere nearby. Sorry I can't be of any help here.

Anyone else maybe ?

Shiver me timbers ! A brief mention yesterday of a Beau Desert GGC a year or so back ... and there's one there today near the golf club.
Mention was made on the Staffordshire Bird News site about a sighting this morning, not mine I hasten to add, and a different birder (John from Tean) also saw the Beau Desert bird around 12.45 this afternoon, with me nearby missing it by a few minutes !
I would have backed this 100 per cent to be the same bird (as Upper Longdon)
BUT having called in at UL on the way to Beau Desert late morning, a couple there had "just seen the shrike on it's tallest perching stump, when it dived down for prey".
The Upper Longdon and Beau Desert locations are two miles apart as the shrike flies. So ... either that couple were mistaken in their ID (I have briefly met them before and have no reason to doubt them) ... Or there ARE two GGS on the go already this winter ... Or the same bird flew backwards and forwards on at least one occasion today, for lunch at Upper Longdon in spite of the Kestrel being there for much of the day, making a four mile round trip. Umm !

PS If you go to the Beau Desert location, the clearfell is 300 metres SW of the entrance to the BD golf club, on the A460 from Rugeley to Cannock, but on the opposite side of the road. But caution with parking, as there is virtually none nearby. This is a busy road with no hard shoulder, just a tight two-car pull-in space on the opposite side of the road from the


Cheers

Andy R.

 

[andyr]

Ggs

Oops ... 'clearfell' missing from the end of my last post.

A.

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

G G Shrike

"Pesky" was back then Dean ... Pity, because I guess we can never expect the two birds to cover such a tight territory at the same time.

Cheers

Andy

PS Nick ... I'm not sure I can help with your questions, especially remembering also that there was GGS mention on the Chasewater site if I recall, about a bird over nearer to Castle Ring/ Beau Desert or somewhere nearby. Sorry I can't be of any help here.

Anyone else maybe ?

Shiver me timbers ! A brief mention yesterday of a Beau Desert GGC a year or so back ... and there's one there today near the golf club.
Mention was made on the Staffordshire Bird News site about a sighting this morning, not mine I hasten to add, and a different birder (John from Tean) also saw the Beau Desert bird around 12.45 this afternoon, with me nearby missing it by a few minutes !
I would have backed this 100 per cent to be the same bird (as Upper Longdon)
BUT having called in at UL on the way to Beau Desert late morning, a couple there had "just seen the shrike on it's tallest perching stump, when it dived down for prey".
The Upper Longdon and Beau Desert locations are two miles apart as the shrike flies. So ... either that couple were mistaken in their ID (I have briefly met them before and have no reason to doubt them) ... Or there ARE two GGS on the go already this winter ... Or the same bird flew backwards and forwards on at least one occasion today, for lunch at Upper Longdon in spite of the Kestrel being there for much of the day, making a four mile round trip. Umm !

PS If you go to the Beau Desert location, the clearfell is 300 metres SW of the entrance to the BD golf club, on the A460 from Rugeley to Cannock, but on the opposite side of the road. But caution with parking, as there is virtually none nearby. This is a busy road with no hard shoulder, just a tight two-car pull-in space on the opposite side of the road from the


Cheers

Andy R.

Hi Andy, A Great Grey Shrike can stop and feed in a small area as proved by the Upper Longdon Shrike last year. A 2 mile flight is a lot of wasted energy.
Birds may set up a territory on Cannock Chase but at this time of year some will feed up in a good area like Cannock Chase and then move on to areas like Wales were there is a lot more suitable Habitiat and less disturbance.

Regards, John

 

[andyr]

Hi Andy, A Great Grey Shrike can stop and feed in a small area as proved by the Upper Longdon Shrike last year. A 2 mile flight is a lot of wasted energy.
Birds may set up a territory on Cannock Chase but at this time of year some will feed up in a good area like Cannock Chase and then move on to areas like Wales were there is a lot more suitable Habitiat and less disturbance.

Regards, John

So what do you reckon then John, from today's sightings ?

First, second or third option ?

Andy R.

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Great Grey Shrike

So what do you reckon then John, from today's sightings ?

First, second or third option ?

Andy R.

Evidence would suggest 2 birds at present an this side of the Chase I would not be surprised a third or more seen around the Sherbrook Valley and Rifle Ranges as there is some great habitat there. Either birds with a territory or moving through.
No reports yet on birdguides of Great Grey Shrike in the New Forest.

Regards, John

 

[andyr]

Evidence would suggest 2 birds at present an this side of the Chase I would not be surprised a third or more seen around the Sherbrook Valley and Rifle Ranges as there is some great habitat there.

Regards, John

My thoughts too, now that I have just seen Patrick Perry's nice photo ... taken at Upper Longdon today late morning ... on the Staffs Bird News site.
Beau Desert to Upper Longdon by late morning, and then yet another two miles back to BD by 12.45 ... just can't see that happening.
So two shrikes around now gets my vote.

PS Another turning up soon in Holly Bush valley maybe - and then another turning up along Ansons Bank as well - and we will soon have a "Shrikefest" of national proportions to brighten up somewhat an otherwise quiet local birding scene.

Cheers

Andy R.

 

[M_T]

Just got back from a week in Norfolk seeing several flocks of Waxwings, only to return and see 2 in my back garden (well, in the top of a tree just outside the fence - I'm having them on my garden list!) in Sneyd Green.

They were there about 5 minutes (at 11:45am) as far as I can tell and then flew off in the direction of Hanley Forest Park.

(Think they qualify for rare and scarce at the moment at least?).

 

[The Moore-hen]

Ooops! You are now officially the new Manty

That's Short-toed Lark and now Grotfinch turning up whilst you go away!

I know mate...think I am the new Bernie Smith! Luckily (unlike Bernie) the two Staffs firsts that have turned up while I've been away this year haven't been accessible to the masses - could have been a more painful Staffs year than it already has been - 6 Staffs ticks this year for me (Pallid Harrier, Stone-curlew, Gannet, Short-toed Lark, Long-tailed Skua and Rosefinch) and I've seen none, although only the Aqualate Gannet was really 'getable' unless you were in the right place at the right time! In fact I haven't had a Staffs tick since July 2010...:-C

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 3rd Nov

Great Grey Shrike - still Upper Longdon south of Startley Lane
Black-necked Grebe - still Aqualate Mere
Male Hen Harrier - south over Swallow Moss at 15.25
Short-eared Owl - Middle Hills N of Upper Hulme
Scaup - 1w drake still Westport Lake

 

[The Snapper]

Black-Necked Grebe at Gailey today showing nicely on the fishing pool mostly around the eastern end. Not sure if the Aqualate bird has been seen today? You don't get many November BNGs in Staffs so I assume its the same one.

No sign of the 1st w Scaup today and smaller numbers of Aythyas than in the week.