Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (2 Viewers)

[Nick Smith]

Thanks boys for all the kind words and to everyone who's sent me a text today. Luckily I was still sat in my hospital bed doing not a lot and so it was a pleasure to answer them all. A word of advice to anyone out there. If you have pains in your chest that spread down to your arms and don't go with either indegestion tablets or pain killers and if someone says "does it feel like you are having a heart attack, then you most likely are. I left it for two days! For heavens sake just go and see your doctor. Lecture over

 

[The Moore-hen]

Thanks boys for all the kind words and to everyone who's sent me a text today. Luckily I was still sat in my hospital bed doing not a lot and so it was a pleasure to answer them all. A word of advice to anyone out there. If you have pains in your chest that spread down to your arms and don't go with either indegestion tablets or pain killers and if someone says "does it feel like you are having a heart attack, then you most likely are. I left it for two days! For heavens sake just go and see your doctor. Lecture over

Glad to hear you are feeling ok now Nick, that's fantastic news! - must have come as a bit of a shock! Just spoke to Higgo and his symptoms sounded very similar - glad you are both on the road to recovery and will be back out birding ASAP...:t:

 

[Richard Powell]

Take it easy Nick :t:

Thanks boys for all the kind words and to everyone who's sent me a text today. Luckily I was still sat in my hospital bed doing not a lot and so it was a pleasure to answer them all. A word of advice to anyone out there. If you have pains in your chest that spread down to your arms and don't go with either indegestion tablets or pain killers and if someone says "does it feel like you are having a heart attack, then you most likely are. I left it for two days! For heavens sake just go and see your doctor. Lecture over

 

[Merlin]

I think we all agree with the above :clap::clap::clap:

Get well soon Nick.

I second that!

regards
Merlin

 

[The Moore-hen]

I recieved a text this afternoon from Nick Martin regarding a White-rumped Sand at DBP, Nick asking me to spread the news.
I then telephoned Nick to clear access arrangements, Nick saying at this stage of the works being undertaken that it's now O.K to go to the North pit along the track by the canal. I then asked Nick about the White-rumped Sandpiper report. Nick said that a senior RSPB ecologist and experienced birder was on site and saw the White-rumped Sandpiper with 3 Reshank in area south of North pit.

Regards, John

Sounds interesting John, is there still access along the track over the canal then along the path or is it a long, long slog from the RSPB car park? I'm sure we will hear more tomoz - I'm struggling with work to get there before Friday - but if it's there tomoz I might need to re-juggle my calendar a bit...

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Access

Sounds interesting John, is there still access along the track over the canal then along the path or is it a long, long slog from the RSPB car park? I'm sure we will hear more tomoz - I'm struggling with work to get there before Friday - but if it's there tomoz I might need to re-juggle my calendar a bit...

Hi Ian, There is access along the track to Fisher's mill Bridge from the main road which is a footpath, the short route over Drayton Brick Bridge is not a footpath and the landowner does not like tresspassers.

Regards, John

 

[geoffw1946]

Hi Ian, There is access along the track to Fisher's mill Bridge from the main road which is a footpath, the short route over Drayton Brick Bridge is not a footpath and the landowner does not like tresspassers.

Regards, John

I should imagine that in the past the track from the A4091 opposite the road to Drayton Bassett over the canal would have been a public footpath and with the large layby there it would have made a useful entrance to the reserve. At the moment the contractors are having to use that entrance for heavy vehicles but as the culvert bridge to the reserve was removed a few years ago they have to keep filling in the ditch and then reopening it again.
Looking at the online OS maps I see there is a public footpath opposite the road to Brook End farm at SP 19420 99505 this takes you to down to the canal via a small copse and pool but may not be much use to see the Sandpiper, I haven't tried it.
Geoff

 

[s.g.]

best wishes to nick, get well soon mate !

s.g.

 

[Upland Birder]

Hi Nick,

PM sent and hope you get well soon.

Take care

Dean:t:

 

[The Moore-hen]

Thanks Geoff and John - yes Geoff that's the access I was thinking off from along the track by the large lay-by. Seems it's going to be a bit of a jaunt then! I see on the other thread that it states 3 redshank and presumed Dunlin on north pit but distant - I assume this is the same bird as the WRS report? Will have to see what tomorrow brings!

Extra News for the 13th Nov

Great White Egret - flew towards Clay Mills at 08.15
Hawfinch - Cannock Chase in Tackeroo area at 09.45
Ad Caspian & ad Med Gull - Belvide
Ad Kittiwake - Blithfield in Blithe bay then flew north
Black-necked Grebe - Gailey still on fishing lake at east end
25 Waxwing - Stoke in Hanley at Octagon Retail Park

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Access

I should imagine that in the past the track from the A4091 opposite the road to Drayton Bassett over the canal would have been a public footpath and with the large layby there it would have made a useful entrance to the reserve. At the moment the contractors are having to use that entrance for heavy vehicles but as the culvert bridge to the reserve was removed a few years ago they have to keep filling in the ditch and then reopening it again.
Looking at the online OS maps I see there is a public footpath opposite the road to Brook End farm at SP 19420 99505 this takes you to down to the canal via a small copse and pool but may not be much use to see the Sandpiper, I haven't tried it.
Geoff

Hi Geoff, The large layby was an old bus stop. There has never been a public footpath here, however looking at the Ramblers association website that a path used for more than 30 years automatically becomes a footpath. Therefore this should become one. The landowner Geoff Hemus does not want tresspassers and if seen he will tell them to leave. He is the neighbour to the reserve and the head Warden Nick Martin does not want to offend him.
Geoff Hemus has allowed the heavy vehicles over his land and they come in by Debbie day's boat yard Fazeley. The footpath opposite Brook End farm is a long route, however the more direct track to Fisher's mill bridge there is only a few parking spaces.

Regards, John

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Hope you recover soon Nick - just your luck a Staffs mega turns up now!
Nick

Thanks boys for all the kind words and to everyone who's sent me a text today. Luckily I was still sat in my hospital bed doing not a lot and so it was a pleasure to answer them all. A word of advice to anyone out there. If you have pains in your chest that spread down to your arms and don't go with either indegestion tablets or pain killers and if someone says "does it feel like you are having a heart attack, then you most likely are. I left it for two days! For heavens sake just go and see your doctor. Lecture over

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

White- rumped Sand

North pit DBP Paul Hyde, Sorry Nick. John

 

[andyr]

Great Grey Shrike

Hi All

On what I think was my seventh or eighth visit to Upper Longdon this Autumn, it was good to finally get to see the Great Grey Shrike working the Startley Lane clearfell once again today. There were no other birders there when I arrived around 1.30 this afternoon... and no surprise I guess, there was no sign of the Kestrel either !
Soon Rob S. and Steve N. were watching the shrike too however, before we headed across to the Tackeroo car park area to look for the Hawfinch, which was seen earlier in the day. No joy however, nor for several others looking too, though it was good to meet up with Steve & Heather Edwards again.
Some of us then headed back to Upper Longdon, where it was good also to meet up with Dean P. and Terry E. who, like the others, had been across to see the White-rumped Sandpiper at Drayton Bassett pits (RSPB Middleton Lakes).
A pretty good afternoon for a cluster of Staffs birders ... and some very mediocre digiscoped shots from me of the shrike - looking left, right and centre - to give the others a laugh. Well the light was poor and getting worse ... honest !

Cheers

Andy R.

 

[The Snapper]

The juv White-Rumped Sand was present today on the North Pit until 15:45 when I left.

It had been rather elusive & out of view for long periods around the back of the furthest island earlier in the afternoon. However, it eventually came out into the open feeding amongst Teal and loosely associating with 3 Redshank.

At one point a Sprawk went over flushing everthing. The WRS then got up and flew south gaining a lot of height. After a few minutes it came back to the North pit where it flew round looking for a likely spot to land. Its always surprising how long winged they are in flight!

It consequently landed on a much nearer island again out of view. It finally came round to the near side of the island giving decent and constant views in the nice evening light as it roosted, preened and walked along the edge.

A long awaited Staffs tick for many!

 

[Upland Birder]

Mud Mud Glorious Mud

Yep me and Terry Eyre ventured south and went to see the White-rumped Sandpiper at Drayton Basset Pits. There's a lot of mud about in this part of the world! :eek!: Luckily we had good views of the sandpiper through the scope wandering about feeding and also saw it in flight which was good to see. This bird can be elusive and disappear from view due to nature of terrain but we were able to view it well while we were there.

Then it was up to Cannock Chase. Out of the car and within a minute we were watching the Great Grey Shrike. Terry said to me "Last year it was on that post and as he said post the bird literally flew up and perched on it :eek!: So we watched it for a while as it moved around the clearfell and then set off back home.

Good to see a few birders out there today and one or two faces I recognised.

Dean:t:

 

[The Snapper]

Thanks boys for all the kind words and to everyone who's sent me a text today. Luckily I was still sat in my hospital bed doing not a lot and so it was a pleasure to answer them all. A word of advice to anyone out there. If you have pains in your chest that spread down to your arms and don't go with either indegestion tablets or pain killers and if someone says "does it feel like you are having a heart attack, then you most likely are. I left it for two days! For heavens sake just go and see your doctor. Lecture over

Good to hear you're ok Nick.

Really hope the WRS sticks around for you. You deserve it as much as anyone with the hours of local patch slogging you put in :t:

ATB

Steve

 

[The Snapper]

There's a lot of mud about in this part of the world! :eek!:

As Dean has mentioned, the path at Drayton Bassett Pits from Middleton Hall is extremely muddy and wellies essential.

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

White-rumped Sand

The juv White-Rumped Sand was present today on the North Pit until 15:45 when I left.

It had been rather elusive & out of view for long periods around the back of the furthest island earlier in the afternoon. However, it eventually came out into the open feeding amongst Teal and loosely associating with 3 Redshank.

At one point a Sprawk went over flushing everthing. The WRS then got up and flew south gaining a lot of height. After a few minutes it came back to the North pit where it flew round looking for a likely spot to land. Its always surprising how long winged they are in flight!

It consequently landed on a much nearer island again out of view. It finally came round to the near side of the island giving decent and constant views in the nice evening light as it roosted, preened and walked along the edge.

A long awaited Staffs tick for many!

Hi Steve, When the bird flew South and was watched by us from West of the north pit and was almost out of sight in my Binoculars the bird had gone over Fisher's mill and into Warwickshire. Having looked in the New Birds of the West Midlands there is no records for White-rumped Sandpiper for Warks so this sighting could be a County record.

Regards, John

 

[terryeyre]

Yep me and Terry Eyre ventured south and went to see the White-rumped Sandpiper at Drayton Basset Pits. There's a lot of mud about in this part of the world! :eek!: Luckily we had good views of the sandpiper through the scope wandering about feeding and also saw it in flight which was good to see. This bird can be elusive and disappear from view due to nature of terrain but we were able to view it well while we were there.

Then it was up to Cannock Chase. Out of the car and within a minute we were watching the Great Grey Shrike. Terry said to me "Last year it was on that post and as he said post the bird literally flew up and perched on it :eek!: So we watched it for a while as it moved around the clearfell and then set off back home.

Good to see a few birders out there today and one or two faces I recognised.

Dean:t:

upper longdon g g shrike