Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (3 Viewers)

[Steve Turner]

Ahhh i wondered when somebody would ask!! Egyptian Goose has always been called 'Bingo' Goose at Belvide since a birder, well before my time, shouted "BINGO" at the top of his voice infront of a group of stunned birders in Norfolk...when they quized him what he had found he stated "Egyptian Goose it's always been my dream bird" funnily enough he didn't last as a birder...all this was passed down to us younger generations by ex-Staffs birding legend John Higginson...hence every time we now see an Egyptian Goose we shout "BINGO!"....:-O It's a weird hobby this birding...

Riiiiiiight...that explains it then...kind of :-O

 

[The Moore-hen]

Riiiiiiight...that explains it then...kind of :-O

Yeh i think it was one of those 'you needed to be there' moments...but the name has stuck in the south of Staffordshire...

 

[Rob Swift]

Little Egret x 1 - on the meadow scrapes, west of SWT Headquarters at Wolseley Bridge this morning at 8.30am. Managed a quick look before continuing on my way!

Rob

 

[smyrna]

Ahhh i wondered when somebody would ask!! Egyptian Goose has always been called 'Bingo' Goose at Belvide since a birder, well before my time, shouted "BINGO" at the top of his voice infront of a group of stunned birders in Norfolk...when they quized him what he had found he stated "Egyptian Goose it's always been my dream bird" funnily enough he didn't last as a birder...all this was passed down to us younger generations by ex-Staffs birding legend John Higginson...hence every time we now see an Egyptian Goose we shout "BINGO!"....:-O It's a weird hobby this birding...

It certainly is - Myself and a certain Mr Locker always Call Wood pigeons 'Badgers' that too is a long & tenuous tale
ps Spoke briefly to Higgo last Sunday he's visiting Staffs in the next week or so

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Good to hear this Scott and good luck with the job.
Nick

Hi All
Just to let you know that I have now taken over as the new permanent Warden for Doxey Marshes for Staffs WT. I will try and keep a reasonably regular flow of info from the reserve, but I am only working 3days a week!

......
Scott

 

[The Moore-hen]

It certainly is - Myself and a certain Mr Locker always Call Wood pigeons 'Badgers' that too is a long & tenuous tale
ps Spoke briefly to Higgo last Sunday he's visiting Staffs in the next week or so

Oh the many joys of birding...we seem to have a bit of a unique birding scene in Staffs where we also tend to have a bit of a laugh as well as enjoying the birds...from my many travels around the country i tend to find that birders elsewhere are a bit...well...boring...:eek!:

Yeh i spoke to Higgo on Weds and he is coming off Scilly next week to go to birding legend John Fortey's funeral on the Friday in Devon then coming back to Staffs for a few days so you might catch him out birding his old haunts on the 13th / 14th March. He was planning to come back and see Wolves in the FA Cup against Villa...but Palace soon put the kybosh on that idea...shame :-O:-O

News for the 4th Feb

Juv Glaucous, 2w Iceland & 2w Caspian Gull - Chasewater roost
redhead Smew - Belvide from 16.40 (+ Knot & 1w Yellow-legged Gull)

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 5th Feb

2w Glaucous Gull - Kingswood this am - reported as a 2nd winter? looks like a new bird in the area for this weekend...wonder if it is the bird from Albert Lake, Leics that was also in the Stubbers area a couple of weeks ago and more recently at Fisher's Mill Pit?

Jack Snipe - Crakemarsh - in a roadside field at 10.30

Extra News for 3rd Feb

Long-eared Owl - still at Park Hall CP - 20 yards in from the bench.

 

[upstarts1979]

Oh the many joys of birding...we seem to have a bit of a unique birding scene in Staffs where we also tend to have a bit of a laugh as well as enjoying the birds...from my many travels around the country i tend to find that birders elsewhere are a bit...well...boring...:eek!:

Yeh i spoke to Higgo on Weds and he is coming off Scilly next week to go to birding legend John Fortey's funeral on the Friday in Devon then coming back to Staffs for a few days so you might catch him out birding his old haunts on the 13th / 14th March. He was planning to come back and see Wolves in the FA Cup against Villa...but Palace soon put the kybosh on that idea...shame :-O:-O

QUOTE]
Hi M/H
You are not the only county that has the crack try worcestershire (well Upton warren to be exact). Ask Higgo he knows the score.
Re higgo tell him to drop into Upton, it was his 2nd love after Belvide (well it was once a few years ago).
Pity he is not back Sunday wolves v Us (the Blues)
On a serious note it is a real loss to birding to loose John Fortey I knew John well. It was a big loss when he left the west Mids but this is a bigger.

cheers John Belsey
ps can you ask Higgo to give me a ring when he gets back

 

[The Moore-hen]

[/QUOTE]
Hi M/H
You are not the only county that has the crack try worcestershire (well Upton warren to be exact). Ask Higgo he knows the score.
Re higgo tell him to drop into Upton, it was his 2nd love after Belvide (well it was once a few years ago).
Pity he is not back Sunday wolves v Us (the Blues)
On a serious note it is a real loss to birding to loose John Fortey I knew John well. It was a big loss when he left the west Mids but this is a bigger.

cheers John Belsey
ps can you ask Higgo to give me a ring when he gets back[/QUOTE]

Yeh i should have said the Mids really but as it was a Staffs thread i guess i was being biased... Yeh i'll tell Higgo to ring you when he gets back - i presume he has your number? If not PM it to me and i'll pass it on to Higgo when i see him.

Yes John Fortey was a real quality birder, i only knew him for a few years before he went to Devon but he was one of the best birders to grace the Mids and will be greatly missed. Unfortunately i cant get down to his funeral due to work commitments but he will be a big loss to many...:-C

News for the 8th Feb

Had a call from Steve Nuttall earlier and he has found the long overdue first Belvide record of Green-winged Teal this afternoon! A drake on the north shore opposite the West End hide. Typically i'm stuck at work and as i'm dragging the missus to Wales for the Black Kite show tomorrow it needs to stick around for a couple of days...:t:

6 Pink-footed Geese - Uttoxeter Quarry (+ 4 Green Sand)

 

[ScottPetrek]

Doxey update

Lots of Goosander on the reserve as usual, even some starting to display! Forgot to mention that the Cettis Warbler was seen again last weekend with Water Pipits

Not alot to report today, but of interest maybe the Green-winged Teal at Belvide. Doxey has several hundred Teal at the moment, so I propose a Challenge for you all: Find a Green-winged Teal on Doxey!!! :-O

More reports next week, unless I here of stuff sooner
Scott

 

[Rob Swift]

Green Sandpiper x 1.... late afternoon at the ST Water Treatment Works, River Sow Meadows,Stafford.

Rob

 

[The Moore-hen]

No news of the drake Green-winged Teal yet today although it is misty in Wolverhampton...so i'm off to Wales for the Kite-fest.

Extra News for the 5th Feb

drake Green-winged Teal - Belvide - still at the west end at 16.45 (+ad Yellow-legged Gull)

Juv Glaucous & 2w Iceland - at Stubbers Green then in the Chasewater roost also ad Med & 2w Yellow-legged Gull in the roost and drake Smew - still on the Slurry Pool.

 

[namron]

Geese

Large movements of Pink-Footed 10am North West over The Wedgewood Monument today 450+ in 30mins.

 

[smyrna]

Pink Feet

Large movements of Pink-Footed 10am North West over The Wedgewood Monument today 450+ in 30mins.

Over 1,000 Pink Footed Geese in 6 flocks headed NW over Westport between 9.50 & 11.30am and 90 over the Void at 12.30pm ( no white ones amongst them unfortunately,its going to happen one day )

 

[s.g.]

1,133 pink feet over tittesworth between 8.30 and 10.30.

s.g.

 

[Steve Turner]

Madeley STW

Finally caught up with Little Egret, with one present mid-afternoon.

Steve

 

[Neil-T]

Quick question...is Stubbers Green in Staffs? Looked at maps and on the internet and it looks like it is. The reason I am asking is, I might be able to get some photos tomorrow and I don't want to add them to my Staffs list if it aint in Staffs. Thanks. Neil.

 

[Nick Smith]

Quick question...is Stubbers Green in Staffs? Looked at maps and on the internet and it looks like it is. The reason I am asking is, I might be able to get some photos tomorrow and I don't want to add them to my Staffs list if it aint in Staffs. Thanks. Neil.

It certainly ain't. Its West Mids. But those birders who were birding pre 1974 like to use the term Old Staffs - that way they get a few more ticks on their Staffs list :-O:-O

 

[Wimpy]

Definitely included in my Mercian bird count :-O

 

[Richard Powell]

More Pink-Feet

.....and another 300 (or so) Pink-Feet flew over my humble abode in Tean this morning.

Female Scaup still at Brookleys Lake this afternoon.