Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (3 Viewers)

[NickPomiankowski]

Aqualate Bitterns

I had a phone call from HRH Frank Gribble OBE today - word reached him about this thread - he saw a Bittern at Aqualate on Jan 3rd and 2 were seen there on Dec 16th.

Cheers, Nick

Yeh your right there Nick, sightings for Aqualate are generally kept only to the log book or the select few, although the post above suggests that they are not even updating the log book now...well it is almost in Shropshire! (can't imagine nobody has been?). Seems that there are still Bittern there but how many is anybodys guess with this recent influx and the cold weather making them more visable...just a matter of somebody who reports news going and checking it out...:t:

 

[Wimpy]

Priorslee Flash is/was frozen over today I think completely. It's the Priorslee lake where the most of the gull action is taking place. On Monday there where still three areas of unfrozen water. Black necked grebe is still there along with a couple of pairs of Gadwalls.

This has been a public service announcement!

 

[The Moore-hen]

I had a phone call from HRH Frank Gribble OBE today - word reached him about this thread - he saw a Bittern at Aqualate on Jan 3rd and 2 were seen there on Dec 16th.

Cheers, Nick

Seems word has reached him about this thread quicker than word (usually) reaches us about Aqualate's sightings...:eek!:

Good to see that the Bittern(s) are still about...they must really struggle to survive in weather like this...:C

Extra News for the 5th Jan

ad Med Gull - Chasewater roost (+ ad Yellow-legged Gull)

 

[The Moore-hen]

Priorslee Flash is/was frozen over today I think completely. It's the Priorslee lake where the most of the gull action is taking place. On Monday there where still three areas of unfrozen water. Black necked grebe is still there along with a couple of pairs of Gadwalls.

This has been a public service announcement!

Cheers Wimpy, i didn't realise there was a flash and a lake!? I did mean the one by the M54 island where the BNG is.

Thanks for the information...now could you push them in the direction of Staffordshire please...

 

[tabs41]

Went to Aqualate on 31st, book was fully up to date then. No sign of Bittern.

 

[Nick Smith]

A flock of c100 Pink-feet flew East over Berryhill / Adderley Green at 10-15hrs. In a bit of a loose formation and appeared to be either gaining height or regrouping. Maybe the climb over Berryhill caused them problems. Also they were flying east and not in normal direction.

 

[Steve Nuttall]

Hi all,

Just to say the Belvide blog is now back up and running.

Cheers Steve

 

[Rockbirder]

A Red Kite, possibly the Brookers bird was seen three times this afternoon over Winnothdale, a small hamlet east of Cheesdale pers R Scholes.

Andy.

 

[Rob Jones]

A flock of c100 Pink-feet flew East over Berryhill / Adderley Green at 10-15hrs. In a bit of a loose formation and appeared to be either gaining height or regrouping. Maybe the climb over Berryhill caused them problems. Also they were flying east and not in normal direction.

The North West is under a foot of snow. Perhaps they're just abandoning their usual feeding grounds and heading back east to Norfolk?

 

[coloz]

A flock of c100 Pink-feet flew East over Berryhill / Adderley Green at 10-15hrs. In a bit of a loose formation and appeared to be either gaining height or regrouping. Maybe the climb over Berryhill caused them problems. Also they were flying east and not in normal direction.

Hi nick same birds going over the house in the meir at 10.20 heading east flying low.

 

[Nick Smith]

Wondered if someone else had seen them, esp as they flew over berryhill.

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 7th Jan

5 White-fronted Geese (3 adults & 2 x 1st winter) - flew through Blithfield over the deep end also 2 Pink-footed Geese flew through.

The geese were aged but not reported as what was the (suspected) race (Eurasian or Greenland). Seems like a bit of a movement of geese again (see previous posts) which is hardly suprising given the weather and the fact that previous feeding areas are probably deep in snow!

Extra News for the 6th Jan

2 adult Caspian Gull - Chasewater roost (+ adult Yellow-legged Gull)

Seems like a lot of birds are 'on the move' looking for snow/ice-free feeding areas...i've had a few birds from the office the last few days in Wolverhampton that i wouldn't usually see: a Raven, 2 Buzzard, 6 Cormorant etc.

Now must surely be the time for somebody to find that overwintering Staffs mega at their garden feeder...a Black-throated Thrush perhaps...or maybe really big...a Baltimore Oriole...:-O (There is one in the Netherlands so why not...)

 

[Max Radford]

The GN Diver is still present at Blith this morning. As well as the two Pink Feet that flew through the one that has been present with the 'Lags for the last few weeks still accompanied the Goose flock, along with a solitary Barnacle Goose.

The White Fronts weren't seen well enough to assign to race but appeared to be joining the main Goose flock in the fields, which was partly obsured.

Max

 

[namron]

100c Pink Feet flew low over Waterhayes towards the Wegdewood Monument last night at 7pm clearly seen with the reflection from the street lights also helped by the reflection off the snow.
These birds were low(about twice the height of my house) and climbing

 

[The Moore-hen]

The GN Diver is still present at Blith this morning. As well as the two Pink Feet that flew through the one that has been present with the 'Lags for the last few weeks still accompanied the Goose flock, along with a solitary Barnacle Goose.

The White Fronts weren't seen well enough to assign to race but appeared to be joining the main Goose flock in the fields, which was partly obsured.

Max

Nice one Max, cheers for the update

Would be a bit of a Staffs twitch i reckon if they stick around and turn out to be Greenland Whitefronts...:t:

News for the 7th Jan

5 Jack Snipe - Caverswall Marsh
2 Pink-footed Geese - over Meir at 09.40 (the Blithfield birds?)

News for the 6th Jan

male Merlin - Drayton Bassett North Pit (also on the 5th)

 

[Nick Smith]

In preparation for this weekend, can we have any updates on the road conditions around Blith, Belv etc. I presume no ones been to Brookleys this week. Ventured down to Uttoxeter today and the main roads seem clear.

 

[Upland Birder]

Hi Nick,

Many of the lanes around and above the Churnet Valley are full of snow and ice. I wouldn't chance it with a car to Brookley's and you probably wouldn't get there anyway. Even if you did you might not get out of there. You could walk across country though. I would imagine Brookley's is frozen solid at the moment.

It was - 10 up here in Cheadle and surrounding area this morning.

Dean

 

[Richard Powell]

Main roads are clear round Stafford. So Doxey is an option. Beware of icy footpaths, and no doubt the car park, of course.

In preparation for this weekend, can we have any updates on the road conditions around Blith, Belv etc. I presume no ones been to Brookleys this week. Ventured down to Uttoxeter today and the main roads seem clear.

 

[Rob Swift]

I had a phone call from HRH Frank Gribble OBE today - word reached him about this thread - he saw a Bittern at Aqualate on Jan 3rd and 2 were seen there on Dec 16th.

Cheers, Nick

Hi Nick,


re: Aqualate Bittern

I know a second observer who saw one in flight last sunday afternoon 3rd Jan.

cheers
Rob

 

[Rob Swift]

I had a phone call from HRH Frank Gribble OBE today - word reached him about this thread - he saw a Bittern at Aqualate on Jan 3rd and 2 were seen there on Dec 16th.

Cheers, Nick

Yeh your right there Nick, sightings for Aqualate are generally kept only to the log book or the select few, although the post above suggests that they are not even updating the log book now...well it is almost in Shropshire! (can't imagine nobody has been?). Seems that there are still Bittern there but how many is anybodys guess with this recent influx and the cold weather making them more visable...just a matter of somebody who reports news going and checking it out...:t:

Moore-Hen,

I know someone who visits Aqualate regularly, but is not computer wise or geared up with one. I will give him a bit of an ear bending and get him to txt/phone me and let me know of any interesting sightings..and I will post it on this thread.

cheers
Rob