Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (3 Viewers)

[Steve Turner]

As Eric used to say on his hotline. Thursday 28th January, today's news:

Belvide: redhead Smew from Gazebo hide at dusk, also adult Med Gull and 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls in the roost, 2 Knot by Gazebo hide at 15:30.

Doxey: 25+ Goosander

Abraham's Valley, Cannock Chase: 20+ Crossbills in larches c400 yards south of the turn to Strawberry Hill.

Stubber's Green: second-winter Iceland Gull at 13:59.

Middleton Lakes: second-winter Glaucous Gull at Fisher's Mill Pool at 12:50 (view only from main track).

Perhaps I should've gone to the pub first? :-O

Ha ha thanks for the round-up Richard. Smew at Belvide eh, that's a decent bird for there. Perhaps one could turn up at Utch this weekend

Steve

 

[Steve Turner]

Three Little Egrets still at Madeley at 2pm this afternoon.

Cheers
Craig

Cool! I still haven't managed to get down there yet...wonder why they've suddenly decided to stick around there? I've birded the sewage works on and off for, I don't know, 4/5 years now (along with Nick) and rarely had a sniff of a heron there never mind egrets! What will the next 'scarcity' for the site be I wonder?!

Perhaps Madeley SWT should be added to the Opus?!

Cheers
Steve

 

[coloz]

As Eric used to say on his hotline. Thursday 28th January, today's news:

Belvide: redhead Smew from Gazebo hide at dusk, also adult Med Gull and 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls in the roost, 2 Knot by Gazebo hide at 15:30.

Doxey: 25+ Goosander

Abraham's Valley, Cannock Chase: 20+ Crossbills in larches c400 yards south of the turn to Strawberry Hill.

Stubber's Green: second-winter Iceland Gull at 13:59.

Middleton Lakes: second-winter Glaucous Gull at Fisher's Mill Pool at 12:50 (view only from main track).

Perhaps I should've gone to the pub first? :-O

Some extra items of new's for staff's Glaucous Gull at Chasewater juvenile again in the roost; also 2nd-winter Iceland Gull again and adult Yellow-legged Gull. Drake Smew still on the Slurry Pool . cheer's col

 

[Richard Powell]

Ah, beat me to it. I can see why Eric left it until the end of the evening now. :-O

And good luck at Utch Steve, as I won't be around this weekend. What with Fudge Duck and GW Egret out there to be refound somewhere, they'll never be found if no-one goes out to look. :t:

Some extra items of new's for staff's Glaucous Gull at Chasewater juvenile again in the roost; also 2nd-winter Iceland Gull again and adult Yellow-legged Gull. Drake Smew still on the Slurry Pool . cheer's col

 

[coloz]

Ah, beat me to it. I can see why Eric left it until the end of the evening now. :-O

And good luck at Utch Steve, as I won't be around this weekend. What with Fudge Duck and GW Egret out there to be refound somewhere, they'll never be found if no-one goes out to look. :t:

And for the late late new's Glaucous Gull Staffs Drayton Bassett Pits present 13:58 Added at 22.48 pm

 

[The Moore-hen]

Cheers to everyone for keeping the thread up to date while i was in London...thought i better get back before all the Tony Blair bashing started...:-O

It was all work and no play (well no birding anyway...)... those London students can drink tho...B

Anyway back to bird news the only other report not stated by others was the 5 White-fronted Geese that flew north over Fisher's Mill Pit on the 27th Jan. There were 4 in the Kingsbury area, W*rwickshire on the 22nd Jan which may have been part of the same group. As they have now headed north then they may still be in the Tame / Trent valley...Whitemore Haye / Catholme area could be a good bet at the weekend...:t:

News for the 29th Jan

20 Crossbill - Cannock Chase in larches at Abraham's Valley, 400 yards south of the turning to Strawberry Hill at 12.00

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 29th Jan

2w Iceland Gull - again at Stubber's Green at 14.00 (1 min later than yday...not very reliable that bird!...:-O)
Little Egret (still just about creeping on as 'semi' scarce) - Uttoxeter Quarry (+14 Goosander)

 

[NickPomiankowski]

My sources tell me this is the Fisher's Mill bird which flew into Staffs for a few seconds, didn't like what it saw, and headed back to W*rks. :C

And for the late late new's Glaucous Gull Staffs Drayton Bassett Pits present 13:58 Added at 22.48 pm

 

[tabs41]

Thanks for the directions everyone. Got there today for my first Crossbill about 50m below 151, there is a large pine tree at the back of the Alders, they were using that for cover, enjoyed the walk too.

I,d give my right arm to be a pianist....Sir Bobby Robson

 

[Bigshent]

Got a few hours to kill tomorrow so it will be a few trips to N staffs haunts. Anyone been for the Crossbills at Handchurch if so what area is it best to start off,I plan to go there as well as Parkhall Greenway Rudyard and depending on time Wesport

 

[Neil-T]

Got a few hours to kill tomorrow so it will be a few trips to N staffs haunts. Anyone been for the Crossbills at Handchurch if so what area is it best to start off,I plan to go there as well as Parkhall Greenway Rudyard and depending on time Wesport

See my map on the other thread.

 

[Steve Turner]

Brookleys Lake

Female Scaup still present this afternoon, plus a pathetic count of 76 Mandarin

Steve

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 30th Jan

Juv Glaucous, 2w Iceland & 2w Caspian Gull - Chasewater roost & drake Smew on Jeffrey's Swag
2w Iceland Gull - also at Stubber's Green in the afternoon
2 Smew (pair) - Drayton Bassett South Pit (+ 2 Little Egret, 3 Green Sand)
Knot - Belvide + 4 Yellow-legged Gull (3 x ad, 1w) - in roost & Pink-footed Goose with 171 Greylag Geese

Extra News for the 29th Jan

2w Glaucous Gull & ringtail Hen Harrier (at 16.00) - Fishers Mill Pit, Middleton Lakes RSPB, Staffs / Warks
drake Smew - Drayton Bassett South Pit
2 Knot - Belvide + ad Med & 2 Yellow-legged Gull (ad+2w) - in the roost

 

[Brian Stretch]

News for the 30th Jan

Juv Glaucous, 2w Iceland & 2w Caspian Gull - Chasewater roost & drake Smew on Jeffrey's Swag
2w Iceland Gull - also at Stubber's Green in the afternoon
2 Smew (pair) - Drayton Bassett South Pit (+ 2 Little Egret, 3 Green Sand)
Knot - Belvide + 4 Yellow-legged Gull (3 x ad, 1w) - in roost & Pink-footed Goose with 171 Greylag Geese

Extra News for the 29th Jan

2w Glaucous Gull & ringtail Hen Harrier (at 16.00) - Fishers Mill Pit, Middleton Lakes RSPB, Staffs / Warks
drake Smew - Drayton Bassett South Pit
2 Knot - Belvide + ad Med & 2 Yellow-legged Gull (ad+2w) - in the roost

This bird is a leucistic (or maybe just a pale) Herring Gull. See here:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=162396

Brian
___________________________
www.birdingtoday.co.uk
www.worcesterbirding.co.uk
www.westmidlandsbirding.co.uk

 

[Max Radford]

Blithfield.

A different 2nd wint Caspian Gull in the roost tonight and a couple of Yellow Legs.

Max

 

[Rockbirder]

Utch 31/1/10

Two Whoopers(ad' and a juv) flew along the Dove at 1000am headin' west, also the female Scaup as returned from Brookers and a Pinky among the goose flock. Nearby 7Goosander on JCB North Lake.

Andy.

 

[Martyn Yapp]

Blimey drake Garganey paged for Branston Gravel Pit.

 

[The Snapper]

Hi All,

More good gulling in the Stubbers Green / Highfield Tip area today :

juv Glaucous
2nd w Iceland
2 Caspians : 1st w, 2nd w
2 Y-Legs : 2nd w and wing-tagged ad.

Paul Jeynes had 4 Caspians y'day : 3rd w, 2 2nd w and 1st w.

Views were excellent today and some real close ups obtained (certainly better than a freezing gull roost at Chasewater).

Cheers

 

[The Moore-hen]

Hi All,

More good gulling in the Stubbers Green / Highfield Tip area today :

juv Glaucous
2nd w Iceland
2 Caspians : 1st w, 2nd w
2 Y-Legs : 2nd w and wing-tagged ad.

Paul Jeynes had 4 Caspians y'day : 3rd w, 2 2nd w and 1st w.

Views were excellent today and some real close ups obtained (certainly better than a freezing gull roost at Chasewater).

Cheers

Sounds like some quality gulling again in the area today, i might have to try Stubber's in the week as Priorslee seems to have gone a bit quiet. I presume the tip is only workable for birders on a Sunday? Has the Chasewater website not been updated lately? The last update i can view is the 27th Jan...:C

Extra News for the 31st Jan

redhead Smew (from 15.40), Knot, Pink-footed Goose & ad Yellow-legged Gull - Belvide
c50 Crossbill - Hanchurch Woods
drake Garganey - Branston GP's (+ad Yellow-legged Gull)

I was hoping somebody in Staffs would find a rare Thrush as part of the hour long garden birdwatch...the best i could manage was 3 Blackcap...:-C

 

[The Moore-hen]

This bird is a leucistic (or maybe just a pale) Herring Gull. See here:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=162396

Brian
___________________________
www.birdingtoday.co.uk
www.worcesterbirding.co.uk
www.westmidlandsbirding.co.uk

Cheers Brian, hadn't seen that photo. Yep would have to agree it looks like a pale Herring Gull...ooops!