Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (4 Viewers)

[Periwinkle]

Spotted Redshank (almost full sp) Blithe Bay, Blithfield this aftrernoon (J Allen)

 

[Nick Smith]

Chris had four sandwich terms calling and circling fairly high over Westport at 0730 this morning

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 27th June

Little Tern - Belvide from 13.00

Extra News for the 26th June

Quail - singing still at Whitemoor Haye

 

[smyrna]

Crossbills now up to c90 birds at Hanch - WJL

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 28th June

Little Tern - Blithfield in blithe bay also Ruddy Shelduck in tad bay

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 29th June

Wood Sand - Drayton Bassett Pits on north pit also Ruff
Osprey - Blithfield

 

[Phil Andrews]

Was today's sighting (hearing?) of a Marsh Warbler at Belvide confirmed? The pager used the phrase "reported" which as we know covers a multitude of circumstances

Cheers Phil

 

[The Moore-hen]

Was today's sighting (hearing?) of a Marsh Warbler at Belvide confirmed? The pager used the phrase "reported" which as we know covers a multitude of circumstances

Cheers Phil

From reading Ste's blog he doesn't sound very excited and also uses the word reported, it was stated as singing from the Gazebo bay phragy bed which wouldn't be classic Marsh Warbler habitat anyway. I'm 100% sure if he thought it had a chance of being one he would still be there now!

 

[Steve Nuttall]

From reading Ste's blog he doesn't sound very excited and also uses the word reported, it was stated as singing from the Gazebo bay phragy bed which wouldn't be classic Marsh Warbler habitat anyway. I'm 100% sure if he thought it had a chance of being one he would still be there now!

Can I just say I don't want to be drawn into any negativity of this record. The person involved very kindly phoned me to say he heard the bird singing for 2-3 minutes in the Gazebo bay phragy bed. He didn't hear it again after another 45 mins of standing there. Another 2 birders were told of the news and they too drew a blank.

 

[Neil-T]

Marsh Warbler

Would have been nice to see one in Staffs, just to whet your appetite.......here's some pics of one I saw in Hungary earlier this year.
Neil.

 

[The Moore-hen]

Marsh Warbler is a proper Staffs Mega with the only confirmed record of recent times being the bird at Doxey when the River Warbler was also present. We saw it well at first light on the second day of the River Warblers day when it was first located by the super alert Steve Whitehouse. What a double tick Staffs morning that was...River and Marsh Warbler in 15mins!! The Marsh Warbler was reported for upto a week after but other birds were claimed as the Marsh that were obviously not...Reed Warblers in bushes being the most obvious but on one occasion I was there also a female Whitethroat!! I kid you not...:eek!:

 

[Steve Turner]

Reed Warblers in bushes being the most obvious but on one occasion I was there also a female Whitethroat!! I kid you not...:eek!:

I can well believe that!

Marsh Warblers can be buggers even when you've got them in the hand. Another twitchable Staffs Marsh Warbler would be very popular indeed.

I was away at Uni in Norwich when the Staffs River Warbler turned up, and by the time I got round to seeing it I was the only observer on site (plus my Dad, but he doesn't count because he's not a birder!), so I had it all to myself. Amazing really thinking back on it.

 

[Neil-T]

I can well believe that!

Marsh Warblers can be buggers even when you've got them in the hand. Another twitchable Staffs Marsh Warbler would be very popular indeed.

I was away at Uni in Norwich when the Staffs River Warbler turned up, and by the time I got round to seeing it I was the only observer on site (plus my Dad, but he doesn't count because he's not a birder!), so I had it all to myself. Amazing really thinking back on it.

Pictures above show Yellow feet which is good for Marsh I believe. Would love to have been there for the Marsh and River. Still....we have to hope for something. Neil.

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

Pictures above show Yellow feet which is good for Marsh I believe. Would love to have been there for the Marsh and River. Still....we have to hope for something. Neil.

reed warblers also can have yellow feet i dont know what the ratio is for reed warblers to have yellow feet but i know i have seen pictures of reed warblers with yellow feet, and i dont know if marsh warblers ever have black feet? the call/ singing is the best way to ID between the two. other than if you have a marsh warbler in the hand.also habitat the bird is found in is a good indication.

i was only 6 when the river warber was at doxey.

 

[Neil-T]

This one was singing it's head off as 3 of us watched it, so deffinately a MARSH WARBLER.

 

[The Snapper]

ad Little Stint still today at Blithfield in Blithe Bay. Also a rather early Pintail in Tad Bay.

Not particularly rare, but certainly scarce nowadays, 2 Spot Flys at Gailey Res today : 1 in fisherman's carpark, 1 by derelict buidling with chimney at A5 end of causeway.

Cheers

 

[The Moore-hen]

Extra News for the 3rd July

Osprey - flew N over Knypersley Res this am also Crossbill

Derbys is really taking the p*ss at the mo, not happy to grip us Staffs birders with a Red-footed Falcon they go even better with a singing Western Bonelli's Warbler!! What a turn up that is an amazing inland record although I have seen River, Arctic, Icterine and multiple Yellow-browed Warbler in Staffs so inland rare warblers are certainly there to be found just the search area is much bigger than the coast! :t:

 

[smyrna]

Extra News for the 3rd July

Osprey - flew N over Knypersley Res this am also Crossbill

Derbys is really taking the p*ss at the mo, not happy to grip us Staffs birders with a Red-footed Falcon they go even better with a singing Western Bonelli's Warbler!! What a turn up that is an amazing inland record although I have seen River, Arctic, Icterine and multiple Yellow-browed Warbler in Staffs so inland rare warblers are certainly there to be found just the search area is much bigger than the coast! :t:

Saw the Bonellis yesterday - its only just in Derbys by a mile or two (virtually
in Manchester) as Ian says any of the rarer warblers could turn up (theres also been a Bonellis at Rutland) my moneys on Iberian or Barred.

 

[The Moore-hen]

It's about time we had a Pallas's Warbler, I'm getting fed up with all the Yellow-browed's!! Shame they are not as vocal though which I think is why we don't get them found as often. Remember seeing that fantastic one in Cheshire that was only a few miles from Staffs....

 

[Rob Swift]

reed warblers also can have yellow feet i dont know what the ratio is for reed warblers to have yellow feet but i know i have seen pictures of reed warblers with yellow feet, and i dont know if marsh warblers ever have black feet? the call/ singing is the best way to ID between the two. other than if you have a marsh warbler in the hand.also habitat the bird is found in is a good indication.

In the advanced ID guide there is suggested differences in fresh plumaged birds, but the only 100% way of telling is by the song.

Last year I was lucky enough to observe & compare a Reed and Marsh in the same bush near Cley. There was conjecture on differences in leg colour, flank wash colour and eye ring extent, but all these can appear different, in changeable light conditions. I couldn't have nailed them, but for the song.

Cheers

Rob