Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (4 Viewers)

[The Snapper]

juv B-N Grebe still on Gailey sailing lake this evening in a quick after work visit.

Large numbers of B-H Gulls still present but nothing with them. Frank certainly hasn't turned up this year! A Laugher would go down well better!

 

[The Moore-hen]

Blimey Mart you have just wiped out half the Westport List if you remove that lot...:-O


Whats this a Westport V Gailey debate - excellent
Well in this battle of Staffs B list birding sites Wesser gets my vote ( bit of a shock I know ) been racking my brains and I cant think of an occasion when I had to dash down to GAYly for owt except maybe for that Lesser Emperor and I wasn't exactly dashing then on the other hand we have even dragged Mr Nuttall over to the Golden Pond on 2 occasions - so I reckon thats 2-0 to WP:-O )

To be fair, I ain't knocking Westport but I reckon if Gailey got the coverage that Westport does I reckon it would be one of the top spots in Staffs!! We don't get many waders but with daily visits, early morn like Wezza I can only imagine what I would have seen. Shame I've always been too lazy to get me ar*e out of bed in a morn. Red-rumped Swallow, Franklin's Gull, Fudge and Ring-necked Ducks, Grey Phal etc in the last few years aint bad considering how underwatched it is...it was virtually unwatched until me and the Snapper started covering it...:eek!:

Extra News for the 10th Aug

Turnstone - Uttoxeter Quarry
18 Crossbill - Abrahams Valley, Cannock Chase

Extra News for 9th Aug

Spotted Redshank - Drayton Bassett reedbed pit
2 Garganey - Blithfield

 

[Martyn Yapp]

Tittesworth Wader

Given the quality of the images it makes positive identification very tricky, however I sit in the Dunlin camp, it just does not have the feel for Little Stint.

Tell me if I am wrong but I thought the smaller races of "Arctic" Dunlin, like arctica moult at least a month and a half earlier than the Dunlin we are used to seeing inland, which may account for the lack of marking on the breast and flanks as it moults into winter plumage. I am pretty sure that the "plain" brownish wash to the face and ear coverts would sit comfortably too.

So why isn't it an adult, I am sure that any juvenile pale feather edges would be noticeable in the first image.

Hi sg,

I know the shot is dodgy, but I'm not seeing a Little Stint in the photo. It strikes me more like a juvenile Dunlin. Is there a hint of dark speckling on the lower belly? What do others think?

Cheers Steve

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Dunlin-subspecies
arctica breeds Greenland winters mostly West Afica shortest bill and least rufous.
schinzi breeds Iceland and Western Europe winters mainly West Africa intermediate bill.
alpina breeds Arctic winters Western Europe and Meditteranean
RSPB Handbook of British of birds 9,500 Dunlin breed in Britain 150 in Ireland over 700,000 winter in Britain.

Regards, John

 

[Rob Swift]

Aqualate Repot 2010

Hi All,

spoke to Pete Jordan (who compiles the Aqualate Report)...he was very agreeable to it being posted on the forum. So here it is for anybody interested. Some good records for this under reported site.

Hobby hunting the Martins over my house this morn in Stafford. I've now got the House Martins change in behaviour (swarming)& alarm calls down to a fine art, and when it occurs know I'm going to luck up and see a Hobby! :t:

cheers

Rob

 

[andyr]

Cannock Chase

Hi All

Eventually caught up with two groups (c.10 and 6) of Crossbill along Abraham's Valley this afternoon. With 18 mentioned on Birdguides yesterday, if it's the same possee essentially, and if they stay around for a while, then I found them between marker posts 150 and 151- around half a mile up the valley from Seven Springs car-park.

Cheers

Andy R.

 

[Nick Smith]

For those Saturday/Sunday birders who are interested in birding in the A38 corridor this weekend whilst listening to thrash metal, an advanced warning - its the Bloodstock festival again at Catton Hall.

 

[Phil Andrews]

For those Saturday/Sunday birders who are interested in birding in the A38 corridor this weekend whilst listening to thrash metal, an advanced warning - its the Bloodstock festival again at Catton Hall.

Aghh the soothing strains of Ian Kilmister and his popular beat combo ....

 

[Richard Powell]

Rock n roll birding? I can't think of a more perfect combination! :-O Oh, thrash metal? So not Status Quo then? :-O

Believe it or not, attached pic is a Black-necked Grebe at Blithers this evening after work, in Tad Bay. Also 2 Garganoids, but no sign of Spotted Redshank, or any other waders apart from Lappys.

For those Saturday/Sunday birders who are interested in birding in the A38 corridor this weekend whilst listening to thrash metal, an advanced warning - its the Bloodstock festival again at Catton Hall.

 

[chris23565]

For those Saturday/Sunday birders who are interested in birding in the A38 corridor this weekend whilst listening to thrash metal, an advanced warning - its the Bloodstock festival again at Catton Hall.

And what fun we had last year, playing air guitar with our tripods, well Nick was i was just a bit bemused:-O

 

[rob.72]

Rock n roll birding? I can't think of a more perfect combination! :-O Oh, thrash metal? So not Status Quo then? :-O

Believe it or not, attached pic is a Black-necked Grebe at Blithers this evening after work, in Tad Bay. Also 2 Garganoids, but no sign of Spotted Redshank, or any other waders apart from Lappys.

It's difficult to tell from these kind if photos Richard but this looks like a Dunlin to me ;

 

[chris23565]

It's difficult to tell from these kind if photos Richard but this looks like a Dunlin to me ;

Sorry Rob but it's def a Black-necked Grebe!

 

[rob.72]

Sorry Rob but it's def a Black-necked Grebe!

You must have a better monitor than me Chris ;-)

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 13th Aug

Juv Black-necked Grebe, 2 Garganey & Osprey - Blithfield in tad bay also Spott Red at Admaston reach
Wood Sand - Branston Pits also Spott Red briefly
Wood Sand - Drayton Bassett reedbed pit
Juv Black-necked Grebe - Gailey sailing lake also Hobby
adult Little Gull - Belvide briefly early pm

Extra News for 12th Aug

Honey Buzzard - reported NNW of Uttoxeter flew over Stramshall at 19.00

 

[The Snapper]

juv B-N Grebe still at Gailey today giving nice close up views in the corner of the sailing lake(nearest the M6 island), also Hobby.

Blithfield was decent today : 2 Garganey, Osprey, Hobby, Peregrine, Dunlin, 4+ LRP, c.11 Ringies all in Tad, + juv Spotshank in St Stephen's Bay.

Good Birding to all this autumn!

Anyone got any ideas for the next Staffs biggie?

 

[The Moore-hen]

juv B-N Grebe still at Gailey today giving nice close up views in the corner of the sailing lake(nearest the M6 island), also Hobby.

Blithfield was decent today : 2 Garganey, Osprey, Hobby, Peregrine, Dunlin, 4+ LRP, c.11 Ringies all in Tad, + juv Spotshank in St Stephen's Bay.

Good Birding to all this autumn!

Anyone got any ideas for the next Staffs biggie?

It's about time Staffs had another White-rumped or Buff-breasted Sand but I'm going to be brave and put my money on a Wilson's Phal...at Gailey would be even better!!

Pretty much the same birds as yesterday still present around the county.

 

[NickPomiankowski]

I'll go for Pallas's Warbler, or a Long-toed Stint at Utch :eek!:

......

Anyone got any ideas for the next Staffs biggie?

 

[laesevets]

I'll go for Pallas's Warbler, or a Long-toed Stint at Utch :eek!:

You missed the word Grasshopper in between Pallas's and Warbler Nick :t::t:

 

[rob.72]

White rumped sand would be very popular with me as would pallas's, I seem to remember a inland autumn Kentish plover last year... That would be very nice indeed. Why not a rosefinch? I suppose a Ortolan or a melody would be to much to ask?
They would all be lifers for me, I've not had a staffs lifer since the Franklins of over 12 months ago!
Can anybody remember their last staffs lifer???

 

[Upland Birder]

White rumped sand would be very popular with me as would pallas's, I seem to remember a inland autumn Kentish plover last year... That would be very nice indeed. Why not a rosefinch? I suppose a Ortolan or a melody would be to much to ask?
They would all be lifers for me, I've not had a staffs lifer since the Franklins of over 12 months ago!
Can anybody remember their last staffs lifer???

Lesser yellowlegs at Utch in recent months was my last Lifer in Staffs and the Kentish Plover you mention is likely to be the one at Eyebrook Res in Leicestershire. We could do with Eyebrook being in Staffordshire.

Dean:t: