Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (3 Viewers)

[Martyn Yapp]

Cheers Andy, you are of course correct about WR Sandpiper, slip of the finger so to speak. Wish I had seen one of them.........

Hi Martin,

I have sent a cordial message to mr imber, being an old blithers patch worker. The claim of staffs only white rumped sand is surely erronoeus, there are at least 2 other records i'm aware of, both from the eighties. Tittersworth resr and Rudyard Res. Do you mean staffs 1st record?

Arctic warbler happy days eh!!

Andy

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 24th Sept

Curlew Sand, Little Stint, 2 Grey Plover, Barwit & Osprey - Blithfield
3 Juv Black Tern - Belvide

Extra News for 23rd Sept

Grey Plover, Long-eared Owl & 2 Arctic Tern - Belvide
Marsh Harrier - Blithfield
Ring Ouzel - south over Black Bank at 09.45
Ring Ouzel - over Berry Hill

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 26th Sept

2 Little Stint - Drayton Bassett Pits on reedbed pool
Black Tern - adult at Belvide
Arctic Tern - Juv briefly at Croxall Lakes
Fieldfare - Berry Hill Fields

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 27th Sept

2 Little Stint - Drayton Bassett on reedbed pit

Extra News for 26th Sept

Ad Caspian & 13 Yellow-legged Gull - Chasewater at 6pm

 

[The Moore-hen]

Extra News for the 27th Sept

Caspian Gull - again at Chasewater also Med & 10+ YLGull
Long-eared Owl - again Belvide in SE bay
Arctic Tern - Juv briefly at Silverdale Colliery

 

[dud1z]

Male Peregrine falcon present at St. Giles church, Newcastle under-lyme. I have seen the bird the last two days.

 

[The Moore-hen]

Extra News for 29th Sept

2 Little Stint & Hobby - Middleton Lakes
Curlew Sand - Blithfield also a report of a possible Rough-legged Buzzard

A Crane sp has been reported today at 12.45 over Pontefract, West Yorks...get up Berry Hill or Black Bank and see if it comes over...Sandhill Crane in Staffs!! That would rival even the BK...:eek!:

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

30/9/11 DBP Pectoral Sand. Regards, John

 

[NickPomiankowski]

3 crossbills, ........ some distant geese,.... a turdus sp too far away to confirm as ffare,...... but no cranes in 4 hours :-C
713 mipits was a good count with groups up to 20 pushing through - full details on trek.

.....

A Crane sp has been reported today at 12.45 over Pontefract, West Yorks...get up Berry Hill or Black Bank and see if it comes over...Sandhill Crane in Staffs!! That would rival even the BK...:eek!:

 

[Steve Turner]

Berry Hill Walk - 2nd October

A Crane sp has been reported today at 12.45 over Pontefract, West Yorks...get up Berry Hill or Black Bank and see if it comes over...Sandhill Crane in Staffs!! That would rival even the BK...:eek!:

Just a timely reminder that Nick, along with Russ and Andy L, will be leading a walk around Berry Hill tomorrow from 09:30 (meet in Arbourfield Road). No doubt the place will be rammed with migrants in this weather (!), along with the chance of flyover cranes

Steve

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 1st Oct

5 Juv Black Tern, Juv Curlew Sand & Juv Hobby - Blithfield
Long-eared Owl, 11 Crossbill - over, 1w Little Gull - thru & Merlin - Belvide
c10 Crossbill - over 'The Snappers' garden!

No Sandhill Crane over the Stoke highpoints yet then...reported over Rimac, Lincs at midday...??

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Black Bank

Twite flew over this morning calling at about 8.30 along with c100 pied wags and 600 mipits in 2 hours.

Nick

 

[ScottPetrek]

There's always one a**ehole

Excuse the language, but I hope you feel it will be appropriate...

I had the good fortune this morning to be at Leighton Moss (after spending the night in the car) ready to watch Otters at dawn, of which we saw 6! When I got news through of the Solitary Sandpiper just a 2 junctions down the motorway I was pretty pleased to say the least! :-O So I popped along, saw the bird, made some notes, pondered why it wasn't 'x', 'y' and 'z', and decided I'd had enough of the rain and left.

Upon leaving, a "birder" (I use the term loosely) had arrived from our area. He claimed he hadn't bought any money with him and it was an impromptue visit, but the farm owners still refused him entry to the field. He then decided to insist he shouldn't pay as we works for the West Midlands Ambulance Service, as if this should make a difference???. For reference, he, who shall remain nameless (although some may know him), is the same person that still owes a good friend of mine a large chunk of money towards to fuel bill from a Norfolk trip some 4 years ago.

So rather than pay up (and I fully appreciate he may genuinely may not have had any money, although who leaves home without a wallet?), he decided to try and view the bird from public footpaths instead. I only hope he didn't decide to jump a few fences and "accidentally" end up in the field. Taking his dog with him, he walked off, only to then refuse to put his dog on a lead when he was entering a field of cattle, despite specific requests and repeated insistance from the farm owner. At this point I left, being unable to stomach any more of his inappropriate manner

On my way out, I did speak to the family of the farm owner, apologised for his rudeness on behalf of the birding community, and tried to reassure them we aren't all a**eholes!

So next time you're on a twitch, please be mindful you're representing the wider birding world. A few 'rogue' birders can easily spoil things for everyone else. Thankfully, I'm pretty sure most people on this forum have got their head's screwed on!

PS - bird was quite far away, didn't show too badly under big magnification on scope to pick out ID features, including rump and tail. Hopefully gets accepted, as for my skills it just looked like a strange Common x Pectoral Sandpiper hybrid! :-O

Happy Birding
Scott

 

[The Snapper]

Upon leaving, a "birder" (I use the term loosely) had arrived from our area. He claimed he hadn't bought any money with him and it was an impromptue visit, but the farm owners still refused him entry to the field. He then decided to insist he shouldn't pay as we works for the West Midlands Ambulance Service, as if this should make a difference???. For reference, he, who shall remain nameless (although some may know him), is the same person that still owes a good friend of mine a large chunk of money towards to fuel bill from a Norfolk trip some 4 years ago.

Go on Scott, spill the beans. Name and shame

 

[rob.72]

Excuse the language, but I hope you feel it will be appropriate...

I had the good fortune this morning to be at Leighton Moss (after spending the night in the car) ready to watch Otters at dawn, of which we saw 6! When I got news through of the Solitary Sandpiper just a 2 junctions down the motorway I was pretty pleased to say the least! :-O So I popped along, saw the bird, made some notes, pondered why it wasn't 'x', 'y' and 'z', and decided I'd had enough of the rain and left.

Upon leaving, a "birder" (I use the term loosely) had arrived from our area. He claimed he hadn't bought any money with him and it was an impromptue visit, but the farm owners still refused him entry to the field. He then decided to insist he shouldn't pay as we works for the West Midlands Ambulance Service, as if this should make a difference???. For reference, he, who shall remain nameless (although some may know him), is the same person that still owes a good friend of mine a large chunk of money towards to fuel bill from a Norfolk trip some 4 years ago.

So rather than pay up (and I fully appreciate he may genuinely may not have had any money, although who leaves home without a wallet?), he decided to try and view the bird from public footpaths instead. I only hope he didn't decide to jump a few fences and "accidentally" end up in the field. Taking his dog with him, he walked off, only to then refuse to put his dog on a lead when he was entering a field of cattle, despite specific requests and repeated insistance from the farm owner. At this point I left, being unable to stomach any more of his inappropriate manner

On my way out, I did speak to the family of the farm owner, apologised for his rudeness on behalf of the birding community, and tried to reassure them we aren't all a**eholes!

So next time you're on a twitch, please be mindful you're representing the wider birding world. A few 'rogue' birders can easily spoil things for everyone else. Thankfully, I'm pretty sure most people on this forum have got their head's screwed on!

PS - bird was quite far away, didn't show too badly under big magnification on scope to pick out ID features, including rump and tail. Hopefully gets accepted, as for my skills it just looked like a strange Common x Pectoral Sandpiper hybrid! :-O

Happy Birding
Scott

From your description of the bloke I'm pretty sure I've met the twit a couple if times, not a nice experience! (did I really mean twit?)

Pec x common sand? Interesting what different people see in a bird.

Green x common sand for me! And I would have thought it's acceptance was nailed on.

 

[rob.72]

From your description of the bloke I'm pretty sure I've met the twit a couple if times, not a nice experience! (did I really mean twit?)

Pec x common sand? Interesting what different people see in a bird.

Green x common sand for me! And I would have thought it's acceptance was nailed on.

Probably explains why a little stint can be a long toed, least or temmink's depending on who you asked and where they viewed it from!

 

[The Moore-hen]

Go on Scott, spill the beans. Name and shame

I think I guessed based on the fact he took a dog with him on a twitch to a farm...I'll text u!

News for the 4th Oct

30+ Crossbill - Cannock Chase at the old quarry

Extra News for the 3rd Oct

Long-eared Owl - still Belvide in the SE bay
2 Curlew Sand - Blithfield in the Blithe bay

 

[Richard Powell]

You see, working for the ambulance service gave me an idea as to whom it was. However, the dog has thrown me a bit! So I'm not sure now! :-O

By the way Scott, your apology is most commendable and shouldn't really need to be done :t:.

Excuse the language, but I hope you feel it will be appropriate...

I had the good fortune this morning to be at Leighton Moss (after spending the night in the car) ready to watch Otters at dawn, of which we saw 6! When I got news through of the Solitary Sandpiper just a 2 junctions down the motorway I was pretty pleased to say the least! :-O So I popped along, saw the bird, made some notes, pondered why it wasn't 'x', 'y' and 'z', and decided I'd had enough of the rain and left.

Upon leaving, a "birder" (I use the term loosely) had arrived from our area. He claimed he hadn't bought any money with him and it was an impromptue visit, but the farm owners still refused him entry to the field. He then decided to insist he shouldn't pay as we works for the West Midlands Ambulance Service, as if this should make a difference???. For reference, he, who shall remain nameless (although some may know him), is the same person that still owes a good friend of mine a large chunk of money towards to fuel bill from a Norfolk trip some 4 years ago.

So rather than pay up (and I fully appreciate he may genuinely may not have had any money, although who leaves home without a wallet?), he decided to try and view the bird from public footpaths instead. I only hope he didn't decide to jump a few fences and "accidentally" end up in the field. Taking his dog with him, he walked off, only to then refuse to put his dog on a lead when he was entering a field of cattle, despite specific requests and repeated insistance from the farm owner. At this point I left, being unable to stomach any more of his inappropriate manner

On my way out, I did speak to the family of the farm owner, apologised for his rudeness on behalf of the birding community, and tried to reassure them we aren't all a**eholes!

So next time you're on a twitch, please be mindful you're representing the wider birding world. A few 'rogue' birders can easily spoil things for everyone else. Thankfully, I'm pretty sure most people on this forum have got their head's screwed on!

PS - bird was quite far away, didn't show too badly under big magnification on scope to pick out ID features, including rump and tail. Hopefully gets accepted, as for my skills it just looked like a strange Common x Pectoral Sandpiper hybrid! :-O

Happy Birding
Scott

 

[ScottPetrek]

Pec x common sand? Interesting what different people see in a bird.

Green x common sand for me! And I would have thought it's acceptance was nailed on.

I basically went on the fact to me it looked like a Common Sand, except its breast appeared densely streaked like a Pec, but looked like it was wearing a white tie and was rather annoyed looking head on with the supercilium almost meeting on the forehead. Lovely bird, shame it was so far away! :-C

Be interesting to see if October delivers anything.

PS - I've not seen the guy with a dog before either, so perhaps discount that as an ID feature :-O

 

[andyr]

Hi All

Great White Egret at Yoxall still this morning at 9.04 according to Birdguides. Not sure exactly where though ... Does anyone else know ?

Just off there now anyway.

Cheers

Andy R.