Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (2 Viewers)

[keithr]

Attempted to get to the Falcon but Friday on the M6 with 2 lorries crashing meant I almost got there but ran out of time and had to get off to work....oh well there's always another life time I suppose.

Was going to have another go this week after my horrendous attempt on Friday.........not got a sat nav so where exactly is it.please.

 

[Adam M]

From M6 north, take J15, follow the A500 for about 8 miles and take the exit signposted "Kidsgrove, Tunstall, Longbridge Hayes Ind. Est." The road swoops round and back under the A500. Go straight over seven round abouts, that's left hand lane, middle lane, left hane lane, middle lane (3rd exit but essentially straight over), left hand lane, right hand lane, left hand lane, but straight over all of them; if you aren't going up or down a (steepish) hill you've gone the wrong way.
After that 7th roundabout, follow the road down the bank (past a Tesco local store on your right), through a set of traffic lights (just after a speed camera) and you'll come to another roundabout just after a footbridge goes over the road. Turn right at this roundabout. Follow that road to the main gate of the site. Park up and the bird should be on the left of the main gate.

Those roundabouts are a pain in the backside if you don't know which lane to be in, and trying to get back into the lane you wanted to be in is almost impossible if you start off wrong, so thought the information useful.

Hope that helps :t:

Adam

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 20th July

1s male Red-footed Falcon - still Chatterley Whitfield Colliery also Black Redstart still
Little Tern - Blithfield in Tad bay
Juv Black-necked Grebe - still Croxden Quarry

 

[truculenter aspicientis]

Hi all.

Is the red footed falcon still about as whike I'm off woukd love to go and try and see it today?

Thanks gary

 

[keithr]

From M6 north, take J15, follow the A500 for about 8 miles and take the exit signposted "Kidsgrove, Tunstall, Longbridge Hayes Ind. Est." The road swoops round and back under the A500. Go straight over seven round abouts, that's left hand lane, middle lane, left hane lane, middle lane (3rd exit but essentially straight over), left hand lane, right hand lane, left hand lane, but straight over all of them; if you aren't going up or down a (steepish) hill you've gone the wrong way.
After that 7th roundabout, follow the road down the bank (past a Tesco local store on your right), through a set of traffic lights (just after a speed camera) and you'll come to another roundabout just after a footbridge goes over the road. Turn right at this roundabout. Follow that road to the main gate of the site. Park up and the bird should be on the left of the main gate.

Those roundabouts are a pain in the backside if you don't know which lane to be in, and trying to get back into the lane you wanted to be in is almost impossible if you start off wrong, so thought the information useful.

Hope that helps :t:

Adam

Wow Adam...cheers.....no wonder I could not get anywhere near from the Leek side.......those speed cameras and restrictions are a pain as well.

 

[keithr]

R.F.Falcon and Black Redstart showing now and then in rain and terrible light.........talk of someone in white van trying to catch Falcon last night and a van here when I got here....is it an escaped one ????.

 

[keithr]

A chap has been feeding the Falcon with Locust etc but now has been warned off by a local who says he has had word come down the line from RSPB for no feeding ....it feels it looks suspicious with the white van man around.

Brilliant views at the moment....

 

[Nick Smith]

A chap has been feeding the Falcon with Locust etc but now has been warned off by a local who says he has had word come down the line from RSPB for no feeding ....it feels it looks suspicious with the white van man around.

Brilliant views at the moment....

Yes I did warn him. And I'm still on site because I know as soon as I drive off he'll do his party trick again and start throwing out locusts again.

 

[keithr]

He says he had not heard about the ban and after you left he was saying he WILL cease feeding....so we just have to accept his word....the ones that need to be persued are the ones that apparently we're in the field with a falconers lure....

 

[Nick Smith]

He says he had not heard about the ban and after you left he was saying he WILL cease feeding....so we just have to accept his word....the ones that need to be persued are the ones that apparently we're in the field with a falconers lure....

As far as I'm aware they are.

 

[truculenter aspicientis]

This falcon sounds to me like it maybe someone's captive bird that's been lost, is it normal for them to hang around the same area for this long!

 

[keithr]

The Police turned up twice in the afternoon and were in situ when I left around 7.10....
The Falcons wings and plumage are not great and I have been told its staying to feather up before it leaves.....

 

[andm]

This falcon sounds to me like it maybe someone's captive bird that's been lost, is it normal for them to hang around the same area for this long!

the falcon is wild , and the general feeling is, it is becoming "tame" because of all the feed it has been getting, probably would have moved on before now, I think all the publicity about the bird , including the local press has attracted a couple of opportunist thiefs or falconers trying to add a free addition to there collection. All a bit sad really , Im so glad I saw the falcon on the first day , before all this crap started and spoilt the "buzz":C

 

[keithr]

BBC ( Radio ) Stoke turned up and recorded a piece with a birder as well as some distant video.....supposed to be on local Morning news.

Thanks to everyone on here and the nice folks I met today ....here's what I saw.

 

[truculenter aspicientis]

the falcon is wild , and the general feeling is, it is becoming "tame" because of all the feed it has been getting, probably would have moved on before now, I think all the publicity about the bird , including the local press has attracted a couple of opportunist thiefs or falconers trying to add a free addition to there collection. All a bit sad really , Im so glad I saw the falcon on the first day , before all this crap started and spoilt the "buzz":C

Thanks for the Info, agreed that all the publicity coukd indeed and probably has attracted some undesirables! Shame really, I work round corner from the location but been off a week and wondering if it's work popping over later after i finish..

 

[hughie king]

A chap has been feeding the Falcon with Locust etc but now has been warned off by a local who says he has had word come down the line from RSPB for no feeding ....it feels it looks suspicious with the white van man around.

Brilliant views at the moment....

Been doing a bit of research connected to this bird. Asked a simple question " Would you allow the feeding (especially of a non native species such as locusts) to a resident or vagrant bird on any of your sites. To simplify some long drawn out answers the following said a resounding NO. RSPB head Office NO. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Head Office NO, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust NO. Worcs Wildlife Trust NO. Pity this bird was/is on a private site.
Says something when all the powers that be agree that this is WRONG!

Hughie King.

 

[keithr]

Been doing a bit of research connected to this bird. Asked a simple question " Would you allow the feeding (especially of a non native species such as locusts) to a resident or vagrant bird on any of your sites. To simplify some long drawn out answers the following said a resounding NO. RSPB head Office NO. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Head Office NO, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust NO. Worcs Wildlife Trust NO. Pity this bird was/is on a private site.
Says something when all the powers that be agree that this is WRONG!

Hughie King.

Not only Locusts.....these giants as well.......

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for 23rd July

1s male Red-footed Falcon & 1s Black Redstart - still Chatterley Whitfield Colliery
Juv Black-necked Grebe - Croxden Quarry
Ad Med Gull - Westport Lake

 

[Roger P]

Been doing a bit of research connected to this bird. Asked a simple question " Would you allow the feeding (especially of a non native species such as locusts) to a resident or vagrant bird on any of your sites. To simplify some long drawn out answers the following said a resounding NO. RSPB head Office NO. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Head Office NO, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust NO. Worcs Wildlife Trust NO. Pity this bird was/is on a private site.

Says something when all the powers that be agree that this is WRONG!



Hughie King.

I'm not really clear about this but before I go on lets get things clear: I AM NOT suggesting this practice is in any way acceptable.

However, the question: "would you allow the feeding to a resident or vagrant bird on any of your sites?" surely cannot have been answered simply: "No". All of these organisations have, sometimes very extensive, feeding stations on their reserves. Would Slimbridge stop feeding the Bewicks with huge quantities of grain every evening if a vagrant bird joined the flock? Indeed why is the feeding of the swans, which brings them close to viewing points, and presumably is to the financial advantage of WWT acceptable?

Where is the logical boundary between acceptable and unacceptable feeding of wild birds?

To reiterate: I'm not challenging the 'ban' on feeding the falcon, just interested in the thought process and wonder if I've missed something.

 

[keithr]

Agree about it being silly to say just NO ....it was the question that was worded in a silly way....
On Facebook it has been said that it looked pretty tame from day one by people who had an early viewing.