Birding In Staffordshire (1 Viewer)

[JimMorris]

Thank you Mick and Richard,
It's taken me all day to decipher all that. As you may know or not I come from Kent and still trying to get my head round the local dialect, but I'm getting there.

Some great photos there Mick. Looks like all the other birders are staying indoors

Went to Huntley this morning, 2 Buzzards sitting on the first 2 tele poles at the entrance to the Haden tunnel.

Nice to see your still about Terry.

 

[terryeyre]

not seen or heard any swifts for about a week have they gone already,would not be surprised with this dreadful summer weather.
terry

 

[Richard Powell]

Back on the Queen's english now!

As I look outside my office window in Congleton, there are Swifts still here. They'll be all gone in a few weeks though.

not seen or heard any swifts for about a week have they gone already,would not be surprised with this dreadful summer weather.
terry

 

[Mick Sway]

Rudyard feeder Tues 24th July 2004 18.00

(Congerton ehh ?)
On a lovely July evening, with the air full of midges, swallows,martins and swifts, Tina and I undertook our favourite little walk around down the old railway track heading towards Leek and back up the feeder towards Rudyard village.
Looking down from the right of track onto the fishing pond, a treecreeper tracked its way up a dead shrub, whilst a pair of whitethroat bounced in and out of the cover on one of the islands.
Moving further down the track a juvenile blackcap was tacking the evening sun only to disappear as a cyclist made his way towards Leek.
As we arrived at the old railway bridge a heron took off from the channel in the fields, mallards croaked on Herons Marsh and a numbers of finches took grit from the track formed from the bed of the old railway.
A kestrel called from the surrounding trees, however we were unable to locate it.
Blue,great, coal and long tailed tits (juveniles and adults) were feeding upside down, possibly on aphids from the trees.
Looking down onto the hawthorn hedgerow to the left, where a channel cuts under the bank, a family of spotted flycatchers flitted from the fence onto the trees, four in all - two juveniles and two adults.
These were joined by goldfinches feeding from the thistles and then to our surprise by a male redstart.
Making our way back down the feeder towards the village, a juvenile redstart appeared in full view, more or less at the same time as a great spotted woodpecker broke cover heading into a large oak.
Scanning the open field to our right two little owls were perched, one in the bowl of a hawthorn the other next door.
The only other things of note were a calling sedge warbler and willow warbler flitting in the undergrowth, although there were also plenty of robins and wrens to keep us entertained.
Scenic photo is taken from he top road Biddulph Moor.
Best to all on a lovely evening.
Mick & Tina Sway
B

 

[JimMorris]

Sounds like you both had a lovely walk with quite a list of birds. I might just try that one myself as I need to get out. This rain is driving me barmy. In fact I'll give it a go today rain or shine. I bet I won't get a list like yours. I'll let you know how I get on.
HAPPY BIRDING
Jim

PS Just seen it's your birthday today so have a nice day.

 

[Mick Sway]

Rudyard

Dear Jim
Thanks for your kind thoughts.
This walk is always worth a try at any time of year, although usually we don't do as well as last night in terms on numbers.
Park by the narrow gauge railway in Rudyard and head south towards Leek.
Check out the trees both sides for warblers and the fishing pond on the right for Kingfisher, heron and cormorant (Ducks in winter).
Walking down the raised track offers good views down onto the fields and trees. If there's no one much about finches take grit and green woody insects from the track itself.
Just past the old railway bridge and on the left is Heron's Marsh , which can be good for Heron, Lapwing, Curlew , Snipe and ducks depending on the time of the year. Hirundine hawk over the whole area and occasionally Kestrel, Buzzard and little owl fly over.
A little further on a flooded area and channel on the left straddle two fields divided be an hawthorn hedge , which can hold all sorts of passerines in spring and summer.
Double back to the bridge taking the style, now on your left , to follow the feeder channel back north to the main road.
Check out the trees for Green & great spotted woody,nuthatch,treecreeper,goldcrest,siskin,bullfinch,redpoll and warblers.
You'll be lucky to get them all in one day but do give it a try.
Good luck!
Mick
B :t:

Sounds like you both had a lovely walk with quite a list of birds. I might just try that one myself as I need to get out. This rain is driving me barmy. In fact I'll give it a go today rain or shine. I bet I won't get a list like yours. I'll let you know how I get on.
HAPPY BIRDING
Jim

PS Just seen it's your birthday today so have a nice day.

 

[Sandra (Taylor)]

Wear ast all gon, is it wakes wick for thee ew ?
Anna yer got anythin tell us abayt brids this weyk ?
(If you're from Leek or surrounds you'll know what I mean)
Best all
Mick

Gosh, Mick - I'm really worried now - I understand what you're saying and I'm in Yorkshire!! Scary.

Sandra
:cat:

 

[Sandra (Taylor)]

Smashing reports Mick. Me & Bob really must get out soon - with wellies, of course.

Hope you've had a super birthday - you sound to have made the most of the day.

Sandra

 

[JimMorris]

Hi Mick & all,
I had to miss birding yesterday so I took your advice and went to Rudyard today. Parked up at the railway and had a coffee from the flask then set off up the track. 200 yards along a little bit of drizzle so kept going then it came down in torrents. To late to turn back, I was already quite wet and I had seen a couple of green woody's fly into an oak tree on the left a 100 yards further along. They spent an hour or more going between 2 big oak trees and into the field with me trying to get close enough to get a photo. One of them settled on the track about 60 odd yards in front of me then came towards me within 25 yards and just stood there with me in the middle of the track, posing I think.

I didn't bother going over the style as I did not feel like swimming, saw a few other birds and a lot of Martins and Swallows then made my way home soaked to my skin but dead chuffed with the Woody pics. Thanks a lot for the info Mick, I'll be going back on the first decent day we have next week.
HAPPY BIRDING
Jim

 

[JimMorris]

Green Woodpeckers At Rudyard

Here are the photos of the Green Woodpeckers at Rudyard.

 

[Mick Sway]

Rudyard

Great stuff Jim
I know that i put the green woods, down as a possibility, but i didn't expect them to pop up to order.
Sorry about the weather though.
Best
Mick

Here are the photos of the Green Woodpeckers at Rudyard.

 

[Richard Powell]

It's just outside Staffs moorlands, but I took a walk round Blithfield Reservoir today. Not surprisingly it's looking really full, not good for passage waders. The only wader of note being a Common Sandpiper.

Other than that, after doing recent explorations of the Tean area on my bike in the week, I found a Yellowhammer out towards Gorsty Hill. Not too many of those around.

Richard

 

[terryeyre]

been mowing some haymeadows the last couple of days,had a pair of buzzards following the tractor and diving down amongst the cut grass after voles and mice, a fantatic site.
terry

 

[Mick Sway]

Tittesworth 30/07/07

Tittesworth Water is 3 miles from Leek (see inset). From the M6 Northbound. Leave the M6 at junction 15 (signed Stoke-on-Trent,. Newcastle & A500)
Took a walk around part of the reservoir today, on a cool occasionally sunny afternoon.
Starting off at the west bank hide, in the conservation area, there were good views of a male and female great spotted wood and a juvenile redstart, which were joined by the usual array of finches and tits.
On the island were 20 or so lapwing along with black headed and herring gulls, whilst a cormorant was perched on the scaffold.
An adult crested grebe fed a fish to a juvenile.
Swallows and house martins hawked for midges over the water.
Walking along the road heading east past the visitors centre, there was a party of what looked like a party of red grouse, on the fringes of a meadow, however both the sun and the distance made confirmation difficult.
Following the path by the brook from the east side, we were rewarded with views of spotted flycatcher, garden and willow warblers, chiff chaff and a whitethroat.
More juvenile warblers were "huitting" and showing near the east side waters edge.
Common scoter had been reported in the visitors book however we were unable to connect with them.
Butterflies were scarce, however we did see a fresh comma, meadow brown, small tortoiseshell and small white.
Loads of soldier beetles were about on the still flowering vegetation.
Two hours later it was off to the Lazy trout for a swift half and home for tea (18.30).
B

 

[Mick Sway]

Insect Photos Attched

Pic of the Comma butterfly below

Tittesworth Water is 3 miles from Leek (see inset). From the M6 Northbound. Leave the M6 at junction 15 (signed Stoke-on-Trent,. Newcastle & A500)
Took a walk around part of the reservoir today, on a cool occasionally sunny afternoon.
Starting off at the west bank hide, in the conservation area, there were good views of a male and female great spotted wood and a juvenile redstart, which were joined by the usual array of finches and tits.
On the island were 20 or so lapwing along with black headed and herring gulls, whilst a cormorant was perched on the scaffold.
An adult crested grebe fed a fish to a juvenile.
Swallows and house martins hawked for midges over the water.
Walking along the road heading east past the visitors centre, there was a party of what looked like a party of red grouse, on the fringes of a meadow, however both the sun and the distance made confirmation difficult.
Following the path by the brook from the east side, we were rewarded with views of spotted flycatcher, garden and willow warblers, chiff chaff and a whitethroat.
More juvenile warblers were "huitting" and showing near the east side waters edge.
Common scoter had been reported in the visitors book however we were unable to connect with them.
Butterflies were scarce, however we did see a fresh comma, meadow brown, small tortoiseshell and small white.
Loads of soldier beetles were about on the still flowering vegetation.
Two hours later it was off to the Lazy trout for a swift half and home for tea (18.30).
B

 

[Mick Sway]

RSPB MAG AUG EDITION & Biddulph - 31/07/07

Nice to see a write up on Coombes Valley, in the August edition of RSPB mag - See P26
Biddulph noon Tuesday.
10 swifts hawked over the house along with a number of swallows and house martins.
A buzzard scudded across a clear blue sky.
Mick
:t:

 

[Mick Sway]

Biddulph Wed 01/08/07

More swifts over the house today and a bedragled Common Blue in the garden.

Nice to see a write up on Coombes Valley, in the August edition of RSPB mag - See P26
Biddulph noon Tuesday.
10 swifts hawked over the house along with a number of swallows and house martins.
A buzzard scudded across a clear blue sky.
Mick
:t:

 

[terryeyre]

walk over bradley this evening,goshawk been chased by crows,plenty of singing yellowhammers also pair red legged partridge.
terry

 

[Mick Sway]

Bradley/biddulph

Nice one Terry, sounds lovely
A Sparrow Hawk failed in its attempt to take a juv blackbird, from our garden at 1330 today.
Mick


QUOTE=terryeyre;962596]walk over bradley this evening,goshawk been chased by crows,plenty of singing yellowhammers also pair red legged partridge.
terry[/QUOTE]

 

[gray38]

Just got back off holiday been to Wales visited Skomer brill.
Then to north Norfolk stayed at Cley visited titchwell.
got back Saturday 3 buzzards flying over garden today sparrow hawk flew over. Had a walk round Huntley tonight not much about but saw 5 separate jays alowed to have a good look at them all must have been young ones.