Birding In Staffordshire (1 Viewer)

[carlj]

Mastermind now, birds of britain. Any passes will see you banned from the site.

 

[Rockbirder]

Utch Quarry.

Hey up folks, decided to ignore the rain and set off with Mad Malc for Utch. Despite almost constant rain, apart from the last half hour we managed three additions to the old Utch List '09. Common Sandpiper, House Martin and a bostin' male Yellow Wag', doin a good impression of a Canary!

Also around the quarry were c10 LRP's, 1 Oyst', 1 Curlew, 1 Snipe, 3 Chiff's, 12 Goosander and several Swallows and Sand Martins over the River Dove.

Bumped into RP as well, who'd spent the a'noon waitin' for the rain to stop. You'll have to do better than that pal before we are goin to start callin' you "Richard The Lionheart"3.

cheers

Andy.

 

[Upland Birder]

House Martins In Cheadle

Nice photo of the sib chif Tim. 3 House Martins above the house midday today. Great to see them back.

Dean:t:

 

[russell toon]

Berryhill

Grasshopper Warbler reeling at 07:00 this morning.
Also one Whitethroat.
Blackcap
3 Wheatear
Jack Snipe

Russell

 

[namron]

Sib Chiff

Hi All

Headed off to Westport lake this morning to try and find the Siberian Chiffchaff. This was to be quite a challenge having never heard one or seen one, and the books I have don't have it down as a different species.

Met a couple of chaps who saw it yesterday, and was told to lisen for a call which is a cross between Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff.
Aroured with this info the wife and me ventured on.

No sign of the bird by the path between the lakes so headed into the nature reserve.

In there we saw Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Longtailed Tit. I have attached a shot of what I think is the Siberian Chiffchaff, as it's call was slightly different. It was by the northern small pool within the conservation area.

All saw a Great Crested Grebe showing up the fishermen, although the fishermen did have bacon on the go which beats fish to me.

Tim.

Nice photo of the chiff m8. Is that defiantly the bird only I've never seen one and I dipped on it the other day? Or can anyone confirm it's the bird?

 

[Adam M]

plenty of warblers on my way to and at westport today. not too many chiffchaffs only 4, but at least 9 willow warbler and 5 male blackcaps. little grebes are back again this year, no sign of the LRP or common sand yet though. found a little breeding colony of greenfinches, about 5 pairs, while watching that a song thrush landed feet from me with a mouth full of worms and this time i actually had my camera with me :eek!: got a couple of full frame shots before it dived into a hedge, so they must have young already.
at westport everything was singing and it was hard at times to pick out certain songs, all the usual suspects along with the warblers. one swallow still above the main lake, followed by 4 flying through back along the canal. had a robin flycatching as well, got a few pics but still cant post any yet, does that count as a red breasted flycatcher or not??

im off now until the 21st, berry hill and uttox sound like a good bet for some year ticks before i go back work.

adam

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

influx of summer migrants

radial park / sideway
Mute Swan 2
Grey Heron 4
Buzzard 1
Peregrine 1
Lapwing
Snipe
Skylark
Tree Pipit 1 perched until saw me and flew off never to be seen again
Redstart 3 1 male 2 female 2 in one hedgerow 1 in the opposite :t:
Chiffchaff 12
Willow Warbler 9 7 of which were in 1 area


will have to get up early tommorrow see if i have got a grasshopper warb on site anywhere
i was after a whitethroat today but 3 redstart will do nicely

butterfly news large white in garden today being eyed up by a willow warbler:eat:

 

[russell toon]

Berryhill

With the sun and insects up had a late morning stroll and in addition to the early morning stuff came across 2 Redstarts.
The Red-legged Partridge still about.
Influx of Willow Warblers, approx 8 singing males.

Russell

 

[minkstone]

Local patch,
Behind the gas storage tank adderlygreen,
crow
magpie
jay
buzzard
kestrel
robin
blackbird
songthrush
dunnock
wren
canada
mallard
moorhen
linnet
bullfinch
chaffinch
redpoll
bluetit
greatit
longtail tit
coaltit
willow/marsh tit
chiff chaff
willow warbler
swallow
pied wagtail.
really nice walk nobody about,stuart

 

[bull's birder]

Cudmore

Quiet this afternoon, highlights on feeders were GSW and Reed Bunting, Blackcaps singing from woods opposite and two Ravens over. Between there and home at least a dozen Buzzards.

Cheers
Craig

 

[Gronk08]

Hi All

Thanks to Brian, Rob and keith abouts the comments about the photo.

Been up to Leightonmoss today I did offer the wife Fancy Hill but she didn't Fancy the idea

High light of the day was seeing the displaying Mash Harrier around the reserve. We heard Beaded Tit but not a sign. Plenty of Warbler there, thought I heard my first Reed Warbler of the year.

Hope everyone else has had a good birding day, probably do a local spot tomorrow, with Monday looking like a trip up the Wirral hoping to track down any migrants and Purple Sandpiper at New Brighton.

Now though a think a B is in order

Cheers

Tim.

 

[Neil-T]

Not been out birding anywhere today but have had plenty in the garden, usual finches with a nice surprise of a female Brambling still around. Played golf in the afternoon and plenty of action around the golf course. GC greebe, several herons and buzzards over, hunting kestrel. There were some geese on one of the fairways, but not sure what they were, looked in the book and they could have been white fronted, they had orange bills and legs.

 

[Martyn Yapp]

Greylag Goose

Not been out birding anywhere today but have had plenty in the garden, usual finches with a nice surprise of a female Brambling still around. Played golf in the afternoon and plenty of action around the golf course. GC greebe, several herons and buzzards over, hunting kestrel. There were some geese on one of the fairways, but not sure what they were, looked in the book and they could have been white fronted, they had orange bills and legs.

 

[Gronk08]

Radial Park Redstart

Redstart 3 1 male 2 female 2 in one hedgerow 1 in the opposite :t:

Hi Rob

Just wondered where you managed to pick up the Redstarts wouldn't mind a look for them myself if the weather holds out for tomorrow.

Cheers

Tim.

 

[Rockbirder]

Utch Quarry.

Hey up folks, one or two bits and bobs at Utch this evening.

Green Sand' 5, 3 Cotton mill pool, 1 Leasowes pool, 1 New workings.
LRP c10
Oystercatcher 6
Snipe 1
Curlew 2
Willow Warbler 1
Chiff' 2
Sand Martin 10
Yellow Wag' 1
Goosander 12
Teal 6.


Cheers

Andy.

 

[StokeOwl]

Westport Lake

Very quiet this morning. Possibly due to the 2 Sparrowhawks that were making themselves known.


Also saw Reed Bunting, Willow Tit, Wren and 2 Great Crested Grebes performing their full courtship dance.

If anyone else was down there, did you see the juvenile gull hanging around the small pool? I'm thinking LBB but juvenile gullls aren't my strong point. If anyone can confirm I'd be grateful.

 

[M_T]

If anyone else was down there, did you see the juvenile gull hanging around the small pool? I'm thinking LBB but juvenile gullls aren't my strong point. If anyone can confirm I'd be grateful.

I was there this morning, got there about 7:15-30am and I too saw the gull. There was definitely a LBB there and I assumed the juvenile was a LBB as well (but I'm not sure at all!).

This is my first post by the way so hello everyone! Been into birding, although not 'seriously', for a couple of years now and am just starting to get really into it this year. Just got back from a trip to norfolk and want to really start getting out and about in Stoke/staffs as that is my home patch. Strangely, I don't live too far from Westport lake but have never thought to go there - after lurking on here for a few weeks I took my first trip this morning and really enjoyed it. Managed to see the Siberian Chiffchaff :t: It was right where the other poster earlier described it. Although as I say, in no way an expert, the song was definitely different from a normal chiffchaff. Got a really good clear view of it.

Saw some other nice things - a few Blackcaps, a willow warbler, the Great Crested Grebes, and the gulls mentioned above. Will definitely be paying more vists there.

I've been reading about Berry Hill and I know where Berry Hill is, but not where the decent place to go birding is - Any help on that front would be appreciated as to how to get there. Thanks. I usually head up to Coombes Valley - I don't know if people go there very often any more? (I rarely see many people there), but have had some good sights there last year.

Looking forward to seeing my first ever Redstart this year for my year list!

 

[carlj]

Welcome to the thread Pilf. They're a good bunch here - generally!

 

[Adam M]

welcome to the thread pilf. i was in your position last year, been birding casually for a couple of years but last year is really when it started seriously. this thread and birdguides were a great help in me seeing more species and increasing my knowledge of birds. westport is a good site with 100+ species seen every year, but you have to put the hours in to see that many. coombes valley tends to be at it's best the 1st week of may, with both species of flycatcher and redstarts showing well, also a chance of wood warbler. dimmingsdale, up cheadle way, is probably a safer bet for wood warbler but im not too sure how good it is for the other species.
for berryhill i find just walking around up there with your eyes and ears open is often the best option as things can turn up almost anywhere, russell might be a better person to ask though. park either at the end of mossfield industrial estate or, i think it's anchor road, but not 100% that's the right road name.

i'll probably bump into you around westport sometime in the future.

happy birding

adam

 

[StokeOwl]

Hi Pilf, welcome to the thread. You never know what Westport might throw up.

Haven't been to Coombes Valley yet this year, it's a walk I like to do when the weather is really hot. I heard one of the paths had collapsed and was blocked off. Do you know if it's been sorted yet?