Birding In Staffordshire (1 Viewer)

[sylvia staffs]

Westport Lake today

Wrens in good voice. Pochard, GC Grebe, as Neil pointed out close to shore, female on eggs near path. Thought I'd got 2 willow tits, until they sang, and I believe they're marsh tits. Does the Sibe go "Chiff-chaff....warble warble"? No see, but heard. And swear I heard willow warbler too.

Marsh Tits are a major twitchable rarity at Westport, they will be Willow Tits.

Sylvia

 

[carlj]

Ta. When marsh tit called played on phone they investigated. Willow tit they ignored so probably heard it as an intruder.

 

[Adam M]

Westport Lake today

Wrens in good voice. Pochard, GC Grebe, as Neil pointed out close to shore, female on eggs near path. Thought I'd got 2 willow tits, until they sang, and I believe they're marsh tits. Does the Sibe go "Chiff-chaff....warble warble"? No see, but heard. And swear I heard willow warbler too.

i had about 5 willow warblers there a couple of days ago, theres plenty more up the canal towards harecastle tunnel as well. although they were singing alot, they were hiding somewhere towards the top of the trees. might pop along to uttox tomorrow, but with the weather being so nice it's hard to get me out the garden of late.

talking of the garden, we thought the robins had left their nest and gone elsewhere, but today one went back into the nest and we had both in the garden this evening. so we think they had built the nest and were waiting for the female to start laying eggs, so hopefully they are still using the nest in our ivy. great tits were singing again this morning so hopefully they are still claiming territory in the garden, although they to haven't been in their box for a while. blackbirds are now nesting nextdoor in the same tree as collared doves. with a bit of luck this should be a good breeding year for the birds in and around my garden.

*edit* are tree pipits a bird we shouldn't discuss on the forum?? and who had the grasshopper warbler down bathpool, thought that was my patch only!! 3
there is currently a thing bbc1 about staffs, villages in the moorlands and alton towers etc
adam

 

[Neil-T]

Just spent a few hours in the garden, mowing lawn, cutting hedges that sort of thing.......oh, and a bit of watching the birds. Still loads of Redpolls about but only a couple of Siskins. Goldfinches paid a visit along with Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Robin and Song thrush.

 

[carlj]

Neil want me to email the Doxey map for your next expedition?

 

[Neil-T]

Neil want me to email the Doxey map for your next expedition?

That's very kind of you sir.
[email protected]

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

radial park 5:30 till 8 :15 afternoon

still no groppers :-C mybe i get a late pair hopefully have them by may if not i dont get them up there

Red-legged Partridge 1 ran out in front of me on the path at about 8 site tick:t:
Buzzard 3
Kestrel 1
Lapwing 4
Lesser Black-backed Gull 12+ still some birds passing over at 7:45
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2
Swallow 3 heading north west
Yellow Wagtail 1 thanks steve for letting me know had great views of it feeding on the pool where the shoveller was site first :t:

Wheatear 1 near to where the yellow wag was
Blackcap 2 male and female bird
Chiffchaff 8 singing still as it was dark
Willow Warbler 8 same for these aswell

also 2 foxes seen very close views
1 stoat that ran out on path looked at me and ran off

3rd day on the bounce i have been up there and i have had stonking 3 days up there

 

[carlj]

Rob, still at a loss how to get around there. Walked to Stadium along canal. Turned right towards warehouses, found a 100 yards of walk before the A500! And saw nowt too!

BTW, if you pass the sideway pools, keep an eye out for large red damselflies for me!
Carl

 

[Upland Birder]

Its great to be back on North Staffordshire soil. Went to Upton Warren in Worcestershire today before the return and highlights were Avocet (8), Little Ring Plover (7) including pair mating. Never seen LRP's mating before!! Redshank (3) including a pair mating - Never seen Redshank mate before either. It was one of those days.

It was interesting to observe a Dunnock on its nest.

A day for observing bird behaviour, mating and breeding preperations.

Also saw a Grass Snake, a number of Orange Tip butterflies and a couple of Peacock butterflies.

Dean

PS Full report in the West Midlands/Warwickshire thread

 

[Martyn Yapp]

Ring Ouzel

As already suggested it is an abberant Blackbird. Pale edges are too random, bill would be dark in 1st winters and although not well shown in this image, the primaries would appear longer. Collins "Bird Guide" covers most immature birds poorly because of their limitations on space, I suggest you take a look at the "Concise BWP" were the it shows ten birds of three races and all plumages.

Hi all, Glyn has sent me this picture which he took on the bridge at Knypersley in January of this year.

Take a close look at the markings and they are typical Ring Ousel. So is the bill. What are your opinions of this bird please.

 

[Neil-T]

Thanks to all who replied about the Picture Glyn sent me. Very interesting to know about such things as abberant blackbirds, in all my years of birdwatching I have never seen or heard of one. Must read more books. Neil.

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Berry Hill

Quick pre-work dash round site produced 2 birders (guess who!), 12 wheatears, 1 fieldfare and 1 lesser redpoll. 2 groppers reeling away from territory of first bird so maybe 3 present (maybe not).

Nick

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Lesser Pecker

For those of you keen to get Lesser Pecker on your year lists, I've just received a record of one in the monkey enclosure at Trentham Lakes.

Can you afford the entrance fee though?? :smoke:

Nick

 

[Steve Turner]

Hanchurch Woods

36+ Crossbill this morning, in Larch near the lower carpark; also one Brambling.

Steve

 

[Steve Turner]

Thanks to all who replied about the Picture Glyn sent me. Very interesting to know about such things as abberant blackbirds, in all my years of birdwatching I have never seen or heard of one. Must read more books. Neil.

Neil

The term aberrant can apply to any species, and is derived from the word aberration, meaning something that deviates from the normal way.

Regards
Steve

 

[Steve Turner]

For those of you keen to get Lesser Pecker on your year lists, I've just received a record of one in the monkey enclosure at Trentham Lakes.

Can you afford the entrance fee though?? :smoke:

Nick

:-O I'm sure there's a good joke in that...where's Rockbirder when you need him?!!

Steve

 

[russell toon]

For those of you keen to get Lesser Pecker on your year lists, I've just received a record of one in the monkey enclosure at Trentham Lakes.

Can you afford the entrance fee though?? :smoke:

Nick

Seen them a few times over the years at the southern end of the lake.
Difficult little critters to twitch,I tend to come across them by chance and with trees coming into leaf it will be even harder.
Also used to see them at Consall CP by the bridge over the canal (down towards the Black Lion) but havent seen any this year here.

Russell

 

[Adam M]

uttox this morning with andy produced a common tern and a dunlin, 7 GC grebes and not much else.
went blithfield to see if the garganey were still there, no sign of them but a few shelduck, blackcap, teal, tufties, a couple of goldeneye, ruddy duck (year tick) and a pike. called in bathpool on the way home, didn't hear any reeling groppers but it does look good for them, worth a trip early one morning this week.

adam

 

[Gronk08]

Lesser Spots

Seen them a few times over the years at the southern end of the lake.
Difficult little critters to twitch,I tend to come across them by chance and with trees coming into leaf it will be even harder.
Also used to see them at Consall CP by the bridge over the canal (down towards the Black Lion) but havent seen any this year here.

Russell

Hi

If you are prepared to cross the boarder and head towards Derby Allestree park is a good spot for them, managed to spot right next to the path. It didn't hang around for too long, basically it saw me getting my camera out and flew off (story of my life).

Tim

 

[GlynH]

Ring Ouzel

As already suggested it is an abberant Blackbird. Pale edges are too random, bill would be dark in 1st winters and although not well shown in this image, the primaries would appear longer. Collins "Bird Guide" covers most immature birds poorly because of their limitations on space, I suggest you take a look at the "Concise BWP" were the it shows ten birds of three races and all plumages.

Hi Martin i took this picture in very bright winter sunlight. The pale edgings you refer to are actually the sun relecting off the diamond shape tips of the feathers, though this is not easily seen due to the reduced size of the image.I also thought it may be a blackbird, but looking through the collins the young ring ouzel have similar feathers. This is why i asked someone else for an opinion. I have the original raw image plus abiut 4 others of the same bird if anyone wants a look but they are large files. Any ones input is welcome.
Best regards Glyn