Birding In Staffordshire (1 Viewer)

[Adam M]

Hey up folks, what started off as a dull a'noon's birdin round poxey countin' Wobblers, turned out quite a bit differently!

The pager said "8 Whiskered Terns at Willington"! So i waited for the next message to say " report of Whiskered Terns at Willington was erroneous", oh no, it said " at least 10 Whiskered Terns at Willington". So a quick text to Mad Malc, meant i'd got a lift sorted but i was still 2 miles from home! So a military style forced march meant i was back home in twenty five, with 3 knackered dogs in tow.

Just over half an hour later Malc wheel spun into the vast carpark at Willington. Before i'd got out of the motor Malc was throwing the keys at me and shoutin' "lock her up pal, it's a lifer"!!! He was like a Cheetah on speed, ten minutes later i caught up with him as he went into a mad victory jig, like birdin's answer to Michael Flatley.3

Eleven superb Whiskered Terns all perched right in front of the crowd on the posts cunningly provided for just such an event!:t:


After that we headed back up the track to be greeted by a rather embarassed lookin' lover of scottish islands our very own Fair Isle.:eek!: Almost as much of a shock as Malcs antics and the terns. He'll probably justify it by findin' his own Sedge Warbler or something.3

Filled with hope we hit Utch on the way back. No sign of the rest of the tern flock3 but we did get 2 Whimbrel overhead plus all the currrent bits and bobs.

All in all quite an a'noon, and sounds like quite a few of us connected even young Adam, lookin' like a young Gordon Strachan3

cheers

Andy

P.S. like Fair Isle says the forecast looks good, don't wait for it to stop rainin. Get out there!

i would have gone with 'a young paul scholes' but never mind.

there is a pic of me on here, on china birds (nick sismey) year list forum/blog.

adam

 

[Upland Birder]

Whiskered Terns-Willington GP

Today I happened to be at one of my office bases in Swadlincote 10 minutes from Willington GP. My original plan was to go to Utch on the way home. At 5pm I checked Birdguides and was gobsmacked to see Whiskered Tern reported.

I made my way over, parked up and off down the track I went. I initially watched them from one of the platforms overlooking the site then carried on down the track to the far end where I met the delighted Richard Powell who said 'I thought you wern't a twitcher' a greeting I will never forget at such an important birding event.

I had to admit to Richard that I have now gone over to the dark side and the world of the twitcher :eek!: a journey I probably will not be able to retreat from.

It was just great watching these birds in flight, perched, everything about them was amazing.

Met KayD and Max and well there was this bloke from Stoke in a football kit and shin pads carrying a scope...............:t:

The first record in Derbyshire since 1883!!

Great to see members from this thread present.

All I can say is wow what an experience!!

Dean

 

[Rockbirder]

Berryhill 0550-0650 (Tiddlers area) Croxden 0730-0800.

Hey up folks a brief dawn raid on "The Hill" provided us with crippling views of a reeling gropper close to the Tiddlers pool. Great to get such views of a difficult bird to find in the Cheesedale recording area. Scoped it down to ten yards. Also another gropper offering his/herself to our little songster!

Relieved to find the motor still with four wheels it was off to Croxden then, to check for terns, bar-wits etc. Needless to say no sign of either, but did manage two local year ticks at traditional spots, garden warbler and whitethroat.

Finally sad news i'm afraid, Roger the Ruddy Shelduck as popped his clogs and is currently floating in the old lagoon at poxey:-C. Arrangements have been made to retrieve the body and the service will be at JCB lakes soon as poss'.

cheers

Andy.

 

[terryeyre]

singing skylark over the garden this morning untill it was mobbed and chased off by a pair of swallows.

 

[Adam M]

no sign of any cuckoos at apedale this morning, plenty of warblers knocking about though.

called in westport on the way home and got a good view of the reed warbler. only had a quick walk through so didn't have a proper look round.

adam

 

[russell toon]

Hey up folks a brief dawn raid on "The Hill" provided us with crippling views of a reeling gropper close to the Tiddlers pool. Great to get such views of a difficult bird to find in the Cheesedale recording area. Scoped it down to ten yards. Also another gropper offering his/herself to our little songster!

Relieved to find the motor still with four wheels it was off to Croxden then, to check for terns, bar-wits etc. Needless to say no sign of either, but did manage two local year ticks at traditional spots, garden warbler and whitethroat.

Finally sad news i'm afraid, Roger the Ruddy Shelduck as popped his clogs and is currently floating in the old lagoon at poxey:-C. Arrangements have been made to retrieve the body and the service will be at JCB lakes soon as poss'.

cheers

Andy.

"Cheesdale recording area"I like your style Andy,how far does this recording area extend.Must have just missed you on Berryhill this morning.

Russell

 

[russell toon]

Berryhill

9 warbler species this morning with 4 Lesser Whitethroats and Garden Warbler new in.
Whitethroats up to approx 25 singing males.
10 Groppers heard this morning
3 Sedge Warblers
13 Wheatear which is a bit low for late April

Russell

 

[StokeOwl]

Anyone been to see the WTs this morning? will have a drive across this afternoon if they are still showing

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

radial park

nothing mega dropped in the rain this morning

Mallard 11 ducklings today
Sparrowhawk 1
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2 these were forced to land by rain
Swift 1 flew through high in between rain
Swallow 4
House Martin 6
Wheatear 1
Grasshopper Warbler 4
Sedge Warbler 3 increase
Blackcap 1
Lesser Whitethroat 3
Whitethroat 13 big increase
Chiffchaff 5
Willow Warbler 6
Linnet 10 +

had probale reed warbler never got a view of it so dont know could of been but song didnt sound right for reed probaly another sedge in the reed bed next to sainsburys warehouse

forgot to mention shoverller pool has dried up so wont be much chance of any mega on there

 

[John Sherratt]

A Good Tern (well 8 of them)

Had more or less decided to go out this morning without deciding on where, seeing report of Whiskered Terns at Willington made my mind up for me, especially as I'd not been there this year yet, so off I went over the County Border.

Early start had me on the viewing platform about 7 am and there was 8 of them lined up on posts in the water :t: with 2 Common Terns. Had good views before they started flying about, around 15 minutes later. According to Bird Guides they were still there about 12.30.

Also about, some Swifts hunting over the Anglers side, nice view of singing Blackcap, plenty of Chiffchaffs and heard several Whitethroats and Willow Warblers. Some said they'd seen a Ring Ousel there - but to be honest I missed it :-C must have been looking the wrong way at the wrong time.

Seem to have two young Dunnocks in the garden here at home - look very much like adults, but "streakier". I would have thought it was a bit early yet to have such youngsters about? But can't see another explanation though my book is a bit vague what a juve Dunnock would look like.

John

 

[Steve Turner]

Berryhill

9 warbler species this morning with 4 Lesser Whitethroats and Garden Warbler new in.
Whitethroats up to approx 25 singing males.
10 Groppers heard this morning
3 Sedge Warblers
13 Wheatear which is a bit low for late April

Russell

...a slight improvement this afternoon, with 21 Wheatear counted plus a smart male Whinchat in the 'Shrike Paddock' area.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Rockbirder]

RP does it again!

Hey up folks, Local birder RP as done me again, WOOD [email protected] UTCH!

Topman.:t:

cheers

Andy.

Does this mean we'll have a crowd in the mornin'?

 

[Richard Powell]

That'll be this one then! B

Also the two Bar-Tailed Godwits at Branston. One of them in cracking full summer plumage.

This morning at Hawksmoor: 1 singing Wood Warbler, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Redstarts.

 

[Steve Turner]

Hey up folks, Local birder RP as done me again, WOOD [email protected] UTCH!

Topman.:t:

cheers

Andy.

Does this mean we'll have a crowd in the mornin'?

Nice one lads - another quality addition to the UTCH list :t:

Steve

 

[Periwinkle]

Is that not a green sand?

 

[Richard Powell]

At distance I would agree, and its not the greatest of photos. But the nearer I got, there was so much more speckling on this bird. With a more prominent supercilium than any of the Green Sands that have been round the quarry all winter.

What put doubt in my mind at first is just how few spring Wood Sands I have seen before. When you see the juveniles in autumn they are so much more distinctive.

 

[Periwinkle]

Sorry Richard, that's an adult green for me!

 

[Richard Powell]

You know Tom, you may well be right. Breast band shouldn't go all the way across and shouldn't be quite so distinct.

 

[Neil-T]

Berry hill with Stuart from late afternoon to around 7ish. Lots of willow warbs still singing. Whitethroats seen in 2 different locations. Nice views of Wheatears, 2male 1female. Mipits and reed buntings also seen plus good views of a kestrel. Heard the Groppers but didn't see them, think the strong wind was keeping them down.

 

[terryeyre]

did the first part of the b.t.o breeding bird survey around dimmingsdale this evening,singing bird numbers well down compared to the same week last year.could be something to do with the dry weather,much more birdsong near the river churnet and more insects.