Birding In Staffordshire (1 Viewer)

[Happy Hammer]

Nightingale

Went back to Lincs. to see the folks on Saturday.
Called in at Whisby Nature Reserve on the way to see if I could spot my first ever nightingale. Spotted one nearly immediately, what an amazing song!
Apparently there are supposed to be six around, so if anyone needs the tick, it's well worth the drive.
Neil

 

[Gronk08]

Name that Gull

Hi All

With this wonderful weather we are having it has given me the chance to look through some of my old photos.

Came across this picture of some type of Gull I took up at Fairbourne Ings, I was hoping to call upon the collective wisdom of the group to try and Identify it. My Gull identification skills are very much in there embryonic stage.

Cheers

Tim.

 

[Rob Jones]

The 1st Swift this year coming home from work along the A50 at Fole.

 

[GlynH]

Hi Tim look like ring-billed gulls to me. But im at the same stage as you so others on here are much better qualified to give you a definate answer.
Glyn

 

[Periwinkle]

It's a common gull (Dark eye amongst other things rules out ring billed).

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

i would say the gull is adult common gull

also today old vic ground now has 2 whitethroat

 

[GlynH]

Bl***y Birds

i ruled out the common gull because the Collins shows the summer adult with no beak markings. This birding lark is difficult even with a picture and a book in front of you.:-C.

 

[Gronk08]

Hi All

Thanks for putting a Id to the Gull shot, I was going around in circles trying to put a id to it, with the ring on its bill but having the dark eye.

Tim.

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

20 + swifts at college today hawking the football fields

still 2 whitethroat on old vic ground

 

[minkstone]

Young starlings on the feeders very unsteady on there legs,Had a walk up the path that goes to will-field school plenty of warblers between the path and the golf course,inc two garden warblers trying to out sing one another.

 

[Adam M]

my dad saw a butterfly today and we need some help with the ID. the following is his description of it.

small white butterfly, with electric blue on its forewing tips. one small blue/purple dot on each forewing.

any ideas? it might even be a moth but not eniterly sure. any help appreciated.

great tits appear to have nested under our noses and the eggs hatched on monday. wasn't expecting that so its a nice surprise.

adam

 

[Bananafishbones]

Tittesworth early evening

Hi Dave, been there a few times over the past couple of months, species seen were Siskins, Redpolls, Brambling, tree creeper, GS woodpecker plus other common species on the feeder to the left of the hide. Out on the lake and shores were Shoveller, pochard, tufted, goldeneye plus other common species of waterfowl. Snipe on the far bank. Look out for Barn owl up on the hill. Buzzards overhead. All the best. Neil. Not been there for 3 weeks now, so not sure whats about at this moment in time.

Thanks for the heads up Neil.:t:

Not a bad 2 hours for me, one lifer and a year tick.
Main Pool:
Mainly Mallard but nice to see a pair with 8 chicks and another pair with 4 chicks. Cormorant on the now visible island along with Tufted and Coot. Plenty of Swallow skimming the water.

Conservation Pool
Great Crested Grebe pair, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Common Sands (Year Tick), Plenty of Canada Geese, one particular pair with 6 chicks :t:, 3 Cormorant, Coot, Lapwings, 2 Pied Wagtails, 5 Woodpigeon, Plenty of Carrion, Rook and Jackdaw over head, also Swallows and House Martin. 2 Little ringed plover gave me a lifer :t::t:

Feeding Station
Greenfinch in large numbers, Chaffinch also in large numbers, Male GSW, Robin, House Sparrow female, Redpoll, Great and Blue tit

Hen Cloud
Now it is a long way from the hide to Hen Cloud but I was fairly convinced I saw 3 Perigrins :eek!:

Missed the Wimbrel, but pretty sure they flew over while I was walking back to the car, went for another look but no sign.

Regards

Dave

 

[Neil-T]

Great report there Dave, glad you got some nice ticks. Neil.

 

[carlj]

Adam, it shouldn't be electric anything - leading edge has a blue-grey tip, with a single blue-grey spot on forewing, would be a green veined white, pieris napi

 

[Upland Birder]

Hawksmoor

Went for a walk in Hawksmoor this evening. A little breezy but managed to see:-

Male Common Redstart
2 Long Tailed Tits
3 Goldfinch
Song Thrush
Blackbird pair
Buzzard low over the tree canopy

Didn't have enough time for a more extensive look around so will be back later this week.

Dean

 

[Rob Jones]

Adam, it shouldn't be electric anything - leading edge has a blue-grey tip, with a single blue-grey spot on forewing, would be a green veined white, pieris napi

What about a female Orange Tip Carl?

 

[carlj]

Actually Rob, I'm happy to stand corrected. Adam mentioned small, and green veined is larger than orange-tip. Good call! Carl

 

[Adam M]

thanks for the butterfly id lads, i'll have to ask my dad when he gets in if that is what he saw. i for one didn't know the female orange tip had blue tips and not orange, don't think my butterfly book mentions it either.

filling the feeders this morning and i could hear the starling chicks in next doors roof space, must be close to fledging if they are big enough to make that much noise. the parents are obviously feeling the demand of the chicks, this morning they were sat on the fence waiting for me to leave the feeders, usually they don't come into the garden until im back in the house.

adam

 

[kev burrows]

hi dave a few of my friends were walking around hen cloud on monday and they saw a peregrine fly by them so you are probably right, i was driving along leek road close to lime kiln at 4.30 pm yesterday and saw a peregrine fly past, probably one of our hanley pair , made my day !!!

kev....

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Berry Hill - the early shift

23 Wheatears (one a good looking Greenland type), 3 Whinchats - nice fall of birds. Left Russell to do a recount so maybe the numbers will be higher.
Nick