Birding In Staffordshire (186 Viewers)

[Rob1991S-O-T]

wryneck - one reported in the Sherbrook Valley this morning but no further details

dont fancy trying find that on the chase intresting see if get seen again

 

[andyr]

Any details on the Wryneck ?!!!?

Hi All

Yoooiiikkkssss !!! Wryneck just reported on Birdguides - in the Sherbrook Valley area of Cannock Chase !!!

Does anyone have any news at all of exactly where it may have been seen, as even the valley area is a large expanse of land ???

Obviously if I hear of any details, I will post them straightaway, though there is no info on the WMBC hotline as yet (as at 2.20pm).


Cheers


Andy R

 

[paulthomas]

If you do go to the Sherbrook Valley, please remember it's a disease control area and stick to the main paths.

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Wryneck

I had an email about this bird. Have requested more info from finders, so at present it's unconfirmed. They unfortunately gave no indication of it's exact whereabouts.

Nick

Hi All

Yoooiiikkkssss !!! Wryneck just reported on Birdguides - in the Sherbrook Valley area of Cannock Chase !!!

Does anyone have any news at all of exactly where it may have been seen, as even the valley area is a large expanse of land ???

Obviously if I hear of any details, I will post them straightaway, though there is no info on the WMBC hotline as yet (as at 2.20pm).


Cheers


Andy R

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Spot Flys

Aye, that it was. The trees by the track seem to be a popular post-breeding location as they were in almost exactly the same spot as a family party last year.

Hi Nck,
Was that the clearing by the fire track?

Cheers
Craig

 

[Adam M]

went round the uni nature reserve today, most of the usual suspects, flock of 15-20 goldfinches probably the highlight. heard a GSW and had a flock of tits, but couldn't pick individual species out due to full foliage on the trees and poor light, apart from blue tit. followed a path that brought me out on victoria road, is there any point of access to berryhill from near there, maybe off dewsbury road or morville close? if so i might pop over when i have a gap between lectures.

adam

 

[andyr]

I had an email about this bird. Have requested more info from finders, so at present it's unconfirmed. They unfortunately gave no indication of it's exact whereabouts.

Nick

Cheers Nick. And no more news either, via the WMBC hotline, according to Eric Clare's latest messages.

PS Nick - a question from me on another bird if I may. We all would have noted the very accommodating Westport duck clearly showing that ring above it's bill-tip - and yet according to the RSPB's very large book "the Complete Book of British Birds" or something similar - £25 (which I was flicking through in our local garden centre today, before I put it back !) states such a noticable ring confirms the genuine article rather than any hybrid. So do you feel they are stating too much with that claim, for there to be those early doubts about the Westport bird's authenticity ???

Regards

Andy Russell

 

[russell toon]

went round the uni nature reserve today, most of the usual suspects, flock of 15-20 goldfinches probably the highlight. heard a GSW and had a flock of tits, but couldn't pick individual species out due to full foliage on the trees and poor light, apart from blue tit. followed a path that brought me out on victoria road, is there any point of access to berryhill from near there, maybe off dewsbury road or morville close? if so i might pop over when i have a gap between lectures.

adam

You can access the western end end of Berryhill from Dewsbury Road turning right along Speddings Road and go through the gate in the metal fence at the end of Speddings Road.

Russell

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Hi Andy, I think if you found a RND you'd want to check a number of features to ensure it was the real deal (see Brian Stretch's link posted earlier on this thread). I wouldn't have thought the bill features alone were sufficient, but I'm no expert on RND ID.

At Hanchurch Woods by lower car park this morning: 70 crossbills, 60+ siskins, 150 goldfinches.

Nick

Cheers Nick. And no more news either, via the WMBC hotline, according to Eric Clare's latest messages.

PS Nick - a question from me on another bird if I may. We all would have noted the very accommodating Westport duck clearly showing that ring above it's bill-tip - and yet according to the RSPB's very large book "the Complete Book of British Birds" or something similar - £25 (which I was flicking through in our local garden centre today, before I put it back !) states such a noticable ring confirms the genuine article rather than any hybrid. So do you feel they are stating too much with that claim, for there to be those early doubts about the Westport bird's authenticity ???

Regards

Andy Russell

 

[andyr]

Hi Andy, I think if you found a RND you'd want to check a number of features to ensure it was the real deal (see Brian Stretch's link posted earlier on this thread). I wouldn't have thought the bill features alone were sufficient, but I'm no expert on RND ID.

At Hanchurch Woods by lower car park this morning: 70 crossbills, 60+ siskins, 150 goldfinches.

Nick

Thanks Nick ... and for reminding me of the thoughts of Brian Stretch (and others) which I re-read with interest, in the light of that RSPB-book "ringed-bill equals RND" statement.
Either way, I guess if birding was easy - we wouldn't invest in it so much time and interest !!!

Cheers

Andy

PS... On my way back from swimming a few minutes ago, I drove past one of the local Sparrowhawks devouring what looked like a Collared Dove or possibly a Wood Pigeon on
the verge alongside the southern end of Ryknild Street here in Lichfield. If anyone knows the road - it's busy ! And the bird was maybe five to six feet at most from all the passing traffic. Amazing.

 

[Rob Jones]

PS... On my way back from swimming a few minutes ago, I drove past one of the local Sparrowhawks devouring what looked like a Collared Dove or possibly a Wood Pigeon on
the verge alongside the southern end of Ryknild Street here in Lichfield. If anyone knows the road - it's busy ! And the bird was maybe five to six feet at most from all the passing traffic. Amazing.

Strange what you see when you're on a busy road and can't stop!

 

[Rockbirder]

Poxey 1800-1930.

Two Yellow-legged Gulls tonight among far fewer gulls than lately. A 2nd winter duely disappeared as the crowds arrived and then the "usual" adult bird turned up.

YLG 2
HG 3
LBBG c200
BHG 46
Black Plague or Fishermans friend 1

Andy.

 

[paulthomas]

PS... On my way back from swimming a few minutes ago, I drove past one of the local Sparrowhawks devouring what looked like a Collared Dove or possibly a Wood Pigeon on
the verge alongside the southern end of Ryknild Street here in Lichfield. If anyone knows the road - it's busy ! And the bird was maybe five to six feet at most from all the passing traffic. Amazing.

Not too far from me. If it was a female, it might even be the same bird that comes into my garden occasionally (not sure how big their territories are). A couple of years ago a female sprawk was attaching the Starlings as they flocked prior to roosting. She was flying out in the open with people walking past.

On Tuesday afternoon, I saw a Buzzard battling against the wind flying right over the Co-op car park .

 

[SallyBee]

Having checked the West Mids Bird club results, I see there has been an osprey at Blithfield on and off between April 6th and July 22nd this "summer". Has anyone seen it? I presume it isn't ringed? I would love to see them at Blithfield as a breeding species. Any news gratefully received

 

[Mad_Sunday]

Utch Quarry

Made my first exploratory visit today. Took me ages to find somewhere to park and a way in via a footpath. This is a somewhat stark and dangerous looking place in some areas, but first impressions as a place to see birds were good. I only had about 1/2 an hour so left the scope and camera in the car and only had 8x bins with me. Apart from plenty of Ducks, Geese, Cormorants and Gulls (most of which were too distant for good views with binos) I saw 1 Buzzard, 1 Snipe, 1 (juv?) Peregrine and group of 4 very approachable Wheatears who sat on the fence posts by the old boat.

As Arnie says, I'll be back!

p.s. also saw a camo clad guy with a camera who appeared to be taking snaps of Dragonflies etc.

 

[andyr]

Not too far from me. If it was a female, it might even be the same bird that comes into my garden occasionally (not sure how big their territories are). A couple of years ago a female sprawk was attaching the Starlings as they flocked prior to roosting. She was flying out in the open with people walking past.

On Tuesday afternoon, I saw a Buzzard battling against the wind flying right over the Co-op car park .

Hi Paul

You and I might share the same Sprawks ! We're just off Darnford Lane and regularly (certainly once or twice a week) have both male and female birds swooping down towards our seed-feeders. This year I've only had to scoop up the proverbial pile of left-behind feathers two or three times though and after another unsuccessful mission the other day, a male shot off over the fence and perched for a few minutes on top of the children's-trampoline safety-net in next door's garden - yet to do any somersaults though !

Cheers

Andy

 

[Martyn Yapp]

Osprey

These sightings probably refer to many individuals which pass through, however there is normally a long stying individual that turns up in late summer. I have seen at least three different individuals here this Autumn.

As for breeding pair no no no please no, don't wish for that to many headaches with visitors and security.........

Having checked the West Mids Bird club results, I see there has been an osprey at Blithfield on and off between April 6th and July 22nd this "summer". Has anyone seen it? I presume it isn't ringed? I would love to see them at Blithfield as a breeding species. Any news gratefully received

 

[Neil-T]

Made my first exploratory visit today. Took me ages to find somewhere to park and a way in via a footpath. This is a somewhat stark and dangerous looking place in some areas, but first impressions as a place to see birds were good. I only had about 1/2 an hour so left the scope and camera in the car and only had 8x bins with me. Apart from plenty of Ducks, Geese, Cormorants and Gulls (most of which were too distant for good views with binos) I saw 1 Buzzard, 1 Snipe, 1 (juv?) Peregrine and group of 4 very approachable Wheatears who sat on the fence posts by the old boat.

As Arnie says, I'll be back!

p.s. also saw a camo clad guy with a camera who appeared to be taking snaps of Dragonflies etc.

That would be me having a look around to see if there were any late flying Dragonflies about, I did spot you in the far corner....you should have come over for a chat.

Plenty of Lapwings and 1 small wader which I think was a common sand, buzzards, sparrowhawk and kestrel, pied and grey wags, small tit flock and a solitary willow warbler.

Dragonflies and butterflies included: Migrant Hawker, Common Darter and Black tip chaser. Surprised to see a small copper butterfly in with a few comma's and small tortoiseshell.

Not a bad sunny afternoon. Neil.

A few pics from today. Any help in an ID on the caterpillars would be helpful.

 

[Mad_Sunday]

That would be me having a look around to see if there were any late flying Dragonflies about, I did spot you in the far corner....you should have come over for a chat.

Well next time I will Neil, but today I really didn't have the time and also I'm unsure of where I can and can't go. Nice photos btw. I wish I had taken the camera with me as those Wheatears were really close and ideally perched for some good shots..........ain't that just typical

Pete

 

[ScottPetrek]

Blithfield

Had a shot at birding Blithfield dam this morning. Went down the Staffs Way, got a bit lost and then found my way back.

Not much about, but the river just after it comes out of the reservoir is beautiful. Birds about Grey Wag, Red-leg Partridge, GSW, Linnet, Goldfinch, Pied Wag, Buzzard, Kestrel, 43 Grey Heron :eek!: in just one 50m stretch of river. Nothing special but a very nice walk in the sun. :t: