Birding In Staffordshire (18 Viewers)

[nutcracker1965]

The only low point of the day was the STOKE score , never mind you can't have everything . mate

 

[Adam M]

The only low point of the day was the STOKE score , never mind you can't have everything . mate

tell me about it, i expected at least double figures!!! i realise i've left myself wide open for a load on anti-vale abuse, but its well worth it. :king:

wish i had the chance to go off twitching mega's, but my current finacial state is preventing me. sounds like you had a good trip, scotland is on my list of places to go birding, along with sea watching possibly off cornwall. think my uni course has a field trip for a week on some island off scotland, stoke hasn't got too many places to do marine biology, so hopefully might get some birding done then.

adam

 

[carlj]

tell me about it, i expected at least double figures!!! i realise i've left myself wide open for a load on anti-vale abuse, but its well worth it. :king:


adam

Hear your manager has transfer listed the whole squad, Adam.... Heard a Lapwing was nesting in the opposition goal - no chance of disturbance! :-O

 

[Adam M]

Hear your manager has transfer listed the whole squad, Adam.... Heard a Lapwing was nesting in the opposition goal - no chance of disturbance! :-O

not until the 2nd half any way and yes vale have put the entire squad on the transfer list, so im taking my boots next game as there's a good chance i could become our top goal scorer this season. are we going slightly off topic now??

 

[Gronk08]

Hi All

Went up to Potteric Carr yesterday with the wife, never been before although driven past it many times.
Was a great day up there nothing really special but the bacon baps are massive!
I see the following
Marsh Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Mute Swan
Gadwall (never seen so many in one reserve)
Teal
Snipe
Golden Plover
Lapwing

Looks like a great reserve hopefully we will go back in the winter to increase the chance of seeing the Bittern thats there.

Tim.

 

[carlj]

Tim,

Local group are heading there early next year. One of our favourites, and the Bittern does show well. Water Rail is very forthcoming at the feeding station (ideal when you've picked up a coffee from the nearby cafe!)

Carl

 

[Gronk08]

Tim,

Local group are heading there early next year. One of our favourites, and the Bittern does show well. Water Rail is very forthcoming at the feeding station (ideal when you've picked up a coffee from the nearby cafe!)

Carl

The cafe there is quite something had a massive bacon butty from there. Felt I needed to do a few laps around the reserve to walk it off.

Tim.

 

[Adam M]

pectoral sandpiper reported at blithfield on birdguides.......i cant get there until wednesday at the earliest!!! hope it sticks around and is at the causeway end/middle.

 

[ScottPetrek]

dowitcher

I know its not in Staffs, but though I should mention the Long-billed Dowitchers at Inner Marsh RSPB in Cheshire. A nice reserve if you haven't been, and they are opening to the public tomorrow just to let people see the birds! They normally close on a Tuesday.

My best attempt at a photo is attached, not very good. Think I need to invest in a digi-scope kit!

Interesting about the Pectoral Sandpipers. The last thing the RSPB guy at Inner Marsh said was that the 2 Pecs had last been seen abit further up the coast, and as if by magic 2 appear at Blithfield.

Fingers crossed, but could the dowitchers make a Staffs appearance too? :h?:

 

[Richard Powell]

After a "post-work-tick-and-run" mission, I'm afraid Adam, the Pec Sands were right down the far end of Blithe Bay this evening. You'd need one heck of a scope to see them from the causeway. One of them appeared to have a bit of a limp.

Just renew your WMBC membership , I couldn't live without it these days.

Speaking of West Midland Bird Club, in the latest bulletin it appears to imply that Blithfield is underwatched. Which seems a little unfair on the regular Blithers stalwarts.......

pectoral sandpiper reported at blithfield on birdguides.......i cant get there until wednesday at the earliest!!! hope it sticks around and is at the causeway end/middle.

 

[coloz]

just been looking on bird guides there's a upland sandpiper up in scotland now. i wish some would fly down to staffs.:C

 

[bull's birder]

Non-birding friend thinks she saw male Peregrine eating a pigeon in the middle of Chesterton today!!

Cheers
Craig

 

[nutcracker1965]

After a "post-work-tick-and-run" mission, I'm afraid Adam, the Pec Sands were right down the far end of Blithe Bay this evening. You'd need one heck of a scope to see them from the causeway. One of them appeared to have a bit of a limp.

Just renew your WMBC membership , I couldn't live without it these days.

Speaking of West Midland Bird Club, in the latest bulletin it appears to imply that Blithfield is underwatched. Which seems a little unfair on the regular Blithers stalwarts.......

Hi Rich saw you at blithers ,i was in the hide watching limpy and his mate, plenty of mud for a dowitcher me thinks

 

[Richard Powell]

Hey Up Ian. Sorry I didn't notice you in the hide, I didn't get that far. Although I knew you were around, recognised your vehicle. :t:

Was the limp caused by an attack by a pesky Peregrine?

Hi Rich saw you at blithers ,i was in the hide watching limpy and his mate, plenty of mud for a dowitcher me thinks

 

[nutcracker1965]

Hey Up Ian. Sorry I didn't notice you in the hide, I didn't get that far. Although I knew you were around, recognised your vehicle. :t:

Was the limp caused by an attack by a pesky Peregrine?

don't know about any peregrine attack, but the bird kept squating down and looking skyward's warey of anything overhead ?:t:

 

[Upland Birder]

Made my way over to Inner Marsh farm today and saw:-

Long Billed Dowitcher 2
Dunlin 1
Black-tailed Godwit 8
Greenshank 5
Redshank 7
Ruff 4
Little Egret 120 (Would have been 300+ if I stayed til dark)
Hen Harrier 1
Water Rail 2
Buzzard 2
Lapwing 120
Teal
Shoveler
Gadwall
Linnet

Managed to have great views of the Dowitchers the latest to be added to my northern hemisphere wader list. Interesting comparing them in size with Black-tailed Godwits.


Happy Birding

Dean:t:

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Sanderling Ringing Record

Back on 29th May (see post 6307), PROUD POTTER reported a colour ringed sanderling at Blithfield. I submitted it to the ringing web site and have just received back the following :eek!:

Ringed in Esiama (coastal beach) Ghana 4/2/08 where it stayed until 22/8/08. Then seen again in Ghana 3/10/08 where it wintered until last seen on 9/5/09. 20 days later spotted at Blithfield Res.!!

Cheers, Nick

 

[Upland Birder]

House Martins are still about and using the nest under the eaves of the house.

Dean:t:

 

[Neil-T]

Heard there is a hoopoe on the Isle of Wight

 

[ScottPetrek]

Keep watching...

Sandhill Crane on the move, now in Scotland, not far from Inverness. A bit further south and it may well be open to the masses!