Birding In Staffordshire (2 Viewers)

[Charlie Sargent]

Hanchurch and Parkhall

What!! That's mad!! I beginning to think she's looking at a different stretch of the river to us??

Steve

Eventually caught up with the Crossbills at Hanchurch and both Little and Long Eared Owls at Parkhall.

Had a quick look at MADELEY just before dark. No sign of Little Egret

Charlie

 

[Charlie Sargent]

Hi Charlie, the last 2 times I have seen them have been down the blue path, but they can be seen anywhere around here, check the other 2 paths as well. Go down by the woodcutters cottage and take the 2nd path on your left. Walk for about 200yds minimum then stop and listen all the time, you will hear them before you see them. Keep walking down this path until the trees start to thicken out again on your left, no need to go any further than this. If they are not there, check the other 2 locations. Hope this helps. Neil.

Neil Thanks for the map. I spotted them in a tree about 250 yds away at the end of the yellow path where you can sit and look at the view over the City.

Charlie

 

[Charlie Sargent]

Stanley Matthews Way

At 3.55pm I watched as about 100+ lapwings flew in and shortly afterwards 13 Golden Plover.

Charlie

 

[coloz]

Hi folk's anyone no where the great white egret was at blithfield cheers col

 

[terryeyre]

alot of woodcock about around the alton area at the moment,could be continental birds,i have had five get up out of the bracken in the last week.

 

[Upland Birder]

I'm currently reading a book called 'Birders Tales Of A Tribe' by Mark Cocker and there is a snippet where he mentions seeing Capercaillie strutting across one of the woodland rides on Cannock Chase in the 1970s. They were apparently introduced by the Forestry Commission in the 1960s in the hope that they would re-establish themselves but the attempt failed.

According to Mark Cocker this species had not been found in Staffordshire since the seventeenth century.

I had a look at 'The New Birds of The West Midlands' where it states that a male and two female were introduced in the early 1970s.

Also in the book he states that Birding involves physical military skills of seeing and not being seen and that for him this explains why so many male birders dress in paramilitary fashion; that its a subconscious expression of the boyhood soldier present in us all :-O :-O :-O

Dean:t:

 

[coloz]

I'm currently reading a book called 'Birders Tales Of A Tribe' by Mark Cocker and there is a snippet where he mentions seeing Capercaillie strutting across one of the woodland rides. They were apparently introduced by the Forestry Commission in the 1960s in the hope that they would re-establish themselves but the attempt failed.

According to Mark Cocker this species had not been found in Staffordshire since the seventeenth century.

I had a look at 'The New Birds of The West Midlands' where it states that a male and two female were introduced in the early 1970s.

Also in the book he states that Birding involves physical military skills of seeing and not being seen and that for him this explains why so many male birders dress in paramilitary fashion; that its a subconscious expression of the boyhood soldier present in us all :-O :-O :-O

Dean:t:

Ive heard that rob swift and namron like to go commando when out birding .:-O lol

 

[namron]

Ive heard that rob swift and namron like to go commando when out birding .:-O lol

Ay you I am reading the forum you know even though I've not had much to say lately. You can go off people lol

 

[Neil-T]

Not in Staffs I know. Had an RSPB meeting today at Inner Marsh Farm at Burton Point, the meeting lasted until 12.30pm so we had a walk around the reserve. It's a very nice place to visit with a varied habitat. Species seen were:
Linnet
Reed bunting
Little egret
Pintail
Shoveller
Tufted duck
Pochard
Teal
Widgeon
Hybrid Ruddy shelduck?
Thousands of Lapwing
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
Green woodpecker
Bewicks swan
Heron
Marsh harrier
Short eared owl

Called in at westport lake on the way back just before it got dark. LT tits, Goosander on the small pool very close to the side. Tufted duck, Pochard, LBB gull and the usual stuff.

 

[Upland Birder]

Hi folk's anyone no where the great white egret was at blithfield cheers col[/QUOTE

Talking of Great White Egrets. In early February 2009 there was one at Collycroft Lake between Hilton and Sutton On The Hill just down the A50 in Derbyshire. We hoped that this bird might make its way into Staffordshire and perhaps Uttoxeter Quarry but this was not to be. I think there was one seen at Willington GPs as well in June last year.

Perhaps the one seen today at Blithers will make its way a little further north to these parts or at least just north of the A50 in Staffs. We can only hope.

Dean:t:

 

[M_T]

I'm currently reading a book called 'Birders Tales Of A Tribe' by Mark Cocker

I read that last year - It's a great book, definitely recommend it as well. He talks about Buxton a lot and birding in the peak district as a youngster in there.

Not had the chance to get out much lately so I'm hoping to get to Brookleys this weekend for this first time to possibly add Mandarin and Scaup to the year list B

 

[Bigshent]

Decided have a wonder around Westport in my lunch break all the normal stuff Pochard tufties GC Grebes. I was hopeing for redpolls and siskin there were but non about, I did manage good views of Willow Tit and a 2 possible Marsh Tits but they flew before i could make a positive ID Also nipped into Greenway Bank to see if there was anything different around the feeders, plenty of birds with bullfinch and Nuthatch probably the best

 

[Neil-T]

Decided have a wonder around Westport in my lunch break all the normal stuff Pochard tufties GC Grebes. I was hopeing for redpolls and siskin there were but non about, I did manage good views of Willow Tit and a 2 possible Marsh Tits but they flew before i could make a positive ID Also nipped into Greenway Bank to see if there was anything different around the feeders, plenty of birds with bullfinch and Nuthatch probably the best

Did you see the Goosander on the small pool?

 

[Bigshent]

Did you see the Goosander on the small pool?

No m8 just moorhen coot mallard and a couple of herons knocking around the pools

 

[Adam M]

Decided have a wonder around Westport in my lunch break all the normal stuff Pochard tufties GC Grebes. I was hopeing for redpolls and siskin there were but non about, I did manage good views of Willow Tit and a 2 possible Marsh Tits but they flew before i could make a positive ID Also nipped into Greenway Bank to see if there was anything different around the feeders, plenty of birds with bullfinch and Nuthatch probably the best

they only get willow tits at westport. best place to see them is by the large gate into the nature reserve bit where people put down seed. think they have got 4 on site.

i haven't seen any redpolls or siskins anywhere near westport for a while now, i would have thought it would be full of them as the site itself and the nearby canal are covered in alder trees, there aren't even that many goldfinches down there. a couple of years ago i saw my first siskin in with a large finch flock at westport, followed by my first redpoll feeding on the path around the lake, that was the last time i saw any large number of finches there.

that goosander cant be the same one i saw on jan 1st can it?? i dont know what it more unlikely, a goosander staying there for a month or a lone female dropping in on to the small pool on two seperate occasions.

adam

 

[Charlie Sargent]

The lady who lives in Madeley emailed me again today:

"3 little egrets feeding in the River Lea this morning in the field below the sewage works"

Cool :t:
Nick

Nick
As I posted earlier I did not see the Little Egret last night but this morning I did. The lady is right. I had two sightings both in flight and probably the same bird. The first was when it flew away from me down stream and about 20 mins later if flew up stream back towards me. Both in the open fields below the sewage works by the white cottage.

Charlie

 

[mcmerlin]

I'm currently reading a book called 'Birders Tales Of A Tribe' by Mark Cocker and there is a snippet where he mentions seeing Capercaillie strutting across one of the woodland rides on Cannock Chase in the 1970s. They were apparently introduced by the Forestry Commission in the 1960s in the hope that they would re-establish themselves but the attempt failed.

According to Mark Cocker this species had not been found in Staffordshire since the seventeenth century.

I had a look at 'The New Birds of The West Midlands' where it states that a male and two female were introduced in the early 1970s.

Also in the book he states that Birding involves physical military skills of seeing and not being seen and that for him this explains why so many male birders dress in paramilitary fashion; that its a subconscious expression of the boyhood soldier present in us all :-O :-O :-O

Dean:t:

According to the new birds of the west midlands, there used to be red and Black grouse on the chase aswell. In the nineteenth century 252 Black Grouse were shot in one day on the chase!!!!! If only they'd left them alone and they were still there (though today's disturbamce would probably be too much for them) :-C

 

[Steve Turner]

Nick
As I posted earlier I did not see the Little Egret last night but this morning I did. The lady is right. I had two sightings both in flight and probably the same bird. The first was when it flew away from me down stream and about 20 mins later if flew up stream back towards me. Both in the open fields below the sewage works by the white cottage.

Charlie

Excellent stuff Charlie - I have to say that of all the things to be recorded around Madeley sewage works, I never expected Little Egret!! I'll have to get down there and get it on my site list :t:

Cheers
Steve

 

[Wimpy]

Re: Inner Marsh Farm

Neil,

Inner Marsh Farm is a great place. Did they say anything about the extension or how the work is progressing? When it's finished it will be a fantastic venue.

 

[Upland Birder]

Check the Cheshire thread four updates on Inner Marsh Farm. I am sure there is some detail about extending the reserve in one of the posts on there.

Dean:t: