Birding In Staffordshire (34 Viewers)

[smyrna]

Sad News

Hi Everyone

Sad news this morning of the passing of Bill Brydges after his long battle with cancer. He was a great character and familiar face in the birding community over the last 25 years.

 

[minkstone]

Don't know if it worth reporting again but I have had a hobby over the house every day, sometimes twice, but today was the first time I had a pair. Stu

 

[The Moore-hen]

Unusual sight this afternoon (for my old 'patch' anyway) of a Little Egret roosting on the island on the Upper Lake at Perton with a single Grey Heron. It was also seen yesterday. I used to live in Perton for several years and walked around the lake most mornings before work and have never had one previously.

 

[The Moore-hen]

This hybrid mule was coming to my feeders on Sunday afternoon. I've had a few hybrids in the garden (must be someone losing a few locally!) but this is one of the brightest - due to plumage and size I'm presuming Goldfinch x Greenfinch.

 

[minkstone]

I bred lots of mules and hybrids in the past, everyone had one hanging outside, cant stand to look at a bird in a cage now though.

 

[Matt Griffiths]

I was forwarded the following from Solihull RSPB:

Hi to all.
While visiting Barton Marina, Burton-on-Trent, on Friday 8 Aug, I found a cardboard box, with a bird watching telescope in.

If any of your members has lost one, please contact me.

Roy Collingwood

 

[Adam M]

Hi all,

I am hoping some of you could be of some help with some records I've been looking at.

We are looking to place all records in the Churnet Valley SSSI from March 1st - July 31st 2014. I've looked through the Staffs Bird News Blog and found the records below.

If any of the records belong to you, or someone you know, would it be possible to tell exactly where they were. A grid reference would be amazing! If a grid ref isn't possible, could you place them into one of these 5 areas: CONSALL, RSPB Churnet Valley, RUELOW WOOD, MOSEYMORE and HARSTON WOOD. A full map of the Churnet Valley SSSI is available here http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/sssi/unitlist.cfm?sssi_id=1007135 by clicking the link at the top of that page.

The records are as followed:

Saturday 22nd March - Churnet Valley
4x Mandarin, Dipper, 2x Chiffchaff, 4x Grey Wagtail, 20x Siskin (TEy)

Thursday 13th March Froghall-Oakamoor
Goosander on River Churnet (DS)

Sunday 9th March Churnet Valley (Cheddleton to Consall)
Peregrine, 12x Teal, 2x Oystercatcher, 14x Snipe, Raven, Kingfisher, 2x Willow Tit, singing Chiffchaff, 3x Redpoll and 10x Reed Bunting (DSc)

Wednesday 14th May Churnet Valley
Pied Flycatcher this morning (AC)

Saturday 17th May Churnet Valley (Cheddleton- Consall)
8+ Spotted Fly, Pied Fly, 5+ Redstart (DSc)

Saturday 17th May Consall
Cuckoo (AW)

Wednesday 25th Churnet Valley
Cuckoo, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Green Woodpecker, Kingfisher (AM)

Much thanks for any help you can provide with this; it's really appreciated.

All the best

Adam

 

[The Snapper]

A clear movement of Yellow Wags today.

Had a minimum of 14 at Gailey this morning during a quick pre-work visit. There were probably many more as I could hear them constantly calling.

Also, 2 over the house this evening whilst doing our 'ice bucket challenges'

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Migration

Saw this on bird guides today: "Notable 11:16 30/08/14 Tree Sparrow E Yorks Spurn YWT details 651 flew south by late morning"

We had two over Spurn'o'Staffs (Berry Hill) this morning!! :-O
Also a good passage of swallows (300+), Tree Pips 10, Meadow Pips 30+

 

[russell toon]

Juvenile Cuckoo at Berryhill
First sighted on the 13 August and seen more or less daily until 28 August. With no further
sightings it was then presumed that it had gone.
However I saw it again this morning which is its 25th day here.

 

[NickPomiankowski]

26th day this morning

Also, the 23 Little Egrets at Middleton Lakes on 31/8/14 is a county record, beating the 20 from the same site on 9/11/12.

Juvenile Cuckoo at Berryhill
First sighted on the 13 August and seen more or less daily until 28 August. With no further
sightings it was then presumed that it had gone.
However I saw it again this morning which is its 25th day here.

 

[coloz]

The juvenile Cuckoo was still at Berryhill this afternoon showing really well
Also 3 Stonechat and 1 winchat also Yellow Wagtail over
Cheers col,

 

[Gronk08]

Had 6 Meadow Pipits over Wolstanton this morning while I was dropping off my daughter at the child minder.

Tim.

 

[jackhaye]

Wetley Moor Stonechats

Thought that I'd see if Wetley Moor could add any to the weekend's Stonechat tally for Staffs.... 17 birds total in two small groups (by the Armshead entrance and 5 by the entrance to Little Armshead Farm (Kerry Hill bit of the moor). Also ca 20 Reed Buntings, a couple of Skylarks over and my first Fieldfares of the Autumn (a flock of 20 westward).
Andy

 

[The Moore-hen]

First decent southerly push of Woodpigeon this am - had 200+ in 5 mins this am and saw few flocks on way to work. Expecting half-decent counts from the Stoke area...

 

[russell toon]

First decent southerly push of Woodpigeon this am - had 200+ in 5 mins this am and saw few flocks on way to work. Expecting half-decent counts from the Stoke area...

Spot on with your forecast for North Staffs.

 

[The Moore-hen]

Spot on with your forecast for North Staffs.

Blimey! Didn't realise it was record numbers until I checked Trek earlier! Like Nick had posted, assuming the bad weather had held them up then a clear day yesterday had made them move 'on mass'...

 

[Adam M]

70+ fieldfare over the garden in Mayfield (Ashbourne way) this morning whilst doing the moth trap. Dozens of redwing too, along with jay and raven adding themselves to the garden list.

Adam

 

[Matt Griffiths]

Does anyone know if Gordon Ireson is still alive? I understand he's been birding in Staffordshire in recent years, and am hoping to get in contact with him about a Purple Heron he found near Earlswood Lakes in the 1950s.
Matt

 

[Steve Nuttall]

Does anyone know if Gordon Ireson is still alive? I understand he's been birding in Staffordshire in recent years, and am hoping to get in contact with him about a Purple Heron he found near Earlswood Lakes in the 1950s.
Matt

Hi Matt.

Yes Gordon is still alive and kicking though well in his eighties now. He does still come to Belvide occasionally. If you pm me with your contact details, I will let him know next time I see him.

Cheers Steve