Birding In Staffordshire (1 Viewer)

[russell toon]

Highlight this morning was the arrival of a spotted flycatcher in the NW corner of the "bar-wit paddock". Also present on a quick search were 4 wheatears, a grey wagtail, the 3 long staying whinchats, 2 bullfinches, a kestrel and a green woodpecker.

Hopefully Russell can find some more stuff with time to search.

Thanks, Nick

Your Spotted Flycatcher still where you said by the upright wooden sleeper,could not match your Wheatears,only had 2.
Will probably have another stroll up later.

Russell

 

[John Sherratt]

Uttoxeter

Morning All,

Visited Uttoxeter Quarry this morning from about 7.45. Large flock of Lapwings present around the first "pool" I would guessestimate about 200.

Also saw, 1 Ringed Plover, Cormorant, Common Sandpiper (I think) and 4 Oystercatchers.

John

 

[Steve Turner]

The Void

Had 7 Tree Pipits (including a group of 6) fly over to the north-west(ish) late morning, also 3 Wheatears on Black Bank.

It's about time Berry Hill had a Tree Pipit this autumn, perhaps this afternoon or tmrw will come up trumps...over to you Russell/Nick!!

Steve

 

[russell toon]

Had 7 Tree Pipits (including a group of 6) fly over to the north-west(ish) late morning, also 3 Wheatears on Black Bank.

It's about time Berry Hill had a Tree Pipit this autumn, perhaps this afternoon or tmrw will come up trumps...over to you Russell/Nick!!

Steve

Nice count there Steve with the Tree Pipits.Yes its been a while since we had one at Berryhill.

Russell

 

[Rob Jones]

Highlight this morning was the arrival of a spotted flycatcher in the NW corner of the "bar-wit paddock". Also present on a quick search were 4 wheatears, a grey wagtail, the 3 long staying whinchats, 2 bullfinches, a kestrel and a green woodpecker.

Hopefully Russell can find some more stuff with time to search.

Thanks, Nick

Hi Nick,

First visit today and I'm not familiar with the Berryhill area, but I think it was the same area. It was windy with drizzly rain at 1.30- 2.30 There were clusters of Goldfinches mostly juves. Did see a Kestral and maybe a Whinchat. A fair few gulls by the school Common Gulls? one individual with a very dark complete upper wing amongst them, a bit larger bird than the rest.

Rob

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Hi Rob, hope you enjoyed your first visit. There's a google map of the Hill (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie...d=118209269367094647896.0004490ebab0414443ff9) which can help you find your way around. Common Gulls are particularly uncommon in Staffs, so I guess what you've seen are Black-headed Gulls and the larger darker Lesser Black-backed Gull. Both these are regular at B. Hill especially from now until the spring when they fly off to their breeding sites.
Cheers, Nick

Hi Nick,

First visit today and I'm not familiar with the Berryhill area, but I think it was the same area. It was windy with drizzly rain at 1.30- 2.30 There were clusters of Goldfinches mostly juves. Did see a Kestral and maybe a Whinchat. A fair few gulls by the school Common Gulls? one individual with a very dark complete upper wing amongst them, a bit larger bird than the rest.

Rob

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

hanley park walked through on the way hanley so there for about 30 mins
1 juv common gull sitting and standing on railings
2 great crested greabes
1 spaarowhawk
2 tree creepers
and 5 lesser black back on football fields

 

[russell toon]

Hi Rob, hope you enjoyed your first visit. There's a google map of the Hill (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie...d=118209269367094647896.0004490ebab0414443ff9) which can help you find your way around. Common Gulls are particularly uncommon in Staffs, so I guess what you've seen are Black-headed Gulls and the larger darker Lesser Black-backed Gull. Both these are regular at B. Hill especially from now until the spring when they fly off to their breeding sites.
Cheers, Nick

They did'nt make a very good job naming gulls,Common Gulls are not common and Black headed Gulls dont have black heads.

Russell

 

[russell toon]

Berryhill mid afternoon

A Merlin low over the 3 green sheds seen by Charlie Simpson along with another birder,Also another Hobby near the Fenton park tennis courts which this time captured a Goldfinch. Although I was up there I was in the wrong place.

 

[Steve Turner]

Berryhill mid afternoon

A Merlin low over the 3 green sheds seen by Charlie Simpson along with another birder,Also another Hobby near the Fenton park tennis courts which this time captured a Goldfinch. Although I was up there I was in the wrong place.

Merlin eh?! Excellent! I told you those Goldfinches should pull one in First Merlin record for the 'hill since 2001 you reckon?

Cheers
Steve

 

[russell toon]

Merlin eh?! Excellent! I told you those Goldfinches should pull one in First Merlin record for the 'hill since 2001 you reckon?

Cheers
Steve

Yes Steve you were spot on with your crystal ball.

 

[Rob Jones]

Hi Rob, hope you enjoyed your first visit. There's a google map of the Hill (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie...d=118209269367094647896.0004490ebab0414443ff9) which can help you find your way around. Common Gulls are particularly uncommon in Staffs, so I guess what you've seen are Black-headed Gulls and the larger darker Lesser Black-backed Gull. Both these are regular at B. Hill especially from now until the spring when they fly off to their breeding sites.
Cheers, Nick

Seems like I was in the wrong place anyway Nick, Arbourfield Drive into the park then right to where the horses graze. (thanks for the map very useful)

Rob

 

[Nick Smith]

Breeding Barnacle Geese in Staffs

Nick

Have spoken to my Barnacle Goose contact. The birds at Westport in 1991 were two introduced birds. The gosling remained at the lake for a while after, but was lame when he last remembers seeing it. He also recalls breeding Barnacles at JCB (but were never submitted) and a pair breeding in a park in Rugeley (from a newspaper cutting). So unless anymore records surface, these are, as you said, the first Cat C breeders.

Cheers

 

[Adam M]

quick trip down reg mitch way this morning. nowt new im afraid, still little grebes with two chicks. plenty of goldfinches, dunnocks, robins etc. so nothing rare yet, but i suppose if you don't go looking, you'll never find anything.
adam

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Berry Hill

A walk round this morning with Russell in the sunshine (!!) showed that there had probably been a clearout of some birds overnight with just one Whinchat on show, but the main surprise was 2 grasshopper warblers still reeling. Other birds were 3 sparrowhawks, a buzzard, a sedge warbler, a lesser whitethroat and about 20 swifts. If the weather holds, it looks good for raptors later in the day.

 

[namron]

Anyone tell me how long the Cormorant has been at the Void ? I've been away for a week and not seen it before this.

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

the canal and fish pools by britannia stade 10 till 12
4 buzzards up soaring
2 kestrels
1 sparrow hawk above my street
sedge warbler
and white throat
i agree with nick today is a raptor day

 

[namron]

Hi Rob,

the canal and fish pools by britannia stade 10 till 12
4 buzzards up soaring
2 kestrels
1 sparrow hawk above my street
sedge warbler
and white throat
i agree with nick today is a raptor day

Ay up Heavy Rob ! It's Keith ! (Remember the Cairngorms earlier this year) By the way I've done the dvd for you when we meet up - the snow buntings are bob on.
Keep us up to speed around that local patch my friend,

Welcome aboard m80.

 

[terryeyre]

feeding station at dimmingsdale this afternoon,2 bullfinch 2marsh tits 2 nuthatches,2 dunnocks,plus loads of chaffinchs .coal,great, and blue tits and robins,2 buzzards overhead

 

[Steve Turner]

Berry Hill

An early afternoon visit dished up 4 Crossbills (only the 2nd site record) that flew low over the 'Barwit Paddick' towards the cemetery. Also a juvenile male Redstart near the 'Lap Bunt' paddock, and singletons of Whincat and Wheatear.

Steve