Birding In Staffordshire (1 Viewer)

[Rob1991S-O-T]

down the brittannia staduim pools and canal p.s has it got a name this site ??
today
1 wheatear
2 sparrow hawks
whitethroat
black cap
14 long tailed tits

 

[Rockbirder]

Hey up me old Beanflirters!!!

Hey up me old Beanflirter. I've heard of a similar phrase, but I'm not going into that on a family friendly forum! Not even after the watershed (where does that phrase come from anyway?).

I would go tomorrow, but that's what happens when you make arrangements to meet friends in advance! Typical, fingers crossed it stays for a couple of days at least.

Hey up folks, i've had a Zeppelinesque type "Communicaton breakdown" on the old technology front. First the old PC and then me brand spanking new laptop both got virus's at the same time so i've not been able to right any drivle for a week now. All i ended up with was a bit of an headache. But then "double disaster" after rather to much pop i dropped and wrote off me beloved pager. So i was well and truly *^"#/> !!! all the bank holiday weekend until i got a new pager on wednesday.

No news from Dip hill, but plenty of birds round work Lesser 'throat, W'throat, Willow Warb', Chiffchaff and around 20 Meadow pipits this morn'.

Regarding Beanflirters the phrase comes from the Cornish tin mining industry. When the lads were eating their snappin' if any one had any greenbeans they would play a game similar to marbles called "Beanflirting".

Cheers folks

Andy.

 

[Richard Powell]

Oh thank goodness for that. I thought of something much worse! |:$|

As for the pools by the Britannia Stadium, surely it should be christened "Pool Britannia"?

That area around the Britannia Stadium is called Sideway (Sidaway). Which as all Stokies (and even this Burtonian) know, is mentioned by Robbie Williams in the first line of "Angels".

Regarding Beanflirters the phrase comes from the Cornish tin mining industry. When the lads were eating their snappin' if any one had any greenbeans they would play a game similar to marbles called "Beanflirting".

Cheers folks

Andy.

 

[Rob Jones]

Hi Chaps.
Took in trip down to Aqualate today. A Marsh Harrier was present as confirmed by others more knowledgable folk. I'd have ticked it as a Buzzard! It glided over the reedbed and passed a few yards from the hide. A new one for me.

 

[JimMorris]

as i finished the last post i checked birdguides.com to find 2 female common scoters are at westport lake. jumped in the car for my 3rd tick of the day. if they stay for a while, maybe you digiscopers can take some pics, they are too distant for my dslr camera.

I shall give it a go first thing in the morning Adam, well around 7am. Knowing my luck they will be gone or I won't find them.
Jim.

 

[Adam M]

no more news on birdguides jim. they were sat in the middle of the main lake by themselves when i saw them.
other news, 6 ring ouzels seen heading south in lancashire, keep your eyes peeled up berry hill. wondered how long it would be before they started heading south again. im determined to see one before they all go, even if it means another couple of hours driving.

 

[JimMorris]

no more news on birdguides jim. they were sat in the middle of the main lake by themselves when i saw them.
other news, 6 ring ouzels seen heading south in lancashire, keep your eyes peeled up berry hill. wondered how long it would be before they started heading south again. im determined to see one before they all go, even if it means another couple of hours driving.

Thanks Adam, Rind Ouzels are my bogey bird. Let me know if you go off somewhere to see them. I'll share the petrol costs.
Jim

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Berry Hill etc

Berry Hill this morning produced 4 tree pipits flying over south - one banked and might have landed. Also a light passage of swallows heading south - 30/hour ish. Two Whinchats and 6 wheatears brightened up the shrike paddocks and at least 450 goldfinches in 2-3 flocks were in the same area. Probably a new redstart was skulking in the hawthorns at the north end of the big horse paddock west of the Tiddlers Pool. The two stonechats are still by the LapBunt paddock. Not a bad day.

At Hanchurch Woods recently I saw a yellow willow warbler, a wet thrush and a solitary birder - beats Cape Clear any day

 

[russell toon]

Berry Hill this morning produced 4 tree pipits flying over south - one banked and might have landed. Also a light passage of swallows heading south - 30/hour ish. Two Whinchats and 6 wheatears brightened up the shrike paddocks and at least 450 goldfinches in 2-3 flocks were in the same area. Probably a new redstart was skulking in the hawthorns at the north end of the big horse paddock west of the Tiddlers Pool. The two stonechats are still by the LapBunt paddock. Not a bad day.

At Hanchurch Woods recently I saw a yellow willow warbler, a wet thrush and a solitary birder - beats Cape Clear any day

Must have been a Tree Pipit passage morning Nick I had 2 later on.Still two Whinchats on the Heath also one Wheatear on the slag banks.Juvenile and adult male Sparrowhawk eyeing up the Goldfinchs,also 2 Kestrels.

Russell

 

[Nick Smith]

Westport Lake sightings - 30th August

Another fine day at the city's premier birding hot spot saw three, later four Shoveler, two Teal that typically didn't stay too long, a juv Shelduck flew over but the highlight was a Tawny Owl sitting on a post first thing - seen by my mate John - we were just too late to see this massive Westport mega. It will be searched for again.

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

berry hill
13 00 to 16 30
at least 8 wheatear most seen at once 5
2 stonchat
21 mistle thrush
2 swift
kestrel
whitethroat
1 redstart
2 sparrowhawk

 

[terryeyre]

80 goldfinches feeding on thistles 100 siskins and 20 linnets feeding on birch seeds also green woodpecker buzzard grey wagtail and 2 spotted flycatchers seen in walk near river churnet and ramblers retreat this afternoon,looks like its been a good breeding season for finches.

 

[namron]

berry hill
13 00 to 16 30
at least 8 wheatear most seen at once 5
2 stonchat
21 mistle thrush
2 swift
kestrel
whitethroat
1 redstart
2 sparrowhawk

Nice 1 m80. Good counts there with the Storm cocks :-O

 

[Adam M]

westport lake this morning with jim. looks like it wasn't a scoter afer all jim, probably a female teal with them tufted ducks. did say it seemed too light, but as you said, things look different on film, or due to bad light. also saw the 3, then 4 shoveler, kingfisher and kestrel. still post the pics jim, just to make sure.
i would have gone somewhere else later in the day, maybe berry hill, but i had to watch vale win, congratulations from stoke fans more than welcome
adam

 

[Rob Jones]

Made me think of the line from Star Trek....there's a Scoter Jim, but not as we know it. :-O

A cracking win for the Vale. :t: I take it they weren't booed off this week then?

 

[Rockbirder]

Uttoxeter Quarry.

Hey up folks,
not a bad couple of hours at Utch this a'noon , but still lacking that little bit of quality.
Green Sand' 4
Common Sand 4
Curlew 5
LRP 1 juv'
Shelduck 2 ad's
Oystercatcher 3
Common Tern 3
Wheatear 3
Yellow Wag' 2
Lesser 'throat 1
Whitethroat 2
Swallow C100

Then called in at Poxy on the way home and had an adult Shelduck and a first summer Common Gull.

Weather looks promising tomorrow.

Cheers folks

Andy.

 

[Nick Smith]

Forgot to mention there was a juv Black Tern at Knypersley this afternoon. This is Mr Knypersley's (aka Ged) 100th species of the year - and beat me to the ton again. The Teal at Westport today was my 98th species there this year. Congrats again to Ged on doing a ton at Knypersley again.

 

[JimMorris]

Westport Lake

Paid my forth visit to the city's premier birding spot this morning with the same result as the previous three, not a lot.

I put our duck on the ID forum Adam, it came back as a Pochard. Here are the pics if anyone wants to check it out.

 

[Adam M]

looks like our duck id skills need some work jim. should be off to blithfield tomorrow afternoon, hoping black terns are still present, but a turnstone wouldn't go a miss either.

 

[JimMorris]

looks like our duck id skills need some work jim. should be off to blithfield tomorrow afternoon, hoping black terns are still present, but a turnstone wouldn't go a miss either.

Your dead right there Adam. At least I have the consulation of it being a lifer so not too bad after all. Have a good day mate.
Jim.