Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (1 Viewer)

[Steve Turner]

I know!! I'm quite amazed at how little interest there is on the rarity thread and reporting there has been of the Notts Sibechat considering what a rarity it still is...and an adult male...and it's likelyhood of being 'split'! Shame Notts didn't get the Whinchat and we could of had the Sibe...:C I see the site is up the A1 north of Newark so maybe there will be a bit more interest the weekend...if it's not deep in snow!!

Nice photo's of the Notts Sibechat here:

...and the highly unusual time of the record, and the fact it's inland! The photos of it show it's a really cracking looking thing too, wish I'd found it!

Steve

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Hanchurch Woods

120 crossbills today plus a woodcock.
Nick

 

[Nick Smith]

Westport this morning - single PF Goose which usually comes in during a cold spell with Canada's. Today it was on its own and flew N at 0930 on its own, possibly heading over the ridge (towards the Void poss?).
Brookleys - fairly iced over but the ducks were flushed as soon as i popped my head up. The only ice free areas were near the track. Very flighty indeed, and apparently same happened last week. Only saw c7 Mandarin in flight and only seven on the water. 1w Scaup still present.
Blith - Fem Smew in the willows in Tad but swam out and flew out of the bay. Also flushed a Woodcock from the side of the path.
Chasewater roost - Adult Med (not regular bird), 3w Casp and the 2w Iceland came in very late (1620) and was right at the back of the roost. Very large roost tonight.

 

[Periwinkle]

Had the fortune to find 9 Bewick's Swans(ads) at Whitemoor Haye this morning in field opposite SIttles Farm with Mute Swans.

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Copmere

2 adult YL Gulls in roost tonight. One of the locals told me he'd seen a herd of 12 "probable" whoopers there this morning but didn't get close enough to be sure - no sign this evening, just the local 3 mutes :-C

 

[Upland Birder]

Bewick's Swan-Whitemoor Haye

Myself and Terry Eyre were at Whitemoor Haye early afternoon and counted 9 Bewick's Swan with a large number Mute Swan.

Dean:t:

 

[paulthomas]

Had the fortune to find 9 Bewick's Swans(ads) at Whitemoor Haye this morning in field opposite SIttles Farm with Mute Swans.

A replay of last winter But with a larger cast

I may pop up tomorrow and see if they're still there. I'm not totally satisfied with the Bewick photos I got last year. Knowing my luck they'll have moved on though.

 

[The Moore-hen]

A fairly quiet weekend in general, thought there might have been a few more scarcities turn up with the cold weather. If it continues maybe a few more Geese, Swans and Smew might turn up with maybe the odd Slav or seaduck...we can only hope...:t:

Extra items of news not mentioned above:

News for the 20th Dec

2w Iceland, 2 Caspian (near-ad & 3w), 4 Yellow-legged (2 x ad, 3w, 2w) and ad Med Gull - Chasewater roost (+40 Goosander)

2w Iceland Gull - also at Stubber's Green

ad Med & 3 ad Yellow-legged Gull - Belvide roost

News for the 19th Dec

2w Iceland & 3w Caspian Gull - Stubber's Green
Short-eared Owl - reported at Yoxall Meadow Woods at 15.00
Jack Snipe - Tittesworth
8 Yellow-legged Gull (6 x ad, 2 x 1w) - Belvide roost

News for the 18th Dec

2w Iceland, near-ad Caspian & 2 ad Yellow-legged Gull - Chasewater
redhead Smew - Blithfield
3 ad Yellow-legged Gull - Belvide roost

 

[The Snapper]

Hi All,

A few updates for today :

Gailey - 1st w drk Scaup still on Sailing Lake in unfrozen patch of water near c'way. Also ad w Med Gull on ice early afternoon. This is the same ringed bird from the last few years which roosts at Chasewater.

Chasewater - 2nd w Iceland Gull in roost(very late on) along with 3 ad Y-L Gulls. A large roost tonight spread over much of the water. Just two of us doing it. The Caspos and Med were probably in, but couldn't find them today amongst so many birds. An increasing number of white-headed Herrings now making things a little more difficult. Also 35+Goosanders.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Steve Turner]

Silverdale Colliery

Late news for y'day; an adult Caspian Gull seen well and photographed here y'day morning apparently.

Steve

 

[The Moore-hen]

Late news for y'day; an adult Caspian Gull seen well and photographed here y'day morning apparently.

Steve

Nice one Steve, would be nice to see some photos posted if anybody reading this has got any?

Extra News for the 21st Dec

2w Iceland Gull - also at Stubber's Green
Short-eared Owl - Swallow Moss (also prob ringtail Hen Harrier nearby)
6 Yellow-legged Gull (5 x ad, 1w) - Belvide roost

The Gailey Med Gull has now been seen for the last four winters and has a red ring on the right leg. I can't remember the exact code but it was originally ringed in Poland (i'll try and find the details in my old notes over Xmas - they are still at my parents!). It is often present during the day on the sailing lake but usually flys east in the afternoon. Although it must roost at Chasewater i don't know if the ring has every been seen or read there? Can anybody shed anymore light on this?

 

[andyr]

Iceland Gull

Nice one Steve, would be nice to see some photos posted if anybody reading this has got any?

Extra News for the 21st Dec

2w Iceland Gull - also at Stubber's Green
Short-eared Owl - Swallow Moss (also prob ringtail Hen Harrier nearby)
6 Yellow-legged Gull (5 x ad, 1w) - Belvide roost

The Gailey Med Gull has now been seen for the last four winters and has a red ring on the right leg. I can't remember the exact code but it was originally ringed in Poland (i'll try and find the details in my old notes over Xmas - they are still at my parents!). It is often present during the day on the sailing lake but usually flys east in the afternoon. Although it must roost at Chasewater i don't know if the ring has every been seen or read there? Can anybody shed anymore light on this?

Old Staffs I know, but for anyone keen on good photo opportunities (not me, I hasten to add !) the Stubbers Green Iceland Gull was giving good views yesterday lunchtime/early afternoon in the sunshine.

If you stand to the far left of the water (near a tree), you will not be looking into the sun and glare - and even better, all the gulls are showing really well standing, sitting or preening on the ice - making ID-ing even easier.

PS: Interestingly, of the handful of birders there at the same time as me, two had come across from Nottingham; near 100-mile round-trip !


Hope this helps.


Cheers

Andy Russell

 

[tabs41]

Ref Stubbers Green, is that the lake on the other side ot the A5 near the big island?

 

[The Moore-hen]

Ref Stubbers Green, is that the lake on the other side ot the A5 near the big island?

No, Stubbers Green refers to the pools by the side of Stubber's Green Road, NE of Walsall, the gulls tend to congregated on the grass bank at the Brook Meadow Road end of the pool. I think you might have been thinking of Kingswood which is where gulls used to gather in large numbers from Cannock Tip. Hopefully the link below will be of help:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en-GB&ie=UTF-8&tab=wl

just type in Stubbers Green Road

News from the 22nd Dec

2w Iceland, 3w Caspian, 3+ Yellow-legged & ad Med Gull - Chasewater roost
2w Iceland Gull - Stubber's Green
5 ad Yellow-legged Gull - Belvide roost

 

[tabs41]

Thanks Moore-Hen, got the local now.

 

[smyrna]

Caspo on the Void

Late news for y'day; an adult Caspian Gull seen well and photographed here y'day morning apparently.

Steve

Heres the pics of said Caspo a fine individual found and photographed by
Dave Kelsall.Very few gulls there today presumably as there is no water for a wash & brush up

cheers PJ

 

[The Moore-hen]

Heres the pics of said Caspo a fine individual found and photographed by
Dave Kelsall.Very few gulls there today presumably as there is no water for a wash & brush up

cheers PJ

Nice! Looks like a good one that....nice photos by Mr Kelsall as always...:t:

The long thin bill, small white head with beady black eye and long finger of white on P10 are all visable in the shots.

News for the 23rd Dec

2w Iceland, 2 Caspian (near-ad & 2w) & 7 Yellow-legged Gull (4 x ad, 2 x 3w, 2w) - Chasewater roost
5 ad Yellow-legged Gull - Belvide roost

 

[Steve Turner]

Heres the pics of said Caspo a fine individual found and photographed by
Dave Kelsall.Very few gulls there today presumably as there is no water for a wash & brush up

cheers PJ

Nice! A fine individual indeed.

Hint of a neck shawl also visable, classic head shape, etc.

Steve

 

[The Moore-hen]

No news at all for Staffs so far today but a GREAT WHITE EGRET just over the border at Alvecote Pools on the Warks / Staffs border. The bird is on Railway Pool which is W*arwickshire but as it's 'nearly Staffs' i'll stick it on....:-O See photo here:

http://www.tamevalleybirding.blogspot.com/

I'd just like to wish everyone who has read and posted on the thread a very Merry Xmas for tomorrow and thanks to everyone for their contributions...:king: (it's the closest i could find to a party hat!!)

 

[The Snapper]

Nice! Looks like a good one that....nice photos by Mr Kelsall as always...:t:

The long thin bill, small white head with beady black eye and long finger of white on P10 are all visable in the shots.

News for the 23rd Dec

2w Iceland, 2 Caspian (near-ad & 2w) & 7 Yellow-legged Gull (4 x ad, 2 x 3w, 2w) - Chasewater roost
5 ad Yellow-legged Gull - Belvide roost

Hows it goin mucka,

The gull looks v good for Caspo in many ways(bill, eye, P10 etc), but don't you think the mantle looks a bit dark? Maybe this is the light on the photo?

I always associate Caspos with a paler mantle and this individual looks as dark as Y-L Gull.

I'm certainly not doubting the record, just a comment on first impression.

Maybe Mr Nuttall could give us his opinion.

Merry Christmas to all! I'm off to get intoxicated B

Cheers

Steve