Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (25 Viewers)

[Martyn Yapp]

Was enjoying some good views of Ring Ouzel this afternoon at Berry Hill when it was flushed by four incompetent birders who's intention it was walk all over its favoured feeding area and persue the bird.

The bird disappeared for a whille but was later back on the ridge it was feeding on after these clowns had gone.

It's about time we cleaned up birding and outed morons like this.

 

[russell toon]

Was enjoying some good views of Ring Ouzel this afternoon at Berry Hill when it was flushed by four incompetent birders who's intention it was walk all over its favoured feeding area and persue the bird.

The bird disappeared for a whille but was later back on the ridge it was feeding on after these clowns had gone.

It's about time we cleaned up birding and outed morons like this.

Its certainly at home on that ridge, 3 days present now and earlier on this morning it drove another male Ouzel away.

 

[The Moore-hen]

Was enjoying some good views of Ring Ouzel this afternoon at Berry Hill when it was flushed by four incompetent birders who's intention it was walk all over its favoured feeding area and persue the bird.

The bird disappeared for a whille but was later back on the ridge it was feeding on after these clowns had gone.

It's about time we cleaned up birding and outed morons like this.

If you have got any photos of them Mart (even if they are blurred) stick them on here and out them! Like you say it's about time we 'named and shamed' and maybe (but I doubt it) they will think twice...:eek!:

Extra News for 7th Apr

Crane - still Radford Meadows 16.45 at least
50 Crossbill - Cannock Chase by cadet huts

 

[KayD]

Was enjoying some good views of Ring Ouzel this afternoon at Berry Hill when it was flushed by four incompetent birders who's intention it was walk all over its favoured feeding area and persue the bird.

The bird disappeared for a whille but was later back on the ridge it was feeding on after these clowns had gone.

It's about time we cleaned up birding and outed morons like this.

Seconded! Name and shame them I say...

Cracking Ring Ouzel anyway. This along with Common Crane, 2 Garganey and Wheatear at Radford Meadows made for a fantastic Staffs Day :t:

 

[Adam M]

Crane still there this morning, although a bit distant. Plenty of other folk there too.

Adam

 

[The Snapper]

Is anyone aware of the best place to view the Garganey from at Radford Meadows?

I went yesterday to see the Crane and could see several small stretches of stream but no Garganey during a couple of hours on site. I assume you just need to be patient or lucky so that they swim into one of the viewable areas.

On another note, male Wheatear at Gailey today along bridleway near chicken sheds in a nice area of recently cut rough ground.

 

[VIVEMERY]

Is anyone aware of the best place to view the Garganey from at Radford Meadows?

I went yesterday to see the Crane and could see several small stretches of stream but no Garganey during a couple of hours on site. I assume you just need to be patient or lucky so that they swim into one of the viewable areas.

On another note, male Wheatear at Gailey today along bridleway near chicken sheds in a nice area of recently cut rough ground.

When Frank Gribble & I first found the Garganey it was opposite the skateboard ramp in the first parallel ditch beyond the fence. The drake appeared in the ditch where it widens slightly shortly followed by the female.

Viv

 

[Rob Swift]

Cannock Chase

...eerily quiet on the Chase today (day tripper wise) due to the typical easter bank holiday weather.

Crossbill x 80+ ...good views of the birds feeding in the mature pine tree belt, 500m north of the cadet huts

Cuckoo x 1...rather skulking in another area of the Chase (probably wondering what it has come back too, weather wise)

cheers

Rob

 

[Dean Peach]

Is anyone aware of the best place to view the Garganey from at Radford Meadows?

I went yesterday to see the Crane and could see several small stretches of stream but no Garganey during a couple of hours on site. I assume you just need to be patient or lucky so that they swim into one of the viewable areas.

On another note, male Wheatear at Gailey today along bridleway near chicken sheds in a nice area of recently cut rough ground.

Snapper, I saw them on Friday, there's a clearing in the hedgerow and the stream is just about a couple of feet wider than the rest of it with the bank slightly lower. They were up and down the stream occasionally showing in this spot.

 

[chris23565]

Lift please to Crane

As per usual for me I headed north to spend Easter with my folks on Thursday, later that day the Crane is found, great, so I'm back in Stoke and at work from Monday 6am til 3pm, assuming it hangs around a bit longer I would be grateful if anyone can offer a lift on any day from Monday after 3pm, I will of course pay for the fuel.
cheers guys.

 

[chris23565]

As per usual for me I headed north to spend Easter with my folks on Thursday, later that day the Crane is found, great, so I'm back in Stoke and at work from Monday 6am til 3pm, assuming it hangs around a bit longer I would be grateful if anyone can offer a lift on any day from Monday after 3pm, I will of course pay for the fuel.
cheers guys.

Thanks guys, lift sorted, nervous day at work tomorrow now hoping it sticks, weather forecast doesn't look good so hopefully it won't be wandering off.

 

[Martyn Yapp]

I heard a bit of disturbing news today regarding the antics of a photographer in Sherbrook Valley.

Sat hidden in heather away from any path with a MP3 player attached to a small rather suitable bare bush where his camera was pointing to.

What an excellent advert to the lnown egger that has been seen on the chase recently.

 

[chris23565]

I heard a bit of disturbing news today regarding the antics of a photographer in Sherbrook Valley.

Sat hidden in heather away from any path with a MP3 player attached to a small rather suitable bare bush where his camera was pointing to.

What an excellent advert to the lnown egger that has been seen on the chase recently.

Like most things in life, the minority of photographers give the good ones a bad name, In a way its probably the excellent photos the good guys take that then spurs the idiots on to trying to better there 'idols'.

I was recently told of a situation where a Dipper was nesting, like most species it had a favoured perch to check the coast was clear before entering the nest, a so called photographer decided to use this perch as his vantage point for getting the 'money' shot!!

I understand Nick's point recently about naming and shaming eggers on a public forum, but for these so called photographers I think a photo of themselves on here and blogs etc may be the only way of reducing this ongoing and growing problem.

 

[The Snapper]

I heard a bit of disturbing news today regarding the antics of a photographer in Sherbrook Valley.

Sat hidden in heather away from any path with a MP3 player attached to a small rather suitable bare bush where his camera was pointing to.

What an excellent advert to the lnown egger that has been seen on the chase recently.

Hi Mart,

Very disappointing to hear. :C This person is clearly breaking the law.

Is this idiot known to us?

 

[Martyn Yapp]

Steve, alas no he isn't, not yet.

Although earlier this year there was a bloke stood out outside his car at the Freda's Grave feeding station with a camera rig set up and a MP3 playing.

It was really funny though, he was stood no more 2mtrs away, the loop tape he was playing was of Redpoll, including their thier alarm call, clearly a well informed birder.

Hi Mart,

Very disappointing to hear. :C This person is clearly breaking the law.

Is this idiot known to us?

 

[Nick Smith]

I used to take my camera with me to get a reference shot so I could go home and check what I've seen as I'm a beginner. This kind of behaviour has given me second thoughts about taking my camera as I don't want to be tarred with the same brush. Shame really. There's always one.

you have to be careful and differentiate between birders with cameras and photographers. These sound like photographers who will do anything for that shot. Maybe the chase rangers should be informed and they will be able to swoop on them, or find out which photography club they belong to and nail the club. We have photographers at Westport. We don't tell them anything

 

[sturs]

you have to be careful and differentiate between birders with cameras and photographers. These sound like photographers who will do anything for that shot. Maybe the chase rangers should be informed and they will be able to swoop on them, or find out which photography club they belong to and nail the club. We have photographers at Westport. We don't tell them anything

Where do I start?? As a keen wildlife photographer and based in Stafford I spend most of my time up at Cannock Chase and without sounding to be big headed I prob know the area better than most people on this forum. Yes there are the photographers whom will do anything for that special shot but this doesn't mean that everybody with a camera is the same. There are also alot of birders whom also have no idea of the area and just go walking off the tracks whithout knowing what species are around and also stop talking to every man and his dog about what they have or not seen if they have a pair of binoculars with them.

I prime example of this was a few months ago when at Doxey Marshes and I was happily standing still taking a few shots of the regular Stonechats when a birder walked through a fenced off area looking for the Water Pipit. Yes as you can guess the Stonechats along with a Heron and others left and after i politely told him about the pathed areas but he still continued to walk around in the fenced off area with no care

The problem is not birders or photographers but the lack of education in wildlife. Everybody here regardless of being a birder or photographer should spend the time educating others whom don't understand rather than just blaming others.

I totally agree with telling the Chase Rangers and knowing them myself I am sure they would be more than happy to find out further info i.e. photography club or birding club in that matter.

Rant over.

 

[ScottPetrek]

I prime example of this was a few months ago when at Doxey Marshes and I was happily standing still taking a few shots of the regular Stonechats when a birder walked through a fenced off area looking for the Water Pipit. Yes as you can guess the Stonechats along with a Heron and others left and after i politely told him about the pathed areas but he still continued to walk around in the fenced off area with no care

Rant over.

please can you send me more details of this, eg. precise location, what they looked like, dates etc. I just want to check I've not overlooked a major problem. Cheers Scott

 

[sturs]

please can you send me more details of this, eg. precise location, what they looked like, dates etc. I just want to check I've not overlooked a major problem. Cheers Scott

No problems at all Scott. I will find the dates etc from my photo's and I may still have a photo of the person in question. Info will be sent to yourself as private message.

Stuart

 

[Wimpy]

Crane still showing at 6.00pm this evening - looked a bit wet!