Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (921 Viewers)

[The Snapper]

Cracking evening up Gailey yesterday with the highlight a Juv Kittiwake that dropped in around 18.40 and then flew out to the southeast at 19.15. This was only my second ever record for Gailey and the first since 1997 and was a site tick for The Snapper...the joys of local patches...:t: with a juv Black-necked Grebe, near-adult Yellow-legged Gull and juv Hobby also present this was about as good as birding at Gailey could get...B

To quote a well known ex Staffs birder now residing on Scilly.......IDEAL!:t: B

 

[Richard Powell]

Hi Chris

They were just digiscoped from the causeway. :t:

Hi Richard, were abouts did you take your photo's from, when we were down there on Saturday they were unfortunatly to far away to get any kind of picture, if there's nothing to go for on Saturday and there still about hope to try to get some pictures.

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Berry Hill

A fantastic fall of 40+ wheatears at Berry Hill this morning accompanied by 4 whinchats and 3+ redstarts - and it's still only August!! It was a real surprise after all the overnight rain but maybe the change to NE winds got things moving. I'm with you Ian - nothing like finding stuff on your local patch B

Nick

 

[Steve Turner]

A fantastic fall of 40+ wheatears at Berry Hill this morning accompanied by 4 whinchats and 3+ redstarts - and it's still only August!! It was a real surprise after all the overnight rain but maybe the change to NE winds got things moving. I'm with you Ian - nothing like finding stuff on your local patch B

Nick

Nice :t: Just needs that local rare thrown in now...mmm, what about a nice Wryneck or somethin

Steve

 

[The Moore-hen]

A fantastic fall of 40+ wheatears at Berry Hill this morning accompanied by 4 whinchats and 3+ redstarts - and it's still only August!! It was a real surprise after all the overnight rain but maybe the change to NE winds got things moving. I'm with you Ian - nothing like finding stuff on your local patch B

Nick

Wish we had somewhere like Berry Hill in South Staffs, we just haven't got any sites that regularly produce 'falls' of common migrants like Berry Hill...must admit i am pretty jealous of a site like that and always like to hear what has been sighted up there...:t:

I remember it having a fantastic day one year when there were also 'fall' conditions on the east coast...i was at Spurn that day and we had several Greenish Warblers and Wrynecks amongst other things and i seem to remember Berry Hill had a Wryneck, about 50 Whinchat and i think a Black Red?...i remember that was September the somethig so this might just be the start of a bumper autumn up there...i'll keep my fingers crossed for you all and keep up the good work...:t:

News for the 26th Aug

12 Greenshank & Hobby - Belvide
Hobby - over Yarnfield

 

[Nick Smith]

Cracking evening up Gailey yesterday with the highlight a Juv Kittiwake that dropped in around 18.40 and then flew out to the southeast at 19.15. This was only my second ever record for Gailey and the first since 1997 and was a site tick for The Snapper (soz for interrupting your curry)...the joys of local patches...:t: with a juv Black-necked Grebe, near-adult Yellow-legged Gull and juv Hobby also present this was about as good as birding at Gailey could get...B


Without sounding like i'm bragging or boasting but since 2002, I've seen Kittiwake on 14 occasions at Westport involving 15 birds. This yr alone we've had three singles. I don't think we get as many gulls as Gailey, we're only just up the M6, similar latitude, so why should there be such a lack of Kitt at Gailey? Or, why does Westport seem to be good for Kitt?

 

[Steve Turner]

Wish we had somewhere like Berry Hill in South Staffs, we just haven't got any sites that regularly produce 'falls' of common migrants like Berry Hill...must admit i am pretty jealous of a site like that and always like to hear what has been sighted up there...:t:

I remember it having a fantastic day one year when there were also 'fall' conditions on the east coast...i was at Spurn that day and we had several Greenish Warblers and Wrynecks amongst other things and i seem to remember Berry Hill had a Wryneck, about 50 Whinchat and i think a Black Red?...i remember that was September the somethig so this might just be the start of a bumper autumn up there...i'll keep my fingers crossed for you all and keep up the good work...:t:

Indeed it was early September, 2005 I think. I was in Dorset at the time and was gutted to have missed it.
I think the totals were c.40 Whinchat, c.60 Wheatear, and as you say a Wryneck and a Black Red. Absolute quality. The weather that day was also similar to today's i.e. North-easterly, with cloud/drizzle AM, clearing up by PM...so if these conditions prevail locally in combination with a fall at places like Spurn, then 'the Hill' is definitely worth a look :t:

It tends to be better generally early mornings, i.e. 7am -9am-ish, so if you're a lazy *rse like me it's difficult getting up there Having said that, I poddled up at 10ish both mornings when I had the Lap Bunt and Hoopoe :-O much to the chagrin of messres Pomiankowski and Toon

Steve

 

[Steve Turner]

Without sounding like i'm bragging or boasting but since 2002, I've seen Kittiwake on 14 occasions at Westport involving 15 birds. This yr alone we've had three singles. I don't think we get as many gulls as Gailey, we're only just up the M6, similar latitude, so why should there be such a lack of Kitt at Gailey? Or, why does Westport seem to be good for Kitt?

I too have had many a sleepless night wondering why Westport is so good for Kitt...Silverdale Colliery, a mere pelagic gull's stones throw away has never had one in 10+ yrs of observation. Perhaps Nick, you rear them on haddock oatcakes and then release them, along with loads of dodgy dabbling ducks too? 8-P

Steve

 

[chris23565]

Were also about quarter the size of Gailey as well, as for the Haddock Oakcake, no thanks, sounds gross, but if you what to try it 'fair isle' then let us know how you get on, i'll stick with bacon and cheese:t:

 

[kev burrows]

A fantastic fall of 40+ wheatears at Berry Hill this morning accompanied by 4 whinchats and 3+ redstarts - and it's still only August!! It was a real surprise after all the overnight rain but maybe the change to NE winds got things moving. I'm with you Ian - nothing like finding stuff on your local patch B

Nick

i was on the fields by birches head high school yesterday about 11 am and saw a female wheatear there wonder if its next stop was berry hill........

 

[Nick Smith]

I too have had many a sleepless night wondering why Westport is so good for Kitt...Silverdale Colliery, a mere pelagic gull's stones throw away has never had one in 10+ yrs of observation. Perhaps Nick, you rear them on haddock oatcakes and then release them, along with loads of dodgy dabbling ducks too? 8-P

Steve

Listen pal I'm getting sick of your plastic duck jibes all the while. Pet shop owners arn't having an easy time and we get a good deal on ducks at the moment. Makes our lists bigger. I mean, a tenner for a second-hand slightly soiled Ring-necked Duck...............

 

[Steve Turner]

Listen pal I'm getting sick of your plastic duck jibes all the while. Pet shop owners arn't having an easy time and we get a good deal on ducks at the moment. Makes our lists bigger. I mean, a tenner for a second-hand slightly soiled Ring-necked Duck...............

You know I'm just jealous, I rarely get any ducks on my patch. As you're aware, I have to survive on a meagre diet of Ring Ouzels, LRPs, and Meadow Pipits...although it did get a party of 3 Ring-necked Ducks once...who knows, they were probably part of a mass fence-hopping of aythyas !

Cheers
Steve

 

[Nick Smith]

You know I'm just jealous, I rarely get any ducks on my patch. As you're aware, I have to survive on a meagre diet of Ring Ouzels, LRPs, and Meadow Pipits...although it did get a party of 3 Ring-necked Ducks once...who knows, they were probably part of a mass fence-hopping of aythyas !

Cheers
Steve

We'd also do anything to get one over on those dastardly berryhill boys in their weak attempts to take our crown as Stoke-on-Trents No1 birding hotspot. I'm mean, they can't compete with genuine Marbled Duck, Chestnut Teal, Cape Shelduck, Ruddy Shelduck with two hybrid young and now a very wary Muscovy Duck. Take that Messrs Toon/Pom!

 

[russell toon]

Wish we had somewhere like Berry Hill in South Staffs, we just haven't got any sites that regularly produce 'falls' of common migrants like Berry Hill...must admit i am pretty jealous of a site like that and always like to hear what has been sighted up there...:t:

I remember it having a fantastic day one year when there were also 'fall' conditions on the east coast...i was at Spurn that day and we had several Greenish Warblers and Wrynecks amongst other things and i seem to remember Berry Hill had a Wryneck, about 50 Whinchat and i think a Black Red?...i remember that was September the somethig so this might just be the start of a bumper autumn up there...i'll keep my fingers crossed for you all and keep up the good work...:t:

Yes it was the 11th September 2005 being the day that turned me into serious local patch work at Berryhill.

Russell

 

[Steve Turner]

We'd also do anything to get one over on those dastardly berryhill boys in their weak attempts to take our crown as Stoke-on-Trents No1 birding hotspot. I'm mean, they can't compete with genuine Marbled Duck, Chestnut Teal, Cape Shelduck, Ruddy Shelduck with two hybrid young and now a very wary Muscovy Duck. Take that Messrs Toon/Pom!

You know they both trade in caged passerines don't you? You wouldn't believe how many Wheatears you can get for a tenner.

Anyway enough banter, we've already hijacked this thread too much...we'll have the forum police after us.

 

[Steve Turner]

Yes it was the 11th September 2005 being the day that turned me into serious local patch work at Berryhill.

Russell

Hi there Russ

What were your final counts for the hill today? Add anything significant to the counts that Nick has already posted?

Cheers
Steve

 

[russell toon]

We'd also do anything to get one over on those dastardly berryhill boys in their weak attempts to take our crown as Stoke-on-Trents No1 birding hotspot. I'm mean, they can't compete with genuine Marbled Duck, Chestnut Teal, Cape Shelduck, Ruddy Shelduck with two hybrid young and now a very wary Muscovy Duck. Take that Messrs Toon/Pom!

You've got me there with that line up and I am very jealous of the water you have at Westport even if it is smaller than Gailey.We struggle for wildfowl of any description and get excited here if a Tufted Duck goes over Berryhill.

Russell

 

[russell toon]

Hi there Russ

What were your final counts for the hill today? Add anything significant to the counts that Nick has already posted?

Cheers
Steve

Had another go this afternoon but despite the wind being stronger than this morning got the Wheatears up to at least 48 including a flock of around 30 below the White door paddock.Still at least 4 Whinchats showing.
Dodgy Barnacle Goose over mid afternoon.

Russell

 

[Steve Turner]

Dodgy Barnacle Goose over mid afternoon.

Russell

Cripes, another remarkable first for the hill?!!

 

[chris23565]

Cripes, another remarkable first for the hill?!!

If they add that to the Berryhill list, then were having our Marbled Duck:-O