Sunday 19 May 2013

19-5-13

I really needed to get things sorted as I am off to Norfolk for a few days but first thing I got out and spent a couple of hours around Whitemoor Haye and I managed to relocate the Turnstone on the east shore.  Other birds included several Whitethroat, Yellowhammers, Tree Sparrow and Blackcaps, a Garden warbler, 3 Redshank and 3 Sedge Warblers.  After popping to town to get some provisions for my trip I headed over to a site on the chase where I got ace views of a couple of Cuckoo, a Jay and a close Blackcap.
That's me done for a few days, ta ra.

Saturday 18 May 2013

18-5-13

Bit of a bonus bird watch tonight but first the fishing.  Well, not bad really, joint 4th overall with 5 carp to 21lb 11oz and the bonus was it was not cold, didn't rain and the wind was not a problem.  Home about 17.30 so it was straight down to WH although the dog couldn't come as she was not well at all.  A quick drive around the lanes and then a session by the lake got me 127 Mute Swan, 1 Little Owl, several Tree Sparrow, Whitethroats and Blackcaps, a Grey Partridge calling, 2 LRP's, 4 Coot, 3 Redshank, 2 Oyc's, the Turnstone still present however it was disturbed by a group around the bonfire at 19.00 and I couldn't find it again, 4 Shelduck, 1 Common Sand, 3 Common Tern, 4 Gadwall and 2 possibly 3 Sedge Warbler.  

Friday 17 May 2013

17-5-13

Of all the bird on my UK list, which is not that great anyway, one bird has always stood out as a bit dodgy, Temminck's Stint.  My first and only one was at Slimbridge in 2006(ish) and it was very distant and at best only a probable but nothing else was around except said reported bird.  This has always been a bit dodgy on my list and I've always wanted to get a better one so when one was found at Branston pits on Thursday evening I hoped all day on Friday that it was still there in the evening.  Come the evening and the pager gave me the good news of its presence.  After a good walk to the opposite side of the site and some good directions from fellow birders it took me about 5 seconds to get on to the bird, and very nice it was too, also my first for Staffs.  I watched and photod the bird until it was flushed by some plovers and I couldn't relocate it so I headed back and checked out the other pits.  Other birds of note included 1 Greenshank, many Shelduck, Sedge and Reed warblers, Shoveler Ringed Plovers, LRP's, Oycs and Green Woody.  
It was still early evening so I headed to Whitemoor Haye where I joined Tom Perrins (Tame Valley blogger) and we noted 1 Turnstone, Sedeg Warbler, 4 Shelduck, 1 Goosander, 2 Oycs, 2 LRP's, 2 Common sands, 2 Redshank and dozens of Mute Swans.
Im writing this early Saturday morning and I am off to a fishing match today but tomorrow I will be out birding with a new toy, my Sony Alpha 65 camera.  I had a play with it last night and it is a million miles better than the 100 so looking forward to clicking away.  

Thursday 16 May 2013

16-5-13

After last week when I was at Whitemoor Haye almost every night, this week has been the opposite due to work.  Dull, dull, dull. 
The other week I was out birding and I dropped my camera bag with my Sony Alpha 100 in.  Doh.  One smashed viewing screen and a trip to a camera shop later and the conclusion was not good, in fact if it was a car it would taken to the large scrap heap in the sky.  Tonight and a few hundred pounds later and my camera should arrive tomorrow.
Yesterday saw a superb movement of Turnstones - 2 at Whitemoor Haye and an amazing 24 at Carsington Water, Sanderlings and the odd Purple Sandpiper, well one at Belvide.  Superb, just wish I was out birding last night.

Tuesday 14 May 2013

12-5-13

After a good night out in Burton On Trent drinking gorgeous real ale Saturday I was mainly going to chill but I was going to go out on my bike for a ride, that was until I opened my shed and I had a flat rear.  Over the last couple of weeks I have had three punctures, not fun.  Don't know if it is me putting the tubes in wrong or just some bad luck.  Whatever, I decided to repair the bike and give it a clean before chilling. 
Sunday I go my arse in gear and birdwatched!!!  First site was Whitemoor Haye and birds of note were Tree Sparrow, 1 Common Sands, 3 Oycs, 1 Dunlin, 3 Redshank, 2 Shelduck, 1 Sedge Warbler still, 1 Little Owl and several Whitethroats, Blackcaps yellow wags and Blackcaps. After a bit I was reminded it was WeBS day, doh.  A quick look around Croxall produced an aggressive fisherman, Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk, quite a few Mallard, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Oycs and 2 Common Terns.  A walk through the arboretum towards the other pits gave me a cuckoo in flight and Willow warbler and Blackcap.  Junction Pit had pretty much nothing apart from the odd Reed Warbler.  Just under the viaduct I can scan Croxall again, this time the are where the river has been widened and islands created.  Birds of note here included 2 LRP's, 1 Redshank, 1 Kingfisher and a Shelduck.
From here it was on to Alrewas GP and I noted Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, 2 Oycs, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. 
After the FA Cup, congratulations Wigan Athletic, I was bored so I had an hour at the pool at Whitemoor Haye.  Bird of note were Blackcap, Whitethroat, 4 Shelduck, 1 Oyc, 4 Dunlin, 1 Sanderling, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 LRP, 1 Common Sand and the now resident Sedge Warbler.

Saturday 11 May 2013

latest photos

Corn Bunting at Whitemoor Haye

 
Skylark at Whitemoor Haye
 

Knot at Blithfield
 

Wood Warbler on Cannock Chase
 

Tree Pipit on Cannock Chase

Getting up to date

Sorry, miles behind on postings so I will have a quick look at whats been occurring, both good and bad. 

16-4-13, Whitemoor Haye.
Highlights were my first two Common Terns of the year as well as a single Common Sandpiper, also my first of the year.  Also 15 Yellow Wagtails, 12 White Wagtails, 34 Tree Sparrow, 21 Golden Plover, and a Corn Bunting.

18-4-13, Berryhill Fields.
Today I was hoping for a Ring Ouzel but unfortunately that did not materialise however I did see a smart male Redstart, Wheatear and Common Whitethroat.

18-4-13, Whitemoor Haye.
Wagtails still dominated the scene with 28+ Yellow Wagtail plus 2 White Wagtail, Peregrine, Raven, 12 Tree Sparrow, Little Owl, 93 Golden Plover, 2 Grey Partridge and a Common Sandpiper.

19-4-13, local gravel pits.
A walk around the Alrewas gravel pit got me several Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Willow Warbler, Redshank, Common Sandpiper and Great Crested Grebe plus heard a Sedge Warbler.  The National Arboretum held several common warblers, Oystercatcher, Bullfinch and Mistle Thrush.  The best Junction Pit could offer was Willow Warbler, Oystercatcher and a Common Tern over.  Croxall faired a little better with many Tufted Duck, Teal and mallard plus a single Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, 2 Redshank, 2 LRP's, 2 Shelduck, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs.  I ended up at Whitemoor Haye and highlights included Sparrowhawk, Meadow Pipits, Willow Warbler, 4 Common Sandpiper, 5 Redshank, 30+ White Wagtail, 21 Yellow Wagtail, 2 LRP, 1 Dunlin, Oycs, Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammers and Little Owl.

20-4-13, Gailey.
Nope, no birding but I was near Gailey for a fishing match which basically turned out to be disastrous however during the match the male Whinchat that was seen the previous day was still present.  I put my pole down and zoomed up the lane but failed to connect with it.  After the match I gave it another go and managed to find the smart bird on a nearby hedge.

21-4-13, Dosthill lake.
Having never really birded here before I was a bit unsure as to whether I was in the right area for the two Black-necked Grebes that had been present.  It turned out I was but they had gone.  Never mind I did see my first Sedge Warblers of the year plus many warblers, a showy Lesser Redpoll, several Little Grebes Gadwall and Tufties.

21-4-13, Whitemoor Haye and Blithfield. 
A look around Whitemoor Haye produced a smart drake Scaup, 2 Oycs, 2 Common Sandpiper, 47 Yellow Wagtail, several White Wagtail, 3 LRP's, 3 Shelduck, Redshank and 2 Gadwall.
A Whimbrel was present at Blithers so I hot footed it over there, parked at the dam end and dropped my SLR camera on the floor and in the process smashing the screen and basically writing it off.  Fortunately the birding was better. Whooper Swan, Yellow Wagtail from the dam and Knot, Whimbrel, Oycs, Arctic Tern, Greenshank and LRP in Blithe Bay.

24-4-13, Whitemoor Haye.
Quite a busy day around the regular patch.  Birds of note included 42 Yellow Wagtail, 9 White Wagtail, 5 Oycs, 1 drake Scaup, 6 Gadwall, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Swift - first two of the year, 2 Egyptian Geese, 2 Corn Bunting, 5 Grey Partridge and 16 Tree Sparrow.

27-4-13, Whitemoor Haye.
A visit to the lake only and I noted 37 Tufted Duck, 18 Mallard, 5 Dunlin, Yellow Wagtails, 5 Dunlin, 3 LRP's, 1 Redshank and 3 Oycs.

30-4-13, Whitemoor Haye.
Birds of note today included 57 Mute Swan, 34 Mallard, 38 Tufted Duck, 5 LRP, 3 Redshank, 9 Gadwall, 2 Oystercatchers, Corn Bunting and several Yellow and White Wagtails.

30-4-13, Undisclosed site.
I managed to find a site in Staffs that has a male Cetti's Warbler present.  For obvious reasons the site will not be known except for a few I have told for various reasons.

3-5-13, Melton CP.
A slightly embarrassing emission from my life list was a Ring-billed Gull, just never had the chance to properly twitch one really until now.  I arrived early and immediately there was a gull on the water which I id'd as a juvenile LBBG, with help from my small bird book, and not much else present.  When I got home I looked at photos on tinternet and  was watching the RB Gull, bloody bonus.  In my defence I was unaware the bird was a 1st winter juvenile and my book only showed adults.

4-5-13, Whitemoor Haye.
Another half decent session with 4 Oycs, several Blackcaps, 30 Dunlin, 1 Common Sand, 4 LRP's, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Shelduck, 2 Redshank, 4 Gadwall, 1 Peregrine and my first Hobby of the year.

5-5-13, Cannock Chase.
Visited several sites this morning and noted 2 Wood Warblers, several Blackcaps and Whitethroats, 2 Shelduck, Goldcrest, Tree Pipits, male Pied Flycatcher, Green Woodpecker and Cuckoo.

5-5-13, Whitemoor Haye.
Another busy place today, noting 4 Redshank, 1 Dunlin, 1 Common Sand, 2 Oycs, 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Corn Bunting and 1 Little Owl.

6-5-13 saw the start of a few evening visits to Whitemoor Haye and the highlights were 7 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Redshank, 4 Oycs and Sedge Warbler on the 6th, 3 Redshanks, 4 Oycs, 1 Shelduck, 1 Hobby, 1 Snipe and 3 Common Terns on the 7th, the 8th I got 8 Redshank, 3 Oyc's. 1 Ringed Plover, 4 LRP's, 2 Sedge Warblers and a Wheatear.

8-5-13, Willington GP.
Before I visited Whitemoor Haye and I slipped into Debyshitre to this excellent birding place and the birds included several Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Chiffs, Willow Warbs, Sedge, Reed and Garden Warbs, 4 Common Terns, 2 Hobby's, 1 Common Sand and 1 Oyc,      
 
That's this blog up to date, I will add some photos on another post.