17-4-11, Whitemoor Haye.

Back to the local patch after a most excellent grand prix and the end of the Arsenal/Liverpool match. I walked the lanes before heading to the quarry pool. Birds noted around the fields were Swallow, Woodpigeon, Mistloe Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Chaffinch, Skylark, Tree Sparrow, Cormorant, Carrion Crow, Lapwing, Buzzard, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Blue Tit, Yellowhammer, Common Whitethroat, 2 Grey Partridge, Dunnock, Pheasant, 92 Mute Swans, Grey Heron, Magpie, Moorhen, Kestrel and Pied Wagtail. On to the quarry pool and I added Tufted Duck, Teal, Chiffchaff, Common Tern, Wheatear, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull and Oystercatcher. Not a bad day with four year ticks.

17-4-11, Willington GP.

WeBS count doen and a Garganey had been present at this superb Derbyshire site for a couple of days so it was straight there fron Barton. The duck was showing on the canal scrape so straight round there and it was not good news, the pair of Garganey had been flushed by a woman walking her dog around the pool. Some people are so thick its untrue. I hung around for about ten minutes when two ducks landed on the pool, it was the Garganey, superb. From here I only had time to get to the first two platforms as I wanted to get back and watch the grand prix. Birds noted were Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Wren, Chaffinch, Common Whitethroat, Goldfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Tufted Duck, Canada Geese, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Redshank, Lapwing, Mallard, Coot, Oystercatcher, Great Crested Grebe, Blue Tit, Pheasant, Greenfinch, Cormorant, Long-tailed Tit, Robin, Sedge Warbler, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Grey Heron and Black Headed Gull.

Sunday 17th April 2011, WeBS count.

A busy days birding as it was WeBS count day. With my blog playing up when inputting different sites on one post, I will put all of todays on one page but keep it simple. First port of call was Alrewas GP and the birds noted were Wren, Skylark, Robin, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Mute Swan, Carrion Crow, Tufted Duck, Magpie, Canada Geese, Goldeneye, Common Whitethroat, Mallard, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Reed Bunting, Stock Dove, Blackcap, Starling, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Dunnock, Blackbird, Pied Wagtail, lesser Black-backed Gull, Greylag Geese, Cormorant, Willow Warbler, Grey Heron and Black-headed Gull. To get to the next pit (Junction Pit) it means going through the Arboretum. I couldnt help doing a bit of birding and birds noted were Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Black-headed Gull, Song Thrush, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Grey Heron, Wheatear, Goldfinch, Linnet, Sand Martin, Common Tern, Oystercatcher, Great Tit, Willow Warbler and Wren. At Junction Pit I saw Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Canada Geese, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Coot, Sand Martin, Greylag Geese and Goldfinch. Over to Croxall GP and I saw Canada Geese, Sand Martin, Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot, Tufted Duck, Little Ringed Plover, Black-headed Gull, Cormorant, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap. Sedge Warbler, Blue Tit, Magpie, Chaffinch, Willow Warbler, Oystercatcher, Greenshank, Goldfinch, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Song Thrush, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Tit, Teal, Gadwall, Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Shoveler, Redshank, Lapwing, Green Woodpecker, Rook and Robin. The last site for the WeBS count was Barton Marina Pool. Birds noted were Mute Swan, mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Canada Geese, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Robin, Great Crested Grebe, Wren, House Martin, Cormorant, Black-headed Gull and Blackcap.

15-4-11, Cannock Chase - Old Butts.

I was hard at work around lunch time when the pager went off on my desk telling news of a Wryneck on the chase around the shooting butts area. A quick yelp in the office and my afternoon was rubbish. I need a Wryneck mainly for Staffordshire but it woulkd be a nice year tick too. I was finaaly released and was on the chase at 16.45. I was heading off to the shooting butts when I bumped into another blogger who told me it was the wrong shooting butts, I needed the old ones. Aaaargh. I didn't have a clue so I trusted the directions they gave me on the pager and I eventually found another birder who guided me to this new place. When I arrived there was a few people hanging around and slowly but surely they were drifting home. I asked one, very unhelpful, person who just said when asked where it was seen "out there". Thanks for that. I finally left site at around 19.15 and birds noted were Great Tit, Robin, Stock Dove, Willow Warbler (loads of em), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Jay, Woodlark, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Song Thrush, Pheasant, several calling Cuckoos but I never saw any so they cannot be counted towards the year list, Mistle Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Magpie, Blue Tit, Buzzard, 2 fly over Mallards, Wren and some fly over Siskins. Yep, no Wryneck. There was so much habitat it would be impossible to find it on the floor but congratulations to the guy from the forestry commision who found it. For pictures of the bird check out Belvide blog. Work tomorrow so birding will be doubtful.

13-4-11, Whitemoor Haye.

After a visit to the doctors because of my poorly foot I was told to rest so off to Whitemoor Haye it was, with the dog, to do a bit of birding. It was a bit late when I got there, about 18.45, and it was already quite gloomy and it didnt get better. Birds noted around the tracks were Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Wren, Tree Sparrow, Robin, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Swallow, Mistle Thrush, Mallard, Cormorant, Grey Partridge, Lapwing, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer, Buzzard, Magpie, Mute Swan, Pheasant and Meadow Pipit. Then it was through the ever increasing gloom to the quarry pool to see what was around. Birds noted were Tufted Duck, Teal, Canada Geese, Blackcap, Greenshank, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Little-ringed Plover and Starling. An ok visit, better than sitting at home and I came home with the bonus of a Greenshank for a year tick.

11-4-11, circa Alrewas.

Myself, the dog and my known drinking associate (Ive got no mates, only known drinking associates!!!) went for a walk around the back fields and along the river by the weir was a Common Sandpiper. A nice bonus year tick.

11-4-11, Croxall GP.

Onto Croxall and the weather was looking more and more dodgy but I carried on up to the main hide. Birds noted were Canada Geese, Chaffinch, Mute Swan, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Moorhen, Coot, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Great Crested Grebe, Oystercatcher, Mallard, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Black-headed Gull, Lapwing, Sand Martin, Little-ringed Plover, Shelduck, Shoveler, Gadwall, Ringed Plover, Teal, Tufted Duck, Pochard and Mute Swan. Whilst in the hide there were a few sprinkles of rain but it was not too bad so I headed under the train line into the east side and I added 4 Wheatear which were perching nicely along the fence posts, Rook, Meadow Pipit, Jackdaw and Stock Dove. It was at the furthest point that it started to rain heavily so I took shelter in the hide for about half an hour before it cleared up but during that time there was not much to see. Not sure what has changed here as I used to sit in this hide for hours watching plenty of bird. The large fire patch and disgarded barbeque twenty yards in front of the hide showed peoples disregard for this site and another reason why I dont come here much any more. Back to the car and on the way back I added Dunnock, Willow Warbler and Long-tailed Tit. A pleasant visit, even in the rain.