26-7-10, Whitemoor Haye.

I was just settling down to watch Emmerdale when I recieved a text message from a West Brom birder telling me a Grey Phalarope had been reported at Whitemoor Haye. BLOODY HELL. I zoomed down there and started scanning the main lake. A good half an hours scanning produced no such bird. Was it on the other pit which we can't get to? Had it flown off? Was it there in the first place? Aftyer three quarters of an hour I decided it was not present. Birds which were were Lapwing, Common Sandpiper about 8, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mute Swan, Swallow, Yellowhammer, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Skylark, Linnet, Pied Wagtail, Herring Gull, Starling, Goldfinch, Magpie and Swifts.
Its funny because not long ago I was having a scan over the lake and, watching the juvenile Black-headed Gulls, I remeber thinking that these look a bit like a Phalarope. Maybe the original observer fell into that little trap.

The Franklins Gull is still making an appearance at Chasewater. I came off call on Friday morning and was thinking of going to Chasewater Friday evening after packing however the weather was a tad damp to say the least so twas not possible. Could it stay till middle of next week? Surely not!!!

I am writing this on Saturday morning, I am about to set off on a mini golf break in Scotland. Birding will be proberbly non existant but I will take my stuff up just in case.

25-7-10, Croxall GP.

I decided to give Whitemoor Haye a break and head a bit further down the road to Croxall. With a few decent waders showing around the Midlands, this is a good a place as anywhere. I headed up to the Main Hide and noted Blue Tit, Wren, Wood Pigeon, Goldfinch, Magpie, Coot Lapwing, Great Crested Grebe, Reed Warbler, Oystercatcher, Canada Geese, Mute Swan, Carrion Crow, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Sedge Warbler. From the hide I was expecting a few waders and ducks but as I approached thew hide all I saw were two fishermen. That was that. the only birds noted from the hide were a Blackbird, a Common Tern and a couple of Ringed Plover near the hide. Feeling a bit disappointed I headed to the east side and added Grey Heron, Cormorant, Stock Dove, Lomg-tailed Tit, Stock Dove, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Sand Martin, Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Willow Warbler.

25-7-10, Whitemoor Haye.

Yep I couldn't keep away. I was getting tired though after no rest for ages. As I was going to town later I had a visit to the pool followed by a drive around the lanes. Birds noted at the pool were Mute Swan, Yellowhammer, Black-headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Swallow, Wood Pigeon, Greenfinch, Lapwing, Pied Wagtail, Mallard, Blue Tit, Wren, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Goldfinch, a family of Lesser Whitethroats that showed very well, Yellow Wagtail and Linnet. Birds noted around the lanes were Cormorant, Common Whitethroat, Corn Bunting, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Robin, Reed Bunting and Swift.

25-7-10, Home.

I was outside my home at about 21.15 sorting out tools for Monday when out of the corner of my eye a big bird flew over the factory next door. I turned around to see the bird fly and settle in one of the large trees in the garden. It looked like a Tawny Owl. It couldn't be, not in the middle of Alrewas. Having said that I thought I heard one a few nights ago but I concluded that I was hearing things. I shouted my mom, creppt up to the tree and sure enough there was a Tawny Owl sitting in the pine trees. Superb. A garden tick and a year tick.

24-7-10, Whitemoor Haye.

After a day behind a market stall in Hanley town centre speaking to volunteers I fancied a nice steady walk around Whitemoor with the dogs. And thats exactly what I did. First the rough track and birds noted were Wood Pigeon, Swallow, Black-headed Gull, Greenfinch, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer, Canada Geese, Mallard, Corn Bunting, Skylark, Common Whitethroat, Blue Tit, Kestrel, Dunnock, Jackdaw, M0oorhen and Goldfinch. At the quarry pool I added Mute Swan, Common Sandpiper and Herring Gull. It was a lot quieter than this morning but the weather was nice and it was just a nice walk. The Quail were reported seen today. This was quite puzzling as the field had been completely harvasted during the morning. I wonder where the bird was heard as there is no cover in the usual field.

24-7-10, Whitemoor Haye.

I am working today so an early morning walk around the lanes produced Tree Sparrow, Swallow, Starling, Robin, Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Blackbird, Corn Bunting, Greenfinch, Pheasant, Common Whitethroat, Black-headed Gull, Linnet, Wren, Magpie, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Mallard, Skylark, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Dunnock, Song Thrush and 2 Stock Doves. Over to the pool and I added Lapwing, Canada Geese, Common Sandpiper, Pied Wagtail and Swallow. This pool was hard to scan this morning as the sun was right on it and bright. There was a wader showing on the right hand side on the point. It was next to the Common Sandpiper and was almost double the size. It had a clean white chest. The plumage tricky to pick out because of the sun. Its bill was Redshank like but the size of the bird put me off. It seemed to have dark legs although the sun might have had an affect and it also did a lot of bobing. I'll put it down to a bbj (big brown job). I might have a walk around there later and try to find it again.

23-7-10, Joke Alert.

A man goes into a vets with his dog and says "Mr Vet, my dog is cross-eyed"
The vet lifts him up and takes a look. Then he says "I'm afraid I'll have to put him down",
"Why" cried the man, "because he's cross-eyed?"
"No" said the vet,
"Because he's to heavy"

Brian Blessed mid QI, Dave.

23-7-10, Whitemoor Haye.

After watching the dunken demise of Shadrack I headed off to Whitemoor Haye me dog. We had a steady walk around the rough track before having a look over the quarry pool. It was a lovely night with no wind but some very dark clouds heading my way. Nether the less I got round dry. Birds noted around the track were Swallow, Greenfinch, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Yellowhammer, Wood Pigeon, Linnet, Song Thrush, Common Whitethroat, Stock, Canada Geese, Blackbird, Corn Bunting, Rook, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Swift, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wren, Magpie, Pheasant, Robin, Mallard and Reed Bunting. Heading back towards the car I had about eight Corn Buntings. They were making a very slight sound. I dont know whether it was an alarm call or adult and juveniles communicating. Very nice to watch them for a bit though. Will look up later. Over to the quarry pool and I added 15 to 20 Lapwing, 4 Common Sandpipers, Black-headed Gull and Mute Swan. Note no sign of any Quail.
On the way round I had a listen for ten minutes but nothing. Once I'd finished at the pool I went and had another twenty minutes but no sign tonight. Maybe tomorrow. Oh yes, some numpty has deposited his van load of waste all around the rough track. Thanks for that you codeye (yeah, as if he reads this!!!!!).

21-7-10, Chasewater CP.

Wednesday night I play football at work for an hour. I know. Very hard to believe. Anyway I do and its good fun plus the obvious excercise. As soon as we finished it was straight home, a bit of food and then I was on the north shore just before 19.00. I got to the group of birders and asked if it was still around. The response? Flushed five minutes ago. Flushed last night by homo-sapians tonight flushed by Falco peregrinus. Yep, a juvenile Peregrine was terrorising the birds around Chasewater, the Franklins Gull included. The group searched through the returning gulls but no luck until a group of birders on the west bank started waving. They had relocated it in the north-eastern area, near the swag. we all marched over the bays, around the corner to a group of gulls. As I put the scope on them up they went and off into the distance. One guy said he had definate views of the bird there. Fantastic. Flushed three times in two days. By now it was about 19.30. A group of us hung around the north shore as slowly but surely birds drifted in to roost. All except the wanted one. Birds noted were Mute Swan, Common Tern, Goldfinch, Mallard, Swallow, Coot, Wood Pigeon, Great Crested Grebe, Canada Geese, Tufted Duck, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sand Martin, Magpie, Dunnock, Linnet, Cormorant, Green Sandpiper, Gadwall, Moorhen, Pochard, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Swift, Reed Bunting, Mediterranean Gull, Little egret and Yellow-legged Gull. I hung around until 21.30 but no sign, it was getting too dark and any views would have been quite unexciting. Eventually it turned up to roost at 21.45. Tonight (Thursday) I had things on so I could not go, and there has been no sign of it up to now anyway. Oh well, thats the way it goes.
This was my last chance for this bird, unless it hangs around for over a week as I am on call yet again and working Saturday but I will get a bit of local birding done.
I have just edited this on Friday morning and the bird did not show yesterday at all.