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.