11-4-11, Whitemoor Haye.

After a cycle ride hokme it was a bit of brecky then off to the local patch and it was one of those mornings when it was a pleasure to be on the patch with plenty of spring bird calls and very active birds including a few year ticks, butterflies and other wildlife. Birds noted around the lanes were Woodpigeon, Grey Heron, Tree Sparrow, Wren, Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Stock Dove, Mistle Thrush, Goldfinch, Lapwing, Long-tailed Tit, Corn Bunting, Linnet, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Little Owl, Greenfinch, Magpie, Red-legged Partridge, Common Whitethroat (year tick), Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail (year tick), Meadow Pipit, Blackcap (year tick), Blackbird, Dunnock, Great Tit, Kestrel and Swallow. On to the quarry pool and I noted Mallard, Greylag Geese, Tufted Duck, Teal, Black-headed Gull, Little-ringed Plover, Redshank, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Chiffchaff and Pheasant. Superb.

11-4-11, Fradley Junction NR

I borrowed a van over the weekend and had to return it early Monday morning so the guys could get out and work so I was at fradley Junction for 06.45. I decided to bike back so threw my bins in and headed around the nature reserve. The other day I was here and I heard several Blackcaps but never saw any and they are needed for my year list. Around the reserve I noted Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Wren, Robin, Blue Tit, Treecreeper, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Mallard, Mute Swan and Nuthatch. A pleasant start to the day.

9-4-11, Whitemoor Haye.

A bit of a busy Saturday but I did have time to have a walk around Whitemoor Haye. A walk around the lanes got me Magpie, Blackbird, Tree Sparrow, Black-headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Robin, Mallard, Woodpigeon, Pheasant, Stock Dove, Long-tailed Tit, Swallow, Wren, Lapwing, Corn Bunting, Reed Bunting, Canada Geese, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Grey Partridge 6, Linnet, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Moorhen, Blue Tit, and Buzzard. Over to the quarry pool and as they are now dumping hundreds of tons of soil along the hedgline. Dont know what thats all about but I wouldnt be suprised to see a bloody great big fence put up to block out views of the pool. In the meantime I noted Redshank, Great-crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler, 56 Mute Swan, Greenfinch and Starling. Back towards the car and I added Great Tit, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Mistle Thrush. The chances of Quail turning up this year is very low as the fields have been planted with mainly potatoe along with rape. Not good.

3-4-11, Back Garden.

After a week at work and a good Saturday night out I decided to have a chill out day and plod around at home. Whilst I was carrying out some jobs outside I did a bit of birding. Birds noted were Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Blue Tit, and Great Tit. I also had Cormorant, Mute Swan and Black-headed Gull flying over. But that was not it. Whilst I was eating breakfast I looked at the niger seeds and a small brown bird was on them. It looked a different than a House Sparrow so I grabbed my mothers bins and there was a Lesser Redpoll having its brecky. Superb, a cracking garden tick. It did have a fair bit of white on the flanks and belly and I did try to turn it into a Mealy Redpoll but eventually settled for lesser when it flew off before I could get a photo.

2-4-11, Croxall GP.

Was at work all day today but managed a quick visit to Croxall first thing. I hung around the car park for a bit before a short walk along the main track before I had to head off to work. Birds noted were Canada Geese, Oystercatcher, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Willow Warbler, Cormorant, Fieldfare, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Teal, Swallow, Pheasant, Song Thrush, Black-headed Gull, Mallard and Chaffinch. A pleasant hour before a days work including a nice year tick in the shape of a Willow Warbler.

2-4-11, Help.

Anyone else having trouble with putting multiple listings on one post? I used to put a whole day on one post but now I cannot make a space between Whitemoor Haye and Croxall from yesterday. I will have to go back to one post per site from now on. Not good Blogger.

1-4-11, Whitemoor Haye.

I finished work a bit earlier today so it was off to Whitemoor Haye for a it of local patch birding and I was in for a bit of a surprise. It was quite windy, especially as most of the trees and hedges have been ripped out whilst the diggers were cleaning out the ditches. I headed off around the lanes and noted the following. Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Robin, Woodpigeon, Wren, Great Tit, Blackbird, Tree Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Lapwing, Pied Wagtail, Starling, Black-headed Gull, Mute Swan 16, Mallard, Stock Dove, Grey Partridge 2, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Skylark, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Pheasant, Magpie, Kestrel, Buzzard and Corn Bunting. There were loads of Black-headed Gulls were following the various tractors that were planting the various crops and I decided to have a scan to see if there was anything different within them and I was staggered to find 2 Mediterranean Gulls resting with half of the other gulls. Bloody hell yet another site tick as well as a year tick. I sent a couple of texts, including one to my mother as she has never seen one before and she came out to see it (thats the Mothers Day present sorted), one to another mate and a phone call to rare bird alert. A quick look at the quarry pool got me Redshank, Tufted Duck, Oystercatcher, Greylag Geese and Chiffchaff. Its not looking good for Quail at Whitemoor this year. The farmer has been busy planting this years crop and the majority is potato with at least one field of rape. I was also disappointed to see the tractors starting work in the field between Sittles Farm and the rough track. In here there must be at least 20 pairs of Lapwings and several pairs of Skylarks looking to set up nests. One tractor was starting to lime yesterday and another was driving around the edge but I couldn't see what he was doing. 1-4-11, Croxall GP. I then headed for Croxall and as I had my dog with me I could only bird the main pool. From the car park it was straight up to the hide and then back again. Birds noted were Goldfinch, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Redshank, Mallard, Teal, Goldeneye, Shelduck, Lapwing, Snipe, Canada Geese, Oystercatcher, Gadwall, Dunnock, Ringed Plover, Caffinch, Pheasant, Moorhen, Wren, Reed Bunting, Blue Tit, Swallow, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Cormorant, Greylag Geese, Great Crested Grebe and Long-tailed Tit. I was on site until at least 19.50 and had good numbers of Swallow flying through including several groups of 30-40 birds chirping away as they flew along. Welcome back.