12th January

Bonus bird today.  Site visit down in South Wales near Abergavenny and I had my fair share of Red Kites to stare at.  Well lush birds!!!!!

9th January

Broad Lane is Heswall, The Wirral, had become a temporary home for a Pallas's Warbler, a tiny Asian warbler.  Having not seen this species before I was on the road at 06.00 and on site just before 09.00 (I know it is only 2 hours from Alrewas but it was lashing down with rain so a breakfast was enjoyed).  The bird had shown in heavy rain but briefly but that was good news, it was till around, and so the wait was on before it showed again.  Show it did thank god, 2 hours later, and so a PALLAS'S WARBLER was in the bag.  To begin with it showed on the right hand side hedge on the floor briefly, I didn't get on it then but the it flew to the right hand hedge and continued to act like a Goldcrest as it fed and flittered along the face of the hedgerow enough to get on it and see the orangy yellow supercilium, and yellowy white wing stripes but sadly no pale rump. 
As well as the super warbler, bloody load of Goldcrests and the odd Chiffchaff.
I would have liked to bird the Wirral for more birds as it is a fantastic place for some winter birding but I was told of a private site in Cheshire where a Black-necked Grebe had been present for a few weeks.  On finding the lake I failed to find the bird but added Raven and Jay to my year list.  The bird was present n the Sunday as my contact had it. :(
I decided then to come back in to Staffs to end the day at Swallow Moss but before then I had time to check out a site for Dipper, which I dipped on, before heading to Knotbury for Red Grouse. I got out of the car, scanned the local fields for anything and spotted a bonus Little Owl sitting on a stone wall, a nice year tick.  A walk around the track and it wasn't long before a Red Grouse flew past me.  That's was enough as time was getting on and I wanted to get to Swallow Moss before dusk. 
On the way to Swallow Moss my year list grew one with the sighting of a Short-eared Owl hunting near Flash.
I arrived at Swallow Moss and was there until dark but only managed to get Starlings, Pheasant and a Wren.
A great days birding. 

6th January

My last day off before back to work so I loaded up my bike and did my favourite circuit of gravel pits.
Whitemoor Haye.
30 Siskins were still present but quite mobile, 600 Lapwing, 1 Redshank calling from the pig field, several Tree Sparrows and Yellowhammers, Goldeneye, Tufties and the Whooper Swan still in the field.
National Arboretum.
After getting a puncture and getting my mom to pick it up and take it to my house I continued on foot.  Nothing special in the arboretum but did add Redwing and Mistle Thrush to the year list.
Junction Pit.
Seconds after arriving the Cetti's Warbler blasted its unforgettable song, this must be the third year this bird has been present.  Has it got a mate? I wouldn't have thought it would hung around if it didn't attract a mate so there maybe a breeding pair there we don't know about!!  2 Snipe were chilling o the bank and five Redshank flew over and appeared to drop in.
Croxall Wides.
Grey Wagtail was the only bird of note on this very flooded corner of the arboretum/river Trent.
Alrewas GP.
4 Goldeneye, 116 Tufties, 10 Gadwall, 7 Teal, 18 Mallard, 41 Coot, at least 3 Chiffchaff and several Goldcrest - new for the year.  

Photos

Black-tailed Godwit - Titchwell RSPB

Purple Sandpiper - Sheringham

 

Shoveler - Titchwell RSPB

Barn Owl - Titchwell RSPB

Shag - Rudyard Lake

Red-necked Grebe - Trentham Gardens

Ehyptian Geese - Hickling Broad

Shorelark - Thornham

Twite - Thornham

Hoopoe - Wall Heath (Taken 1st Dec)



Whooper Swan -Whitemoor Haye
 

Rough-legged Buzzard - Choseley Barns



Carrion Crow, Titchwell RSPB

 



5th January

Staffordshire had some quite nice birds around so me and my mate, Tony, decide to mop up these whilst they were still present.
Rudyard Lake was the first destination for a long staying Shag and it wasn't long before we saw it on a boat before getting absolutely ridiculous close views of this bird.
Next destination was Trentham Gardens for a Red-necked Grebe and again it was not long before it was seen at the far end of the lake and, again, great views were had.
Next site was the southern tip of Staffordshire for a long staying bird and one which has a surprise bird for the winter, a Hoopoe.  Again this bird was showing well.
Since the Little Owls abandoned Whitemoor Haye I have no regular site for Little Owls until Tony showed me a site near Yoxall last year however the birds were not showing today. 
3 out of 4 aint bad.

4th January

Just a check around Whitemoor Haye today and birds included Siskin (these have been present for a couple of months now, seen in the small woodland by the quarry entrance), 25 Wigeon, 850 Lapwing, 33 Mute Swan, 1 Whooper Swan, Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, Fieldfare, and a Sparrowhawk.

3rd January.

Last day and the forecast was not good so there was only one site to visit and that was Titchwell RSPB.  Pretty much the same birds as on January 1st but it was an enjoyable couple of hours until news of a bird I would have loved for the year list, a Pallid Harrier.  This bird had been showing in a field near Flitcham well before New Years Day but the it suddenly disappeared, no doubt leaving lots of listers disappointed.  Anyway, on arrival, the view had only been a flyby and there had been no sign for over an hour. An hour later there was still o sign and with the rains coming I headed back but not before adding a Brambling to my list.
With a pretty good trip home in constant rain it stopped as I approached the village so I decided to check out the patch, Whitemoor Haye,  The Whooper Swan was still present, a smart male Peregrine was sitting on a rock and then I was treated to a Merlin being pestered by some crows.  Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, and, amazingly, Tufted Duck were year ticks (yep, no tufties seen whilst in Norfolk).