Sunday 30th November 2014

Hanchurch Woods
Great Grey Shrike again this morning relocated at 11:05 on the top track. Park in the main car park and walk back past the cottage to view along the track. Showing on and off again from 12:45 until last message received at 13:45hrs (BC LC ST AS DR)

Belvide Resv
Ad Caspian Gull in the roost plus Corn Bunting, 2x Little Egret, 2x Pintail, 3x Goosander, 90x Golden Plover, Chiffchaff and Peregrine (@Kevin_Clements et al)

Chasewater
2x Caspian Gulls in the roost (adult and 2w), 2x adult Mediterranean Gulls, 2x adult Yellow-legged Gulls (@CWG_sightings)

Aqualate
Adult Bewick's Swan and the redhead Smew still

Dimmingsdale
3x Woodcock, 2x Brambling, 12x Redpoll, 32x Fieldfare, 9x Redwing. Green Woodpecker (TE)

Doxey Marsh
Cetti's Warbler, Snipe, 2x  Goosander, 14x Shoveler, Wigeon (DF)

Cetti's Warbler by Dave Fowler

Cannock Chase
4x Stonechat, 4x Green Woodpecker, 30x Reed Bunting, 200x Fieldfare, 200x Redwing, (AH)

Knypersley Resv
1x Water Rail heard plus Woodcock (GBr)

 River Sow Meadows

10x Snipe, 118x Lapwing, 38x Wigeon, 25x Teal,  Goosander, 90x  Fieldfare, 4x Mistle Thrush, 120x Greenfinch, 3x Grey Wagtail, 5x Skylark. (RS)

Swallow Moss
2nd winter male Hen Harrier

Saturday 29th November 2014

Hanchurch Woods
Great Grey Shrike showing well to 10:15 at least. Take track NW from lower car park for about 100m to view clearfell on the left. (NDP et al)

 Great Grey Shrike showed well at times this morning (SBN)

Gailey Res
3x Brent Geese on sailing lake bottom right hand corner near spill weir (SR) Later flew off west at 12:15.

Belvide Res
3x Juvenile Brent Geese at west end 12:30 - 12:46 then flew off SE.

Chasewater
2x adult and one 2nd winter Caspian Gull, 3x adult YL Gull and white winged Herring Gull again in the roost. (JA)

Whitemoor Haye
100x Lapwing, 100x Pochard, 32x Wigeon, 39x Teal, 6x Goldeneye, 331x Mute Swan, 20x Yellowhammer, 25x Tree Sparrow, Golden Plover (SC)

Doxey Marsh

3x Stonechat, Cetti's Warbler, 2x Goosander, 104x Lapwing, Snipe, 16x Shoveler, 6x Wigeon, Kingfisher, 20x Fieldfare, 2x Nuthatch (AR)

Tittesworth Res
1x Goldeneye, 2x Gadwall, drk Pintail, 42x Wigeon, 29x Teal, 4x Siskin (SGi)

Friday 28th November 2014

Hanchurch Woods
Great Grey Shrike briefly at Swynnerton Old Park at 11:00 in clearfell. From the forestry lodge go downhill to the lay-by on the left hand side. The bird is feeding in a new clearfell opposite the lay-by. Again in clearfell at 14:30 (SE, HF)

Great Grey Shrike by Steve Edwards

Blithfield Res (Permits)
5x Common Scoter this morning (GJM)

Whitemoor Haye. 

378x Lapwing, 49x Wigeon, 111x Pochard, 6x Goldeneye, 17x Golden Plover, 304x Mute Swan, 15x Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow (SC)

Branston GP
Adult Caspian Gull and 4x adult Yellow-legged Gulls in roost. Also 7x Ruff, 4x Redshank, 20x Golden Plover, Snipe, 446x Lapwing, Little Egret, 8x Shelduck 8x Shoveler, 16x Pochard, 17x Wigeon, 3x Gadwall, Peregrine, 12x Yellowhammer, 11x Skylark, c80x Chaffinch (JW)

Adult Caspian Gull in fading light tonight at Branston (JW)

Junction pit

1 Snipe, Chiffchaff singing (SC)

Alrewas GPs

78x Tufted Duck, 2x Goldeneye, 19x Wigeon, Little Grebe (SC)

Alrewas

1 Egyptian Goose in with Canada Geese in field by quarter mile bridge (SC)

Belvide Res
3rd winter Caspian Gull again in the roost also 6x YL Gull

Thursday 27th November 2014

Belvide Resv
2x Caspian Gull in roost (adult + 3w), 8x Yellow-legged Gull (permit holders only)

Wednesday 26th November 2014

Belvide Res
8x Common Scoter (one drake) off the dam this morning.
3rd winter Caspian Gull again in the roost also 5x YL Gull (BG)

Blithfield Res
Female Common Scoter at the deep end (GJM)

Doxey Marshes
Kingfisher, c40 Teal, Buzzard, Kestrel, Cetti's Warbler, 6x Goosander, c40 Lapwing, 2x Bullfinch, 5x Grey Heron & 6x Cormorant (PLG)

Tittesworth Res
Male Pintail in the morning (GDe)

Tuesday 25th November 2014

Chasewater Res
Adult Mediterranean Gull in the roost plus 4x Yellow-legged Gulls (@midlandsbirder)

Belvide Res (Permits)
3rd winter Caspian Gull roosted this evening, also Little Gull, 5x Yellow-legged Gulls & the leucistic Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Little Egret remains at the west end (BB)

Branston Gravel Pits
2x Ruff, 4x Redshank, Green Sandpiper, 18x Curlew, 88x Lapwing, 10x Shelduck, 15x Pochard, 14x Wigeon, 8x Shoveler, 2x Gadwall, 12x Little Grebe, 2x Little Egret, Common Gull, c30 Yellowhammer in hedge between small meadows and Barton telephone exchange (JWo)

Yellowhammer by Jon Woodcock

Monday 24th November 2014

Parkhall CP
3x Woodcock (SSt)

Chatterley Valley\Ford Green
Green Sandpiper, Gadwall, 3x Little Grebe, 2x Goosander & Barn Owl (JJo)

Whitemoor Haye 14:20 to 16:15

201x Lapwing, 102x Golden Plover, 31x Wigeon, 27x Cormorant, Curlew, 20x Tree Sparrow, 15x Yellowhammer, 2x Goldeneye, 305x Mute Swan (SC)

 

 

Sunday 23rd November 2014

Silverdale CP
135x Pink-footed Geese over south Blackbank at 08:30hrs. Also 3x Brambling (NDP)

Westport Lake
68x Pink-footed Geese flew over S/SE at 08:55hrs. Also 2x Goosander and a Chiffchaff (SBN)

The flock of 68 Pink-feet over Westport this morning

Croxall Lakes
90x Pink-footed Geese heading E 09:35hrs. Also a Little Egret present (@Ochruros)

Endon SW
70x Pink-footed Geese over to East at 10:00hrs. Also 81x Lapwing, 1x Raven (GBr)

Aqualate Mere
Redhead Smew still at far end (@Ian_m_grant)
2x Cetti's Warbler heard - An Otter swam across in front of the hide. Also Peregrine and 2000+ Starlings (PJ BC LC KB)

Goldsitch Moss
Male Hen Harrier before drifting off over Gradbach (RT)

Knotbury
Short-eared Owl from Drystone Edge (RT)

Doxey Marshes
11x Goosander, 6x Shoveler, c35 Snipe, 8x Bullfinch, Goldcrest, c100 Fieldfare, 28x Redwing, c1500 Starling & Cetti's Warbler (RSw)

Chasewater
Adult and 3rd winter Caspian Gull, 2x Adult YL Gull, Adult/4th winter Herring Gull showing white primaries, 2000x Starling in the roost (JA)

Radford Meadows
100x Golden Plover, 700x Lapwing (CD)

Berryhill
Barn Owl again at 16:25 also Woodcock (IBu BC LC)

Saturday 22nd November 2014

Aqualate
Bittern again flew in front of the hide. Redhead Smew south west corner early afternoon (IG)

Chasewater
2x Caspian Gulls (adult and 1w), 2x Yellow-legged Gulls (adult and 2w), 2x adult Mediterranean Gulls (@CWG_sightings)

Wolseley Bridge
2x Little Egret on the flood plain (RBe)

Whitemoor Haye
1000x Lapwing, 7x Pochard, 7x Little Egret, 61x Wigeon, 322x Mute Swan, 20x Yellowhammer, 10x Tree Sparrow, Jay, 40x Golden Plover & Corn Bunting (SCo)

Branston GP
c300 Golden Plover circling around Sandy Pit, 1x Little Egret, 4x Ruff, 5x Redshank (SBN)

Belvide
1x Little Egret, 10x Golden Plover, 791x Lapwing, 7x Dunlin, Chiffchaff, 188x Teal, 49x Wigeon, 15x Shoveler and Goosander (@Kevin_Clements)

Doxey Marshes
Male Merlin and 2x Stonechat near Octogon Hide 10:00hrs (SBN)

Berryhill
Barn Owl again at 16:30hrs (PJ)
Jack Snipe, Goosander, Stonechat (NP)

Blackbank
1x singing Fieldfare this morning (PJ)

Knypersley CP
1+ Water Rail at end of the arboretum, 1x Little Grebe and fem Goosander (GBr)

Uttoxeter Quarry
6x Goldeneye, 4x Goosander, 34x Pochard, 15x Wigeon, 37x Teal, Little Egret, Golden Plover, Dunlin and 2x blue morph feral Snow Geese with the Greylags (@rpintean)

Ford Green\Chatterley Valley
Green Sandpiper on north side of mining museum access road, also Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail & drake Gadwall on main pool (JJo)

Friday 21st November 2014

Aqualate
Redhead Smew from the hide at 09:25 (IG)

Ford Green\Chatterley Valley
2x Stonechat, Grey Wagtail and drake Gadwall on the main pool (JJo)

Belvide Res
3rd winter Caspian Gull again in the roost (BG)

Blithfield
Green Sandpiper feeding on edge of field pond on north side of track leading
from Warren Farm to Duckley Plantation at 10.05 a.m. grid ref. SK065250  (JH JR)

Thursday 20th November 2014

Belvide Res (Permits)
3rd winter Caspian Gull in the roost, also 8x Yellow-legged Gull, Dunlin, 566x Lapwing, 65x Snipe & Goosander (SN)

3rd winter Caspian Gull by Steve Nuttall

Chatterley Valley
Green Sandpiper at the northern end, view brook on north side of the access road to the mining museum (JJ)

Wednesday 19th November 2014

Berryhill
Barn Owl again near the upright stone circle (GP)

Castle Ring to Upper Longdon
8x Raven, Tawny Owl & Muntjac Deer (JWo)

Biddulph
A Common Sandpiper spotted twice this week on a pool near Knypersley Social Club (Nigel)

Tuesday 18th November 2014

Branston Gravel Pits
Black-tailed Godwit, 5x Ruff, 8x Redshank, 2x Green Sandpiper, 17x Curlew, c150 Golden Plover, 413x Lapwing, Snipe, 6x Shelduck, 16x Shoveler, 10x Wigeon, 12x Pochard, 3x Gadwall, 3x Little Egret, Yellow-legged Gull, 86 Great Black-backed Gull, c60 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 16x Herring Gull, Kingfisher, 2x Water Rail, Cetti's Warbler & c20 Yellowhammer (JWo)

YL Gull by Jon Woodcock

Dimmingsdale
50x Lesser Redpoll, 6x Siskin, 30x Redwing, 6x Fieldfare, 2x Raven & 4x Goldcrest (TEy)

Aqualate
Bittern flew into right hand reed bed 30m from hide at 09:45 (IG)

Blithfield Res
Ad Med Gull in Tad Bay (GJM)

Ford Green - Chatterley Valley
2x Stonechat, 2x Little Grebe, 2x Kingfisher, Raven, Cormorant, Linnet, Fieldfare (JJ)

Cannock Chase
Brambling, Siskin, 15x Goldcrest, 2x Redpoll, 35x Redwing, 6x Fieldfare (GWR)

Whitemoor Haye
5x Grey Partridge (CS)

Monday 17th November 2014

Berryhill
Short-eared Owl still hunting around the scrape paddocks early morning also 2x Stonechat (DW) SE Owl again late afternoon around the scrape paddocks also the Barn Owl at dusk and Golden Plover (DW PD MT NJS RT)

Sunday 16th November 2014

Doxey Marsh
5x Jack Snipe, 299x Snipe, 4x Cetti's Warbler, 7x Stonechat, 4x Water Rail, 3x Chiffchaff (SPe)

Berryhill
Short-eared Owl hunting between the Scrape and the upright stone circle also Barn Owl at dusk (RT DC MH GP JB)

Blithfield Res
Ad Caspian Gull Tad Bay also 500x Golden Plover, 2x Dunlin, 5x Goosander (JA)
60x Goosander roosted in Tad Bay this evening (RCB)

Chasewater
Ad Caspian Gull, 4x YL Gull, Ad Med Gull, 2000x Starling roosted in Slurry pool (JA)

Whitemoor Haye
74x Tufted Duck, 51x Wigeon, 109x Pochard, 268x Lapwing, 2x Goldeneye, Redshank, 15x Shoveler, Little Egret, c192 Golden Plover (SCo)

Belvide Res (Permits)
4x Goosander, 4x Shelduck, 6x Golden Plover & 3x Lesser Redpoll (BB)

Saturday 15th November 2014

Berryhill
Barn Owl early morning, favours the meadows downhill from the upright stone circle. Also 3x Stonechat (RT)

Belvide Res
Redhead Smew still, also 6x Goosander, 19x Shoveler, 30x Wigeon, 33x Gadwall, 156x Teal, Dunlin & 11x Yellow-legged Gull (BB)

Blackbank
Jack Snipe also 50x Snipe (NP)

Chasewater
Adult Caspian Gull again in the roost & 3x Yellow-legged Gull (CWG)

Dimmingsdale
75x Redpoll, 2x Siskin, 2x Raven, 10x Redwing (TE)

Friday 14th November 2014

Berryhill
Barn Owl near the stone circle's this evening (TJa)

Branston Gravel Pits
Black-tailed Godwit, 10x Ruff, 6x Redshank, Dunlin, 18x Curlew, Snipe, 4x Green Sandpiper, 586x Lapwing, 295x Golden Plover, 3x Water Rail, 4x Little Egret, 6x Shelduck, 23x Shoveler, 31x Pochard, 9x Wigeon, 9x Gadwall, Kingfisher, Common Gull, 3x Goldcrest & Cetti's Warbler (JWo)

Thursday 13th November 2014

Chasewater
Slavonian Grebe off the main CP at 12:45

Middleton Lakes RSPB
Marsh Harrier still North Pit also 2x Ruff Jubilee Wetlands (KS)

Blithfield Res
Drake Mandarin in Tad Bay late morning (RCB)

Coton
Waxwing, one on Bellamour Way near the school at 09:20 (BG)

Wednesday 12th November 2014

Belvide Resv
Adult Caspian Gull in roost plus 12x Yellow-legged Gulls and juv Smew off Gazebo Bay

Drayton Bassett Pits
Marsh Harrier again at North End mid afternoon (@Bob_the_Birder)

Berryhill
Barn Owl again at dusk (DF)

Blithfield Res
100x Wigeon & 2x Ruff in Tad bay (JSB)
Also c1000 Golden Plover, 13x Dunlin, 3x Pintail, 5x Goosander & 20x Pochard (RBe)

Doxey Marshes
Stonechat, 120+ Teal, 15x Wigeon, 3x Water Rail, 1x Goosander (SPe)

Tuesday 11th November 2014

Belvide Res
Redhead Smew still off Gazebo Bay

Wrinehill
Short-eared Owl this morning (RT)

Blithfield Res
800x Golden Plover, 7x Dunlin, 5x Goosander, 150x Wigeon, 200x Teal, 40x Linnet (MJ)

Berryhill
Barn Owl again at dusk (MT)

Branston GP
8x Ruff, 18x Curlew, 206x Golden Plover, 6x Redshank, 2x Dunlin, 466x Lapwing, 7x Little Egret, 9x Shelduck, Goldeneye, 25x Pochard, 18x Shoveler, 11x Gadwall, 7x Wigeon, c20x Little Grebe, Cetti's Warbler, Peregrine, Yellow-legged Gull, c200x LBBG, 15x Herring Gull, 9x GBBG (JW)

Monday 10th November 2014

Belvide Res
Redhead Smew still in Gazebo Bay this afternoon

Smew by Nigel Talbot

Ford Green / Chatterley Whitfield
Stonechat, 300x Fieldfare, (JJ)

Berryhill
Barn Owl again hunting at dusk - view the meadows downhill from the upright stone circle, also 3x Stonechat still (RT DF)

Blithfield Res
Knot, 3x Dunlin, 600x Golden Plover, 14x Pochard, 8x Goosander, Goldeneye, Mandarin, Peregrine (SE HF)

Middleton Lakes RSPB
Female Marsh Harrier Jubilee Wetlands Area then flew to the NE end at 15:30

Chasewater
Ad Caspian Gull, Ad YL Gull, 2x Ad Med Gull also Barn Owl Plants Swag

Cannock Chase
330x Fieldfare over Sherbrook this evening (RW)

Sunday 9th November 2014

Belvide Res
Redhead Smew again off Gazebo Bay mid morning

Dimmingsdale
45x Redpoll, 10x Redwing, Green Woodpecker, 4x Goldcrest (TE)

Berryhill
Barn Owl late afternoon (DW PB CD)

Chasewater
2x Med Gull in the roost also 2000x Starling roosted in the Slurry pool area (JA)

Knypersley Resv
Water Rail still present plus 3+ Lesser Redpoll and a Siskin (GBr)

Parkhall CP
Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker (SSt)

Doxey Marshes
Cetti's Warbler, 2x Goosander, c50 Fieldfare, 5x Goldcrest, 2x Kingfisher & Little Grebe (PDy)

Shoal Hill
Osprey photographed flying over at 10:00 making it the latest Staffs record

Cannock Chase (Sherbrook Valley)
12x Stonechat, Green Woodpecker, 15x Reed Bunting, 2x Kestrel (AH )

Saturday 8th November 2014

Belvide Res (Permits)
Juvenile Osprey through south at 13.45, latest ever Staffordshire record, also, redhead Smew again this morning from Scott hide and 5x Goosander (BB)

Blithfield Res (Permits)
In Tad bay, 611x Golden Plover, 7x Dunlin, Pintail, 2x Goldeneye, 2x Goosander, 23x Shoveler, 194x Wigeon & 499x Teal (RPo)

Chasewater
Adult Caspian Gull, adult Mediterranean Gull roosted tonight (@CWG_sightings)

Whitemoor Haye
52x Cormorant, 66x Coot, Little Grebe, 15x Wigeon, 7x Golden Plover, 211x Lapwing, 25x Tree Sparrow, 8x Yellowhammer, 3x Little Egret, 8x Great Crested Grebe, 84x Tufted Duck & 156x Pochard (SCo)

Knypersley Res
2x Water Rail, Woodcock, 5x Lesser Redpoll, Brambling & c100 Fieldfare all at the end of the Arboretum (GBr)

Brookleys Lake
90x Mandarin (RPo)

Hoar Cross
c300 Fieldfare this morning & several Redwing (DTh)

A38 Pit/Millenium Bridge
ring-tail Hen Harrier flew over from west towards A38 Pit 14:50hrs (NJS) 

Friday 7th November 2014

Westport Lake
65x Tufted Duck, 3x Pochard and a Goldcrest (SBN)

Blithbury
60x Pink-footed Geese in field on the Blithbury to Trent Valley Station Road (PJo)

Thursday 6th November 2014

Blithfield Res
1359x Golden Plover in Tad Bay (GJM)

Chasewater
1st winter Caspian Gull in the roost

Belvide Res
2nd winter Caspian Gull in the roost, also 14x YL Gull

Wednesday 5th November 2014

Silverdale CP
Yellow-legged Gull & 2x Stonechat today (NDP)

Tuesday 4th November 2014

Branston GP
113x Golden Plover, 7x Ruff, 15x Curlew, Green Sandpiper, 3x Redshank, 282x Lapwing, 2x Common Gull, 45x Pochard, 7x Shoveler, 3x Gadwall, 21x Little Grebe, 11x Wigeon, 2x Little Egret, Cetti's Warbler, 12x Skylark, 12x Yellowhammer, 3x Water Rail (JW)

Monday 3rd November 2014

Belvide Resv
No sign of Smew today. 3x fem Goosander, 13x Shoveler, 45x Teal, 5x Wigeon, 1x Chiffchaff (Belvide Blog)

Doxey Marshes
4x Stonechat, 3x Goosander, 5x Water Rail, 10x Wigeon, 30x Redwing (PD)

Branston Gravel Pits
9x Curlew, 5x Ruff, 5x Little Egret, 3x Redshank, c90 Golden Plover, 12x Pochard & 30x Little Grebe (CCo)

Sunday 2nd November 2014

Belvide Res (Permits)
Redhead Smew still off the dam early afternoon.

Chasewater Res
Adult Caspian Gull this afternoon

Dimminsdale
2x Brambling, Siskin, Willow Tit, 9x Redpoll, 80x Fieldfare, 20x Redwing (TE)

Berryhill
Little Egret (scarce here) over at 09:40, also Chiffchaff (ALa)

Junction Pool, National Arboretum
Cetti's Warbler this afternoon (SCo)

Aqualate
Male Merlin over the fields behind the hide at dusk also 5x Water Rail (MWa)

Saturday 1st November 2014

Belvide Res
Smew this afternoon, later relocated in SE Bay. (SNu)

 Smew at Belvide by SN and flight shot by Martyn Pitt. Earliest site record for winter period.

Whitemoor Haye
55x Pochard, 7x Little Egret, c150 Lapwing, c200 Golden Plover, 12x Tree Sparrow, 12x Grey Partridge, c60 Skylark (SCo)

River Sow Meadows, Stafford
2x Little Egret, 17x Snipe, 60x Golden Plover, Water Rail, 2x Stonechat, Yellowhammer, 25x Redwing, 4x Fieldfare, Green Woodpecker & 7x Skylark (RSw)

Blackbank
40x Fieldfare over at 16.30 (PT)

Branston GP
11x Shoveler, Cetti's Warbler, Fieldfare, 9x Ruff, 2x Redshank, 2x Little Egret, 1x Curlew, 51x Golden Plover (SBN)

Westport Lake
140x Fieldfare, 7x Rook, 40x Jackdaw, 4x Shoveler this morning (SBN), poss male and female Scaup this afternoon (STi)