I was a bit of a recovering alcoholic today after a few ales the night before, so I kept it local and just popped to Whitemoor to check on the Swans.  there wasthree Whooper Swans with about 140 Mute Swans.  They were joined with about 40 Greylag Geese.  Other birds that I saw were Black Headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Robin, Dunnock, Kestrel, Linnet and the two ferals, Black swan and Bar-headed Goose.  The goose has been here for a couple of years now so maybe we could name it.  Minsmere had 'Sammy the Stint' we have got 'Godfrey the Goose'!!!!!!!! In the afternoon I met up with some of the family and went around the National Arboretum which is at ALREWAS not Near Lichfield or near Burton, or Staffoedshire, it's in ALREWAS.  My Dad's cousins, wife's sister lost her husband to an IRA bomb attack in 1989.  We had a look around and found his name.  It is very hard to describe this monument.  One word comes close - amazing.  People where there from all over the country to see the names of those lost since the second world war and for those people I am sure it was very touching to see their name in stone at a big, important monument like this.  As you walk arounnd there are thousands of names, places for thousands of names, bronze statues, and a small gap where, on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day of the eleventh month the sun shines through and lights up a bronze wreath in the centre of the building.  You only whisper and you can hear the echos, a very magnificant monumant.

I think I said a couple of weeks ago that I think this pit is well under-watched.  I have been here a few times since then.  It had started to rain and it was also getting dark so a quick visit was in hand.  I saw Blackbird, Dunnock, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Kingfisher, Robin, Coot, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Black Headed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Wren and Long-tailed Tit.  I think there was more to be had but the light was fading fast and the rain getting heavier

Usually this place has loads of people walking around but, due to the weather, it was fairly quite and the birding quite good.  Here is the list.  Mute Swan, mallard, Carrion Crow, Black Headed Gull, Coot (large numbers of them, poss 1000), Moorhen, Canada Geese, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Wren, Chaffinch, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Gadwall (loads of pairs all around the lake),  Blue Tit, Grey Heron, Wigeon, Pochard, Cormorant, Teal, Greylag Geese (about fifty), Redwing, Skylark, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Shoveler, House Sparrow, Robin, Wood Pigeon,  and Pied Wagtail.  Nothing stunning to see but high numbers of Coot, Pochard, Great crested Grebe, and Tufted Duck, and again good excersise and fresh air. 

I have not walked around here for some time, and as the dog and myself needed a bit of excercise, off we set.  It was bloomin cold, a bit wet and very windy and, basically, there was not a lot around.  Mute Swan, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Black Headed Gull and Wood Pigeon on the field opposite Whitemoor House.  Kestrel, Robin, Chaffinch, Fieldfare, and Blackbird all in low numbers.  There were more Mute Swan on the sharp bend along the rough track, and there was also 1 Whooper Swan, 1 Black Swan, 1 Bar-headed Goose and 42 Greylag Geese.  In total, around the area, the Mute Swans came to 131.  Carrying on the walk I picked up Lapwing, Wren, a Buzzard, Moorhen, Dunnock, and a  Pied Wagtail.  Again all of these were in small numbers.  This time last year I was getting a lot more variety of birds and larger numbers!!!!  I visited the pool on the way home for some breakfast/lunch and saw Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Mallard, Redshank, Pochard, Teal, Goldeneye and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.  I was trying to make this a Caspian Gull but I couldn't.  Shame.

Because of the early darkness i am unable to birdwatch untill the weekends.  Today I was limited to staying local as I was on call just in case a boater sunk in a lock or something stupid.  Anyway, fortunately there is enough birding to be had locally.  I was at Croxall for first light so that no birds were disturbed by dog walkers and i could get a good wildfowl count.  And I was not disappointed.  The count was as follows.

Mallard - 172

Coot - 4

Tufted Duck - 48

Pochard - 77

Teal -238

Gadwall - 2

Great Crested Grebe - 1

Little Grebe - 2

Grey Heron - 5 (I know this is not a wildfowl but I count them for interest)

Wigeon - 55

Moorhen - 8

Canada Geese - 103

Mute Swan - 5

Goldeneye -3

After i had counted the main lake I went to the east side and as I approached the hide about 100 ducks lifted off the pool.  They were a mixture of Teal, Mallard and Wigeon so the numbers could have been higher for those species.  The other birds I saw on the way round were Chaffinch, Magpie, Black Headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Kestrel, Fieldfare, Sparrowhawk, Great Tit, Starling, Wren, Blue Tit, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, 2 Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Wood Pigeon, Green Woodpecker, and Long-tailed Tit on the main side and Redshank, Meadow Pipit, Lapwing, 47 Cormorant, and a few Rooks in the trees around the hide. 

I could do with a bit of help with the wildfowl counts so if anyone is interested and can count pretty well then please come along, usually around eight oclock in the morning.

I couldn't go home whilst it was still light and my back was not feeling too bad so I dragged myself around Croxall.  At the car park there was four lads playing football with the music blasting out of the car, quite fed up that I parked my car on there pitch.  They soon left!  From the car park there was Mallard, Teal, Pochard, Tufted Duck, and Great Crested Grebe.  A Grey Heron lifted from the scrape by the road, and a Magpie was on the bank.  Walking to the Main Hide I saw Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Redwing, Starling, Canada Geese, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Lapwing, Goldfinch, Wigeon, Goldeneye, Greenfinch, Fieldfare, Great Black-backed Gull, Pied Wagtail, and a Pheasant which seemed to be upset by something after it flew off calling, but I couldn't see what it was.  Over to the East Hide, there was Redshank, Robin, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Rook, Bullfinch and Black Headed Gull.  Back on the main lake and I also saw Goldcrest, Wren, Dunnock and Blackbird. 

The pager came to life mid afternoon. Whooper Swan at Alrewas Gravel Pit.  Although I had a bad back I got my gear and went and had a look.  When I got there, there was three swans flying off.  There they go I thought.  There were a few Mute Swans around and then in the corner the three Whooper Swans showed.  Every year they appear around the Alrewas area and it was great to see them again.  I wasn't goinig to stay long but a bird caught my eye on the far side of the pool so I had a walk up the side.  It turned out to be a Little Grebe but from a distance it looked different.  Anyway, the other birds present were Great Crested Grebe, Canada Geese, Black Headed Gull, Long-tailed Tit, Mallard, Great Tit, Snipe and Meadow Pipit.

Today I was birding with a difference.  I was invited to the park by the Mercian Ringing Group.  I have been interested in bird ringing for some time and have been looking for a trainer with no luck.  However Rob from the group contacted me and I was at the park at 07.30 Saturday morning.  It took about two hours to set up all of the nets and then my roll for the day was on an observational basis.  I would walk with the ringers who are collecting the birds out of the nets and then carry the full and empty nets back to the table were each bird was ringed (if not been done before), weighed and measured, and then finally shown to the people watching before being released.  I have spent many an hour watching birds through field glasses but to see Goldcrest and Song Thrush up close, and looking at their different feathers is such an honour.  I had a great day and learnt a lot from the ringers on how to age and sex the different species.  I stayed untill lunch time and in that time the ringers had caught Great Tit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, and Robin.  I will hopefully be going again and hopefully find a trainer.

I have just added these photos and I thought I had better leave a bit of information.  The Purple Heron is showing right in the middle of the photo.  It's head is pointing left and it has a long thin neck and head.  I havn't a clue what the dragonfly is called but there were loads around Titchwell.  If anyone could help me, email me with the name.  I have aged the Black Headed Gull at first winter but, again, i am not too sure and if I am wrong I will change it and credit whoever. 

In 2008, two people will attempt to see more birds than anyone else ever has.  Alan davies and Ruth Miller are aiming to see about four thousand species in one year.  The record at the moment is about three and a half thousand.  I have met Alan a few times,  he was the manager of the RSPB reserve at Conwy, one of my favorite reserves.  I don't know much about Alan but what I do know is that he is a very good birder, sight and sound.  He and his partner, Ruth, have set up a website so we can track their efforts on the net.  The address is www.thebiggesttwitch.com.  Every now and then I will dip into the site and give an update on their trek to every habitat around the world.   Godd luck Alan and Ruth.

Got to work this morning thinking nothing of birding today.  Suddenly the pager went off about eight o'clock saying Pomarine Skua at Chasewater showing well.  I was gutted.  I havn't seen one before and this would complete the collection as i have seen Long-tailed, Great and Arctic Skua.  We were only working in Alrewas today (where I live), and I kept thinking about the skua.  Will it be there on Saturday? What time does it get dark? Do I fancy a trip to East Yorkshire to see one?  Sod it, I will ring the boss.  Within a couple of minutes I had the afternoon off.  The rest of the morning was spent working and checking the pager every ten minutes.  By 12.40 I was at Chasewater and I parked up, got the dog and the stuff out of the car and walked over (very quickly)  to the group of birders.  And there it was about forty yards out, a POMARINE SKUA.  As a grown man I act normal but inside i was going mad.  I always get a great buzz at seeing new birds, big or small colourfull or brown it doesn't matter, I just love seeing new birds and here was another one.  The wing was blowing almost into our faces and slowly but surely it blew the skua ever closer.  It then lifted and flew around for a bit before landing on the path right in front of a chap who was photographing them  He would have got some cracking shots.  it stayed for only twenty seconds then it lifted and flew around again befor landing back on the water.  It drifted by before flying off, flew towards the dam, followed the dam and then flew over the water and eventually settled over the far side.  Other birds on Chasewater were Black-headed Gull, Great Black Back Gull, Lapwing, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Cormorant and a Grey Wagtail which landed very close on the shore were i got some good but short shots on the video camera.  An unexpected afternoons birding was eventually abandoned after about an hour as it was raining very hard and almost freezing.  Oh yes, six weeks till xmas, sorry.

Jack Snipe, Common Sandpiper and Little Egret reported at Croxall GP,  Jack Snipe and Red-crested Pochard reported at Branston Water Park, Pomarine Skua reported at Chasewater around dusk.  None by me I hasten to add as I was working all day.

Retail therapy was needed after the morning at Croxall so i went xmas shopping (yes XMAS shopping).  Minster Pool is situated between the shopping centre and the cathedral and holds loads of ducks and gulls.  Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Canada Geese, Black Headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, and Tufted Duck were present in various numbers.  I mainly used this chance to photograph birds whilst flying.  Although my photos are awful, I enjoy trying to photograph birds on the wing and this is a good place as birds are always moving around finding offerings of bread.

Was looking forward to a session over at Croxall however it was ruined from the beginning as the car park had been taken over by arboretum visitors.  Instead of driving an extra half mile and getting a free bus to the site, they thought it was better to park at the reserve and walk along the A513 which is not the best of roads.  I had a few words with people parking up and they all had their reasons and wandered why I was having words with them.  Anyway, that put me in a bad mood and it did not get much better.  Walking around to the Main Hide I got Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Grey Heron, Tufted Duck, Carrion Crow, Starling, Great Crested Grebe, Kestrel, Black Headed Gull, Pochard, Canada Geese, Magpie, and Wren.  Through to the east side and I had Chaffinch, Long-tailed Tit, Fieldfare  and Blue Tit.  There was a couple walking a dog by the little pool with the boardwalk in.  Before I go any further I would describe myself as a dog lover, having one myself, and where possible Jess comes with me.  However, today my annoyance with dog walkers on the east side came to the for.  I was half way to the hide and the couple were getting around to the back side of the pool.  Their dogs were running loose and all of a sudden about two hundred mixed wildfowl lifted and flew elsewhere.  I got to the hide, looked out of the hide and saw two Mute Swan, two Coot and one Tufted Duck.  I have stopped walking my dog in this area some time ago.  Winter is abad enough time for any wildlife without the problem of wasting energy flying all of the time due to people who don't think of the consequences of their actions.  I am going to speak to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to see what, if anything, can be done.  I personally (and this does not reflect what the Trust thinks) would not allow dogs on this side all year round.  This site is, after all, a nature reserve.  Cannock Chase, Whitemoor Haye, Branston Water Park, Alrewas back fields all good places to walk dogs but I think Croxall should not be one of them.   On the way back and to cap a rubbish day off a plane flew over the reserve very low and lifted nine tenths of the birds.  Thanks for that. 

Time was getting on, and I wanted to listen to Derby record there second victory of the season.  A quick scan around the pool got me Blackbird (singing in the hedge), Tufted Duck, Robin (in the adjacent hedge), Redshank, Mallard, Carrion Crow, Great Crested Grebe, Goldeneye, Teal, Pochard, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, and a vocal Wren.  As I am writing this on Sunday morning, the footy result did not go to plan quite as well.  Oh well, might meet up with the old enemy next season, Forest and Leeds.

I think this is a very under watched pit.  You have to park in a lay-by on the A38 and scramble around barb wire to get there but there are a few birds to be seen. A few years ago there was Red-necked Grebe.  I only visit this site when I walk from Alrewas, to this site, to the arboretum, then either Croxall or Whitemoor Haye, so I am guilty of not coming here enough.  There was Wood Pigeon and Magpie on my entrance, and a Buzzard flew from the bushes, with Starling and Black Headed Gull flying around.  On the lake there was Mallard, Mute Swan, Coot, Canada Geese, Goldeneye, Teal, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Wigeon, and Cormorant.  In the surrounding bushes were Greenfinch and Blackbird.  At the top end there is a sewage farm and there are always Pied Wagtails present. , and today was no exception with sixty plus flying around.  Also perched on one of the tanks was a Meadow Pipit.  I tried to turn it into a Buff-bellied Pipit but I couldn't convince myself.  One day I am going to find a Firecrest here to.  You mark my words. 

I used to visit this place when I first started birding and the last time I visited here was about six years ago.  A bit of detective work has got me a new permit so was looking forward to this visit.  The reserve is situated on the power station site.  The chimneys which have since been blown up were host to Peregrines and these were seen every visit sitting on the towers observing the flock of feral pigeons  which they dined on.  The site has a series of lakes and about five hides with some walking to do in between.  It is a really great site, very quite, the trees surrounding it are mature, lots of different habitat, and subsequently lots of birds.  Driving up to the car park I saw Pheasant (which I will tell you a story about at the end),  Moorhen, and Carrion Crow.  At the car park there was Blackbird, Redwing, Blue Tit, and Wren.  From the first hide, which is also the main hide, there was Shoveler (and lots of them), Mallard, Wood Pigeon, Black Headed Gull, Cormorant, Pochard, and Wigeon.  The next few hides were not fruitful but walking around I picked up Chaffinch, Jay, Fieldfare, Blue Tit, Tufted Duck, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Pied Wagtail, Goldeneye and Magpie.  The last hide overlooks a small pool with loads of dead trees by it which are a Cormorant roost.  I don't know how many roost there but there were quite a few nests.  From this hide I got Grey Heron and Bullfinch.  Back towards the car i picked up Great Tit and Robin.  I will tell you the story of the Pheasant now.  When I used to come to this reserve, I booked in at the security gates and then there is a long drive around to the reserve.  Along the drive, a male Pheasant used to walk in the road and try to not let you past.  If you managed to get past it would chase the car.  It used to be very funny.

 

Todays visit was to for a wildfowl count then a general birdwatch after but as I got there it started to rain and the winds picked up.  Counting ducks in this weather was pretty pointless as most were hiding, so I had a general walk around.  Fortunately the rain did not last long,  From the car park there was Mallard, Pochard, Long-tailed Tit, Fieldfare, Grey Heron, and Wren.  Along the track and up to the hide was Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Tufted Duck, Teal, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Moorhen, Magpie, Mute Swan, Goldfinch, Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker, Black Headed Gull and Blackbird.  Through the tunnel and Jim the farmer had dropped some feed os some sort and there was about twenty Chaffinch feeding on it along with a few Greenfinch and a Bullfinch.  There were several Rooks and Jackdaws in the field to the right and a group of Starlings flying around.  On the pool there was also Coot, Great Crested Grebe, one rough looking Canada Goose, and nearby there was Blue Tit and Pied Wagtail.  A single Little Grebe was still on the pool.  Walking to the Main Hide I had a Jay fly over my head.  Whilst in the hide, I had a go at digi-scoping with a new gadget I have just bought.  (see link to SRB-Griturn).  Fortunately for me it will hopefully produce better pictures, unfortunately for you I will be putting for rubbish on to the blog.  Back to the Main Hide and a scan of the far bank produced 30+ Lapwing, 1 Redshank, and 1 Snipe.  There was two female Goldeneye on the pool and I found a Great Tit to add to the list on the way back to the car.  On the way back to the car the weather had picked up and I noticed there seemed to be a lot more ducks present than the last few weeks.  I counted about fifty Teal from the Main Hide and whilst looking for Wigeon there seemed to be lots more Mallard.  The Goldeneye were represented with two females, doubling last weeks total, so I think if conditions were better, we would have a had a lot higher figures. 

Just a quick note to say that the second edition of Croxall Chronicles is now ready.  If you would like a copy, it is almost free (just the price of two stamps.  Just contact me via my email, which is welshweasels@aol.com, and I will get in touch with you and give you details of what to do.  The Croxall Chronicles is a quarteley magazine which gives an account of the birds present in the last three months, quizes, any news relevant to Croxall and nearby areas, diary dates, etc etc.  I will again apoogise about the lack of entries but I go to work and get home in the dark so the only birding will be done at the weekends.

I just had a quick look on the lake to see what frightened the geese.  There was nothing obvious so I had a quick look around.  There was Goldeneye, Mallard, Teal, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Pochard and Wigeon.  I only stayed a few minutes so I am sure ther was lots more around.