I was well tired after yesterdays hike.  I didn't even go to the pub.  I was going to stay local today, that is untill two birds popped up on Birdguides.

 

 

This was quite a decent place.  The car park overlooks the lake below so you have a great vantage point to look out.  The bird in question will come in a minute but as I turned up I saw Tufted Duck, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Common Whitethroat, Blackbird and Magpie.  The bird I went for then turned up in a samll corner of the lake, an AMERICAN WIGEON.  I had some great views of this bird and managed to get some photos.  Plastic or not, you decide, but there were no rings or the like so it was good enough for me.  It was grazing and then swimming and then grazing again.  A very handsome bird.  Other birds around were Coot, Chiffchaff, Moorhen, Ruddy Duck, Mallard, Lapwing, Wood Pigeon, Willow Warbler, Grey Heron, and Cormorant.  With the rain starting to fall I had a decision.  Today I brought the dog so I was heading towards The Roaches to find Ring Ouzel, Whinchat and that secretive, elusive bird, the Red Grouse.  I set off but the rain kept coming so I decided to go somewhere else!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

A Ross's Gull, a hell of a pretty gull, has been hanging around here for a bit and I had to see it.  I parked up, got my stuff out, Jess got her ball out, and we headed off along the prom.  On the way I saw House Sparrow (that well known wading bird), Robin, Swallow, and Shelduck.  I approached a group of birders and did not need to ask if it was around as I could see it easily.  It was a fair way out but it was a clean white small bird against a muddy backdrop.  I had my first ROSS'S GULL. What a gorgeous bird.  It was just walking along the muddy banks and looked if it had no cares in the world.  I fired off a few shots and after half an hour I had to get off.  On the way back I added Dunlin, Little Egret, magpie, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Eider, Great Black-backed Gull, Curlew, Mallard, Linnet, Carrion Crow, Knot, Grey Plover, Jackdaw, Starling, Canada Geese and Collared Dove.

 

That was the weekend that was.  660 miles, 5 lifers, 100 quid out of pocket, and 11 year ticks.  I needed that.

After reading various blogs over the past few weeks (Brightside Birding is the main culprit), I have been getting jealous at the amount of new birds people are getting and I am not.  My last lifer was mid February.  Shocking.  So I decided to do something about it.

 

 

A very earlt start to get up to Flamborough as a King Eider had been seen the last couple of days.  I parked at North Landing and walked over to a group of guys whohad not seen the bird but had heard it was around until a fishing boat scared it off.  Most people had started walking to South Landing which is a fair way when one of the guys spotted the bird north of the bay.  I set my scope up and I had my first KING EIDER.  It was very distant, so we all headed off around the landing to get better views.  On the way I added Skylark, Kittiwake, Herring Gull, Wren, Starling, House Sparrow, Fulmar, Razorbill, Guillemot, Gannet, Pied Wagtail, Jackdaw, Puffin, Shag and Lesser Black-backed Gull.  Twenty minutes later we were all having cracking views of the King Eider.  Photography was tricky as it was very windy and the ground is like a sponge and I couldn't keep the tripod still.  the bird was swimming quite fast but I did mnange a few bankers.  What a brilliant start to the weekend.

 

 

Another new bird for me has been present here a few days.  a Lesser Yellowlegs, a bird I was going to see in Cambridgeshire but it did a disappearing trick.  This place was a bit tricky to find but I got there.  Having not seen one of these before I knew I was going to struggle as the site is watched from a distance.  I parked by the river and walked up the embankment and viewed  the floods.  I saw Shelduck, Greenshank carrion Crow, Lapwing, White Wagtail and Moorhen.  A local chap who had seen the bird before was also there and he pointed me in the direction of the Greenshank and he said that was the Lesser Yellowlegs.  Some people at Flamborough Head had mentioned that the birds legs were not very yellow and id was tricky.  I was not convinced.  This bird was quite a bulky wader.  I walked further along to a pair of birders who were having the same trouble as me.  After a few minutes one of them saw something.  It was distant but he thought he had found it.  We put our scopes on and it was certainly different to a Greenshank.  This was more dainty, with a finer, straighter bill.  Could this be the bird?  Then a Redshank came into view and we were convinced.  It was slightly smaller, a Greenshank is bigger.  I ws convinced this was my first LESSER YELLOWLEGS.  The icing was put on the cake when another birder turned up, looked at it and said it was definately the bird.  Brilliant.  I also added Wood Sandpiper (which I have not seen for three years), and a Great Black-backed Gull.

 

 

Now for the hat trick.  A pair of Black-winged Stilts have been present for a couple of days.  I got to the site and had a walk around the two flashes.  I saw Magpie, Chiffchaff, Wren, Robin, Mute Swan, Lapwing, Blackcap, Coot, Redshank, Whimbrel, Shelduck, Canada Geese and Black-headed Gull.  I arrived at the far side of the flashes and saw two BLACK-WINGED STILTS feeding amongst the reeds.  Stunning birds.  I was well chuffed but a bit fed up that my camera battery had died, but heh, I am a birder not a photographer.  Whilst I was watching the stilts I also saw Moorhen, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Pochard, Mallard, Green Woodpecker, Tufted Duck and Reed Bunting.  I watched the stilts for a while and someone who had watched them earlier had mentioned that he watched them mate (pervert).  Fantastic.  Keep an eye out to see if they breed.  that would be amazing.

 

 

I felt a bit guilty that I had been out enjoying myself all day and Jess was stuck inside at home so when I got back we headed off to Whitemoor.  Around the rough road we saw Corn Bunting, magpie, Skylark, Common Whitethroat, Lapwing, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Mallard, Reed Bunting, Robin, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Lesser Black-back Gull, Herring Gull, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Wood Pigeon, Yellow Wagtail, Blue Tit, Pheasant and Swallow.  On the way home I scanned the lake and saw Pied Wagtail, Gadwall, Redshank, Ringed Plover, possible Little Ringed Plover, Green Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Wheatear and my first Swift. 

 

A brilliant day all in all with three lifers and nine year ticks.  I wonder what tomorrow could bring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Whilst on a stomp with my known drinking associate and the dog, I saw my first Common Whitethroat of the year.

On Sunday 20th April, this beautiful bird was found dead under a seat by the mill stream.  I used to feed the ducks at weekends and it was brilliant to have such a good looking and different bird come to feed (not taking anything away from the Mallards).  How and when it actually died no one knows, but its a bit funny how, out of all of the ducks down there - some 60+, it is the one Mandarin the died.  If anyone from the village reads this blog and has heard anything please contact me at welshweasels@aol.com.  If someone is responsible then they will have some answering to do.  RIP Mr Mandarin.

Again another nice evening but I wanted to watch the football so I decidd to do another extended watch over the lake at Whitemoor.  As I said previously,I usually spend ten or twenty minutes here, half an hour at the most.  I was here an hour and a half and was rewarded with 30 species.  They were Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Great Tit, Starling, Tufted Duck, Greylag Geese, Mallard, Ringed Plover, Gadwall, Shoveler, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Dunlin, Redshank, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Black-headed Gull, Wren, Song Thrush, Teal, Lapwing, Long-tailed Tit, Swallow, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Magpie, Linnet and Great-crested Grebe.  I was about to leave when I saw a bloke walking along the edge of the lake.  He had been birdwatching on the far lake and was walking back via the main lake.  I waited for him as he walked around the edge and back to his car.  I was very annoyed as I watched Ringed Plover, Redshank and Lapwing all have to defend as he walked by.  When he got back I had a harsh word.  Why do birders put themselves in these positions.  He said they would have lifted if a raptor passed.  I said a raptor does not now any different, we do.  It is like the muppets who walk dogs along the beach.  If there is a group of birds feeding along the waters edge, make an effort to walk around them, not at them as they have to use energy flying away rather than living.  Whilst people ignore the landowners reqests to not go on the land around Whitemoor, we will never be able to get access. I will get off my soap box now. 

It was quite a nice evening so I thought a bit of birding was needed.  Also a few terns and gulls have been turning up around several resevoirs so I was hoping Whitemoor may hold host to something.  I stayed about an hour at the quarry lake and had a nice list.  Birds I saw and heard, on and around, were Pheasant, Teal, Robin, Blackbird, Canada Geese, Tufted Duck, Lapwing, Gadwall, Redshank, Linnet, Starling, Common Tern, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, Magpie, Swallow, Black-headed Gull, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Chaffinch, White Wagtail, Sand Martin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Shelduck, Stock Dove, Wren, Yellow Wagtail (which I counted 25), Cormorant, Song Thrush, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Wood Pigeon. 

With still no news of the Lesser Yellowlegs I opted for the local gravel pits instead.  There can usually be something to found here, and today was no exception.  The birds I saw were Chaffinch, Skylark, Sonmg Thrush, Wood Pigeon, magpie, Pheasant, Great Tit, Red-legged Partridge, Black-headed Gull, Coot, Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Tufted Duck, Canada Geese, Little Grebe, Blackbird, Willow Warbler, Wren, Robin, Whimbrel, Blue Tit, Moorhen, Chiffchaff, Linnet, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Swallow, Rook, Teal, Pied Wagtail, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Green Sandpiper (one of the reasons for coming to these pits), Cormorant, Common Sandpiper, Long-tailed Tit, Stock Dove and Goldfinch.  Quite a good list with the bonus of a Whimbrel.  I was looking along the far bank of the south pit and I thought I had found a Grey Plover.  With only a 30x eyepeice the bird was very small and it was partially hidden.  I had a look around, went back for the probable plover and it had gone but a Whimbrel flew through the scope.  I followed it as it flew around the pit before eventually flying off.  I am writing this on the Monday and a Grey Plover has been seen this evening.  Was it the plover I saw?????? 

Was looking forward to today.  Did not go out last night, was going to Cambridgeshire to see a Lesser Yellowlegs, but the damn thing has disapeared.  So it was down a walk around Whitemoor.  The weather was better than late but some drizzle in the air.  I saw Corn Bunting, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Yellowhammer, Dunnock, Linnet, Buzzard, Black-headed Gull, Wren, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Pheasant, and Kestrel.  On to the lake and I added Chiffchaff, Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Swallow, Sand Martin, Starling, Pied Wagtail and Redshank.

Lazy birding as I drove around the square.  I saw Carrion Crow, Mallard, Stock Dove, Skylark, Blackbird, Magpie, Robin, Lapwing, and Grey Heron.  I stopped at the quarry pool and this time got out of the car.  It was to windy to have a great look but I did see Canada Geese, Tufted Duck, Black-headed Gull, Coot, Starling, Wren, Long-tailed Tit, Goldeneye, Sand Martin and Little Ringed Plover. 

Time was getting on as I stayed a few hours at Willington, so Alrewas GP was an obvious place to visit.  The weather conditions were rubbish with wind blowing hard and in my face.  Birds I saw were Grey Heron, Cormorant, Blackbird, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Sand Martin, Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Stock Dove, Wren, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Gadwall, Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Wood Pigeon and Robin.  Stunning, nooooottttttttttttttttttt. 

I was going to come here during the week to get to the canal scrape.  I haven't been to that part of the site as I did not know it existed but someone told me about it the other day.  But first I had a bonus.  I arrrived at the site and got my gear ready and just about to set off when I read my pager and there was a Water Pipit showing from the first platform.  I did not see one last year so I needed this one.  So off I set up to the platform and it was showing very well.  I managed to get some photos and stayed for a bit before going to the other view points. After there I went over to the canal scrape, which was a bit of a walk but well worth it.  Over all I saw Swallow, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Oystercatcher, Wood Pigeon, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, Cormorant, Great Tit, Sand Martin, Chaffinch, Water Pipit, Mallard, Moorhen, Herring Gull, Great-crested Grebe, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Grey Heron, Black-headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Magpie, Goldeneye, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Warbler, Blackbird, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Lapwing, Reed Bunting, Pheasant, Gadwall, Stock Dove, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blackcap, Robin, Tree Pipit (2 were overhead), Dunnock, Greenfinch, Song Thrush, Shoveler, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Linnet, Yellow Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Starling and finally Mute Swan.  

With all the promises of this weekend, it turned out to be local patching once again.  I have had trouble sorting out access to Lisvane Resevoir to see the Spotted Sandpiper.  Welsh Water own the site but don't issue permits, the company who issue permits are uncontactable, Birdnet reckon you can enter with no problem.  A bit more investigation before I venture down there.  back to today and I walked my dog around the village and over by the River Trent.  I saw House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Starling, Collared Dove, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Black-headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Blackbird, Grey Partridge, Wren, Skylark, Mute Swan, Willow Warbler, Swallow, Mallard, Chaffinch, Moorhen, Cormorant, Coot, Great-crested Grebe, Reed Bunting, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Chiffchaff.  A nice start to the day. 

My now regular walk with the dogs around the square at Whitemoor was freezing and very windy.  Needless to say there was not many birds.  I saw Magpie, Carrion Crow, Linnet, Grey Heron, Skylark, Mallard, Chaffinch, Wren, Dunncok, Jackdaw, Wood Pigeon, and Pheasant.  Rubbish.  I did speak to an officer of the law who was having a drive around Whitemoor.  It is a favorite for fly-tipping and car dumping.  The quarry is also home to hares and there have been people coursing on there.  I asked if Staffordshire had a wildlife officer.  We used to until the government weilded its axe and cut police and positions.  Now we report wildlife crimes to a normal copper who, lets face it, has got better things to do than chase illegal coursers.  Oh well.  Anyway on to the pool and the wind was blowing right in my face (ours actually as i was joined by three chaps from Sutton area).  Birds noted were Tufted Duck, Redshank, Gadwall, Ringed Plover, Teal, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Sand Martin, Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail and Canada Geese. 

For those of you who have read this in the last 24 hours, due to the weather and a bit of confusion over access, I have postponed my visit to Cardiff.

18.00 hours.  Just watched Man U and Arsenal.  Feeling perkier.  Fancied a dog walking/birding session.  Around the square I found Buzzard, Lapwing, Carrion Crow, Wheatear, Skylark, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Robin, Ringed Plover (this was a suprise as it flew from the direction of the A38 and landed in the same spot as the Lapwings and Golden Plovers were yesterday), Linnet, Magpie, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Wood Pigeon and Jackdaw.  I stopped off at the lake and saw Mallard, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Redshank, Pied Wagtail, Tufted Duck, Black-headed Gull, Starling, Great-crested Grebe, Sand Martin, Yellow Wagtail and Wren.  Not the most stunning of weekends but my social life has been busy of late but I am trying to get some trips sorted for very soon.  Happy birding. 

Lots of beer = big headache...........again.  I struggled until lunch time when I decided to drag my sorry frame along the track to Willington GP (gravel pit yet again!!).  Birds I saw were Greenfinch, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Reed Bunting, Wren, Canada Geese, Long-tailed Tit, Robin, Great Tit, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Gadwall, Coot, Mallard, Moorhen, Cormorant, lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Dunlin, Shelduck, Great-crested Grebe, Goosander, Teal, Dunnock, Green Woodpecker, Sedge Warbler, Grey Heron, Swallow, Redshank, Magpie, Tufted Duck, Wood Pigeon and Oystercatcher.  I spoke to a couple of helpful birders who told me the whereabouts of the canal scrape.  I did not have time to go there but they had seen Yellow and White Wagtail, Ringed Plover plus loads of other stuff.  They think it is better birding than where the platforms are so I will try and get there one night this week.

I suppose it is not suprising living in the Trent valley, but all of my birding seems to be on gravel pits, the future of birding!!!!! Whatever it is, it is usually pretty decent and I had a tip off from a local birder that a Common Sandpiper was present.  I know it is not exotic and that I have seen loads but I need to keep my year list going and the said bird has evaded it so far.  Birds I did see were Coot, Wood Pigeon, Cormorant, Black-headed Gull, Mallard, Stock Dove, Pied Wagtail, Sand Martin, Great-crested Grebe, Gadwall, Shelduck, House Martin (a bonus year tick, did not expect to see this yet), Common Sandpiper (yipee), Blue Tit, Wren, Starling, Goldfinch, Blackcap, Chaffinch and Reed Bunting.

I decided to drop the dogs off at home and take a walk around Croxall.  I saw Canada Geese, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Oystercatcher, Moorhen, Teal, Carrion Crow, Cormorant, Wren, Magpie, Coot, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Grey Heron, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jackdaw, Black-headed Gull, and Herring Gull on the main side.  The East side produced Rook, Gadwall, Little Ringed Plover and Shelduck.  Walking back through the main side I saw Ringed Plover, Kestrel, Goldfinch, Goosander and Chaffinch.

Ive got a funny feeling this website is getting a bit tedious.  I have not been any where really interesting of late, just stuck to a bit of local birding.  My folk are away at the moment so i am dog sitting but the weekend coming I might be off somewhere.  Firstly Whitemoor.  It is a good place for migrants as well as a handy place to exercise the dogs so it will feature quite a bit in the coming weeks, sorry.  A walk around the square got me Mallard, Carrion Crow, Dunnock, Skylark, Buzzard, Stock Dove, Blackbird, Black-headed Gull, Chaffinch, Corn Bunting, Mute Swan, Golden Plover (not a rare bird by any means but 4 were sitting in the fields just north of Sittles farm and being mobbed by Lapwing untill they flew off south), Cormorant, Yellowhammer, Wren, Magpie, Blue Tit, Wood Pigeon, Green Woodpecker and Swallow.

When the sun is out in the morning, the lake at Whitemoor Haye is impossible to scan so I visited it later on in the afternoon and saw Mute Swan, Lapwing, Mallard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Black-headed Gull, redshank, carrion Crow, Canada Geese, Great-crested Grebe, Goldeneye, Ringed Plover, Starling, and Sand Martin. 

Hooray, Iv'e been out birding.  What a rubbish week I have had.  I felt rubbish last Saturday, worse on the Sunday and worse on Monday.  I then felt better for a couple of days, when I did some walks with my known associate, but Thursday my cold came out.  I now have constant sniffles but feel alright to go birding.  I took the dogs around Whitemoor Haye in very windy and, quite honestly, horrible conditions.  Birding was very hard but I did find Carrion Crow, Magpie, Grey Heron, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Wheatear, Skylark, Wren, Wood Pigeon, Black-headed Gull, Collared Dove, Robin, Blue Tit and Mallard.  That was around the square area which goes around the micolight club.  On the way home I looked over the lake by the quarry and saw Redshank, Jackdaw, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Teal, Gadwall, Yellow Wagtail, Lapwing, Tufted Duck and a Kestrel.  The Yellow Wagtail was a first for the year and I was hoping for a White Wagtail but I could not locate one.