The most observant of you would have noticed that the title says Berryhill Fields and not Flamboropugh Head.  I decided not to go on Sunday because a) I was knackered, b) there was quite a lot of bad fog around  which would mean a miserable trip, and c) a lot of the good birds from midweek had vanished.  Hugely dissapointing but what can you do.  Anyway, I had a think and came up with a plan.  I wanted to watch the grand prix at 1 o'clockso I decided I would pop to Berryfields, in Stoke, and see what I could find, then I would go to Knotbury and find the elusive Red Grouse.  If I had time I would have a look around Tittesworth Resevoir before getting home for the grand prix.

 

Berryfields.

 

Last time I went to Berryfields, it was to find the Lapland Bunting, which I failed.  I parked in an inmdustrial estate, walked over the road, and there was horse paddocks.  This is where I thought Berryfields was.  In  fact, my West Midland guide book told me to carry on driving for a couple of mile, park near a school, and walk over some ground.  I had a walk around but there was lots of graffiti, fly-tipping, and lots of kids shouting (9 o'clock in the morning).  I decided to go to the horse paddock site.  Once there I got out and walked in between the fields.  I saw Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Wren, Buzzard, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Jay.  After only twenty minutes it stared raining.  I got in the car and headed straight for home.  I rained all the way home.  That was my total birding for this weekend.  Crap.  I will recruit the use of localbirdingforlocalpeople blogger Richard Powell on advice for Berryfields as I am a little confused on the good bits around that area.

I would just like to send my condolences to Natalie (see blog Natalie and Jodie below).  Her beloved dog Jodie passed away earlier this week.  No, this is not bird news but her blog is very good and she always wrote about her dog and adored it greatly.

On a bright note, a Brown Shrike has been seen at Flamborough Head tonight.  Friday = golf match, Saturday = fishing competition, Sunday = Flamborough Head, Monday = fishing competition.  Easy life eh.

Over the weekend, we had a visitor to our garden in the shape of a fantastic Nuthatch.  This is a new bird for our garden and watching it come and take food off the table, hide it in a crack or small hole and then come and get some more was very exciting.  Also I have just read Brightside Birdings latest write up in the blog.  Kay was on the same trip I did out of Bridlington.  I was going to stay overnight and do some birding but I had to do a firework display in my village.  Kay stayed a few days and got some great birds.  I'm quite jealous because I have done and seen nothing.  14 weeks till the end of the year so time to get my act together.

I have a fishing match on the weekend of 27th September so I had the weekend practisicing.  I managed to walk the dogs around Whitemoor early Saturday morning.  The sun was very bright so anything East was lost in the sun, that meant almost anything on the quarry pool.  Birds I saw or heard were Jackdaw, Magpie, Robin, Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Mallard, Linnet, Tree Sparrow, Skylark, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Wren, Blackbird, Goldfinch (about 30+ juveniles in one flock), Great Tit, Dunnock, Reed Bunting, Snipe, Mute Swan, Stock Dove, Swallow, and Starling.  Onto the quarry pool and because of the strong sunlight I could only pick out Tufted Duck, Pochard, Wigeon and a single Little Grebe.. 

Sorry about the delay in writing up the blog folks, I lost my notepad.  It was desperate times over the weekend trying to find it, and eventually I did.  However I had another busy weekend so there was not much to go in it anyway.  I had nothing to do last Wednesday evening so I drove up toWillington gravel pits and had a walk around.  Generally pretty quite but I did manage see the following:- Goldfinch, Mute Swan, Black-headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Coot, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Gadwall, Mallard, Great-crested Grebe, Canada Geese, Lapwing, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Swallow, Moorhen, Redshank, Wren, Starling, Grey Heron, Green Woodpecker, Snipe, Blackbird and Greenfinch. 

With my car in the garage and my urge to birdwatch now strong after a rubbish summer, I decided to take the dog out a walk around Alrewas.  We had a lot of flooding recently and there was a lot of Lapwings in the area.  I decided to go and find them and see what else was present.  Birds I saw were  Wood Pigeon, Swallow, Starling, Black-headed Gull, Robin, Lapwing, Magpie, Chaffinch, Buzzard, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Kestrel, Cormorant, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Teal, Ruff, Wigeon, House Martin, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Stock Dove, Great Tit, Mallard, Blackbird, Collared Dove and Jackdaw.  An enjoyable couple of hours around the fields.

After a rather anti-climatic Saturday, I worked all day Sunday doing various urgent jobs with my old man, but I did manage to get out late afternoon.  I* also had Monday off and I managed to get the dogs around Whitemoor Haye before taking the car in for an MOT.  Heres what I got on the two visits.

14th - Magpie, Kestrel, Carrion Crow, Collared Dove, Tree Sparrow, Wood Pigeon, Chaffinch, Linnet, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Swallow (loads flying over southwards and two flying north - global warming!!!), Blackbird, Robin, Greenfinch, Yellowhammer and Black-headed Gull.   Great-crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Great Tit, Pochard, Common Sandpiper, Little Egret and Goldfinch around the pool.

15th - Carrion Crow, Magpie, Black-headed Gull, Blue Tit, Kestrel, Skylark, Dunnock, Linnet, Canada Geese, Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw, Robin, Blackbird, Yellowhammer, Buzzard, Swallow, Sparrowhawk, Reed Bunting, Wren, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Stock Dove, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch and Starling.  Around the pool there was Mallard, Mute SWan, Pochard and Great-crested Grebe. 

I had booked this trip ages ago and was really looking forward to it.  I arrived at the quayside in Bridlington for a 10.00 departure.  Unfortunately, for some reason, the skipper was not happy at getting the boat out until 11.30.  The sea did look a tad choppy.  Anyway I had time to kill so I got some breakfast and then walked around the harbour and saw the following:- Turnstone, Herring Gull, Mallard, Redshank, Cormorant, Oystercatcher, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Gannet, Common Scoter, Knot, Starling, Great Black-backed Gull, Carrion Crow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Arctic Skua (which flew right over the quat as we were waiting for the boat), and Kittiwake.  Whilst waiting for the boat there was news of a Honey Buzzard being seen earlier on.  My pager had been going mad with sightings of Honey Buzzards from all over the east coast, and there was news of another two just heading south from Flamborough Head.  Whilst waiting for the boat my eyes were firmly peeled to the skies.  Just my luck, they did not show so I got onto the boat, ready to find some Sooty Shearwaters and Great Skuas.  Delight at getting out to sea turned into disappointment because as we got out into the bay, the fog came down and we could see nothing.  The odd bird turned up on the back of the boat but generally nothing.  We did, however, see a bat.  A bizarre sighting but they have seen them before.  Birds we did manage to add were Purple Sandpiper, Shag, House Martin, Fulmar, Little Gull, Common Tern, and Razorbill.  Gutted.  No proper seabird action today.  I was going to head off to Spurn, but with the late trip, and a firework display I had to do, I decided to head home.  With news constantly coming in of Honey Buzzards, I reckon I was the only birder that day not too see one.  Typical.

I fancied somewhere different in the afternoon and Barton GP fitted the bill as I have not been here for sometime.  Walking up from the car to the lakes I saw Carrion Crow, jackdaw, greenfinch, Swallow, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Buzzard, Starling, and Kestrel.  Once at the corner of the lake I saw Canada Geese, mute Swan, cormorant, Little Grebe, Coot, Tufted Duck, Great-crested Grebe, Mallard, Greylag Geese, Curlew, Gadwall, and Grey Heron.  Waders were at a premium due to the high water levels.  This theme continued to the next couple of pools which were almost overflowing.  The sandy beach in the settling pool was awash so no chance of loads of waders today.  Birds I did add though were Pheasant, Peregrine, Ruddy Duck, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Goldfinch, Shelduck, House Martin, Grey Partridge, Long-tailed Tit, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Collared Dove, Raven, Pink-footed Goose, Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, and an Oystercatcher.   Not exactly mind blowing but a nice two hours all the same.  If you fancy going here for a walk, take the wellies.  I didn't.  Now I am trying to dry and clean my walking trainers.  Deep joy!!!  

On the Raven front, I bumped into Dave Scattergood on the way home.  He said they are always present at the nearby Dunstall Hall estate.  When I heard it I couldn't believe my ears until I saw one in the field.  Not the obvious place for a Raven.   

With the report of a Black Tern seen yesterday, I took my seat and sat down by the pool and looked what I could find.  On and around the pool there was:- Swallow, 1 Ruff, Black-headed Gull, Carrion Crow, lesser Black-backed Gull, Lapwing, Mallard, House Martin, Wood Pigeon, Linnet, Cormorant, and Grey Heron.  There was about 60 Goldfinch, 1 Green Woodpecker, and 1 Kestrel by the old farm.  Back on the lake there was Great-crested Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Pied Wagtail, Magpie and Mute Swan. 

I could not resist a return visit to Blthers to see the White-winged Black Tern and another bird which appeared on the pager whilst I was having my breakfast, a Fulmar.  This would be my first inland Fulmar.  I got to the same car-park as yesterday and saw Sand Martin, Great-crested Grebe, Cormorant, Black Tern, Black-headed Gull, Greylag Geese, Coot, Carrion Crow and Grey Heron.  A pager message then said that both birds were around the dam area.  I drove to the sailing car-park and got onto the Fulmar straight away.  Excellent.  Now for the tern.  Apparently it was seen on the other bank so I decided to walk over the dam, hoping for the odd migrant, before looking for the tern.  Birds I added were House Sparrow, Chiffchaff, Starling, Wren, and Mallard.  Hardly stunning and I was wishing I had drove over.  Never mind, the walk did me some good.  I arrived on the other bank and was speaking to a bloke who was having the same problem as myself yesterday with the tern.  Black Tern after Black Tern was flying past and swooping down.  Then we got onto a bird which was different.  This bird definately was darker on the back and had a white rump.  After watching it another person confirmed that the White-winged Black Tern was the bird we were watching.  Result.  I will admit it was very hard to distinguish between that and the Black Terns but once I got it in the bins you could see the difference.  Another county tick.  I started on the long walk back to the car and added Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Lapwing, Wood Pigeon, Blue Tit and Jackdaw.

I awoke at 7 o'clock and it was not raining, damp but not raining.  Thinking of where to go, I decided to go to Croxall for a couple of hours  From the car-park I saw Wren, Mallard and Tufted Duck.  From the birds on the pool, this was not going to be a good visit.  How wrong I was.  Upto the railway tunnel I saw Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Robin, Black-headed Gull, Chaffinch, Swallow, Pochard, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, Green woodpecker, Willow Warbler (both warblers in full song, must be spring), Carrion Crow, Mute Swan, Snipe, Sand Martin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, House Martin, Blackcap, Lapwing, Starling, Pied Wagtail, Great-crested Grebe, and Coot.  A good list for the main side.  I then walked under the railway tunnel to go to the east side but it was mostly under water.  Birds I added were Gadwall, Canada Geese, Rook, Teal and two Redstarts.  They were in the tree on the railway bank, a great bonus and year tick.  Back towards the car and I added Blackbird and Great Tit.  A pretty good start to the day.  

07.00: Weather = crap.

08.00: Weather = crap.

09.00: Weather = crap

10.00: Weather = crap.

And so on and so on.  All of my hobbies are basically outdoors.  The only job I had to do indoors was to sort out my bedroom and I would have rather walked to Derby with a stone in my shoe.  I sat in front of the computer and inputted all of my birding data into the BTO's Birdtrack., and all the while looking outside to see if the weather had eased off.  About 2ish, the miracle happened and I was in my car and off to Blithers.  There was two birds that I had been keeping track on, a Grey Phalarope and a White-winged Black Tern.  The former was needed for a year tick and the latter was needed for a county tick.  I arrived at the car-park by the causeway, Abbots Bromley end, and started scanning the resevoir.  I picked out Black-headed Gull, House Martin, Mute Swan, Common Tern, Cormorant, Great-crested Grebe, Common Tern, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black Tern, Coot, and Pied Wagtail.  A couple of friends then turned up, Brian and Liz.  Liz is actually my old school teacher from when I was eight years old.  I still remember today, joining a birdwatching group at school and Liz (Mrs Bates) walked us down to the Mill Stream in Alrewas and down the muddy track.  My first ever experience at birdwatching.  It must have done some good.  Anyway, we drove around to the dam to where the two birds had been seen very recently.  There were lots of Black Terns around but it was difficult to seperate them from a White-winged Black Tern.  We were told white rump and darker on top, but the weather was dull and we struggled.  We then met someone who told us the bird was near the causeway and the Grey Phalarope had not been seen, so we got back in our cars and it was off to the first car-park.  We got there, spoke to a bloke and he put us straight on to the Grey Phalorope.  Nice one.  But what about the tern?  It was present ten minutes before we got there but no-one could find it.  It was not going to be today.  The other birds I added were Herring Gull, Grey Heron, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Sand Martin, Lapwing, Canada Geese, Carrion Crow, Kestrel, and a major bonus for the day, a Hobby.  It flew over the trees behind us and I picked it out over head.  I told Brian and Liz who got it before it flew off.  There is another funny tale to be told, linked to the Hobby but I have waffled enough already.  

As it was not too bad an evening, I decided to go and do a bit of birding around the water park.  It is not everyones cup of tea, but I dont mind walking around here.  The birds that I saw and heard were :- Coot, Mallard, Canada Geese, Carrion Crow, Collared Dove, Black-headed Gull, Great-crested Grebe, Swallow, Long-tailed Tit, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Common Whitethroat, House Martin, Sand Martin, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Treecreeper.  Not a lot really and not the bird I came looking for either, a Hobby.  My lack of birding during the summer has left me chasing target birds I should have got in the summer.  Hobby is one of them.  Next time maybe.