Staffordshire

chrisdorney · Status: Offline

RE: Staffordshire

Patrick Earith · Status: Offline

Doc Brewster wrote:

Red-backed Shrike today SE of Alsagers Bank near Stoke, S.of B5367. Showing well but distantly on a barbed wire fence by a cattle field in rain & murk, hopefully in that weather wont go anywhere & will still be there tomorrow

Female Red-backed Shrike still showing well at 18:00ish perched on barbed-wire fence.

For those thinking of going tomorrow, site is grid ref is SJ813477. From Black Bank turn onto High Lane (by the mast), from the end of High Lane bear right along the track and after approx 100metres turn right to view the fence line.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Red-backed Shrike today SE of Alsagers Bank near Stoke, S.of B5367. Showing well but distantly on a barbed wire fence by a cattle field in rain & murk, hopefully in that weather wont go anywhere & will still be there tomorrow

chrisdorney · Status: Offline

Visit to coombes valley yesterday 3.30 to 10.30
Generally quiet really but highlights were finding a pied flycatcher nest along with another pair(fairly easy as its signposted!)and 3 males.also found a spotted flycatcher nest and another gs woodpecker nest(not the one by the bridge).one of the male pied chased off a squirrel several times which was entertaining!no redstart wood warbler or tree pipits for me today although I did get great views of a garden warbler.I was there so late because I was waiting for the woodcock to start roding.no joy there either but the appearance of a barn owl and the sight of a heron flying across the moon kind of made up for it...

Rob Smallwood · Status: Offline

If this one hadn't chosen to pick a spot at the confluence of two paths it could have remained undetected for a long time. The song is so quietit is difficult to pick up, and feeding in the damp marshy area, even at close range made it like looking for a Corncrake in June. Many must get missed during a mini fall like this one.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Surely it gives us hope of one

Rob Smallwood · Status: Offline

RE: Staffordshire - Doxey

John O'Neill · Status: Offline

RE: Staffordshire

PHIL GREENWOOD · Status: Offline

Annual visit to Coombs Valley, Wednesday, May 2nd.

Pied Flycatcher 3m 2f
Redstart 3 singing, 1 seen.
Garden Warbler 1 singing.
Treecreeper 2
Buzzard 2
Willow Warbler 10+ singing.
Blackcap 8+ singing.
Chiffchaff 8+ singing.

etc.etc.etc. No Tree Pipit or Wood Warbler.

Called at Tittesworth on the way home.

Little Ringed Plover 1
Curlew 1
Oystercatcher 2
Goldcrest 1
Lesser Redpoll 3
Gt.Crested Grebes
Greylag Geese 2
Nuthatch 2
Treecreeper 1

etc.etc.etc.

Patrick Earith · Status: Offline

Went to Upper Longdon for the long staying Great Grey Shrike. Drove through the village (Startley Lane) and then parked up on the left, at the brow of the hill, just after the last of the houses. This overlooks the clearfell and, sure enough, as soon as I stepped out of the car, there it was, sat atop the tallest of the half dozen or so tree trunks. Gorgeous bird. It was quite confiding and seemed to favour another, shorter, tree trunk further up the road, on which to eat it's prey. There is another parking area (of sorts) right next to that, so, you could get very close, though, I didn't bother as I didn't want to spook it.

Also about, lots of mixed finch flocks that included dozens of Brambling, 3 Siskin and all the usual suspects including 2 GSW. A pleasant couple of hours.

John Barber · Status: Offline

Rick, Give up the optics ! steady on. It's only a marriage.

Rick Hall · Status: Offline

PS Anyone have any tips for mending broken marriages !!

Yes - give all your optics away for free to first person to ask for them... I'll have them if it helps save a marriage!

John Barber · Status: Offline

A leisurely 5am start had me down at Uttoxeter by 6am for the Staffordshire Lesser Yellowlegs.

Accurate directions distilled the evening before ( thank you Sid Ashton ) from various forums soon had me in the right area, along with other equally eager birding insomniacs. Initially the bird was no where to be found until an eagle eyed member of the group spotted the rare American vagrant relatively close, and just ahead of us. A case of looking too far into the distance on this relatively large site.

Despite the steady rain the mood brightened amongst the assembled band as good views were had by all. My first LY and a very nice bird it was to.

As the rain grew heavier the time came to depart and an absence of traffic on this bank holiday weekend had me back home in my bed not long after 8.

The end of a satisfactory birding day I thought....fat chance.... a lunchtime text from a Cumbrian located Nick Isherwood soon had me heading North to Brockholes for a rendezvous with a second rare yank of the day.

PS Anyone have any tips for mending broken marriages !!

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Ah well, typically the Wryneck wasn't seen at all today, and the Dotterel was missing too.

Paul

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

A Wryneck was present all day today near Knypersley reservoir just N.of Stoke, a bit closer for Greater Manchester birders than the East Coast!!

Directions (if it still there tomorrow) are:

Just N.of Brown Edge by Sands Lane on gorse covered hill. Drive over the dam at Knypersley Resr and continue to the T-junction, turn right and then bear left up to the car park. Walk along the ridge footpath to look down into the gorse. (If you travel and get lost give me a buzz btw 9.30am-5pm on 01925 730775 and I'll try to guide you in!).

Due to the nature of the habitat the bird is in it is elusive and mobile, being seen more in flight than perched, but given time views are possible. I had my first view of it perched for about 2 seconds (!!) after an hours wait, then 2 more flight views in the next hour. Early in the day was best today and could be again if it is present tomorrow.

Also in Staffs (but I didn't travel for this) is a Dotterel at Whitemoor Haye in the potato field behind the microlight field viewed from rough track.

Cheers
Paul