Blithfield Easter Bonanza

Friday 10th April, Blithfield Reservoir, 9:30 - 13:00.

A bit of time off work for Easter equals birding time, well some of that time anyway. I couldn't believe there was not one drop of rain pretty much the whole time. Long enough for a walk round the deep end. Which produced three year ticks for me in the form of 1 Common Tern, 2 Common Sandpiper and 1 Yellow Wagtail, in addition to 4 Wheatears.

10 Goldeneye in Tad Bay, with another 2 (plus another Common Sandpiper) in Blithe Bay. As was featured recently by the Blurred Birder, I attempted to inspect the new lavatory in Stansley Wood. Unfortunately it was locked. I assume someone was in there or it could quite possibly be the most inconvenient of conveniences.

After some lunch the rain was setting in, and washed the rest of the day out unfortunately. I did later receive a phone call from one of the Blithfield enforcers, er, I mean voluntary wardens (only joking, Richard's a nice chap really!), informing me that I had put my sightings in the book under Wednesday. Whoops! What can I say, I've never been one to keep track of time!

Saturday 11th April, Weaver Hills, 9:30 - 10:30

A Curlew and a Swallow to add to the ubiquitous Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. I'm going to stick with it though, although I do feel it's a struggle to give it the amount of time, and to get there early enough, that the place deserves.

I was also feeling really tired. In addition to yesterday's walk round Blithers I have also been doing some exercise in the evenings after work (I've got a push bike you know). So the plan was just to have a lazy day at home. No birding, no footy (which I should've gone to really). Just one job to do, put some roofing felt on the shed.

I was just starting to measure the shed roof up when the phone went from Martyn. "A Little Gull and three Arctic Terns at Blithfield deep end". Where were they yesterday?

I was determined to get this roofing felt on though. It was an intended job over christmas until I caught the flu, never had chance since. Here is the result, with a bit of an overlapping-pie crust finish:















Incidentally another of my DIY heroes, as well as Frank Spencer, is Reg Prescott. But anyway, over to the sailing club.....

Blithfield Reservoir, 13:45 - 15:00















The Arctic Terns were easy to find, so not the Little Gull. I was joined by Martyn and we eventually re-found the bird. This photo's a bit distant but it's still a decent comparison with the Black-Headed Gull:

















This one however, you'll just have to take my word for it and follow the arrow!















Uttoxeter Quarry, 15:45 - 17:20

2 White Wagtails being the highlight. Also a Treecreeper (a personal site second), 2 Green Sandpipers, 11 Goosander, 20 Linnets.

At the time of writing I'm not sure how much more birding time I'll get until I'm back at work. Monday morning should be ok, then in the afternoon it'll be time to watch (potentially!) a piece of history. If the Brewers win at Kidderminster Harriers that's promotion done and dusted, and the first time a side from Burton-on-Trent in the football league for about a century! Very wisely it will be shown on Sultana Sports, so I'll be off to my dad's!