Slacker

I've slacked off a bit on the birding front this weekend. Mainly because of the test match and the start of the new football season, come on you Brewers. After a 0-0 draw, lets get the early season cliches out of the way, it's a marathon not a sprint!

And in addition to some football, there was also a marriage proposal at half time, with the inevitable consequence of the crowd chanting "you don't know what you're doing". And a girl singing on the pitch before the game, whose name sounded like a well-known crisp snack. What's it all coming to?

One thing I did do however, was to go to Belvide after work on Friday, to see the juvenile Black-necked Grebe. Which showed well, quite close to the shore from the Scott hide.


It's one of those birds you don't see enough of, no matter what plumage they're in.

Other than that I've spent some time at Uttoxeter Quarry on the Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Most notable are the numbers of Yellow Wagtails at the moment, plus what must be the weirdest selection of geese. Which includes 6 Egyptians, 2 Barnacles and a White-Fronted. You can tell it's a struggle when I'm taking pictures of a feral goose, if only it was winter!


I don't think this bird has come from the collection at JCB in Rocester. There are a couple of White-fronted looking geese there, but they don't look quite the ticket. This one looks in good nick, an immature by the look of it. But I don't think it originates from Russia either.

And some more butterflies. Small Skipper, Small Copper and Peacock on some Ragwort.