What I Did On My Holidays, Part IV

After all the drama at Whitemoor Haye, and the subsequent dipping therapy (Dr Derek Pechora prescribes Marstons Pedigree!), the rest of the week's birding has all been a bit of an anti-climax. The weather has made sure of that.

So as with all good "What I Did On My Holidays" essays when struggling for inspiration, here's a doodle in the margin!


Extraction and processing of sand and gravel still continues at Uttoxeter Quarry. After all, it is a working quarry. Over the past week, there's been a lot of work going on and that has increased the water levels. So where there has been lots of mud seven to ten days ago, that's all been covered by water now. As a result, other than Green and Common Sandpipers, that's it for waders on the Friday and Saturday.

Highlights at Blithfield over the Friday and Saturday included 3 Black Terns, 1 Little Gull, 1 Little Stint, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Ruff, 12 Ringed Plover and 2 Pintail.

Finding some migrants on the Weaver Hills on Saturday morning included 2 Siskins, 100 Meadow Pipits, 20 Skylarks, 10 Linnet, 1 House Martin, plenty of Swallows, 6 Raven, 3 Kestrel, 2 Peregrine.

As for today (Sunday 12th September), a bit of exploring around Swineholes Wood was done, to find some migrants. It was pretty much defeated by the wind, but we did manage Goldcrest, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat. An aimless drive around the North Staffs Moors produced a few Ravens, plenty of Kestrels but very little else. Ending up at Tittesworth Reservoir, where a single Black Tern was still around.

And with that, that's the end of my week off. With the weather as it has turned out, then perhaps it's a good time to return to work. But just four weeks to get through, then I'm off again, to the Isles of Scilly for the first time.