Duck Counter For Hire

Well, where to start this time? Friday afternoon stuck at work I suppose, as news was filtering through of a Wryneck on Cannock Chase. Oh no, that's not going to be easy, "is there any point going?" was my thought at work. Actually no it wasn't, I was busy doing work! Nudge nudge, wink wink.

So when it got the 5:30, I suppose there's more of a chance of seeing the bird by going, than not. And it's only 20 minutes to drive from work to the cadet huts. It's probably clear by now that I didn't see the Wryneck, but I wasn't the only one during the evening. Nice to hear some Cuckoos around the Chase though, and a roding Woodcock over the cadet huts car park.

But anyway, there was a task to take responsibility of this weekend. And that was to do the WeBs wildfowl counts for three local sites. With Andy away on manoeuvres with the Cheadle Home Guard, I decided to take on the challenge. By the way, if you're ever in Cheadle and see someone doing impersonations of Corporal Jones from Dad's Army, you know who it'll be.

To begin with on Saturday's birding, a Common Sand at Croxden Quarry was a decent start. Uttoxeter Quarry had my first Common Whitethroat of the year, that being the main highlight there.

And so to the first WeBs count site, the JCB lakes at Rocester. Yes I know, there's all sorts of wildfowl there I can't include, not even the Hooded Mergansers. I won't bore you with the exact counts of Mallard and Tufted Duck, but it did provide an excuse to get the camera out, and fun with Great Crested Grebes.




Brookleys Lake was the second WeBs count site, ooh exciting! That was until I got there and noticed a distinct lack of wildfowl, it's easy this WeBs counting in April. 2 Mandarin, 3 Grey Herons, 3 GC Grebes amongst other things.

I decided to keep myself in suspense for the third WeBs count site until this morning. That site being Dimmingsdale.


Although there was an ulterior motive for leaving Dimmingsdale until Sunday morning, and that was to enjoy a woodland walk in another glorious spring morning. 4 singing male Pied Flycatchers around, and really chuffed with this Blackcap picture.


Oh, and there were some wildfowl as well! Actually, surprising to have a total of 5 Mandarins, 3 in the River Churnet and two others in flight. Then for the rest of the morning, there was another site I wanted to have a walk around.

Last summer, I had a bit of a mooch round Swineholes Wood, just to the north of Ipstones, and was thoroughly impressed. Ever since then I've been looking forward to exploring this site in the spring, to see what it may hold. I was not disappointed to say the least! The undoubted highlight being a calling Cuckoo! Ten years after moving from Burton to this corner of North Staffordshire, that's the first Cuckoo I've heard round here. In fact, the only other Cuckoos round here are in clocks!

Also a reeling Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Redstarts, 5 Wheatears a little further east along Ipstones Edge, and an absolute stack of singing Willow Warblers.


Well pleased with that visit, it'll have to be done again in the near future. Deciding what to do in the afternoon, after a bit of shopping, I see the Wryneck was re-found on the Chase.

No, not tempted, going to do another woodland walk at Hawksmoor. Where the highlights there were one more singing Pied Flycatcher, and that quintessential sound of a spring wood, the song of a Wood Warbler. Although a Tree Pipit song comes a close seond. But for looks and sound, to me the Wood Warbler is the king of warblers.

Seeing Red

That's a phrase usually associated with anger. Not this time, I think my luck was in over last weekend.

It all started with a job to do. If you've got a driving licence with a photo card, I didn't realise until last week that they expire after ten years. And at £20 to replace it, I can see why that was introduced, a nice little moneyspinner for the DVLA!

The Post Office can help you with a new photo, because these days it's pretty much impossible to get the size correct yourself in one of those photo booths. I have experience of this from renewing my passport. However, not every Post Office will do this for you. So could I have the convenience of doing this in Stafford, during my lunch break? No! So I had to wait until Saturday morning, where the nearest participating Post Office was in Uttoxeter.

With that job done, I wonder where I can go next? That'll be my favourite hole in the ground then! So with a late morning/early afternoon visit to Uttoxeter Quarry. For most of the time there was a good selection of birds, nothing out of the ordinary, but nice to see the first Blackcaps of the year. That was until the undoubted highlight appeared, a cracking Red Kite that ambled effortlessly across the gravel pit nearest to Leasows Farm and the River Tean, fantastic.

After that, back home and get for the Grand National. And a nice little touch on the gee-gees was had, after putting a couple of quid on Ballabriggs, and fourth in the sweep at work with State of Play.

As for Sunday, a small gathering of birding bloggers, consisting of myself, Martyn, Craig and Kay, was made on a gloriously sunny Cannock Chase, starting off at the cadet huts.



Well that was easy, the Great Grey Shrike was still around and showed really well. Also a couple each of Tree Pipits and male Redstarts freshly back in, along with 2 Swallows and plenty of Willow Warblers.

Over into the Sherbrook Valley area, other than a few Stonechats not much else. That was until Craig spotted a large raptor with a forked tail. Can't believe it, it's another Red Kite! Like waiting for a bus, that's two in Staffordshire in two days, brill!

Also spotted along one of the tracks was this Green Hairstreak butterfly. I've never seen one of these before, probably because I've never really gone looking for them.


There is one problem with Cannock Chase on a Sunday and sunny weather, it brings lots and lots of people out with their dogs and slog irons. So time to move on, for a check of Blithfield causeway and dam. 1 Common Sandpiper and 2 LRP's around the causeway, and a Wheatear and 3 Yellow Wagtails around the dam.


A diversion to Branston Gravel Pits was then made, with the sun beating down quite heavily by now. The weather probably didn't help with waders around the sandy pit this time, with only those of note being a Green Sand, 4 Curlew, 5 Oystercatcher and 3 Redshank. Duck highlights included 48 Teal, 5 Wigeon and a pair of Mandarin.

To finish off a most enjoyable day, back to Blithfield and a check of Tad Bay, where there were a pair of Pintail, 2 female Goosander and 4 Goldeneye.

Cor, what happened there?

It's as if someone flicked a switch, and yesterday spring migrants were pouring in (or through)! Not that I saw too many of them, because I had more of an eye on the cricket world cup final. And well done to India.

I once had a sleepless night in Bharatpur, quite a bustling town but small by Indian standards, due to bangers being let off for no apparent reason. Now everyone's got a reason to let them off, I dread to fear what it would've been like in India last night!

But I did manage a couple of hours at Uttoxeter Quarry, before heading back to watch the Indian run-chase. I'm glad I did as the main highlight were a Common Sandpiper and 2 White Wagtails. To prove that things were happening all the time yesterday, in the evening there were 3 more White Wags and 3 Yellow Wagtails. There was also a Pink-footed Goose at the JCB south lake in Rocester. Genuine? Feral? Who knows, but it was there.

As for today, I had a bit of a yomp in the North Staffs Moors, just with my bins and new camera. As for birds, a few Wheatears, Red Grouse, Peregrine, Raven, Buzzards. And some pictures.




Although I don't think these are tickable!

You've got more Rabbit than Sainsbury's.......

Told you I was off for a knees up!

A while ago on this blog, I expressed my sadness at Chas and Dave splitting up, due to Dave Peacock's retirement following the passing of his wife.

Well, imagine my surprise and joy when I listened to Chris Evans on Radio 2 a few weeks ago, who interviewed Chas Hodges, and said "Dave's coming out of retirement, and we're doing one last tour". Oh wow, I've got to go and see them!!!!

And so last night, at the Wulfrun Hall in Wolverhampton, I went to their gig.


And jolly good fun it was too! A two hour set, the first half being their pub and club stuff in the seventies before they were famous. Ending with their first hit, "Gertcha!".


After a short interval, their more recognisable stuff from the eighties. Such as "Rabbit", "Ain't No Pleasing You", "Snooker Loopy", "Margate" and my personal favourite, "The Sideboard Song".


Watch the blog hits plummet now!

Chat Show

The plan for yesterday was to hold out from going out birding, watching on the Cricket World Cup quarter final between England and Sri Lanka, until it got to a stage where it looked like England couldn't win. In the end, with hindsight, I probably could've been out birding all day!

Never mind. Actually Sri Lanka did bowl well and didn't give anything away. Also not being bothered with watching the Wales v England footy, over to Uttoxeter Quarry.

In addition to birding, the quarry is actually a good place for Hares. Must've been at least half a dozen around this time.

As for birds, the main highlight was a Swallow in amongst the Sand Martins feeding on the water's surface. Also 34 Goosander, 5 Wigeon, 2 Shoveler, 4 Curlew, 1 Green Sand, 1 Snipe, 1 Dunlin.

Then onto today. A first visit to the Weaver Hills this year was made, with Wheatear in mind. Didn't manage any Wheatears, and apart from Skylarks not a lot at all. A quick look along the River Churnet at Oakamoor produced a dashing dapper Dipper flying along the river, and 2 Grey Wagtails.

Whilst I was in Oakamoor, news came on the pager of a Black Redstart at Berry Hill fields in Stoke. You know, I'm tempted to give that a try.

I haven't been twitching everything in Staffs these days, especially with petrol at £1.30 a litre. I suppose after the Chancellor's Budgie in the week, it could've been going higher, but it probably will anyway because of the price of oil.

But I was lucky enough to refind a Black Redstart on Berry Hill last spring, and I quite fancied the challenge of doing it again. And if there was no sign, at least there would be some Wheatears to look at.


One of the 15 Wheatears that I managed to see around the oss paddocks. I did wonder if the Black Redstart would be around the "white door" paddock, the scene of last year's little triumph. A few birders were around there and had not seen it.

I was just about giving up and going home, when walking back to the car I managed to see this little beauty:

I can't believe it, the Black Redstart giving crippling views, in the same paddock where all the Wheatears were earlier. Brilliant stuff.

That's about it for now, I'm off for a knees up............

Bye Bye Winter

So what happened last week then? Where was the blog? Well, as a famous twitcher once said in a BBC4 twitching documentary, I couldn't be bothered. One of those frustrating times where, although the first few spring migrants started to appear, I didn't see one, so couldn't be bothered blogging. The best thing from last week was digiscoping this handsome chap:


As for spring migrants, this weekend I've put that right. Starting yesterday morning, at that birdless birding hotspot, Croxden Quarry. Where there were two Little Ringed Plovers, wayhey, first spring migrants of the year.

Uttoxeter Quarry had another two LRP's, 6 Curlew, 2 Green Sands, 7 Oystercatcher, 2 Shelduck, 2 Mandarin, 2 Red-legged Partridge and a Chiffchaff.


But the undoubted highlight was the staggering number of Goosanders, 80 of them! Surely this can't go on, and eventually they'll follow the River Dove and disperse into the Peak District and further north.

If like me you've got one of the pager devices for bird news, you'll know that in some areas the signal is better than in others. Sometimes around Uttoxeter Quarry, the pager signal isn't so good, and as such messages can get corrupted or just not get through at all. I assume this message was corrupted, looking at the time of the sighting, but it made me chuckle for a bit.


Finishing yesterday off with a woodland walk through Hawksmoor and down to East Wall farm. The pond next to the farm had a Grey Wagtail. That's the first one I've seen this year, and after the winter we've all had to endure, I do wonder if Grey Wagtail numbers have taken a battering. Another species that concerns me is Kingfisher, not seen any yet this year.

As for today, Uttoxeter Quarry again. Pretty similar to yesterday, a paltry 71 Goosanders! But better still were two Sand Martins. Then over to Blithfield, where Tad Bay had a Pink-footed Goose, 4 Sand Martin and a pair of Goosanders that flew out (wonder which gravel pit they were going to?). Blithe Bay had 3 Oystercatchers.

And that was it really. Pretty quiet for Blithers, but we're into spring now, so at least we've got all the birding fun of spring to look forward to.

The dapper Dipper dash

Saturday 5th March.

A morning round Uttoxeter Quarry first. Where there was 44 Goosander, 11 Pochard, 31 Wigeon, 19 Teal and a Willow Tit. Brookleys Lake was very quiet, with 4 Mandarin and 4 Great Crested Grebes of note.

Whilst getting a spot of lunch in Morrisons I bumped into Andy. We were both thinking of nipping over to Blithfield later to pay homage to the roosting Great White Egret. But as he had a bike to pick up at the bike shop in Uttoxeter first, I was picked up a bit later.

Just another quick check of the quarry beforehand. Which now revealed 41 Curlew and a Gadwall. We were then joined by that lover of knitted jumpers, Stevie Fair Isle. And as we were leaving him to it, my mobile phone rang. That's odd I thought, it's Steve. What's he got? "I've got the Dipper in the River Tean!".

Now, the last time a Dipper was seen round here was back in October, while I was on the Scillies, and there's been no sign since then. With a personal patch tick at stake, I had to run! That's right reader, this racing snake figure went into full flow! Seb Coe eat your heart out! And this is why:


They always look rather dapper, like they're dressed up in a dinner jacket. Always a pleasure to see.

With the Dipper in the bag, and Andy's bike picked up, over to Tad Bay. A small crowd were gathering along Newton Hurst Lane. The Egret must've had it's watch on, because it came in to roost at exactly 6pm, in the descending gloom. Actually it was nearly pitch dark, as the following picture will suggest:


This wasn't what the internet was made for, a picture like this is a waste of the blogosphere. But it really is the Great White Egret. Not a white plastic bag, or something from the Sky at Night!