22nd April 2016

A little movement on Seeswood Pool this morning with a singing Reed Warbler dozens of Swallow & good numbers of House & Sand Martin also Common Tern dropped in & was still fishing when I left....

17th April 2016

Took the short trip down to Telford,Shropshire for the male Iberian Chiffchaff at Granville park only my 2nd in Britain & 1st since 2000 a welcome lifer for Donna...........

9th-16th April 2016

The last week has been all about catching up with Summer migrants adding Yellow & White Wagtail,Arctic Tern,Tree Pipit,Sedge Warbler,Common & Lesser Whitethroat locally!! Seeswood Pool also had a few migrants thru with Common Sandpiper on the dam & male Wheatear by tower farm on the 11th with Swallow,Sand Martin & House Martins all on the pool. On the 16th I had a call of Nick Barlow about a male Common Scoter on Shustoke but typically I was out of the County on Cannock Chase but did manage to get back & grab a few photos.......... Yellow Wagtail & Wren photos from Draycote Water on the 9th & Scoter from Shustoke on the 16th April

26th March - 3rd April 2016

Spent Easter week mainly local looking for the Springs 1st migrants Picking up Swallow,House Martin & Sand Martin,Chiffchaff,Common Tern,Wheatear,Willow Warbler & Little Ringed Plover all before the end of March (My best early Spring arrivals ever) Dipped the Slavonian Grebe at Draycote water on the 1st April which would have been a lifer for Donna so made a diversion to Rutland water picking up a stunning SP Bird also a near Summer plumaged Red-necked Grebe (Our 2nd R.N Grebe in 2days) & 2 Osprey!! Even better picked up another Osprey closer to home at Marsh Lane NR,W.Mids on the 2nd finally added Blackcap with 3 birds singing at Coton Water on the 3rd....

Little Ringed Plover (1 of 6 seen on the 27/3/16) Red-necked Grebe 31/3/16 at Farmoor res,Oxon

25th March 2016

Took the short trip over to Chasewater in Staffs for the drake Ring-necked Duck as Donna had only had distant views into the sun last year of the Oxon birds! The weather was with us but the bird remained distant in the 3-4hrs on site but can't complain the scope views were cracking + managed a few shots using the 2x conv on the Sigma 300-800