21st May 2017

After complaining for months about my camera bodies playing up I finally bit the bullet with a little encouragement from Donna & purchased an upgrade 1D Mk1V on the Sat!! So itching to try it out we headed down to Shrewsbury to Dingle Gardens where there's been a rather showy Night Heron for the last cpl of weeks!!! Showy being an understatement..........

16th & 18th May 2017

News broke of a Summer plumage Spotted Sandpiper at Belvide Reservoir,Staffs on the morning of the 15th but was on nights so managed an early rise on the Tues & Thurs where good views were had of this stunning looking bird unfortunately my photos just don't do it justice with tiredness,light etc being a problem + either my camera or lens playing up whatever it only looks like it's gonna be expensive..................

13th May - 14th May 2017

The weekend of the 13th/14th was spent locally at Middleton Lakes RSPB on the Sat & Cannock Chase on the Sun with a lot of our birds now settled & breeding & migration slowing we decided to try for some photos of some of the commoner birds at Middleton with Reed Warblers & Sedge Warblers trying to out sing each other........

Sunday morning was spent at Cannock Chase,Staffs where we picked up several Tree Pipit,Redstart & 3+ Spotted Flycatcher with the unexpected Adder on the footpath near Seven Springs which unfortunately seemed to be injured/sick so I used a stick to move it somewhere quiet & sunny out of harms way................

22nd April - 7th May 2017

The last cpl of weeks again spent locally concentrating on Summer migrants with Osprey & Wheatear x5 at Middleton Lakes 0n the 24th April, Swift at Shustoke on 24/4 Whinchat x4  at Middleton on 26/4

Black Tern on 30/4 with 2 birds at Farmoor & 1 in the afternoon at Seeswood Pool the 1st record since 2008 also 2 Hobby at Shustoke res in the evening other highlights inc Arctic Tern, Cuckoo on 1st May at Shustoke & Marsh Lane NR a late Whooper Swan at Marsh Lane NR also on 1st May also Whimbrel,Yellow Wagtail,Garden Warbler,3 Grey Plover & 1000+ Swift in the Tame Valley mainly at Middleton Lakes RSPB....