14th May 2010

After being stuck in work all week & getting Txts of what i was missing at Coleshill Gravel Pits (Grey Plover,Wood Sand,Temminck's Stint etc)I was chomping at the bit so to say!! on arrival at the pits this morning i was met with the cheery greeting of Kev'Hippo'Groocock (The birdin Medic) Ur to late!!! (for the wood sand etc but not the Stints) short while later i had my 1st good bird of the day all what briefly, Whinchat which quickly flicked over the bank,on the actual pits i was soon watching the 2 Temminck's Stint & at least 6 Little Ringed Plover,2 Ringed Plover & an Oystercatcher (not a bad few hrs with 2 good Yr ticks)

Clayhanger Marsh 3/5/10

Just had to try again for the Hoopoe,my 3rd visit in as many days & with only a handfull of people on site it didnt seem as flighty.Patience payed off as they say if you don't succeed 1st time!!!

2nd May 2010 & 3rd May 2010

Headed back over to Clayhanger again today 3/5/10 for another crack at the Hoopoe but to no avail as there was a no show in the 3hrs i was on site,so headed over to Cannock chase for a few yr ticks Common Redstart & Pied Flycatcher heard but not seen but 2 Tree Pipit & Cuckoo were added to the Yr list & Wood Warbler heard by the carpark at seven springs




Headed over to Clayhanger Marsh,West Midlands on the 2nd for the Hoopoe only my 4th ever in Britain & my 2nd in the Walsall area (2006) The bird showed well but was very flighty but still a welcome Year tick,also good to catch up with a few old faces (Big thanks to Archie Archer for directions)

28th April 2010

(record shot of the Grasshopper Warbler above)

(below a cpl of images of 2 of the 5 birds present)



A quick walk up the pool this morning produced 2 singing Sedge Warblers & 1 Reed Warbler, I then decided to head over to Brandon Marsh nr Coventry for the 5 Black-tailed Godwits also seen in good numbers were Cetti's Warbler,Common Whitethroat,Sedge & Reed Warbler,Swift,4 Common Tern & 1 Grasshopper Warbler

25th April 2010

A quick walk up Seeswood this morning produced 1 gronking Raven low over the pool & 1 Common Buzzard before a phone call from Bob Duckhouse had me heading home for the car & a quick trip upto Baddesley Ensor for a singing male Wood Warbler.

24th April 2010

Above & below some photos of a Yellow Wagtail also Pied Wagtail






Early morning start around Seeswood produced 2 Reed Warbler (early date for the pool & a welcome Yr tick)1 Common Whitethroat & a single Swallow also my 1st Little Owl of the year,with the new arrivals in i decided to head out to Draycote Water which turned out to be quite a good move with 4+ House Martin,6 Yellow Wagtail (2 female type Blue-headed)2 Common Sandpiper,1 Lesser Whitethroat (Yr tick)1 Sedge Warbler,2 Great Northern Divers,14+ Little Gull (mainly summer plumage ad)1 Black Tern (Yr tick)2 Common Tern & upto 4 Arctic Terns (Yr tick)

23rd April 2010

After the good start to the day i decided to head over to Draycote Water for the drake Garganey which had been seen yesterday,the bird was still there off the windsurfing area with upto 10 Yellow Wagtail off Farnborough bank with 1 female type Blue-headed also ad Little Gull,1 Common Sandpiper,also seen 2 Brimstone butterfly,Small Tortoiseshell,Peacock & Large White





A great start to the day in the form of a (1st Summer male)Ring Ouzel on Seeswood Pool (1st record for the patch & only my 2nd Warks bird)also a Common Tern dropped in for about 20mins also my 1st Speckled Wood of the Yr

18th April 2010

Early start down to Paxton Pits,Cambridgeshire hoping to photograph Nightingales,no such look though as i only had 1 bird singing deep in cover (must be slightly late this Yr compared to last when there was several on site)so left & headed upto Brandon Marsh for the Avocet & a chance of a few yearly (Summer visitor) ticks,the Avocet was showing well from Teal pool but distant but with the noise coming from the 2 old boys in the corner jabbering on funny enough about noise & how to behave in a hide there was no chance of it coming nearer!! Cetti's Warblers seem to be still in good No's despite the cold winter which is a good sign!! Yearly ticks in the form of 2 Sedge Warblers & 1 Common Whitethroat

7th & 8th April 2010

7th April Shustoke Res
1ad Little Gull & 1 white Wagtail with several Willow Warbler singing on site

8th April Draycote Water
12 Yellow Wagtail & 1m Northern Wheatear

Brandon Marsh
3+ Cetti's Warbler,Sand Martins,2 Redshank,1 Ringed Plover

6th April 2010

Seeswood Pool

At least 20 Sand Martin 4+ Swallow on the pool this morning with Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler both heard! A txt from Tom Perrins had me rushing for the camera gear & making haste to Kingsbury WP where 2 Avocets had settled on Cliff pool (a much needed Warks tick (233) )

5th April 2010

After getting a report of a Lssr Whitethroat at Coton lakes decided to check it out(no sign) but Cettis Warbler (Heard) Chiffchaff,Willow Warbler,Sand Martin & Swallow seen carried on thru to Kingsbury Water Park with 1 Common Tern on Bodymoor Heath Water (New for the Yr) then a quick drive to Middleton Lakes & the long walk upto Basset North produced 1 Little Ringed Plover (New for the Yr) 3 Common Redshank & Oystercatcher

3rd April 2010

A quick walk up Seeswood Pool this morning produced 1 Swallow,1 Chiffchaff & male Goosander

2nd April 2010

After bein let down by Tricky with regards to goin for the Pallid Swift in Suffolk (he decided to go with Maddo!! Cheers Rich no more lifts for you mate) didnt really make sense to head down on me own.I decided to head over to Shustoke on the hunt for more summer migrants on arrival a Oystercatcher could be heard calling at the far end but not seen but White Wagtail & Yellow Wagtail were both welcome additions for the Yr also seen a single female Northern Wheatear working the far bank,hirrundine No's were well down on Y'day with prob only about 50 sand Martin & Swallows seen other birds seen of note 3 Common Buzzard,5 Gadwall & 2 Red-legged Partridge

1st April 2010

An unexpected day off due to a press breakdown at work gave me the chance to go for the Lesser Kestrel in Suffolk,with the alarm set for 3-30 am i was duly up but decided against it due to it being freezing outside with a strong NE wind so back to bed for a cpl of hrs walked the dog & had Blackcap singing at Kingswood woods (my 1st of the year)I then headed over to Shustoke Res & was greeted with several hundred Sand Martins with approx 100 Swallow & 1 House Martin (2 more yr ticks) carried on around & had a singing Willow Warbler (another 1st for the yr) not as exciting as a British tick in Suffolk but not a bad mornings birding with the added bonus that when i checked the bird news it was negative for the Kestrel

24th March 2010

A quick visit to Seeswood Pool this morning produced singing Chiffchaff & the male Goosander which is still present sitting out on one of the fishing stands

23rd March 2010

A call from John Judge alerted me to the fact a Bonxie (Great Skua) was at Draycote soon had me gathering my gear & picking up Tricky (Rich Dawkins) on the way,we arrived to find the bird virtually out in the centre but neverless still a good inland find & a much needed Warks tick for Tricky (My 2nd for Draycote) also seen were my 1st Sand Martins for the year (double figures)

21st March 2010

After a tip off from Tom (Perrins) that a Wheatear was at Blindpit Lane,Wishaw i decided to leave the decorating (6 weeks & still no nearer finishing) after about 20 mins the bird appeared on the footpath behind me a cracking male & my 1st migrant of the year,dropped into Coton Lakes on the way home with my 2nd migrant of the yr a Chiffchaff singing by the hide

21st February 2010

Having spent the last cpl of weeks renovating the house & then writing the car off ive not had a chance to really get out & about,however a quick check on Seeswood Pool this morning rewarded me with 3 Goosander(1m 2f)on the small patch of still open water also seen 1 Buzzard,1 Kingfisher & at least 60 Greylag Geese on the surrounding fields.

9th February 2010

Finally managed to find the will to do Seeswood pool this morning,after receiving this months British Birds with a cpl of photos of a ringed Common Sandpiper taken 2 yrs ago in it.It appears ive not missed much as the pool is still very muddy & water levels are still way to high,highlights being 3 Red-legged Partridge,5 Pochard a pristine male Goosander & at least 50 Greylag Geese in with the Canada flock

January 17th 2010

Short trip out today for the Bewick's Swans off the Bretford/Church Lawford Rd (A428)only 1 visible with the other 16 on the opposite side of the rd in the dip! so headed off back into the Grandborough valley for another crack at the Great Grey Shrike, the bird was showing well but just to distant for any photos,will have to try again prob Tues & hope it's 3rd time lucky?

10th January 2010

The chance of a Warks tick in the form of a Great Grey Shrike in the Grandborough Valley finally tempted me out for the 1st time in 3 wks a quick phone call to Dog for details on the bird & road conditions & i was on my way to pick Rich up 1/2 hr later & some fun driving down Hill rd (Skating rink) we pulled up behind several other birders cars & made the short yomp upto the assembled mini twitch! after about a 1/2 hr wait the call went up,showed well but distant but neverless a new Warks bird putting me on 232 for the county!! other birds seen upto 600 Linnet & female Merlin.
Dropped into Draycote on the way home for a few Year ticks with 2 Great Northern Divers & 3 ad Yellow Legged Gulls being the highlights

19th December 2009

Took the chance of a local trip to Long Lawford this morning looking for the Great White Egret no sign when we got there so decided to head over to Draycote Water where we were soon watching the drake Smew & 1 of the 2 Great Northern Divers present along the Farboro bank also 1 Dunlin showing well on Toft bank we then made our way around to Draycote bank for the Slavonian Grebe found by Colin Potter & Richard Mays (turned out to be a Black-necked Grebe, tut tut)also from Draycote bank the 2nd Great Northern Diver & 1 female Common Scoter