22nd & 23rd February 2014

Headed over to Alrewas Pits,Staffs for another look at the Sibe Chiffchaffs (2 birds present last visit but mostly silent) The 1 Showy bird was still present,however it's call certainly resembled Collybita but only called briefly on the Saturday so decided to head back on the Sunday where the bird constantly called for the 2+ hours I spent on site & was calling as Collybita (So unless anyone with more experience on these difficult subs has a reasonable explanation then surely it's a Collybita?) Just goes to prove though that not all pale birds should be treated as Siberian............

For a detailed analysis please read Alan Deans comment in the comments section (Many thanks to Alan for this detailed response)

8th - 15th February 2014

Spent a week up in the Highlands with Dean Eades,Russ Telfer & Alicia Handford with some good birds seen not all photographed but a fantastic week,some of the highlights below including the American Coot at Loch Flemington,Inverness which was a lifer............

More Photos On My Website

2nd February 2014

Spent a cpl of hours again at Hams Hall,Warks where the Hume's was again elusive but gave good brief views & was calling regularly in the morning & also picked up Sibe Chiffchaff which was calling (Unlike the self-proclaimed expert who keeps calling Sibes even when it's just a pale nominate "Yes JH you do get pale nominate" ) So both plumage & call is still the most reliable!! (But I did hear the visiting Sibes are picking up the local dialect so they fit in better!! ) Anyway Tom Perrins turned up & as the bird wasn't playing ball he promised me a showy Sibe Chiffchaff up the road in Staffs at Alrewas pits/sewage works also Smew & LT Duck so off we went!! Picked up all the birds with ease & we also found a 2nd Sibe Chiffchaff (Both calling but Tristis call only heard when both birds were in the same vicinity) & had rather good views!! So cheers Tom..........

More Photos Here

1st February 2014

Back at Hams Hall again this morning for some pics of the Hume's Leaf Warbler which despite having spent over 20 hrs on site over the last week has been elusive with today being no different at 1 point it hadn't been seen or heard for nearly 4hrs! Anyway enough talking cpl of shots below..............

25th January 2014

Decided to do another local area this morning as the weather was forecast good for the morning only!! Headed over to Hams Hall & the outflow off Edison Rd which over the years has produced Firecrest good numbers of wintering Chiffchaff & the odd Sibe Chiffchaff! I'd just got under the road bridge & ran up the bank to an area of extensive brambles when a Warbler called which I wasn't familiar with it then called again (almost like a speeded up Pied Wagtail call) I soon caught up with the bird close by & quickly realised it had to be either Yellow Browed Warbler ot Hume's Leaf Warbler within mins I'd put the news out thru various media outlets! The bird continued to show very well but unfortunately the camera was in the car & by this time I was convinced it was a Hume's & was still frantically calling & txting as many people as I could! After nearly an hour the 1st birders turned up! After getting them onto the bird & with the masses now turning up I headed for the car for the camera but typically the bird became more flighty & elusive throughout the day & only a cpl of record shots were obtained! The bird as I suspected was a Hume's Leaf Warbler as confirmed by birders with more experience of them calling but I'd sort of worked that out for myself after having 70+ YBW last year on Shetland & none called like this little beaut!! A 1st for Warks & only the 2nd WMBC record!! Eventually the bird was enjoyed by many & was still present today Sun 26th but typically elusive in poor weather for most of the day..........

24th January 2014

With an extra day off work headed out to Brownhills again for the Glossy Ibis my 4th visit but only the 2nd time iv'e actually seen the bird!! Practically had the bird to myself & again it showed very well..........

19th January 2014

Headed upto Burton Marsh,Cheshire hoping to photograph the Sibe Chiffchaffs which have been showing very well & also the Buff-bellied Pipit!! The Pipit showed well in difficult light (my 4th in Britain) & the 1 Sibe showed too well when it landed less than 15ft away & way to close to focus on!! Also had female Merlin thru........ Buff-bellied Pipit photos below...........

11th January 2014

A txt from Archie this morning asking if I fancied a few hours out locally had me gathering my gear & heading off meeting up & swapping into his twitch mobile!! 1st port of call was Brownhills W.Mids for the Glossy Ibis which had been present for a cpl of weeks!! The bird performed really well & thanks to the Stables owner we were allowed into his field to watch the bird at close quarters also several Red Deer appeared in the field before quickly disappearing into the undergrowth!! Next stop Stubbers Green for the ad Iceland Gull then breakfast followed by Gailey Res for the Great Northern Diver & Great White Egret before doing the roost at Chasewater adding juv Glaucous Gull ad Caspian Gull & the ad Iceland Gull again! Finished the day off with Barn Owl on route home with the bonus that bird was in Warks...........