Sunday 29 July 2012

29-7-12

Yet another busy weekend but I did manage to get out early to have a quick look what was on and around the pool before a quick drive round the lanes then home.  Birds noted were Tree Sparrow, Wren, Linnet, Chaffinch, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Common Sandpiper, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Carrion Crow, Robin, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird, Swallow, Swift, Blue Tit, a single Common Tern, Common Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, 1 Garden Warbler, Woodpigeon, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Mute Swan, 1 Little Owl and a family of Lesser Whitethroats.
Once the Grand Prix was done this afternoon I had another couple of hours before going out for my tea.  I managed an hour on the pool beforer walking round the lanes.  I noted Woodpigeon, Song Thrush, Swallow, Pheasant, Carrion Crow, 2 Common Sandpiper, Black Headed Gull, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Yellowhammer, 1 Common Tern, Linnet, Swift, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, the family of Lesser Whitethroats, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, only about 4 Tree Sparrows in total, Mute Swan, 3 Buzzzards, Goldfinch, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Blackbird, Moorhen, 2 Little Owls, Skylark, Common Whitethroat, Stock Dove, Magpie, an adult and a juvenile Peregrine,a Cormorant and cracking bonus in the shape of a juvenile Marsh Harrier.  I was on the bend along the rough track when I saw a couple of Buzzards however one didnt look right so bins onto it and I noticed a pale head.  The scope went up next and then I knew it was definately a Marsh Harrier and my latest site tick.  Bonus.

25-7-12

Another nice evening with total crap on the TV and the Olympics have not even started yet.  A quick look on and around the pool and then around the lanes and I noted Yellowhammer, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Pheasant, Blackbird, Swallow, Black Headed Gull, 4 Common Tern, Goldfinch, Canada Geese, Linnet, a juvenile Great Crested Grebe, 3 Grey Heron, Pied Wagtail, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Song Thrush, Great Tit, Mute Swan, Wren, Robin, a single Little Owl, 5 Snipe which I heard then saw flying over near the Little Owl tree, Dunnock, Tree Sparrow, Magpie, Stock Dove and a single singing Reed Bunting.  Very quiet tonight.

Monday 23 July 2012

23-7-12

A decent evening with crap on the tv so I thought I would check out the pool area around WH and maybe a drive down the lanes.  Around the pool I noted Carrion Crow inc juveniles, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Tree Sparrows (c40 around the whole area) Robin inc juveniles, Magpie inc juveniles, Greylag Geese inc juveniles, Swallow - lots of waves of birds coming through the lake feeding then off again, Yellowhammer, Goldfinch, 2 Common Sandpipers, a single Mute Swan which is currently in the ditch by the rough track!!!!!, Coot inc juveniles (seen earlier on a walk seen by the small pool by the microlight field, a couple of Common Whitethroat, Stock Dove, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit inc juveniles, Reed Bunting, 2 Oystercatchers, Dunnock, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Common Tern, Long-tailed Tits inc lots of juveniles, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Canada Geese, a juvenile but well grown Great Crested Grebe, Pheasants, Linnet, Mallard, Black Headed Gull and a probable Greenshank - seen through binoculars then went to get my scope but the bird had gone.  After a search it was a drive around the lane before home and I added a single Little Owl and some singing Chaffinches.  A proper decent evenings birding with lots of juveniles present.

22-7-12

With more things to do today I had a slight window to pop down first thing to check out the lake and surrounding area but this was just a waste of time.  Birds noted were Woodpigeon, Wren, Tree Sparrows, Carrion Crow, Greenfinch, Mute Swan, Goldfinch, Swallow, Pheasant, Blackbird, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Bllue Tit, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Magpie, Robin, Starling, Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a single Common Sandpiper.  Rubbish.

21-7-12

A busy weekend lay ahead so I was up early nice and early to get to WH however as I drove from Alrewas the mist started rolling in, so much in fact I couldnt see the water on the pool let alone no birds which would be on it!!!!  Because of this I changed my plans for the day and went home and went to work but I did come down mid afternoon but this is never a good time around WH.  Birds noted were 14 Mute Swans, a single Grey Heron, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, 2 Oystercatchers, about 30 Tree Sparrows, several Wrens, 1 Buzzard, 1 Common Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Swallows, Pheasant, Robin, Blue Tit, Yellowhammer, Linnet, 1 Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swift, 5 Shelduck which flew through possibly landing on the furthest pool, Dunnock, a pair of Reed Buntings, Magpie, the odd Black Headed Gull, 1 Little Owl, Chaffinch, 4 Common Whitethroats, Stock Dove, a single Common Tern, Moorhen, 3 Cormorants, Pied Wagtail, Green Woodpecker, Greylag and Canada Geese

Tuesday 17 July 2012

17-7-12

During April and May this year I managed to get down to WH (Whitemoor Haye) on quite a lot of evenings just to check out the pool for migrating birds and then a drive arouind the lanes to get anything else.  The weather was pretty good tonight so I went down there to have a look.  Unfortunately the adventure centre was still having fun out on the boats and a windsurfer was getting ready for a spin around the pool.  Around the pool I did manage to note Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, several Yellowhammer, 6 Mute Swans, 5 Common Sandpipers, Dunnock, Wren, Swallows, Pheasants, Starlings, lots of Swifts - a couple of hundred in the air proberbly feeding up getting ready to head back, only a single Common Tern again, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Black Headed Gulls, Long-tailed Tits in the woodland on the other side of the road, a single Great Spotted Woodpecker in the same area, 5 Mallards flying over, Linnet, Sand Martin, Chaffinch, and several Lesser Black-backed Gulls over.  I also noted 30+ Tree Sparrows, a single singing Reed Bunting and a single Grey Partridge as I drove around the lanes before heading home. 

15-7-12

Well I took my time to set out the design for the new blog but I did not think I would be waiting this long to start blogging for real.  As readers of Alrewas Birder will know I am avery busy person this time of year with shows, work and fishing matches however the crap weather has put a stop to most shows I go to/work on.  Instead it has been a matter of chilling at home with at least one broken rib (dont ask) and watching the rain coming down.  All that and dodgy sleeping pils (again dont ask) has seen me have a three week break however I have been monitoring sites and blogs and I do not think I have missed much.
On to todays visit and it was a check on the pool followed by a walk around the lanes.  Unfortunately a load of kids were on the boats on the lake so I was not expecting much and I was not disappointed.  Birds noted here were plenty of Swifts, Robin, Wren, at least two Blackcaps, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Martin, Mute Swan, Swallow, a single Common Tern, loads of Canada Geese, Black Headed Gulls, Sand Martin, Linnet, Blackbird, Greylag Geese, two Common Whitethroat, a single Great Spotted Woodpecker, one Chiffchaff and lots of Woodpigeons.  Along the lanes I saw the following.  Skylark, two in song, Reed Bunting, lots of Yellowhammers, Chaffinch, Dunnock, about 40 Tree Sparrow in various areas buty mainly on the barley, a single Little Owl, one singing Corn Bunting and one Buzzard