RSPB Middleton Lakes (7 Viewers)

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

RSPB Middleton lakes

27/8/11 New Reedbed pool 2 juv Curlew Sand, 2 juv Little Stint, Greenshank, Common Sand, 3 Dunlin, 3 LRP, 2 Ad and juv ringed plover, Little Egret and 5 juv common tern.
DBP North Hobby high above also 6 Swift earlier, yellow wagtail over. 4 Sedge warblers noted probably migrants bought down by heavy night rain. Water levels up on the North pit however new reedbed pool only slight rise.
Roesel's bush crickets singing, along the track by the canal a Painted Lady only my third seen in Staffordshire this year also Small copper and 2 Small Tortioseshell.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

30/8/11 New Reedbed pool 2 juv Curlew Sand, Dunlin, Greenshank, 6 Ringed Plover, juv LRP, 2 Little Egret, Yellow wag and meadow pipit over. 35 House Martin and a Swift. Another Ringed Plover circled and a Black-tailed Godwit through South at 10:30
DBP South Juv Wood Sand and a migrant female Blackcap by the river and a Kingfisher flew down the river.
DBP North 2 Swift a Peregrine Hunting, Green sand and a Ringed Plover circling.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

1/9/11 New reedbed pool no sign of any small waders at 7:45 this morning only the juv wood sand also seen a Little Egret, Hobby over and siskin. 2 green sand flew up the river, along the river 4 Sedge Warblers, migrant female Blackcap and chiffchaff. A Hare was seen, the north pit another 3 green sand and a snipe a yellow wagtail flew over and 3 meadow pipit.
Dosthill NR a Cetti's giving full song bursts.


Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

5/9/11 New reedbed pool Greenshank, 2 Dunlin, Little Egret, 49 Lapwing, 52 House Martin, Hobby and Swift over.
Along the river a migrant Garden Warbler. DBP North Green Sand, Red Admiral, Weasel across the track and 2 Yellow Wagtail over.

Regrards, John

 

[PROUD POTTER]

Digiscope record of yesterday's Merlin

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Merlin

View attachment 345650

Digiscope record of yesterday's Merlin

Nice find Martin, we usually don't get many Merlin sightings here at RSPB Middleton lakes and September is the time when they start to show, usually at nearby Wishaw area. Will keep a look out.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

8/9/11 New reedbed pool no waders present, Little Egret seen and a juv Commmon Tern. DB South a Green Sand and now a winter group off 88 Lapwing in the air which disappeared in the newly ploughed field by the canal, only their calls giving them away, an eclipse Wigeon in flight, 7 Yellow Wagtail dropped onto the North pit with greylags resting out of the wind on the islands, Red Admiral and Small Copper butterflies seen.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

13/9/11 New Reedbed pool 4 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover, 2 Juv LRP, meadow pipit over.
DBP Hobby and Swift.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

15/9/11 New Reedbed pool Waders all moved off, 2 Little Egret seen. 2 Whinchat reported DBP North but no sign when I arrived there.
Siskin over and 3 Yellow hammer, in a short period scoping the north pit meadow pipits over 2,3,4,1.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

23/9/11 New reedbed pool 5 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plover 2 Little Egret. A Steady passage of meadow pipit over south 3,1,1,1,1 and 3 grounded in the grasslands area. 2 Siskin over, 7 Wigeon on the north pit, 4 Skylark dropped onto the north pit.
Ring-tailed Hen Harrier just south of staffs County boudary, it flew over the tree line North of Heronry view platform heading to Middleton park.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

23/9/11 New reedbed pool 5 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plover 2 Little Egret. A Steady passage of meadow pipit over south 3,1,1,1,1 and 3 grounded in the grasslands area. 2 Siskin over, 7 Wigeon on the north pit, 4 Skylark dropped onto the north pit.
Ring-tailed Hen Harrier just south of staffs County boudary, it flew over the tree line North of Heronry view platform heading to Middleton park.

Regards, John

GAW Geoff Williams not AGW Geoff Williams contacted myself this evening saying he saw a Ruff flying around the north pit today, it landed and dis-appeared in the vegetation.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

27/9/11 RSPB Middleton lakes New reedbed pit 2 juv Little Stint, 4 Dunlin, 8 Ringed Plover, Snipe over also Little Egret present. 9:44 Peregrine flushed waders but they quickly returned. Lesser Redpoll over 6,1,1 also 5 Siskin
Good meadow pipit passage with 62 over between 9 -10:40.
DBP Mid and North 19 Wigeon, with Cetti's giving full song burts on the Dosthill NR side.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

29/9/11 Colin J Green new reedbed pool 2 Little Stint, Dunlin, several Ringed Plover, Little Egret and Hobby.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

30/9/11 New reedbed pool 2 Juv Little Stint, 7 Ringed plover. 17:21 Pec Sand flew from island Fisher's mill (Warks) headed north into Staffs and seen flying over North pit.
Also DBP Western track by canal Willow Tit, along fence line Wheatear and earlier Whinchat (Chris Cook). DBP also 23 Wigeon and a Snipe.
Dosthill NR Cetti's full song bursts.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Pectoral Sandpiper

Yesterday's Pectoral Sandpiper (picture Chris Cook) Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

4/10/11 New reedbed pool Juv Little Stint and 7 Ringed Plover also Little Egret, RSPB Volunteers clearing vegetation from islands using strimmers on the north pit, Snipe seen North pit. Duck arose in good numbers from central pool including 120 minimum wigeon.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

11/10/11 Ring-tailed Hen Harrier reported West to East over the North pit c 9:30 a.m this morning (Ryan Adams).
Vapourer moth along track towards Fisher's mill bridge.
North pit 9 Linnet, 13 Cormorant and 96 Lapwing resting in arable to the North West of the North pit.

Regard's John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

14/10/11 DBP North pit 2 Grey Plover this morning John Fincham

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

22/10/11 Dosthill NR Cetti's in full song. New reedbed pool a Little Egret, 11 Fieldfare West and Small Tortoiseshell and a Red Admiral towards Fisher's mill bridge.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

25/10/11 Along the track by the canal 2 Cetti's in the ditch, 70 Starling west, part of a large Westerley movement across the country at the moment.
North pit 10 Red Headed Goosander, 12:15 Ring Tailed Hen Harrier hunting along the southern bund heading west dis-appeared again over the bund and flushed Linnets and Goldfinches feeding on wildflower seeds and also 2 Snipe. The Hen Harrier was seen flying along the ditch by the track on the West side and heading North dis-appeared from view over the phramites pool.
A flock of 32 Linnet seen, smaller number of Goldfinches, I would not be surprised when the hide is up a Twite is seen with these Linnet flocks.
12:28 Ring Tailed Hen Harrier same or another bird flew along the river East of the North pit then over to Dosthill NR, Common Darter also seen.

Regard's John.