Birds of Staffordshire (1 Viewer)

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Crossbills and cones

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Scot's pine, cones ripen in April in warm and dry weather the cones open up.
Larch cones ripen in Autumn
Norway Spruce cones ripen in October and are dispersed naturally until April.

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Narrow your search
Scot's pine, cones ripen in April in warm and dry weather the cones open up.
Larch cones ripen in Autumn
Norway Spruce cones ripen in October and are dispersed naturally until April.

There's a lot of Corsican Pine on Cannock Chase of which the cones mature in December which would be better in winter than Scots pine which cones mature early summer and open in hot dry weather.

http://www.rfs.org.uk/learning/corsican-pine

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Forestry Commision planted conifers

The conifer plantations managed by the Forestry Commission in England are dominated by only 5 species.

Larch, Sitka Spruce, Scotts Pine, Douglas Fir, Corsican Pine

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/conmono.pdf/$FILE/conmono.pdf

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

28/1/14 Alrewas gp's Siberian Chiffchaff and Red-headed Smew. Paul hyde


Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Observations and photo's of 2 Siberian Chiffchaff Alrewas

http://seeswoodpool.blogspot.co.uk/

Note post also on 2/2/14


Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Siberian Chiffchaff Alrewas, this has led to a debate on Birdform identification thread

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=2938083#post2938083

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Siberian Chiffchaff

Russian Study
Notes from the Russian study, they classified fluvescens as hybrids in this study.
tristis no yellow on underparts
Hybrids (so including fluvescens) a little Yellow on the underparts.
abietnus PLENTY OF YELLOW ON UNDERPARTS.
There are no DNA Records as yet for abietinus in Britain in winter.

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Russian Study

Findings of the Russian Study.

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

RSPB Middleton lakes

The RSPB have updated their free map available from the carpark, in which Dosthill NR is labelled Dosthill lake. (so reports coming out as RSPB Dosthill lake should refer to Dosthill NR)
Also Fisher's mill pool which was entirely in Warwickshire, a bund was removed by the RSPB to create a sloping profile for reed growth. The RSPB call this pool Fisher's mill pool so it has a Staffs/Warks divide. I call it Fisher's mill bridge pool to save confusion with the old Fisher's mill pool.


Regards, John

 

[Moocher]

Always pleased when I cross paths with these. There are two of these Greylag/Canada Hybrids that have been quite long stayers in the Tame valley. This one seems to have paired up with a Canada and was very protective over it.

 

[andm]

cannock chase
had a good variety of birds early this morning, singing tree pipits, willow warblers & yellowhammers, a brambling, stonechat,& two highlights of the day ,a cuckoo and an osprey flew quite low over the chase