Birding In Staffordshire (23 Viewers)

[Nick Smith]

Haha, half a slice of bread with her mate, as for the bench, you can't see much from it as there's a big bloody tree in the way, the council will prob come an chop it down next week though, as they seem to be chopping everything else down around Westport at the mo, there will be nothing left at this rate except for the vis ctr and water!

...and did you see (after resting on your bench of course) on the canal side three piles of railway sleepers to enlarge the fishermens platforms? Also, one of our regular Westport lads was asked if he could move his car on Saturday as it was in an area of the carpark they were trying to keep for fishermen only. Naturally, he said that after 20yrs of parking in that space, he would carry on.

 

[keith clowes]

Ive been asked to pass this message on to everyone that knew the late Jim Morris,his funeral is on Friday 3rd December 2010 at the Carmountside Crematorium,Leek Road,Milton, Stoke-on-trent,staffs,ST27AB at 3.30pm and the wake is at the Roebuck Inn,Cheadle Road,Forsbrook,stoke-on-trent ST119BX,All inquirres to Rose on 07740411699,please confirm attendance to the wake,,
Also a thank you for all the kind words that have been recieved about Jim

 

[Rob Jones]

Turning out o be a cool Autumn and the weather's forcast to get much colder from the north and east so with a bit of luck hopefully it'll bring some more interesting birds into Staffs!
My garden is devoid of birds at the moment, even House Sparrows have moved on. Several fairly large flocks of Starlings heading west this evening, maybe all heading for Betley Mere ??

 

[Neil-T]

Spent most of yesterday on the Staffs/Derbyshire border. Lots of common stuff about including Kingfisher on the Dove. Also plenty of Grey wags and LT tits about. A pair of Goosanders took up off the water as I approached. Got back home to see 3 Redpolls on the feeders. Good birding. Neil.

 

[mosschops]

Jason try here

http://www.sherwoods-photo.com/

Not to far away, you can always drop in at Upton Warren!!

Cheer mate,
They have an excellent range of bins. I've since found a retailer in Stockport but Sherwoods have a better choice so I may give them a go.

Cheers

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Bird Watching Staffs Report

I've been doing the monthly Staffs round-up for Bird Watching for some time now but have decided to give it up at the end of this year.

If anyone is interested in taking over, send me a PM. You email them a monthly report and get a free subscription in return.

Thanks, Nick

 

[Charlie Sargent]

Cannock Chase

Went to the Chase today. Quite a few people there. One in particular feeding the birds right in front of the sign asking people not to do this because of Avian Pox. He said there was no pox and he comes every day and has never seen a bird with it, I politely told him he was wrong and showed him a picture of a Coal tit I had taken 5 mins earlier. He changed his attitude then.

Attached a couple of pictures I took whilst waiting for the deer and fox. see Flora and Fauna post.

Charlie

 

[Neil-T]

Nice pics mate, especially the Blue tit. Good job you had the photo evidence to show to the guy. Neil.

 

[Rob Swift]

Went to the Chase today. Quite a few people there. One in particular feeding the birds right in front of the sign asking people not to do this because of Avian Pox. He said there was no pox and he comes every day and has never seen a bird with it, I politely told him he was wrong and showed him a picture of a Coal tit I had taken 5 mins earlier. He changed his attitude then.

Attached a couple of pictures I took whilst waiting for the deer and fox. see Flora and Fauna post.

Charlie

Hey Charlie, you did a good job there.

This subject was covered at the WMBC Staffs meeting a few days ago. My thoughts are that the Stafford Council are not going to stop people feeding the birds by putting signs up, even with the threat of disease. Maybe they should tackle and take control by providing a suggested alternative site for people to feed the birds. What does everyone else think?

I believe the disease is more prevalent on repeatedly used ground feeding area's, like the one at Freda's grave.

Cheers

Rob

 

[Charlie Sargent]

Hey Charlie, you did a good job there.

This subject was covered at the WMBC Staffs meeting a few days ago. My thoughts are that the Stafford Council are not going to stop people feeding the birds by putting signs up, even with the threat of disease. Maybe they should tackle and take control by providing a suggested alternative site for people to feed the birds. What does everyone else think?

I believe the disease is more prevalent on repeatedly used ground feeding area's, like the one at Freda's grave.

Cheers

Rob

Hi Rob
This guy was of the firm belief that any seed that was left over was eaten by the deer and therefore there was not a problem. After chatting for some while he softened his attitude and began to understand the issues. I said that to stop people feeding the birds was a major problem. Unless the area was policed, people would still do it and I suggested he was probably one of them. A change of site by the council is probably a good idea and might help, the problem but as I see it is the infected birds would also find the new site and the pox could still be transmitted from the infected birds.. I did suggest to this guy that because I thought he would still probably feed the birds to put his seed on a tray and when he leaves take with him what has not been eaten which would help.
Charlie

 

[Neil-T]

There are several sites all over the Chase where people feed the birds. You only have to drive down the track to the Cadet huts and there are places where prople just throw seed on the ground in a few areas. There is a small feeding station just past the cadet huts on the left hand side. I have studied this site and cannot find any evidence of the bird pox virus. Controlled feeding is the answer in my opinion. Take whatever you need to feed and photograph the birds (if that's what you want to do), then as Charlie says, take home, or pick up the seed the birds have not eaten when you leave. That way you are still helping the birds to get through hard times, especially as the birds around the Freda's grave area wait in anticipation for someone to come with food for them, as they have been fed there for a long period of time, it's amazing how many birds are still there even though the supply of food for them is a lot less than before. Neil.

 

[Charlie Sargent]

Madeley

I watched 5 Brambling in the garden this morning before breakfast.

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Silverdale Colliery

Adult and 2W YL Gull on the Void plus a Jack Snipe.
Nick

 

[Neil-T]

Had a quick look for the Leek Waxies this morning, no sign of them. I did meet a chap who said that they were there yesterday.

 

[carlj]

They've yet to discover the tree in Hanley - heck, not even redwing/fieldfare in residence. Maybe they're waiting for me to get my new camera....

 

[Charlie Sargent]

Cannock Chase

I went over to the Cadet huts, rifle range and Quarry today to look for the Shrike. It was nowhere to be seen. There were probably another 7 or 8 people as well looking. I will be gutted if some one reports a sighting in the afternoon after I had left.

Charlie

 

[spuggyhawk]

I went over to the Cadet huts, rifle range and Quarry today to look for the Shrike. It was nowhere to be seen. There were probably another 7 or 8 people as well looking. I will be gutted if some one reports a sighting in the afternoon after I had left.

Charlie

Yeah i went up there today Charlie, i thought the same as you...someone will have seen it and i didnt.

Jon

 

[wolfbirder]

Yeah i went up there today Charlie, i thought the same as you...someone will have seen it and i didnt.

Jon

It seems to go missing for long spells, very elusive bird!

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

went over park hall yesterday 23/11/10

35 Golden plover
2 green woodies
17 long tailed tit
4 willow tit
15+ bullfinch
lots of coal tit
3 goldcrest
2 sparrowhawks
redwings flying over
6 lesser redpoll


didnt see any owls

today

radial park
2 coal tit
2 grey waggers
24 flightly Golden plover
3 lapwing
7 snipe near pets at home
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
1peregrine
4 reed bunting
14 linnet
8+ lesser redpoll sounded like more landed tops of a alder
1 goldcrest

 

[Neil-T]

Still 11 Waxwings on Sunnyhills road in Leek this morning at 9.30. They have moved a lot further down past the second entrance to Adams's factory (the entrance with the barrier accross). They were also moving around the corner where the butty van parks. On the way home I saw a Curlew fly over near Jones and Suffs on the A525.