Birding In Staffordshire (9 Viewers)

[bull's birder]

Obi-Wan Low on Facebook :eek!: Wonders will never cease

Steve

Proper little socialite now mate!!!

Cheers
Craig

 

[GlynH]

The strange thing was seeing Moorhen climbing the hawthorn to I assume feed on the berries.



Hi Tim
Saw the same thing in Norfolk two weekends ago. A Moorhen was feeding on berries on the tops of some low bushes, It wasn't freezing cold so no shortage of its natural diet, just taking advantage of an abundant crop of berries i suppose.
Glyn

 

[Adam M]

None there when I took a look Adam. The Rowens in the park are heavily guarded by thrushes.

Never mind, found 27 at uni today!!

They were on the Leek Road side by the halls of residence, just by the smaller astro-turf pitches. They sat at the top of a birch tree and fed on the remaining berries on a taller rowan tree, although there is one about 5ft tall dripping with berries. Car parking is for students only (swipe card to get in) although the grounds are accessible to all on foot. Might get some attention from security if you turn up with cameras though, as well as the students who live in the halls, just thought I would warn an photographers, just in case.

Adam

 

[Gronk08]

Thanks for Doxey records, I'll add them to the database if I may?

No worries Scott

 

[Gronk08]

Hi

Popped down to Freda's Grave area of the Chase this morning for a quick walk around.
Looked great with frost on the trees and a bit of snow around.

Still plenty of birds around the ex-feeding area, although no food was down so people are starting to take note. Although when any car turned up so did loads of birds.

Plenty of Fieldfare around and the odd Redwing, are Redwing numbers down this year?

About five Waxwings were seen further along Chase Road although they were very flighty not staying still much. A group of birders had 20 odd a bit earlier.

Tim.

 

[coloz]

Hi

Popped down to Freda's Grave area of the Chase this morning for a quick walk around.
Looked great with frost on the trees and a bit of snow around.

Still plenty of birds around the ex-feeding area, although no food was down so people are starting to take note. Although when any car turned up so did loads of birds.

Plenty of Fieldfare around and the odd Redwing, are Redwing numbers down this year?

About five Waxwings were seen further along Chase Road although they were very flighty not staying still much. A group of birders had 20 odd a bit earlier.

Tim.

I think it's the opposite around our way seems to be a lot of Redwing about and not many Fieldfares Tim :t: col

 

[terryeyre]

loads of redwings around here very few fieldfares

 

[andyr]

Trentham Gardens

Hi All

I meant to add to my weekend post that, around 11ish on Friday morning at Trentham Gardens, my wife mentioned casually that (while I was reading through one or two of the wildlife/bird books in the main building) she had just been watching - with a few other people - a noisy parrot in the fir trees along the shops-side of the main car-park.

"But I didn't come back to tell you because I knew you wouldn't want to see a parrot."
When I quietly asked her if it was green in colour ... "er, yes it was " was the reply ! And back home when I showed her a picture of a Ring-necked Parakeet ... "yes, it looked exactly like that."

You can probably guess that, no matter how hard I looked on the day, there was no sign of the bird. I've seen them in the London area, but this would have been a Staffs tick for me. No fault of my wife ... but ... Grrrr !


Cheers


Andy R.

PS Could this be the same bird that I understand has been seen in the Stoke area before - and if so, when/where was it last seen ... any thoughts ?

 

[Steve Turner]

Trentham Gardens

PS Could this be the same bird that I understand has been seen in the Stoke area before - and if so, when/where was it last seen ... any thoughts ?

Yes, it could be the same bird. One was seen over Black Bank this autumn(September I think) and I had one or the same individual in Basford at about this time last year.

Steve

 

[andyr]

Yes, it could be the same bird. One was seen over Black Bank this autumn(September I think) and I had one or the same individual in Basford at about this time last year.

Steve

Cheers Steve

 

[NickPomiankowski]

It's also been seen at Keele University, Trent Vale and I saw it at Penkhull a few years ago - if it's the same bird.

Yes, it could be the same bird. One was seen over Black Bank this autumn(September I think) and I had one or the same individual in Basford at about this time last year.

Steve

 

[andyr]

Ring-necked Parakeet

It's also been seen at Keele University, Trent Vale and I saw it at Penkhull a few years ago - if it's the same bird.

That nails it then Nick.

It's been on a tour of the Potteries, got itself a degree and is now doing it's Christmas shopping at T/Gardens !

Cheers

Andy R.

 

[The Moore-hen]

The strange thing was seeing Moorhen climbing the hawthorn to I assume feed on the berries.



Hi Tim
Saw the same thing in Norfolk two weekends ago. A Moorhen was feeding on berries on the tops of some low bushes, It wasn't freezing cold so no shortage of its natural diet, just taking advantage of an abundant crop of berries i suppose.
Glyn

Desperate times call for desperate measures...i was hungry...:-O

 

[Charlie Sargent]

Madeley

Still loads of birds about. Not going to report on the common ones I reported on earlier.

What I spotted today was 14 Meadow Pipit around the filter beds. 7 Wren same area, and the Snipe is back, I had 2 sightings of one bird so probably the same one. No sign of any Redwings today.

Charlie

 

[geoff russon]

Desperate times call for desperate measures...i was hungry...:-O

nice one me mon.

 

[Neil-T]

:-OVery Funny Mr Moorehen!!:-O:t: Hope you had your fill.

Restricted to the house today so did a count up of birds in the garden. 1 hours viewing yeilded. 12 Redpolls, 7 Goldfinches, 9 Bullfinches, 4 Chaffinches, 1 Greenfinch (nice to see), 1 Pied wagtail, lots of common tits and Starlings, 1 Collard dove, 1 Jay, 1 GSW, 1 Treecreeper, 4 Blackbird, 6 House sparrows (one feeding on Nyger seed), 3 Magpies and 3 Dunnocks.

Has anyone else seen House sparrows feeding on Nyger? This is the first time I have seen it and wondered if they are adapting, or just doing it because they see other birds do it. It was feeding well on it, even though their bill is not really adapted for Nyger.

All pics taken through the window.

 

[Charlie Sargent]

:-OVery Funny Mr Moorehen!!:-O:t: Hope you had your fill.

Restricted to the house today so did a count up of birds in the garden. 1 hours viewing yeilded. 12 Redpolls, 7 Goldfinches, 9 Bullfinches, 4 Chaffinches, 1 Greenfinch (nice to see), 1 Pied wagtail, lots of common tits and Starlings, 1 Collard dove, 1 Jay, 1 GSW, 1 Treecreeper, 4 Blackbird, 6 House sparrows (one feeding on Nyger seed), 3 Magpies and 3 Dunnocks.

Has anyone else seen House sparrows feeding on Nyger? This is the first time I have seen it and wondered if they are adapting, or just doing it because they see other birds do it. It was feeding well on it, even though their bill is not really adapted for Nyger.

All pics taken through the window.

Nice pics Neil. I have House Sparrows starting to turn up in the garden. It must be 10 years since I had them regularly. Mine seem to feed on the sunflower hearts feeder and on the ground under all the feeders.

 

[Gronk08]

I think it's the opposite around our way seems to be a lot of Redwing about and not many Fieldfares Tim :t: col

Maybe we could do a swap.

Tim.

 

[coloz]

Maybe we could do a swap.

Tim.

No :-O

 

[LaylandD]

We're fortunate enough to get a flock of around a dozen tree sparrows who will happily feed on nyger in preference to sunflower hearts, although their clear favourite is red millet. Have not seen the house sparrows on the nyger feeders, they seem to prefer peanuts and sunflower hearts.

PS: Would happily trade you a few of these for a couple of redpoll - only ever seen one in our garden a couple of years back.