Birding In Staffordshire (4 Viewers)

[Nick Smith]

I've got to ask, and I'm surprised no-one else has yet. Best lake for what exactly? Surely you can't mean birding?

Just look at the patch lists on the Seal's Staffs Birding Blog. 4th place - Westport Lake. Top three are all reservoirs! Bingo I say.

 

[Richard Powell]

That's clears that up then, if you're not including the reservoirs as lakes. For example, Rudyard Lake is a reservoir.

Next you'll be saying gravel pits don't count either? Which will discount Middleton Lakes for the future. Oh, and part of it isn't in Staffs.

Just look at the patch lists on the Seal's Staffs Birding Blog. 4th place - Westport Lake. Top three are all reservoirs! Bingo I say.

 

[Rob Jones]

Just look at the patch lists on the Seal's Staffs Birding Blog. 4th place - Westport Lake. Top three are all reservoirs! Bingo I say.

It does have the advantage of being the only lake in Staffs :-O

 

[russell toon]

Berryhill

Autumn Cuckoo are scarce here so a juvenile was a bonus this morning also 2 Wheatear.
Swallows numbers building up about 200+ in one flock and the first morning without any Swifts.

 

[russell toon]

Berryhill

2 Redstarts this morning
1 Wheatear
370+ Goldfinch
150+ Linnet

 

[NickPomiankowski]

Golden Plovers

I've been looking at last years records and have not received a single golden plover record for December 2010. Whilst this is easily explained by the harsh weather causing them to winter elsewhere, I wonder if anyone actually saw any during the month?

Thanks
Nick

 

[Topspot]

Sand Martins

I was wrong to say that the sand martins had left the nest site in the upper blithe valley, with at least 6 of the nest holes still visited this afternoon and 80+ hirundines around the quarry pool in some sort of frenzy.:t:

 

[namron]

Westport Lake haha... It's a dent in the ground that filled with water. The Void now that's more like a lake.

 

[Upland Birder]

.........and there is Brookley's Lake. Now thats a lakeB

Dean

 

[Richard Powell]

Indeed it is! :t: However, I fear that both Brookers and Wezza are both man-made lakes, in some shape or form. Same goes with Middleton Lakes and Croxall Lakes of course.

I don't know it this is true, but I was once told that the site of Westport Lake was once Port Vale's training ground? Until mining subsidence happened, but that could be cobblers for all I know?

I suppose the only truly natural lakes in Staffs are the meres, those being Aqualate Mere and Copmere?

.........and there is Brookley's Lake. Now thats a lakeB

Dean

 

[Upland Birder]

But Brookley's has the word Lake after it :-O Is a mere a lake or just a mere?

Anyway there was a swarm of Sand Martins flying low over the water Croxden this evening.

Dean :t:

 

[Richard Powell]

Oh eck, I thought this might happen :-O. Isn't a mere formed by the ice age? Where the ice retreated, rock and ice pushed down into a bit of land, the ice melted and formed a "stretch of water"? I nearly said lake, but of course it's not, it's a mere! :-O

Same with all the Shropshire meres. Don't ask me about Windermere or Martin Mere though!

Once speaking to an old sage of Staffs birding, a Mr N Unwin, who once remembered Brookleys Lake being a field! That's good enough for me.

But Brookley's has the word Lake after it :-O Is a mere a lake or just a mere?

Anyway there was a swarm of Sand Martins flying low over the water Croxden this evening.

Dean :t:

 

[laesevets]

Anyway there was a swarm of Sand Martins flying low over the water Croxden this evening.

Dean :t:[/QUOTE]

Now is that Croxden Mere or Lake or is it just a Quarry.:t::t::t:

 

[Richard Powell]

Usually it's a desolate hole!

Anyway there was a swarm of Sand Martins flying low over the water Croxden this evening.

Dean :t:

Now is that Croxden Mere or Lake or is it just a Quarry.:t::t::t:[/QUOTE]

 

[Upland Birder]

..with a body of water in it.

My Compact Oxford English dictionary defines lake as a large area of water surrounded by land. The Latin origin lacus 'pool,lake'.

The dictionary states that a mere is a lake or pond. The origin of this is Old English.

A pool is a small area of still water and a pond is a fairly small body of still water:-O

So there you go that clears that up then:eek!::-O

Dean

Ps. I'll talk about puddles and their importance to birds tomorrow

 

[namron]

..with a body of water in it.

My Compact Oxford English dictionary defines lake as a large area of water surrounded by land. The Latin origin lacus 'pool,lake'.

The dictionary states that a mere is a lake or pond. The origin of this is Old English.

A pool is a small area of still water and a pond is a fairly small body of still water:-O

So there you go that clears that up then:eek!::-O

Dean

Ps. I'll talk about puddles and their importance to birds tomorrow

Look forward to that Dean

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Mere's

Oh eck, I thought this might happen :-O. Isn't a mere formed by the ice age? Where the ice retreated, rock and ice pushed down into a bit of land, the ice melted and formed a "stretch of water"? I nearly said lake, but of course it's not, it's a mere! :-O

Same with all the Shropshire meres. Don't ask me about Windermere or Martin Mere though!

Once speaking to an old sage of Staffs birding, a Mr N Unwin, who once remembered Brookleys Lake being a field! That's good enough for me.

Martin Mere formed at the end of the last Ice Age and before it was drained it was the largest body of fresh water in England. The site fortunately is now WWT Wetland centre, one previous use was growing potatoes.
Windermere in the Lake district formed after the last Ice Age is now the largest natural lake in England.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Wikipedia
Mere is a lake broad in relation to it's depth.
Lake is a large body of water fresh or salt
lagoon is surrounded by land.

Regards, John

 

[minkstone]

Watching a pipistrelle bat in the the backs last night, it did not stay long but it was still nice to see.

 

[Neil-T]

Watching a pipistrelle bat in the the backs last night, it did not stay long but it was still nice to see.

Just watch out for one of these then Stu. Very unusual bird behaviour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AffGN5OYCFY