Kingsley area: 3 Ravens and 4 Buzzards visiting a large feeding station recently. That's what you feeding the birds! KC via Birdforum

JCB Landpower, Leek Rd: a single Raven was again over "The Park" this afternoon. AJB

Hales Hall: Common Gull 1, BHG 46, Great Crested Grebe 1, Mandarin 1, Canada Goose 10, Mallard 20, Nuthatch 1, Reed Bunting 1, Raven 2 flew south, Pied Wagtail 12 feeding on newly silaged field. RPow, AJB



Sandy Lane Pool: Green Woodpecker 1 flew over towards Eyres Fm, Coot 13 on an almost completely frozen pool. Apart from Hales there can't be a more likely site locally to find a Bittern than this pool with it's large clumps of Phragmites. AJB



Trimpos: 8 Lapwings were in fields around the roadside pool. AJB

Croxden Quarry: Goosander 2, Tufted Duck 11, Mallard 46. AJB

Dimmings Dale: Pink-footed Goose c250 over heading west at 1000hrs, Siskin 42, Bullfinch 3. TE

High Shutt: Redwing c40 feeding on newly silaged field. TE

Coleridge Drive area: Mealy Redpoll 1, Lesser Redpoll 17, Siskin 4. NT via Birdforum

Hales Hall: the Great Crested Grebe was still present today alongside a single drake Goosander. Also a mixed flock of around 40 Fieldfares and Redwings feeding on a newly silaged field. MP

Peakstones area: 140 Pink-footed Geese flew n/w this afternoon. TE

JCB Landpower, Leek Rd: a single Raven was over "The Park" this afternoon. AJB

It's only eleven years ago since I saw my first Raven locally at Croxden and nowadays they are "expected"!

Hales Hall: an adult Great Crested Grebe was back on the pool this evening. AJB

A quick look at Brookleys Lake yesterday afternoon found the lake frozen once again! Unsurprisingly there were very few birds present.

Brookleys Lake: Mandarin 4, Wigeon 3, Teal 2. RPow, AJB

Ravens seemed to be much in evidence today with eight birds being seen, one bird at Croxden sitting right opposite the viewpoint!

Croxden Quarry: Tawny Owl 1, Raven 3, Willow Tit 1. AJB

Peakstones area: Raven 5 over Shaw House Fm. TE

Trimpos: 1st winter male Goosander at Blake Hall on the small pool closest to the road. RPow

Eastwall: 2 Little Grebes on the trout pond at Eastwall Fm. RPow

Croxden Quarry: a Shelduck was on the old lagoon this afternoon. MP, AJB

Late news from yesterday of a Peregrine over Croxden. MP


JCB Landpower, Leek Rd: two Common Gulls were with 18 BHG's as they passed over the test track this afternoon. AJB

JCB Landpower, Leek Rd: a quick look at dusk for the Barn Owl that as been hunting behind the factory since the new year proved unproductive but 2 Snipe and a single Skylark were new birds for this year. AJB

Wetland Bird Survey 16/1/11.

The highlight of todays monthly Webs count which we carried out in far milder conditions than last month was sixty five Mandarin Ducks at Brookleys Lake. No luck however with Marsh Tit at the Ramblers or Dipper at Oakamoor but I still finished the day on forty eight species seen so far locally this year.

Blake Hall: Canada Goose 28, Mallard c50, Grey Heron 2.

Hales Hall: Mandarin 1, Mallard 40, Tufted Duck 1, Moorhen 3.

Croxden Quarry: Greylag Goose 48, Mallard 60, Tufted Duck 11, Coot 3.

Dimmings Dale/ Ramblers Retreat: Mallard 18, Coot 1, Moorhen 1. Good numbers of the commoner tits on the feeders but no sign of any Marsh Tits.

Brookleys Lake:Mandarin 65, Goosander 2, Gadwall 2 Wigeon 1,Mallard 290, Tufted Duck 3, Little Grebe 1, Moorhen 1, Greylag Goose 20.

JCB Lakes: Goosander 7, Mandarin 2, Mallard 173, Tufted Duck 34, Egyptian Goose 7, Red-crested Pochard 4, Coot 74, Moorhen 18, Black-headed Gull 175, Grey Heron 2. AJB, NSN

This Hawaian Goose is one of a pair recently added to the collection at Rocester, the only chance I've got of seeing one!

Keelings Lane, Croxden: probable "nordic" Jackdaw still present this afternoon. DP

Croxden Quarry: Raven 1, Tawny Owl 2, Lesser Redpoll/Siskin large mixed flock. NT via Bird Forum.

A probable "nordic" Jackdaw was feeding in fields along Keelings Lane, Croxden this morning before flying over the road towards the wootons area. The bird showed an obvious pale patch on the neck sides which when the bird stretched its neck became even more obvious and was just as prominent when the bird was flying. AJB


Brookleys Lake: Mandarin 4, Raven 2. RPow

Ramblers Retreat: Marsh Tit visiting the feeders this afternoon. RPow

Late news for yesterday from the Peakstones area: Lesser Redpoll 15, Brambling 1, Green Woodpecker 1, Raven 4 and a Barn Owl. TE

Also last night as I walked the dogs at least one Wigeon called in flight over Rakeway at 2210. AJB

Croxden Quarry: two Ravens over this morning. MP

A trip to the Humber estuary for Rough-legged Buzzard, Lesser Scaup and Arctic Redpoll today meant a few local birders would be absent so the only news today is provided by Terry Eyre.

Oakamoor-Alton old railway line: Marsh Tit 3, Lesser Redpoll 20, Siskin 2. TE

Late news from yesterday of around 100 Fieldfares in a Peakstones garden before being flushed by a female Sparrowhawk. What a sight that must have been! TE

Trimpos: still very little open water available to winter wildfowl but what little there is at Blake Hall is producing the goods with 11 Goosanders on the small roadside pool this morning. MP

Wootons: two Ravens over Wootons Farm between Hollington and Rocester. AJB

Kingsley: at least forty Redwings, 4 Jays, 3 Mistle Thrushs and a Buzzard at a large feeding station. KC

Tripmos: six Goosander on the small roadside pool at Blake Hall this afternoon. MP

JCB Landpower, Leek Rd: a flock of around fifteen Siskins feeding on Alders alongside the track was the largest flock I've seen this winter! Also around 100 Redwings, 10 Fieldfares and a large female Sparrowhawk present. AJB

The Sidings: 60 Pinkfooted Geese went low over to the w/sw at around 1410 also twenty Lesser Redpolls along the old railway line. AJB, RPow

Hales Hall: drake Mandarin still present. AJB, RPow

JCB Landpower, Leek Rd: Goosander 3, the Barn Owl showed briefly behind the mound at 1625. AJB, RPow

After spending the New Year out of town it was nice to finally get back home today with just enough daylight left for a quick check of Croxden and Blake Hall.

Blake Hall: drake Goosander on the bottom pool. Also 78 Mallards and 57 Canadas. AJB

JCB Landpower, Leek Rd: Barn Owl showing well behind the mound at 0800 this morning. MP

Dimmings Dale: fourteen Pinkfeet over this morning heading n/w. Woodcock and Brambling in rough field above Dimmings Dale this afternoon. TE