Sunday 31 March 2019

Sunday 31st March 2019

Barr Beacon 0900 : Golden Plover 25, Lapwing 2, Pied Wagtail 2, Skylark, Yellowhammer.

Stubbers Green 0930 - 1130 light cloud, easterlies 6 - 9c : Sand Martin 11, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff 6, Blackcap m, Goldcrest, Little Ringed Plover 3, Lapwing 2, Little Grebe, GC Grebe 5, Wigeon pair, Goosander f, Gadwall pair, Tufted 47, Cormorant 6, Heron 3, LBb Gull 4, Herring Gull, Pied Wagtail 5, Meadow Pipit, Raven 4, Buzzard 3, Stock Dove, Collared Dove 3, etc.  (RP / GWR)



          Record shot of distant Golden Plovers this morning

Friday 29 March 2019

Friday 29th March 2019

0920 - 1030 sunny, 12c ; Reed Bunting pair, Linnet, Blackcap in song, Chiffchaff 3 in song, Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail 3, Lapwing 2, GC Grebe 2, Wigeon pair, Tufted 42, Fox.   Also Speckled Wood 2, Peacock 2, Small Tortoiseshell 2, Comma. Orange Tip at Winterley Lane.

Hayhead Wood & canal 1030 - 1300 sunny 17c : Skylark 4, Nuthatch 3, Chiffchaff 3, Goldcrest, Mistle Thrush,  Heron, Mute Swan, Mallard 6, Moorhen 4, Pied Wagtail, Pheasant, Kestrel, Reed Bunting 2, Rabbit.   Also Small Tortoiseshell 6, Peacock 4, Comma, Brimstone male.

Marsh Marigold, Wood Anemone, Bluebell, Lesser Celandine, Dog Violet, Speedwell species, Charlock, Sallow, and Blackthorn all in flower, with Ramsons not far behind.




              Speckled Wood, Wood Anemone and Comma today.

Wednesday 27 March 2019

Wednesday 27th March 2019

1030 - 1145 overcast, breezy, 9c : Little Egret, Cormorant 5, GC Grebe 3, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Wigeon pair, Pied Wagtail 2, Collared Dove 5, Jay, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Mistle Thrush pair, Song Thrush 2, Reed Bunting pair.

Redwing 11th March (RP)

Goldfinch 12th March (GWR)

Tuesday 26 March 2019

Tuesday 26th March 2019

1000 - 1200 fairly sunny, 10c : Chiffchaff 2, Goldcrest, Song Thrush, Reed Bunting, Jay 2, Rook 2, GS Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail 3, GC Grebe 4, Cormorant 2, Heron 2, Lapwing 3, Herring Gull 4, Wigeon pair.

Blackcap yesterday (RP)


Grey Wagtail yesterday (GWR)

Monday 25 March 2019

Monday 25th March 2019

0930 - 1230 sunny & fine, NW breeze, 9 - 11c : Little Ringed Plover, Blackcap m, Chiffchaff 5, Grey Wagtail 2, Pied Wagtail 3, Meadow Pipit 2, Goldcrest, Wigeon pair, Shoveler 3, Teal 2, GC Grebe 6, Cormorant 3, Lapwing 7, Buzzard 3, Sparrowhawk, etc.  4 Reed Buntings present in the afternoon.

Also Red Fox, Small Tortoiseshell 5, Peacock & Bee-fly (bombylius major).  (RP / GWR)


L R Plover today (GWR)



Bee-fly and Meadow Pipit (RP)

Sunday 24 March 2019

Sunday 24th March 2019

0900 - 1100 sunny, breezy, 9c : Wigeon 2, Goosander 2, Teal 4, GC Grebe 4, Cormorant 2, Lapwing 7, Raven 4, Buzzard 6, Pied Wagtail 3, Meadow Pipit, Collared Dove 6, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff 3 in song, Greenfinch 4.  (GWR)

Small Tortoiseshell 4, Peacock.



Ravens this morning.

Wednesday 20 March 2019

Wednesday 20th March 2019

1030 - 1230 becoming sunny & warm, 8 - 15c : Lapwing 4, Cormo 5, Wigeon 2, Teal 4, Tufted 41, GC Grebe 7, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush pair, Chiffchaff in song,  Siskin 2, Greenfinch 2, Reed Bunting 3.  Also Brimstone male and Small Tortoiseshell 3. (GWR)

Raven mobbing 4 Buzzards over Rushall & 3 Goosanders on Daw End canal. Peacock butterfly near Linley Wood during the afternoon.



Small Torts & Peacock today

Tuesday 19 March 2019

Tuesday 19th March 2019

0930 - 1200 cloudy, 10c : Mute Swan 9 (pair at nest), Goosander 6, Wigeon 2, Oystercatcher, Lapwing 6, Little Grebe, GC Grebe 8, Raven, GS Woodpecker, Collared Dove 2, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit 3, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest 3, Greenfinch 3, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting 2.


Male Blackbird this morning

Sunday 17 March 2019

Sunday 17th March 2019

0915 - 1045 sunny, windy, 6c : Mute Swan 6 (pair mating), Gadwall 4, Teal 20, Goosander 7, Wigeon 5, Tufted 48, GC Grebe 8, Cormorant 9, Heron, Snipe 2, Lapwing 4, GBb Gull, Pied Wagtail 3, Meadow Pipit 3, Skylark 2, Buzzard 2, Raven 2, Jay, Collared Dove 3, Chiffchaff, Mistle Thrush 2, Redwing, Blackbird 8, Bullfinch 3, Chaffinch 4, Reed Bunting 6, and a fox.

Also Canada Geese/Mallard/Coot/Moorhen/Bh Gulls/LBb Gull/Jackdaw/Crow/Magpie/Starling/Wood Pigeon/Goldfinch/Dunnock/Robin/Wren/Blue Tit/Great Tit/Long-tailed Tit,  giving 44 species total (RP / GWR).

Coltsfoot in flower at the quarry

Blue skies today

Great Black-backed Gull today

Friday 15 March 2019

Friday 15th March 2019

0930 - 1130 overcast, westerlies, 11c : Mute Swan 8, Cormorant 4, Goosander 6, Wigeon 5, Teal 2, GC Grebe 7, Little Grebe, LBb Gull 6, Jay 2, Sparrowhawk, Raven, Col. Dove 2, Stock Dove, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Bullfinch, Goldfinch c20, House Sparrow, etc. Also a fox seen at Barns Lane.  (RP / GWR)



Buzzard, Grebe & frogs, 8th March (GWR)



Monday 11 March 2019

Monday 11th March 2019

1400 - 1500 windy, sunny : Wigeon 4, Teal 8, GC Grebe 2, Mute Swan 8, Lapwing 5, Bh Gull c100, LBb Gull 2, Buzzard 3, Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff in song, Redwing 2, Reed Bunting f.  (GWR)

Additionally seen during the morning - Mistle Thrush, Lesser Redpoll 6, GBb Gull, Goosander 4, Cormorant. (RP)

Daytime Moon on 15th February

Sunday 10 March 2019

Sunday 10th March 2019

1000 - 1100 strong westerlies, 4c : Shoveler 5, Wigeon 2, Goosander 6, Tufted 46, GC Grebe 6, Cormorant 3, Heron, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Herring Gull, LBb Gull 2, Pied Wagtail 2, Lesser Redpoll 5, Reed Bunting 2.



  Pair Bullfinch and Common Gull in the fog on 24th February (GWR)

Friday 8 March 2019

Friday 8th March 2019

0945 - 1130 cloudy, 6c : Goosander 6, Tufted 45, Teal 10, Cormorant 9, Mute Swan 8, GC Grebe 3, Buzzard 5, Pied Wagtail 2, Meadow Pipit, Green Woodpecker, Lesser Redpoll 5, Reed Bunting 2.







Goosander, Mistle Thrush, Oystercatcher, Raven, Redpoll & Greenfinch (all @RP)

Tuesday 5 March 2019

Tuesday 5th March 2019

1015 - 1130 sunny, breezy, 9c : Chiffchaff in song, Siskin 6, Bullfinch 2, Goldfinch 30+, Chaffinch, Greenfinch 2, Redwing 11, Mistle Thrush 2, Green Woodpecker, Raven 2, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard 2, Goosander 14, Teal 2, Shoveler 3, Wigeon 4, GC Grebe 2, Cormorant 5, Bh Gull c250.  Kingfisher seen on 4th March.  (RP / GWR)



            Record shots of Chiffchaff & Siskin today. (GWR)

Sunday 3 March 2019

Sunday 3rd March 2019

0930 - 1115 drizzle, 7c : Snipe 36 at flooded field + probable Jack Snipe, Teal 12, Pochard 2, Wigeon 2, Goosander 6, Tufted 35, GC Grebe 3, Cormorant 6, Mute Swan 6, Bh Gull 135, LBb Gull 3, Pied Wagtail 2, Meadow Pipit, Raven, Jay 2, Reed Bunting 3. (RP / GWR)

Fieldfare and Raven seen at Rushall (GWR).





       Cormorants, Greylag Goose, Heron & Little Egret, end Feb 2019.

Friday 1 March 2019

Friday 1st March 2019

0930 - 1100 overcast, damp, 8c : Lapwing 28, Bh Gull 82, LBb Gull 4, Cormorant 4, Little Grebe, GC Grebe 2, Teal 2, Wigeon 2, Goosander 4, Shoveler m, Coot 36, Collared Dove, Jay, Reed Bunting m.

During the afternoon a Little Egret, Dunlin and Siskin were present. (GWR)


Dunlin this afternoon.