31st January

Tamworth Amington - 2+ Ruff in flooded field off Selker Drive (J Morgan).
Coton - 2 Great White Egret perched in trees to North of hide (P Casey & T Kenny).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - 3 Great White Egret in vicinity of Heronry roost. Small Starling murmuration on silt pool c.500 birds.
RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 2 Egyptian Geese reported [Dosthill NR].

30th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 13 Golden Plover, 2 Great White Egret, 2 Oystercatcher [Jubilee Wetlands] (J&P Fincham), 2 Stonechat & 2 Egyptian Geese (C Workman).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - 2 Oystercatcher [through Fishers Mill] and Lesser Redpoll [Feeders] (C Workman). Jack Snipe, 14 Snipe & Barn Owl [Southern Meadow] (RSPB).

Some late news for RSPB Middleton as I didn't have time to trawl twitter - Firecrest , Curlew and Ringed Plover [no locations given] and 5 Oystercatcher Dosthill Lake [Waterski Pool] (J Harris).

Curlew is the 100th Middleton bird for the month and year - thanks everyone for your sightings.

29th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 3 Ruff [Jubilee Wetlands] (J Allen).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Brambling [car park] (T Perrins).
Coton -  Mediterranean Gull (2W) and Great Black-backed Gull (1W) (A Dean).
Marston Fields - 2 Egyptian Geese,  Stonechat and 4 Little Egret in flooded field near village (A Dean).
KWP South - 5 Goosander, 2 Goldeneye and Oystercatcher present on Bodymoor Heath Water since 26th Jan (A Dean).

28th January

RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Firecrest still in riverside brambles between shelter and Langley Brook (T Perrins).

27th January

Tamworth Amington - 3 Ruff in flooded field off Selker Drive (T Perrins).
RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 3 Ruff arrived from Amington at 4.05pm to roost on JW also Great White Egret and 2 Egyptian Geese [Dosthill NR], 3 Goosander [North Pit].
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Firecrest in riverside shelter and 3 Pochard on Fishers Mill.
KWP - Oystercatcher on Broomey Croft Pool and 6 Egyptian Geese in field South East of main entrance (S Cawthray).

26th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - Ringed Plover and 3 Ruff [Jubilee Wetlands], 5 Goldeneye and 2 Egyptian Geese [Dosthill NR].
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker & Brambling [car park] (S Cawthray), Hawfinch [over Hall], Redpoll [feeders] (RSPB) and Firecrest 200 yards South of river bridge near roped off track (many Obs). 3 Barn Owl [Southern Meadow area] & Great White Egret [flew to roost at dusk].

25 January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - Great White Egret and Peregrine [Jubilee Wetlands] (Reported).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Brambling (f) & Yellowhammer (m) [car park] (RSPB) also from the car park Red Kite and Firecrest [river bridge] (Reported).
KWP - 2 Little Egret [Model Boat Pool] (T Hyde).

24th January

With only Tony out Birding today I thought a few more people would have a go at the competition.

KWP - 4 (2m,2f) Pochard [Canal Pool] & 5 Little Egret [Richards Meadow] (T Hyde).

23rd January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - Brambling (m) [Stubble Field Fishers Mill], 6 (3m,3f) Pintail [Jubilee Wetlands] & 2 Egyptian Geese [Dosthill NR] (J&P Fincham). Also Brambling (f) in same field (D Corfield).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Firecrest [200m South of river bridge near roped off track in brambles adjacent to Reedbed Pool] (J&P Fincham).

22nd January

KWP - 2 Egyptian Geese and Little Egret [Bodymoor Heath Water] (T Hyde). Combined WeBS total for the park by S Haynes - 31 Great Crested Grebe, 75 Gadwall, 78 Tufted, 15 Pochard, 59 Teal, 126 Shoveler, 1 Goosander, 467 Coot, 2 Shelduck, 6 Goldeneye & 2 Egyptian Geese. Also 2 Cetti's Warbler [Cliff Pool].
RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - Great White Egret [Jubilee Wetlands], 2 Pochard [Fishers Mill] & Cetti's [Dosthill NR] (C Workman).
RSPB Middleton  - Combined selective WeBS totals by RSPB Vols - 248 Teal, 670 Lapwing, 396 Greylag Geese, 9 Shelduck, 6 Goldeneye, 6 Goosander and a Snipe.

21st January

Tamworth Flooded Field off Selker Drive - 3 Ruff (T Perrins).
Alvecote - Goldeneye [Pretty Pigs Pool] & c.75 Golden Plover (R Smith).
KWP - 6 Pochard, 5 Goldeneye & 2 Goosander [Cliff Pool], 8 Little Egret in field opposite Broomey Croft entrance.

20th January

Tamworth Flooded Field off Selker Drive - 3 Ruff (T Perrins).

19th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 4 Fulvous Whistling Ducks [Fishers Mill] (Many Obs), 3 Ruff roosted [Jubilee Wetland] & 2 Great White Egret left the reserve at dusk to roost in the Heronry.
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Redpoll & Water Rail [Feeders] (@PereginKeith) & 2 Woodcock [Southern Meadow].
Hams Hall Edison Road - Chiffchaff & Grey Wagtail (@PereginKeith).
Wishaw - Peregrine (@PereginKeith).
KWP South - 2 Little Egret [Hemlingford Water], Goldeneye & 4 Little Egret [Bodymoor Heath Water] (T Hyde).

Please keep an eye out for these two this weekend and if seen ring Craig.

18th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 3 Great White Egret [NP, JW & DNR], 8 (2m) Goldeney & 2 Egyptian Geese [Dosthill NR],  2 Stonechat & 3 Shelduck [Jubilee Wetlands] and Grey Wagtail [river] (S Atkinson). Bittern flew from middle of Fishers Mill reedbed to SW corner Reedbed Pool so in both Warks and Staffs also Peregrine [Jubilee Wetlands](RSPB).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Yellowhammer and Lesser Redpoll reported [car park]. Quick 10mins at the Heronry before the heavens opened produced 44 Little Egret and 2 Great White Egret.
Bodymoor Heath Lane - Ringtail Hen Harrier at 2pm (S Cawthray).
KWP Cliff Pool - Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 300 Lapwing, 3 Shelduck, 3 Goldeneye, 2 Goosander and 200 Black-headed Gull (S Cawthray).
Alvecote - Great White Egret and 3 Stonechat (R Smith).
Tamworth Flooded Field off Selker Drive - 3 Ruff (J Morgan). Possibly the birds seen early in the month at Old Warks Moors and regularly roosting at RSPB Middleton.

Goldeneye - Steve Atkinson

17th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 2 Great White Egret, 2 Stonechat, 2 Lesser Redpoll (P Casey & T Kenny).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - 2 Stonechat [Southern Meadow], Mixed flock of c.40 Siskin and Lesser Redpoll [Access road], Woodcock [Play Meadow] (P Casey & T Kenny).
Coton Lakes -  ad Mediterranean Gull & ad Yellow-legged Gull in roost (A Dean).
KWP (South) -  2 Shelduck [Bodymoor Heath Water], 7 Goosander, 5 Goldeneye & 5 Little Egret (A Dean).

16th January

RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Peregrine [car park] (R Hancox), 51 Little and 2 Great White Egret left the Heronry this morning.
RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 8 Pintail & 2 Egyptian Geese (R Hancox) and first returning Oystercatcher (J Harris) - all on Dosthill NR.
KWP - 3 Little Egret [Far Leys Pool] and escaped Bar-headed Goose still doing the rounds (T Hyde).

15th January

Shustoke Res - c.20 Pochard, c.250 Tufted, c.300 Coot, Siskin and 2 Grey Wagtail (R Walker).
KWP Hemlingford Water - 6 (f) Goosander & 2 Pochard (T Hyde).
Alvecote - 2 Great White Egret (R Smith).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Hawfinch [access track Oaks], Lesser Spotted Woodpecker [car park Oaks], 4 Egypyian Geeese [farm paddock] (RSPB), 3+ Great White Egret roosted in the Heronry.

14th January

RSPB Middleton (early morning) - Barn Owl, Peregrine, Great White Egret, Lesser Redpoll, Egyptian Geese and 2 (m&f) Goosander (D Rickard).
RSPB Middleton (Staffs at dusk) - 3 Ruff flew in from the North to roost on JW, Great White Egret and the 4 Fulvous Whistling Ducks.
KWP Canal Pool - 9 Pochard.
Alvecote - Great White Egret (R Smith).

13th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 3 Ruff again middle of Jubilee Wetlands at dusk.
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Barn Owl [Southern Meadow].

12th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 2 Great White Egret, Redshank, c.350 Lapwing, 2 Egyptian Geese, 8 Shelduck and 2 Redpoll (P Forbes), at dusk the 3 Ruff had returned to the middle of Jubilee Wetlands.
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Mixed flock, approx 60, of Siskin, Redpoll and Goldfinch (P Forbes).


Confirmation of yesterday's Yellowhammer received plus Grey Wagtail, both by R Strong and just inside Staffs at Fishers Mill. With the Redshank above the yearly total moves on to 88.

11th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs?)  - 2 Great White Egret, 2 Egyptian Geese, Goosander & several Pochard, Goldeneye and Shelduck. (R Walker).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) -  Redpoll and Water Rail [Feeders](R Walker).
Lea Marston - Hawfinch [Church Pool Covert?] (G A Williams).
KWP Hemlingford Water - 6 (4f&2m) Goosander & 2 Little Egret (T Hyde).

Some Late News via J Harris - RSPB Middleton (Staffs) Merlin (m) flew in front of West screen and 2 Stonechat. (Warks) Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and mixed flock of 12+ Siskin/Redpoll in Mill Plantation - all seen by (R Thomas). Yellowhammer reported Fishers Mill - can anyone verify.

Water Rail - RSPB Middleton (James Taylor)

10th January

Shustoke Res - c.60 Siskin, Little Egret & 2 Snipe (P Forbes).
RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 2 Egyptian Geese, 2 Great White Egret, 4+ Little Egret, 5 Goldeneye, 4 Pochard, 8 Shelduck, 4 Goosander & Stonechat (R Walker).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Long-eared Owl calling, 2 Barn Owl, 2 Great White Egret, Woodcock & 3 Water Rail [All Southern Meadow Area] (S Cawthray).  Water Rail [feeders] (R Walker).
KWP - Green Sandpiper, 4 Little Egret, 360 Lapwing & 10 Goosander [Cliff Pool??] (S Cawthray).
Alvecote - 2 Great White Egret (R Smith).
Lea Marston - Hawfinch [Church Pool Covert] (P Forbes).

9th January

Hams Hall River Tame (Minworth Outflow) - 2 Green Sandpiper (P Forbes).
RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 3 Great White Egret, 3 Little Egret, 4 Goldeneye, 5 Pochard and 6 Shelduck (R Walker)
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - 8 Lesser Redpoll and Water Rail (R Walker).
KWP - 6 (2m & 4f) Goosander [Hemlingford Water], c.12 Pochard [Bodymoor Heath Water] (T Hyde).
Alvecote Mill Pool - Great White Egret (R Smith).

8th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - Firecrest still North East corner of Jubilee Wetlands, 20 Pink-footed Geese through and Chiffchaff canal side (RSPB). On the reserve this afternoon 2 Great White Egret [1 JW & 1 NP], 10 Shelduck, Snipe & 2 Goosander (J Kenny). Also Geoff managed to get the scooter going and had the Firecrest at 2pm plus 3 Stonechat, Mistle Thrush, 4 Cetti's Warbler and 3 Linnet (G Williams) - the last 3 plus Snipe and Hawfinch below adds 5 to the year list.
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - 2 Woodcock over wood [Mill Plantation ??] (RSPB). Later in Mill Plantation 3 Siskin and 12 Redwing (J Kenny). At Dusk 3 Great White Egret & 2 Woodcock [Heronry] and Hawfinch along access track near Villa training ground (S Cawthray).
KWP - 9 Little Egret [Bodymoor Heath Lake outflow], 2 Goosander [Hemlingford Water] (T Hyde).
Curdworth (Wishaw) - 17 Golden Plover, 2 Snipe, c.60 Skylark, 80 Fieldfare, c.30 Meadow Pipit, 25 Linnet & Little Owl (P Forbes)

7th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - Firecrest again with Tit flock near two benches riverside and Smew (f) [Jubilee Wetlands North] (A Bladon), 2 Stonechat (J Hollier), 2 Great White Egret [North End] (T Perrins), Red Kite [drifted West through the reserve], Pintail (m), Lesser Redpoll, 5 Goldeneye, 4 Pochard and 8 Shelduck.
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Water Rail [beneath feeders] (J Hollier), 2 Whooper Swans over Car park (T Perrins) and 8 Siskin [Mill Plantation].
Tameside LNR - 11 Goosanders, 2 Little Egret, 2 Snipe & Common Gull (S Allison).

6th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - Firecrest again just south of the hide along the inlet stream (G Briddick). Pintail, Stonechat & Great White Egret (@saintcov1). This evening 3 Ruff , 2 Goosander, 3 Goldeneye, 3 Pochard and 6 Shelduck.
Alvecote Pretty Pigs Pool - 2 Goldeneye (R Smith).
KWP Hemlingford Water - 2 Goosander (T Hyde).
Shustoke Res - 358 Coot & 5 Goosander (S Haynes).

5th January

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - Firecrest in Tit flock with Lesser Redpoll around small pond at the back of the Lookout (11am). Also 2 Great White Egret, 2 Egyptian Geese and 2 (m&f) Pintail [Jubilee Wetlands] (J&P Fincham).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - 54 Little Egret and 2 Great White Egret roosted. Also Woodcock through the feeder pool.

4th January

RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Incomplete Heronry roost count due to weather but a minimum of 3 Great White Egret and 52 Little Egret. Also 2 Woodcock through the car park.
RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 2 Great White Egret [Dosthill NR], 4 Goldeneye, 3 Goosander & 8 Shelduck (S Atkinson) also 2 Pintail reported [North Pit].

2nd January

Tamworth (Old Warks Moors) - 3 Ruff in flooded field (S Allison).
Wishaw - 5 Grey Partridge, 2 Corn Bunting, 14 Yellowhammer & 34 Skylark (S Cawthray).
Alvecote Pretty Pigs Pool - 3 Red-crested Pochard (R Smith)

1st January

-------------------- HAPPY NEW YEAR --------------------

KWP - Great White Egret [Swann Pool], Yellow-legged Gull & 51 Pochard [Bodymoor Heath Water], 2 Egyptian Geese [main entrance] (T Perrins).
RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 5 (1m,4f) Pintail, 3 Stonechat & Great White Egret [Jubilee Wetlands] (R Walker]. 2 Great White Egret [North Pit] (JJH via @Staffsbirdnews). Final tally of 4 Great White Egret about the reserve all flying in the direction of the Heronry roost at dusk. First time I've seen more Great than Little. Also 22 (8m) Goosander roosted on North Pit
Tameside LNR - 7 Goosanders, Water Rail, Grey Wagtail & 2 Little Egret (S Allison).