24th March

Following the governments announcements the RSPB has closed all reserves to the public including Middleton Lakes. From today the access track from Bodymoor Heath Road and past Villa's training ground will be closed to visitors.


There will be no more posting on this blog until the situation changes nor will there be any tweets or retweets. Take care of yourselves and stay safe.

23rd March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  Cattle Egret, 5 Redshank, 7 Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Pintail, 7 Goldeneye, Curlew (K Sargent), Jack Snipe (S Atkinson).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) -  Great Egret [Southern Meadow].

22nd March

Amington - Brambling (T Perrins).
RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  5 Avocet, 8 Redshank, 8 Oystercatcher, 2 Pintail, 7 Shelduck, 8 Goldeneye, Black-tailed Godwit (M Smiles), 5 Snipe, Cattle Egret reported am and returned pm[Jubilee], 11 Goosander [North Pit], 22 Goldeneye [Dosthill NR].
RSPB Middleton (Warks) -  Lesser Spotted Woodpecker [car park], 4 Avocet [Hall Lake] (M Smiles), Great Egret [Southern Meadow].
Ladywalk NR (WMBC Members only) -  Redshank, 7 Goosander,  (B Eaton), 10 Sand Martin (J&P Fincham).
Birchmoor - c140 Golden Plover (R Smith).

21st March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 2 Redshank, 7 Oystercatcher, 2 Pintail, Black-tailed Godwit, Raven (D Corfield), 7 Avocet, 14 Goldeneye (D Chetwynd), Goosander, Water Rail (P Andrews).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) -  Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling [Mill Plantation] (P Andrews).
Drayton Bassett -  Red-legged Partridge, c30 Yellowhammer (M Smiles)

20th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  9 Avocet, 4 Redshank, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Pintail  (M Smiles), Great Egret (C Waring).
RSPB Middleton (Warks) -  3 Avocet [Hall Lake] (S Atkinson), Lesser Spotted Woodpecker [car park] (C Waring).
KWP North - 4 Oystercatcher, 5 Pochard, 4 Shelduck, Little Egret, Raven (C Waring).
Ladywalk NR (WMBC Members only) -  Black-tailed Godwit (@jrobbo63), 2 Little Ringed Plover (P Softley).

19th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  13 Avocet (S Atkinson).
KWP North - 5 Avocet [Cliff Pool] (R Walker).
KWP South - 27 Sand Martin [Hemlingford Water] (S Cawthray).
Ladywalk NR (WMBC Members only) -  Black-tailed Godwit, Peregrine, 8 Goosander, 2 Willow Tit, 8 Lesser Redpoll (C Waring).
Amington - Redpoll (T Perrins).
Birchmoor - 2 Wheatear (R Smith).

17th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  4 Avocet, 4 Redshank, 7 Oystercatcher, 2 Pintail, 2 Sand Martin, 11 Shelduck (M Smiles), 9 Goldeneye, 7 Chiffchaff (S Atkinson), Green Sandpiper [North Pit], Common Gull [Jubilee], 2 Great Egret roosted riverside.
Alvecote - Great Egret, 5 Little Egret, 22 Snipe (A Archer).
Birchmoor - 49 Golden Plover (A Archer).
KWP Nort & South - 7 Chiffchaff, 4 Oystercatcher, 15 Pochard, 2 Shelduck, 2 Goldeneye, 2 Egyptian Geese, Little Egret, Goosander, Raven (C Waring).

16th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  2 Pintail, 4 Avocet, 2 Redshank, Common Gull (K Sargent), 5 Redshank, 5 Avocet, 4 Oystercatcher (M Smiles), 11 Goldeneye [Dosthill NR], Curlew [North Pit].
Ladywalk NR (WMBC Members only) -  3 Willow Tit, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming, Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff (P Softley).

15th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 2 Pintail, 8 Shelduck, Goosander, 3 Avocet, 5 Oystercatcher, 4 Redshank (M Smiles).
Ladywalk NR (WMBC Members only) -  Little Ringed Plover (S Allison)
Amington - Redpoll (T Perrins).

14th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  Mediterranean Gull, 2 Pintail, Great Egret, Redshank, Oystercatcher, 2 Avocet [Jubilee] Sand Martin [Reedbed Pool] (S Atkinson), Dunlin, 5 Redshank, 5 Oystercatcher, 2 Goldeneye, Water Rail (D Corfield), 4 Black-tailed Godwits (G Williams), 2 Goosander, 2 Egyptian Geese (P Andrews), Little Ringed Plover.
Ladywalk NR (WMBC Members only) -  2 Little Owl calling, 11 Shelduck, Little Egret, c4500 pre-roost Jackdaw & 115 Cormorant roosted (P Softley).
Birchmoor - 224 Golden Plover, Red Kite over (A Archer).

13th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  3 Sand Martin [Dosthill NR], 2 Pintail, 4 Avocet, 3 Redshank, 3 Goldeneye, 5 Oystercatcher (D Corfield), 25 Goosander [North Pit], 27 Little Egret roosted riverside with 3 Great Egret.
Birchmoor Flash - Curlew, 188 Golden Plover, Peregrine (A Archer).
Alvecote - Curlew [Mill Pool] (R Smith).

12th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  4 Redshank, 2 Pintail (S Atkinson), 3 Oystercatcher, 4 Goldeneye, 5 Shelduck, 2 Egyptian Geeses, Goosander (M Smiles).
Ladywalk NR (WMBC Members only) -  Marsh Tit. Common Sandpiper, Redshank (S Cawthray), Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Tit, Raven (P Softley).
Birchmoor - Golden Plover flock (R Smith).

11th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  18 Black-tailed Godwit (14 flew North at 0740), 5 Redshank, 4 Oystercatcher, 4 Goldeneye, 6 singing Chiffchaff, no Avocet (M Smiles), 3 Common Gull, 18 Goosander on North Pit at dusk.
Birchmoor - Stonechat (R Smith).

10th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  30 Black-tailed Godwit [East Scrape] (RSPB). No Black-tailed Godwits on the reserve at 4:40pm and then at 5:40pm 25 flew in from the south and roosted on the division bank between Jubilee North and South. Also 2 Avocet, Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher and 5 Goosander.
Birchmoor Flash - Ringed Plover, 13 Golden Plover, Stonechat, 2 Shelduck (A Archer).
Alvecote - 3 Little Egret, 3 Goosander (M Scott).

The RSPB Middleton year total is now at 103 with Feral Pigeon still missing

9th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) -  17 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Avocet [East Scrape], 2 Redshank, 2 Pintail [Jubilee], 12 Shelduck, 5 Egyptian Geese, 4 Goldeneye, 4 Oystercatcher (M Smiles), Yellow-legged Gull (S Cawthray).
Ladywalk NR (WMBC Members only) -  Sand Martin (K Whiston).

8th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 3 Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, 2 Avocet, 5 Redshank (D Corfield), 3 Great Egret, 6 Goldeneye (J Hextall), Ringed Plover, 4 Oystercatcher, 13 Shelduck (M Smiles).
Wishaw - Goshawk (fem) Blindpit Lane heading towards Curdworth (T Perrins).
Alvecote - Great Egret, 3 Little Egret, Raven, 2 Shelduck (M Scott).

7th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 2 Avocet, 2 Redshank, Water Rail, 4 Oystercatcher, 8 Shelduck, Goldeneye (D Corfield, M Smiles), Dunlin.
RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Redpoll [car park] (D Corfield), 21 Little and 2 Great Egret roosted in the Heronry.

6th March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 4 Avocet [Jubilee] (RSPB), 2 Great Egret, 12 Shelduck, 2 Goldeneye, 4 Oystercatcher, Redshank, Snipe, Stonechat, 2 Redpoll (M Smiles).
Amington - male Blackcap on feeder (T Perrins).
Drayton Bassett - Tree Sparrow (M Smiles).

5th March

RSPB Middleton (Warks) -  31 Little Egret left the Heronry roost at dawn (Diane).  2 Great Egret roosted at dusk.

4th March

RSPB Middleton - Raven, Stonechat, Oystercatcher, Shelduck, Goldeneye, Goosander, Great Egret, Water Rail (RSPB), 2 Great Egret, 9 Shelduck, 5 Oystercatcher, 2 Redshank (M Smiles).
Lea Marston - Drake Scaup [Lake lA], 7 Shelduck [Lake 1B] (A Dean).
Drayton Bassett - 2 Brambling (M Smiles).

3rd March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - Avocet, Great Egret, 8 Shelduck, 4 Oystercatcher  [North Pit], 2 Egyptian Geese, 6 Redpoll, 3 Goldeneye [Dosthill] (M Smiles).
Ladywalk NR (WMBC Members only) -  Great Egret, Water Rail, 6 Shelduck, Cetti's Warbler [B Hide] (P Lichfield).

Water Rail at Ladywalk NR - Peter Lichfield

2nd March

RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - Great Egret, Redshank, 12 Shelduck, 6 Goldeneye, 3 Goosander, 5 Oystercatcher, Stonechat (M Smiles, M Scott).
Lea Marston Lakes - Great Egret, 5 Little Egret, 180 Mute Swan, 2 Shelduck, 31 Shoveler, 72 Gadwall, 352 Wigeon, 76 Mallard, Pintail, 40 Teal, 58 Pochard, 540 Tufted, 2 Goldeneye, 2 Goosander, 321 Coot, 2 Siskin (P Forbes).
Ladywalk NR (WMBC Members only) -  Bittern (K Whiston), Great Egret (BLK), Lesser Spotted Woodpecker reported from the car park.

1st March

RSPB Middleton (Warks) - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker [car park] (D Corfield, K Sargent), 36 Little Egret left the Heronry (Diane).
RSPB Middleton (Staffs) - 2 Great Egret, 5 Oystercatcher, Goldeneye (D Corfield).
Ladywalk NR (WMBC Members only) -  Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling (P Softley), 2 Raven, 2 Chiffchaff (S Cawthray).