28th February - Sightings

Ladywalk - 2 Siskin (m + f) at feeding station, 8 Goosander (C Chapman et al)
Coleshill - Black Redstart 1st Win Male still Gorsey Lane. View from Forge Mills Park (MO)
Bassett North - 4th win Yellow-Legged Gull North Pit (J Oates) 1st Win Yellow Legged Gull, 5 Ringed Plover, Little Egret late afternoon (TP)
Lea Marston - 3 Scaup (2m,f) still (J Oates)
Hams Hall - Firecrest still (M Pollock)
Wilnecote - 2 Waxwings again (P Burton per A Archer) The favoured spot is a berry tree on the small traffic island on Smithy Lane at the top of Shelton Street.

Of interest the recent Eurasian White Front at Bassett and Greenland White Front at Alvecote appear to have teamed up in the Croxall/Whitemoor Haye area.

27th February - Sightings

Coleshill - Black Redstart still Gorsey Lane (per RBA).
Wishaw - Merlin Blindpit Lane (L Johnson).
Shustoke - Goosander (L Johnson).
Ladywalk - Stonechat, Chiffchaff, 9 Goosander (L Johnson).

26th February - Sightings

Bassett North - 4 Pink-Footed Geese Potato Dump by Debbie's Day Boats. 8 Redshank, 3 Dunlin North Pit (K Sargent). Of interest there are another 10+ Pink Feet in Elford/Whitemoor Haye area.
Hams Hall - Firecrest still (per RBA).
Coleshill - Black Redstart 1st Win Male still Gorsey Lane. View From Forge Mills Park (SP 198 908) (per RBA).
Lea Marston - 8 Curlew, Little Egret 2 Oystercatcher from Railway Bridge still (K Sargent).

25th February - Sightings

Coleshill - Black Redstart still Gorsey Lane (WMBC)
Hams Hall - Firecrest Still (WMBC)
Bassett North - Pink-Footed Goose still between Spoonbill pit and Canal. Dunlin, 7 Redshank, Oystercatcher North Pit (L Johnson).
Fishers Mill - 3 Little Egret (L Johnson).

24th February - Sightings

Coleshill - Black Redstart still Gorsey Lane (WMBC)
Hams Hall - Firecrest still (WMBC)
Lea Marston - 8 Curlew, Little Egret from Railway Bridge (L Johnson)
Kingsbury - 2 Short-Eared Owls Richards Meadow (per S Cawthray)
Ladywalk - Brambling (per S Cawthray)

23rd February - Sightings

Coleshill - Black Redstart 1st WIn Male Gorsey Lane still. View from Forge Mills Park SP198908 (MO)
Lea Marston - 8 Curlew, Little Egret, 2 Oystercatcher from Railway Bridge (Bobby D, TP)
Kingsbury - Hen Harrier (Ringtail) over Richard's meadow (Chris Cooke per J Harris) Yesterday 2 Smew (Both Redhead) Otter Pool (WJ Egmont)
Fishers Mill - 2 Little Egret (Bobby D)
Bassett - 2 Little Egret, 3 Redshank, 2 Ringed Plover (Bobby D)
Hams Hall - 1 Firecrest still off Eddison Road by small birdge over stream (SP199914) (per RBA)

I must congratulate Bob Duckhouse for making it into Staffordshire today. I know how difficult it must have been for him.

22nd February - Sightings

Hams Hall - Firecrest still (MO).
Coleshill - Black Redstart 1st Win Male still Gorsey Lane(MO).
Lea Marston - Little Egret, 6 Curlew from Railway Bridge. 3 Scaup (2m,f) on balancing Lake still (J Allen, J Oates)
Dosthill - Iceland Gull juv flew over (J Allen, Blurred Birder et al)
Bassett North - Pink Footed Goose in field between Spoonbill pit and canal (M Inskipp). 2 Little Egret, Dunlin, Redshank in area (J Allen)
Wishaw - Peregrine juv, Curlew, 230 Golden Plover Wishaw Lane (J Oates)

21st February - Sightings

Bassett North - 3 Iceland Gulls on + off North Pit this afternoon (Ad, 2nd Win, Juv). These are probably some of the birds seen at Albert Lake (Leics) recently. Also 3 Smew (m + 2 Redhead), 3 Little Egret, 2 Dunlin (J Oates, J Allen). Also White-Fronted Goose reported.
Hams Hall - 2 Firecrest again (J Allen et al).
Coleshill - Black Redstart still on Gorsey Lane(MO).
Lea Marston - 3 Scaup, 3 Curlew, Oystercatcher (J Oates)
Coton - Goosander (J Oates)
Dosthill - Iceland Gull juv this afternoon - same as Bassett (J Allen, J Oates)

20th February - Sightings

Dosthill - Iceland Gull 1st Win flew towards Bassett (J Harris)
Hams Hall - Firecrest still, Common Sand, Chiffchaff (MO)
Coleshill - Black Redstart Still Gorsey Lane (MO) View from Forge Mills Park.
Ladywalk - Hen Harrier (Ringtail), 2 Curlew, 5 Goosander, Marsh Tit, 2 Siskin, Redpoll (S Cawthray et al). Nearby Corn Bunting, 2 Raven Hams Lane (P Softley)
Lea Marston - 3 Scaup, Curlew (S Haynes) Little Egret from railway bridge (TP)
Bassett North - 3 Dunlin, 3 Little Egret, 35 Golden Plover (S Haynes)

19th February - Sightings

Coleshill - Black Redstart still Gorsey Lane (Many Observers)
Hams Hall - Firecrest still (L Johnson)
Shustoke - 5 Goosander (L Johnson)
Bassett North - White Winged Gull sp briefly in large gull roost (estimate 10,000 birds) at North Pit. Also 3 Dunlin, 5 Redshank, Green Sand, 3 Little Egret Barn Owl 4pm-Dusk (S Cawthray). Also note update to yesterday's Bassett sightings.
Whitacre Heath NR - Little Egret (Sir Bobby D)

18th February - Sightings

Bassett North - Bar Tailed Godwit, 8 Dunlin North pit mid afternoon. Also 3 Smew and 2 Red Crested Pochard in area (J Harris per S Cawthray)
Coleshill - Black Redstart 1st Win Male still all day Gorsey Lane (MO) View from Forge Mills Park (SP219926)
Hams Hall - Firecrest still, 6+ Chiffchaff, 2 Green Sand, Common Sand (D Hutton et al)
Kingsbury - Short-Eared Owl over Richard's meadow 4.30pm (per RBA)
Shustoke - Little Egret, Goosander, Peregrine (L Johnson)
Wishaw - 2 Grey Partridge along Blindpit Lane (D Hutton)
Lea Marston - Little Egret from railway bridge (D Hutton)
Ladywalk - Brambling still (K Groocock)

17th February - Sightings

Coleshill - Black Redstart 1st Win Male, Gorsey Lane. View from Forge Mills Park (SP 219 926) (P Forbes et al) - Superb pics above by Dave Hutton
Hams Hall - Firecrest still this morning (M Doughty, L Johnson)

Ladywalk - 2 Brambling still at feeding station. Also Marsh Tit still (Rare in Tame) (WMBC, M Doughty)

Wilnecote - 7 Waxwing again this morning (P Burton per J Harris)

16th February - Sightings

Hams Hall - Firecrest still (D Hutton - see above). Appears to have damaged right foot.
Fisher's Mill - Little Egret (M Pollock)
Lea Marston - Little Egret, 2 Curlew from railway bridge (L Johnson)
Bassett North - Med Gull (ad), Oystercatcher (WMBC)
Shustoke - Little Egret (L Johnson)
Ladywalk - Brambling (WMBC)

15th February - Sightings

Wilnecote (South Tamworth) - 7 Waxwings this morning (Pete Burton per J Harris). Seen for half hour then flew towards Tamworth.
Hams Hall - Firecrest still early morning (per RBA)
Shustoke - Red Kite reported over this morning(Steve Bradley per L Johnson). Also reported over at 12.30pm (per RBA)
Ladywalk - Brambling, 2 Goosander (J Wesson, S Cawthray)
Wishaw - 2 Grey Partridge (S Cawthray)
Lea Marston - Little Egret from railway bridge this morning (per J Wesson)

14th February - Sightings

Ladywalk - 2 Brambling (m+f) still at feeding station (TP, J Allen et al)
Kingsbury - Oystercatcher Bodymoor Heath Water (TP, J Allen)

13th February - Sightings

Dosthill - Iceland Gull juv 11.30am, Yellow-Legged Gull 2nd Win, Little Egret (J Allen)
Kingsbury Tip - Iceland Gull juv 1.20pm - same bird (A Archer)
Ladywalk - Brambling (f) still at feeding station (L Johnson, P Softley) 6 Grey Partridge Faraday Ave (P Softley)
Shustoke - Green Sand (L Johnson)
Coton - Peregrine (P Softley)
Whitacre Heath NR - 3 Little Egret on flashes then roosted at Ladywalk (P Softley)


Adam Archer has kindly produced a map showing some of the main Tame sites. The link is on the right.

12th February - Sightings

Dosthill - Iceland Gull juv this morning (P Hyde), Oystercatcher (J Harris)
Dosthill NR - 1+ Mealy Redpoll in riverside alders with Lesser Redpoll (J Oates)
Hams Hall - 4 Chiffchaff, Cettis Warbler (J Harris)
Wishaw - 5 Golden Plover ( S Cawthray)
Ladywalk - 3 Corn Bunting, 6 Grey Partridge on Hams Lane (approach road) (S Cawthray)
Coleshill - Raven (S Cawthray)
Lea Marston - Short-Eared Owl (S Cawthray)
Kingsbury - Dunlin

11th February - Sightings

Ladywalk - 1+ Brambling still at feeding station (WMBC)
Dosthill - Iceland Gull juv 4.30pm (S Cawthray)
Kingsbury - Barn Owl this afternoon (S Cawthray)

10th February - Sightings

Hams Hall - Firecrest Still, 5 Chiffchaff (L Johnson)
Shustoke - Little Egret, Goosander, 50 Siskin (L Johnson)
Ladywalk - 2 Brambling, Pink Footed Goose (Bobby D, S Cawthray)
Kingsbury - Short-Eared Owl Richard's Meadow (L Johnson)
Bassett - 2 Pintail (pr) Debbie's Day Boats, 2 Little Egrets in area (L Johnson)

9th February - Sightings

Hams Hall - Firecrest still (per RBA)

8th February - Sightings

Middleton - Great White Egret still this morning over gravel piles (WMBC) Seen this afternoon flying along river (S Cawthray) 2 Little Egret, Stonechat (m) in field between Craft Centre and farm(J Allen)
Dosthill/Fishers Mill - Pink Footed Goose flew towards Kingsbury (A Archer, P Hyde) Raven, Little Egret (J Allen) 3 Little Egret, 3 Redshank in area this afternoon(S Cawthray) Black Swan in flight with a Mute late morning (TP et al)
Lea Marston - 1 Scaup (m) this morning still (TP, M Doughty)
Alvecote - Greenland White Front flew south over M42 after being flushed (M Scott) but no further sign all day.
Hams Hall - Firecrest Still tho elusive (A Hale)
Kingsbury - Hen Harrier again over Richard's Meadow 4pm (S Cawthray)
Bassett North - 2 Dunlin, Redshank (J Allen)

7th February - Sightings

Dosthill - Iceland Gull Juv late morning at least on ice (TP et al). Also Med Gull ad briefly(TP) YL Gull ad, Peregrine (L Johnson)
Alvecote - Greenland White Fronted Goose juv commuting between Railway Pit and field near near M42 bridge with canadas (A Archer et al)
Bassett North - Hybrid Shelduck sp with Mute Swans at Debbie's Day Boats (TP). This has been erratically visiting the valley for over a decade!!
Middleton - Great White Egret Flew over canal from direction of Bassett at 3.35pm(TP, J Allen). Also 4 Little Egret in general area.
Kingsbury - Short-Eared Owl and Ban Owl Richard's Meadow late afternoon (MO)
Lea Marston - 3 Scaup still (P Hyde)
Hams Hall - Firecrest still this afternoon (Per RBA)

Pictures of the Iceland Gull and White Front can be seen on the Bob The Birder Website.

6th February - Sightings

Dosthill - Peregrine, 150 Linnet (J Harris) The Great White Egret flew along River Tame at 2.30pm but not relocated.
Hams Hall - 1 Firecrest still, Chiffchaff, Jack Snipe (S Cawthray)
Wishaw - Golden Plover 5, poss Merlin WIshaw Lane (WMBC)


Late News - Firecrest Wednesday Ladywalk (Per S Cawthray)

5th February - Sightings

Nothing reported today.

4th February - Sightings

Hams Hall - Common Sandpiper (Bobby D)
Kingsbury - Short-Eared Owl and Woodcock over Richard's Meadow this afternoon (L Johnson et al) Drake Smew, 78 Teal, 12 Goldeneye,18 Pochard, Green Sand, 3 Redshank, 15 Snipe on Cliff Pool (WJE)
Bassett - 3 Little Egret (L Johnson)
Coton - 2 Scaup (m + f) still (J Oates)
Ladywalk - Pink-Footed Goose still then flew towards Whitacre Heath (A Anscomb)
Whitacre Heath NR - Raven Over (S Cawthray)

3rd February - Sightings

Coton - 3 Scaup (2m, f)) still (L Johnson)
Ladywalk - Pink-Footed Goose (S Haynes, S Cawthray)

2nd February - Sightings

Nothing reported today.

1st February Sightings

Middleton - Great White Egret still this morning in flight landed near Quarry Workings. Please stay on footpaths or canal Towpath (M Doughty) Seen later in flight going towards Kingsbury.
Bassett Area- 3 Little Egret, Smew (m), Woodcock
Hams Hall - 1 Firecrest still (SP 199 914)
Kingsbury - Short Eared Owl Richards Meadow 3pm (per RBA)
Fishers Mill - Jack Snipe on meadow