30th December - Sightings

Dosthill - 10 Kittiwake (9ad + 1 1st Win) spent 1/2 hour on Main Lake mid-afternoon before spirralling off to North West (A Dean) Also 2 Yellow-Legged Gull (ad,3rd Win), Goosander (A Dean)
Tamworth - 2 Goosander on river by Fazeley Bridge (K Sargent)

29th December - Sightings

Ladywalk - Bittern, Merlion (S Cawthray)
Tamworth - 7 Goosander on river near Castle (R Henderson)
Bodymoor - Little Egret in Grass field near Villa Training Ground (TP)

28th December - Sightings

Ladywalk - 2 Bittern still (S Cawthray)

27th December - Sightings

Ladywalk - 1 Bittern still, 5 Goosander (J Harris)
Alvecote - Recent pager reports of Lesser Canada Goose refer to a slightly small Canada with main flock. Also 2 Northern Bulfinches reported today Gilman's Pool area.
Kingsbury - Goosander (J Allen)
Hams Hall - 5 Goosander (R Henderson)

26th December Sightings

Ladywalk - Bittern (S Cathray) 2 Present yesterday.
Bassett North - probable Great-White Egret in flight but distant c12.00pm (J Allen) 2 Little Egret, 4 Redshank, Green Sandpiper (G Williams)

25th December - Sightings

Alvecote - GREAT-WHITE EGRET still this morning (A Archer) but no sign between 1pm and 3pm (RBA)
Dosthill - GREAT-WHITE EGRET south over Main Lake towards KWP mid afternoon (J Harris)
Bassett North - Smew (1st Win Drake) , 2 Little Egret, Dunlin, Redshank, report of Caspian Gull (ad) (J Harris)

24th December - Sightings

Great-White Egret - Alvecote - Adam Archer

Alvecote - GREAT-WHITE EGRET still Railway Pool (A Archer et al) Railway Pool is also known as Upper Pool. Also Jack Snipe, 14 Shelduck, 5 Goosander (A Archer) Egret still present 2.10pm (TP)
Shustoke - 6 Goosander, Woodcock (L Johnson)

23rd December - Sightings

Alvecote - GREAT-WHITE EGRET on Railway Pool(John Davis,RBA)
Dosthill - Caspian Gull (ad) still (A Dean) Also 2 Yellow-Legged Gull (2 Ads), Goosander, 3 Little Egret, Redshank, 2 Golden Plover over, Short-Eared Owl, Stonechat (A Dean, M Pollock)
Fisher's Mill - Little Egret, Redshank, Peregrine (M Pollock)
Ladywalk - Marsh Tit (M Pollock)

22nd December - Sightings

Ladywalk - 27 Golden Plover, Green Sandpiper, Goosander, 2 Marsh Tits (S Cawthray) On Saturday Woodcock, Little Egret (S Cawthray)
Dosthill - 2 Goosander on Main Lake, Redshank on River (J Harris)
Fisher's Mill - Short-Eared Owl on Meadow (J Harris, C Cook)
Coton - 6 Goosander (3pr), 4 Little Egret (C Cook) Wholly unconfirmed report of Caspian Gull (nr ad) in roost (per RBA)
Kingsbury - Short-Eared Owl Richard's Meadow (C Cook) Same as Fisher's Mill.

21st December - Sightings

Kingsbury - Barn Owl, Short-Eared Owl Richard's Meadow (J Harris)
Dosthill - Caspian Gull (ad) still, Yellow-Legged Gull, Goosander (A Dean)
Bassett South - 2 Little Egret (A Dean)
Tamworth - 3 Little Egret Barrowpit Lake (Snowdome) (WMBC)

20th December - Sightings

Fisher's Mill - Barn Owl on Meadow (J Harris)
Kingsbury - Short-Eared Owl, Barn Owl Richard's Meadow (WJ Egmont per J Harris)

19th December - Sightings

Dosthill - Caspian Gull (ad), Yellow-Legged Gull(ad) (TP)
Coton - Little Egret (TP, N Ward) Also a further 8 flew over North (N Ward)
Kingsbury South - 170 Shoveler Bodymoor Heath Water (TP)
Bassett North - 3 Dunlin, 3 Redshank, c165 Teal, 2 Little Egret (TP)
Hams Hall - 2 Common Sandpiper (R Henderson)

18th December - Sightings

Dosthill 2 Caspian Gulls (Ad + 2nd Win). Both the same as seen previously this winter (A Dean) Also Yellow-Legged Gull(ad), Goosander (m,redhead) over, Stonechat(f) (A Dean) Goosander (f) still late on (C Cook)
Hams Hall - 2 Green Sandpiper (C Cook)
Tamworth - Again no sign of Whinchat (C Cook)
Bassett North - 2 Dunlin, 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Redshank, 6 Shelduck (J Harris)
Kingsbury - 2 Barn Owl Richard's Meadow (J Harris)

17th December - Sightings

Bassett North - Dunlin, 5 Redshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, Ruff flew through to NW, 208 Teal (P Hyde per J Harris)
Tamworth - No sign of Whinchat at Tameside NR but 2 Tree Sparrows on feeders (P Hyde, J Harris)
Kingsbury - 2 Barn Owl, 3 Woodcock Richard;s Meadow at Dusk (J Harris)

16th December - Sightings

Tamworth - Whinchat still Tameside NR (C Cook)
Dosthill - Caspian Gull (ad), Yellow-Legged Gull(ad), Peregrine, Goosander (Redhead) on Main Lake (C Cook, A Dean)

14th December - Sightings

Dosthill - Yellow-Legged Gull (2nd Win), Short-Eared Owl, Goosander (A Dean)
Wishaw - 13 Grey Partridge Blindpit Lane (C Cook) A high recent count.
Kingsbury - 2 Barn Owl Richard's Meadow (C Cook)

13th December - SIghtings

Tamworth - Whinchat still Tameside NR (RBA et al) This bird is usually to be found between the lake and the Fazeley road. It also favours the areasouth of the lake behind the feeding station. ALso Yellow-Legged Gull (R Henderson)
Kingsbury South - 6 Little Egret Swann Pool (TP)
Bassett North - 15 Shelduck, Little Egret (TP)
Coton - Yellow-Legged Gull(ad) in roost (TP, M Inskipp)

12th December - Sightings

Tamworth - Whinchat still Tameside NR though generally elusive (TP, A Archer et al)

11th December - Sightings

Dosthill - Caspian Gull (ad), 2 Yellow-Legged Gulls (ads) (A Dean) Same bird as Coton on Wednesday.
Tamworth - Whinchat still Tameside NR (J Gallety)

10th December - Sightings

Tamworth - Whinchat still Tameside NR (J Harris)
Bassett - 2 Smew (1st WIn Male, redhead) in pits by river(C Cook et al) 110 Golden Plover over (J Harris)
Kingsbury - Goosander (redhead) still Canal Pool, 2+ Barn Owl Richard's Meadow (J Harris)

Pictures of yesterday's Caspian Gull here (by Alan Dean).

9th December - Sightings

Tamworth - Whinchat still Tameside NR this morning (Bobby D)
Ladywalk - 2 Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Goosander (S Cawthray)
Coton - Caspian Gull (ad), Yellow-Legged Gull(ad) in roost (A Dean)
Bassett North - Smew reported still present (per J Harris)
Fisher's Mill - 2 Stonechat on meadow (J Harris, Bobby D)
Kingsbury - 2 Barn Owl Richard's Meadow (J Harris)

8th December - Sightings

Whinchat - Tamworth - Chris Cook

Tamworth - Whinchat still at Tameside NR (aka Bitterscote pit) ( C Cook, S Haynes) The entrance is opposite 40mph signs Fazeley Road coming from Old A5 (South of New A5). The latest record for Staffs but overwintering is not unheard of in UK.
Bassett North - Smew (1st Win Male) still ( J Harris)
Kingsbury - Goosander (Redhead) still Canal Pool (K Sargent) Redshank Cliff Pool (K Sargent) 2 Barn Owl, Woodcock Richard's Meadow (S Cawthray) Goosander on Lock Pit (S Cawthray)
Coton - Yellow-Legged Gull (ad) in roost (RBA)

7th December - Sightings

Dosthill - Caspian Gull (2nd Win). 3 Goosander (2m) over south (A Dean)
Kingsbury - 3 Barn Owl Richard's Meadow (WJ Egmont)
Tamworth - Whinchat reported in reeds at Tameside NR early Afternoon (RBA) Any further details of this amazing record gratefully received.

Please note that the Spoonbill pit at Drayton Bassett is strictly private and should only be viewed from the canal towpath.

6th December - Sightings

Bassett North - Smew (1st Win Male) on pit south of North Pit this morning (G Williams) 3 Goosander (all Male) , 3 Green Sandpiper Spoonbill pit (TP, J Allen) Little Egret, 3 Redshank, 1000 Lapwing (TP, J Allen)
Bassett South - Smew (1st Win Male) this afternoon (J Allen) Same as Bassett North but next pit to south.
Fisher's Mill - 3 Little Egret (J allen)
Kingsbury - Goosander (redhead) Canal Pool still (J Allen)

4th December - Sightings

Bassett North - Smew (Redhead) on pit south of North Pit (J Harris, G WIlliams) 5 Little Egret, 3 Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Yellow-Legged Gull (ad), 12 Shelduck at North End (J Allen, G Williams)
Dosthill - Smew (Redhead) on main pit. Possibly same (RBA) Also Little Egret, 5 Shelduck, Barn Owl (J Harris)
Kingsbury South - 4 Little Egret Swann Pool (J Allen)
Kingsbury - Goosander (Redhead) Canal Pool (J Allen)
Coton - 2 Yellow-Legged Gulls (ads) in roost (J Allen, A Dean et al)

3rd December - Sightings

Coton - Unconfirmed Report of Caspian Gull (ad) in roost. Also Yellow-Legged Gull (ad) (A Stringer)

1st December - Sightings

Kingsbury South - 7 Little Egret Swan Pool (S Haynes)
Bassett North - Little Egret, 11 Shelduck (S Haynes)
Wishaw - 400 Golden Plover, 100 Linnet, 200 Stock Dove (S Haynes)
Coton - Yellow-Legged Gull (ad) in roost (RBA)

The pager reports a possible Ring-Necked Duck (or hybrid) at Alvecote on Sunday. Unless anybody knows differently I will assume this is erroneous.