31st December - Sightings

Tamworth - 11 Waxwings by Tameside NR Pool (R Henderson)
Kingsbury - 9 Bewick's Swan still in usual field (Birdguides) The recently reported Lesser-White Fronted Goose is believed to relate to a Canada x Greylag hybrid. This bird has has a small white patch by the bill and an eyering but is far too large. Certainly no Lesser White Front has been seen yet by any of the locals. Please let me know if you know any differently! (A Archer, D Hutton et al)
Coton - 82 Pink-Footed Geese dropped in 3.20pm and roosted. Also 7 Bewick's roosted (J Harris, P Hyde) The goosefest continues!
Alvecote - Pink-Footed Goose, 89 Goosander (site record) (A Archer)
Ladywalk - Bittern (D Long). Chiffchaff (J Harris)

30th December - Sightings

Bewick's Swans - Coton - Dave Hutton

Kingsbury - 9 Bewick's Swan, Pink-Footed Goose still in usual field with Mute Swans and Canadas but no sign of White-Fronted Geese (A Archer) The Bewick's once again at Coton today as well.

29th December - Sightings

White-Fronted Goose - Dave Hutton

Kingsbury - 55 European White-Fronted Goose, 1 Pink-Footed Goose still in field south of KWP entrance (D Hutton et al) 9 Bewick's Swans still (J Wesson et al) Lesser White Fronted Goose (presumed escape) reported with Canada flock (Birdguides)
Middleton - Bittern flew from by RSPB Play Area (G Williams) At least the 7th Bittern in the Tame in last week!
Whitacre Heath NR - Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker by Flashes in small willows (J Wesson)

28th December - Sightings

Kingsbury - 9 Bewick's Swan still in field opposite KWP entrance (J Allen et al) Merlin seen to catch a Skylark (per S Cawthray) The swans were later joined by 53+ Eurasian White-Fronted Geese, 1 Pink-Footed Goose, 1 Greylag Goose (this bird showed pinkish orange beak and was very small. Likely to be bird reported as White-Front at Coton on 24th December) (A Barnsley et al) The Pink-Footed Goose seen earlier at Kingsbury Mill Meadow (TP, J Allen)
Tamworth - 34 Waxwing still on Falcon, Wilnecote (TP, J Allen)
Coton - Bittern, Goosander this morning (J Allen) 2 Smew (redheads) (A Barnsley) 9 Bewick's Swans roosted. Also Mediterranean Gull (ad winter plum) roosted. 17 Goosander (P Hyde et al)
Dosthill NR - 3 possibly 4 Bittern mid afternoon. 9 Goosander over. Curlew over (TP, J Allen et al) Flock of wild geese heard early afternoon presumably were the White-Fronts later at Kingsbury (G Williams)
Ladywalk - 2 Bittern, Scaup on river, Brambling (S Cawthray et al)

27th December - Sightings

Kingsbury - 9 Bewick's Swan still (J Allen et al)
Coton - 9 Bewick's Swan roosted again. Also Bittern, 7 Goosander, 4 Shelduck, Yellow-Legged Gull(ad) (J Allen et al) Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker (D Lawrence)
Tamworth - 40+ Waxwing Falcon Road, Wilnecote. Also Little Egret along Brook (P Burton)
Dosthill NR - 3 Bittern, Woodcock, 20 Goosander + 14 South (J Harris, P Hyde)
Bassett - 300 Wigeon (J Harris, P Hyde)

25th December - Sightings

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL TAME VALLEY BIRDERS!!

Kingsbury - 9 Bewick's Swans still (J Allen)

Coton - 9 Bewick's Swans roosted again. Also 2 Smew (redhead), 12 Goosander, 2 Shelduck, Little Egret (J Allen et al) Bittern flew in front of hide, Peregrine (M Hodson)

24th December - Sightings

Coton - Bittern flew from left of hide across lake early afternoon and seen again many times till dusk, 2 Smew (redheads), 5+ Goosander, Little Egret, 9 Bewick's Swans at dusk (TP, Bobby D et al) Earlier report of White-Fronted Goose referred to a hybrid.
Kingsbury - 9 Bewick's Swan still (TP et al)
Ladywalk - Scaup (fem) on river with Tufted Ducks. Bittern on reserve (S Cawthray)
Tamworth - 30+ Waxwing Wilnecote in tree in Falcon Road (P Burton)

Nearby  Great White Egret by Hartshill Sewage Farm and nearby River Anker (S Haynes)

23rd December - Sightings

Kingsbury - up to 9 Bewick's Swans still in field 200m South of KWP Entrance (P Hyde, J Harris) Also 108 Skylark (J Harris)
Coton- Same  9 Bewick's Swans (5ads, 4 imm) 1.50pm - 2.35pm then flew back towards Kingsbury (P Hyde, J Harris) Also Smew (redhead), 4 Goosander, Little Egret, Dunlin (P Hyde)
Dosthill NR - 4 Curlew, 2 Goosander over (P Hyde)
Bassett North - Shelduck (P Hyde)
Lea Marston - 8 Shelduck (P Hyde)
Whitacre Heath NR - Woodcock, Marsh Tit, Willow Tit (J Harris)
Tamworth - 80+ Waxwing in trees along path at Wilnecote NR (P Burton) 4 Waxwing Overwoods Rd, Wilnecote (Birdguides)

Nearby 21 Waxwing Grendon around St Nicholas Estate Road (Bobby D)

22nd December - Sightings

Bewick's Swans (2ads, imm) and Mute Swans - Dave Hutton

Kingsbury - 8 Bewick's Swan (4 ads, 4 Imm) still in field between A4097 Roundabout and KWP main entrance (S Cawthray, TP et al) At least one bird is ringed - I would be grateful if anyone who can read it sends me details!
Tamworth - 35+ Waxwing at junction of Tempest Street and Halford Street (M Hodson)
Lea Marston - Green Sandpiper on river (S Cawthray)

21st December - Sightings

Kingsbury - 8 (4ad, 4 imm) Bewick's Swans on Bodymoor Heath Lane between A4097 roundabout and main KWP entrance in field with Mute Swans (Lee Hanson, Ben Eaton) 4+ still present at dusk (S Haynes)
Alvecote - 3 Curlew in field adjacent to Teal Pool parking area (A Barnsley)
Middleton - unconfirmed report of Bittern flew from central reservation of A4091 near Middleton hall entrance towards Middleton Village late morning (Birdguides)

Yesterday 20th December:

Middleton - Woodcock, Little Egret, Brambling (S Cawthray)

19th December - Sightings

Dosthill NR - 1 Bittern still on ice (J Allen)
Coton - 6 Curlew, Dunlin (A Barnsley)

18th December - Sightings

Dosthill NR - 2 Bittern in flight over reeds 12.05pm (S Pick, T Pick)
Coton - 2 Yellow-Legged Gull (Ad, 3rd Win) in roost (J Allen)

15th December - Sightings

Coton - Bittern c3pm in flight left of hide. Up to 4 Smew (3 Redheads, 1st Win Male). 2 Yellow-Legged Gulls (ads) in roost (G Mant, C Cook)
Dosthill NR - Bittern still. Whooper Swan(ad) on river still (G Mant) Smew (1st Win Male) (G Williams)
Dosthill - Glaucous Gull (2nd Win) still on Main Lake (G Mant)
Tamworth - 9 Waxwing Wilnecote flew NW over Magnus, Tame Valley Ind Estate (K Sargent)
Alvecote - 54 Goosander in area (J Morgan)

14th December - Sightings

Dosthill - Glaucous Gull (2nd Win) on Main Lake this afternoon (P Hyde et al)

Dosthill NR - Whooper Swan(ad), Bittern still (P Hyde)

Coton - Bittern flew to reeds viewed from hide this evening (S Cawthray)

The Glauc is almost certainly the 2nd-winter that was at Throckmorton (Worcs) on Sunday and at Didcot 2 weekends ago.It does have a sepia brown iris which looks very dark at more than 80 yards. However close up the pupil can just be made out. The Bill tip is pale with messy grey not jet black sub-terminal band, also blotchey (not barred) brown on ivory white plumage. At a distance it could be mistaken for the sort of pale 1st years that you see from Feb onwards.  (Info from Steve Whitehouse)

12th December - Sightings

Dosthill NR - Bittern again at North End, Smew (1st Win Male) (J Allen) Also Whooper Swan (ad) on river and commuting to Bassett North (Many Obs) Peregrine (M Pollock)
Tamworth - 19 Waxwing on Goldcrest off Overwoods Road 2pm onwards (M Pollock)
Bassett - 3 Brambling with large Chaffinch flock (D Baker)

11th December - Sightings

Bassett North - Smew (1st Win Male), 4 Little Egret, Redshank (G Williams)
Dosthill NR - Whooper Swan (ad) on river again (TP, J Allen, C Cook) Also Goosander, 23+ Goldeneye.
Alvecote - 10 Goosander Mill Pool (TP, J Allen)
Tamworth - 15 Waxwing Hockley Road in Car Park behind Care Home and Shops (M Pollock)
Ladywalk - 5 Goosander, 3 Chiffchaff along river (J Wesson)

10th December - Sightings

Dosthill NR- Whooper Swan later on river (P Hyde et al). Smew (1st Win Drake), Bittern (G Williams)
Alvecote - Scaup (imm male), 14 Shelduck, 150 Wigeon Mill Pool (S Haynes)
Ladywalk - Pintail, Peregrine, 3 Goosander, Marsh Tit (D Daniel)

9th December - Sightings

Dosthill NR  - Bittern still (Bobby D) Please note Dosthill NR is in Staffs. Pics here.
Dosthill - 2 Curlew over main lake (Bobby D) Yellow-Legged Gull (J Harris)
Coton - Curlew at dusk (J Harris) Little Egret (Bobby D) 3 Smew (Birdguides)

8th December - Sightings

Ladywalk - 2 Woodcock, Tawny Owl, Brambling, 2 Marsh Tit (S Cawthray)
Dosthill NR - Shelduck, 18 Goldeneye (S Cawthray)
Whitacre Heath NR - 3 Woodcock, 3 Curlew over (J Wesson)

7th December - Sightings

Dosthill NR - Bittern (per TP) Report of Caspian Gull (J Harris)
Kingsbury - Woodcock (G A Williams)
Shustoke - Redshank, Green Sandpiper, 500+ Coot (P Forbes)

5th December - Sightings

Goosanders - Alvecote - P Lathbury

Alvecote - 6 Pink-Footed Geese still nr M42 (J Allen, A Barnsley) Also 12 Goosander, 200+ Wigeon (P Lathbury)
Tamworth - 12 Waxwing Hockley Road behind Wilnecote Primary School (M Pollock)
Coton - 2 Yellow-Legged Gulls (ads) in roost. Also Smew (redhead), 2 Goosander (J Allen, A Barnsley)
Lea Marston - Scaup (fem/imm) on River North of Roadbridge with Tufted Ducks. Also 2 Green Sandpiper (S Haynes)
Hams Hall - 2 Chiffchaff by outfall (S Haynes)

4th December - Sightings

Pink-Footed Geese - Adam Archer

Alvecote -  6 Pink-Footed Geese still in fields at M42 end (TP, A Archer) Also 4 Grey Partridge, Brambling, 6 Goosander, 13 Shelduck. Caspian Gull (3rd win) mid afternoon Mill Pool (J Allen, R Smith)
Shustoke - 2 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 120 Shoveler, 450 Coot (P Forbes)
Tamworth -  1 Waxwing still Overwoods Road, Hockley flew off towards Gorsey Bank Road area 11.30am (M Pollock)
Coton - Smew (redhead) (G Rowling) 2 Yellow-Legged Gulls (Ad, 3rd Win) in roost (J Allen)

3rd December - Sightings

Shustoke - report of 2 Knot this morning (per L Johnson) but later just 2 Dunlin in same place (Many Obs) Also Redshank, 18 Goosander, 6 Curlew over (Many Obs)
Kingsbury - Redshank, 2 Little Egret, Curlew over, 300+ Wigeon on river Tame (R Henderson)
Dosthill NR - Hen Harrier ringtail again this afternoon (G Williams) Also Goosander, 30+ Goldeneye on river (Bobby D, G Williams)

2nd December - Sightings

Dosthill - Water Pipit on mound on Main Lake (S Cawthray) Also 32 Goldeneye, Goosander, 2 Water Rail, 2 Snipe along river (S Cawthray)
Alvecote - 6 Pink-Footed Geese still by M42 with Canadas (S Haynes, Bobby D)
Shustoke - Dunlin (P Forbes) Pintail (m) (S Haynes)
Coton - 5 Goosander on river near Kingsbury road bridge (M Hodson) 2 Smew (redheads) from Hide (C Cook)

1st December - Sightings

Dosthill - 2 Yellow-Legged Gulls(ads), 1100 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls, 300 Herring Gulls on ice (A Dean)
Shustoke - Knot, 3 Grey Plover Over, Green Sandpiper, 17 Goosander, 152 Shoveler, 70 Pochard, 120 Tufted Duck (P Forbes et al)
Alvecote - 6 Pink-Footed Goose with Canadas by M42 for a few days (per S Haynes)
Kingsbury - Hen Harrier over meadow 3.01pm, 4 Goosander over, Little Egret, Redshank (S Cawthray)
Coton - Smew (m), 8 Curlew at Dusk, large Gull Roost including Yellow-Legged Gull(ad) (S Cawthray et al)