Friday May 5th

Bird Race Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the Big Bird Race day across the WMBC area. If anyone wishes to join in, Tame Valley teams are competing at Ladywalk and RSPB Middleton. Of course there are other sites that could be covered eg Shustoke Res or Whitacre Heath NR too. Counts can be submitted via the usual channels for a placing in the League Table. Otherwise turn up and find birds at either venue to help out.

Kingsbury WP

15 Swifts which represents a significant increase on yesterday and still a fairly good total for the Spring thus far (Bob Duckhouse). But exceeded at 1845 hrs at Shustoke-see below.

Ladywalk NR
Common Sandpiper still (Pete Lichfield).

Middleton RSPB

Staffs: A rufous-morph female Cuckoo was one of the best and most striking birds of the week. Also Little Gull still present. (David Taylor).

by David Taylor

Shustoke Res
The best total of Swifts this year in cool conditions at 1845hrs: 130 present (Simon Roper). Later a swift with aberrant characters including whitish rump and undertail and two Little Gulls (Mark Maddox).

Whitacre Heath NR

Cuckoo opposite Church Pool Covert.