Wednesday December 7th

Alvecote Pools
Warks: The Great White Egret, or at least one of them, still present today. First found in August, it has been present now for very nearly four months. 3 Stonechats still, assumed to be in Warks for recording purposes (Roy Smith).

photo by Bob Duckhouse back in August

Coleshill- River Blythe

A pair of Stonechats were seemingly new in.

Ladywalk NR

A minimum of 300 Redwings were present early today having roosted overnight. Also a Woodcock (Dave Clifton, Pete Sofley). The Bittern showed for 30mins at 1310hrs with 18 Greylags (Ken Bentley). 

Tuesday December 6th

Middleton RSPB
Staffs: Twenty Goldeneyes was an excellent count at Dosthill NR in the foggy coditions today. Also a drake Pintail there (RSPB).

Interesting news from Ladywalk concerns a recovery of a ringed female Cetti's Warbler. Ringed as a nestling three years ago, the bird was recovered at Rutland Water, Leics on October 26th (per Dave Clifton & Pete Sofley).

Cetti's Warbler by Pete Lichfield

Monday December 5th

Alvecote Pools
Two Great White Egrets but county recording area not known.

Ladywalk NR
Bittern again 1355hrs and the pair of Stonechats. Around ten Snipe enjoyed the new water levels (Pete Lichfield).

Middleton RSPB
Warks: Thirty four Little Egrets left the heronry this morning; 30 went south towards the Water park (Steven Pick).

Sunday December 4th

Alvecote Pools
Warks: A Great White Egret on Mill Pool again (Tom Perrins et al).

Coton Lakes
191 Pochard, Red-crested Pochard and 10 Goosanders were on Lake 2B and Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler (Julian Allen, SMH).

Ladywalk NR
Bittern showed in the main reedbed at 1400hrs with 16 Goosanders and the pair of Stonechats still (Pete Lichfield & Richard Powell).

Photo- P Lichfield

Middleton RSPB
Staffs: Great White Egret again on Jubilee Wetland, the hybrid Ruddy Shelduck, 2 Shelducks, 9 Goldeneyes (Steve Atkinson et al). A Willow Tit was at the south end of Dosthill NR (Richard Walker). The GWE roosted at 1620hrs, having come in from the south (Steven Pick).

Shustoke Res
There were 106 Pochard today, almost simultaneous with the Coton count, which is a pleasing minimum of 297 birds in the Valley. Also 124 Tufted, 138 Coot and a Goldeneye.

Goosanders: At last a few more about today after generally fewer birds this winter.

Saturday December 3rd

Kingsbury WP
The drake Red-crested Pochard on Swann Pool again (Tom Perrins).

Middleton RSPB
Staffs: A Great White Egret on Jubilee Wetlands, with 400 mobile Golden Plovers, 2 Shelduck, Goldeneye, 42 Cormorants and two Stonechats also in the area (Steve Atkinson et al).

By Steve Atkinson

Friday December 2nd

Alvecote Pools
Staffs: A Great White Egret was on Pigs pool.
Warks: A Great White Egret, 4 Little Egrets, 94 Mute Swans, a Black Swan, 2 Shelduck and 2 Snipe (Bob Duckhouse).

Ladywalk NR
Bittern 1345-1410hrs plus the pair of Stonechats and a Green sandpiper (Ben Eaton).

Middleton RSPB
Staffs: 75 Golden Plover were on Jubilee and a Willow Tit on east side of Dosthill NR (Geoff Williams). Eighteen Little Egrets roosted in the willows and a Great White Egret joined them at 1636hrs (Steven Pick).

Thursday December 1st

Alvecote Pools
Staffs: A Great White Egret on Pigs Pool with two more reported but not allotted to a county for recording purposes (Roy Smith).

Kingsbury WP
ca.16 Little Egrets were on the model boat pool islands this morning (Tony Hyde).

Middleton RSPB
Staffs: A Ruddy Shelduck type hybrid is on Jubilee Wetland and was also seen yesterday.
Warks: A Short-eared Owl was over the south meadow area again.

Ladywalk NR
The Bittern showed in front of the main reedbed at 1350hrs (Ken Bentley, Pete Lichfield).