11th - 12th May

Did some repeat Newt surveys up in Staffordshire where between visits on the 11^th (the day was hampered by long periods of heavy rain) there was a single Black Tern on Blithfield Reservoir along with 20+ Common Terns and 3 Dunlin, a few singing and displaying Tree Pipits and Stonechats during a very wet, half-hearted wander on Cannock Chase and another single Black Tern on Chasewater, again with Common Terns and many low feeding Swifts and hirundines.

                There were 2 Black Terns at Priorslee Lake on the way back on 12th while the drake Garganey was still at Venus Pool with 3 Common Sandpipers before a walk along my stretch of the River Teme at Leintwardine in the afternoon produced the unexpected highlight of a smart male Channel Wagtail feeding along the river and with the sheep with 4 Yellow Wagtails (one pair was later seen with nesting material) and an Oystercatcher.

 

Channel Wagtail

Black Tern

Baby Coots

Great-crested Grebe

The unusual House Martin nest at Stafford Services as featured last week is now pretty much complete!