It seems to be our best year ever for Garden Warbler , with at least 12 singing males . Obviously many more unaccounted for being such a large area. These 12 birds recorded at both north and south ends. So whatever birds are along both sides are unrecorded.
Friday 3 May 2024
Thursday 2 May 2024
May 2nd 2024
Hobby over north end today at 11-30 .
Butterflies 🦋
Orange-tip x 8
Peacock x 6
Green Veined White x 1 (first this year).
Wednesday 1 May 2024
Still to Arrive
If anyone visits Rudyard in the next few days we are missing two of our spring migrants at present Spotted Flycatcher and Swift. Both are imminent so please drop me a text if you come across them . Or anything else you see for that matter.
Cheers Steve.
May 1st 2024
We must have had a fall of Garden Warber overnight as we have gone from just two yesterday , to six singing males at the north end and four at the south end. Also at the south end we have gone from a single Whitethroat yesterday , to three singing males this morning . All other stuff is as past few days nothing changed.
Very poor shot of one of the Garden Warblers.Good numbers of Treecreeper's around .
Butterflies 🦋
5 x Orange-tip
Orange-tip.Tuesday 30 April 2024
April 30th
Good day today which started very early morning with the surprise of a Barn Owl still out hunting in daylight. All the Pieds showing really well today , the female above came to check me out as I was photographing a female Redstart. Two Whitethroat at south end along with a single Garden Warbler their aswell. Another Garden Warbler was showing pretty well at the north end. A single Common Tern over the water but did dissappear later in the day. Usual waders around the point , and a few Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin over the water. Also noted were Kingfisher , Mandarin , Raven , G S Woodpecker, several Nuthatch and 3 x Mistle Thrush.
Monday 29 April 2024
Arrival Dates Compared
2022 2023 2024
Chiffchaff 12/03 19/03 16/03
Sand Martin 15/03 20/03 24/03
Swallow 10/04 06/04 07/04
House Martin 12/04 06/04 01/04
Blackcap 10/04 06/04 10/04
Redstart 21/04 08/04 10/04
Willow Warbler 10/04 23/04 11/04
Common Tern 02/05 20/04 29/04
Pied Flycatcher ------ 22/04 08/04
Garden Warbler 06/05 01/05 29/04
L R Plover 24/03 19/03 11/04
Common Sand 20/04 11/04 10/04
Spotted Flycatcher 21/05 03/05
Swift 11/05 09/05
April 29th
We now have a remarkable 6 pairs of Pied Flycatcher's back on site along with our usual 3 pairs of Redstart. Also noted this morning our first returning Garden Warbler and first Common Tern of the year too. A drake Mandarin photographed in the sheep field and the usual waders around the point. Unusual sighting of 8 x Greylag Geese on the water , we only usual have one or two.
I would like to stress that all images of birds taken at Rudyard are done so from a safe distance as not to disturb the birds .
Distant record shot over 200 mts away of our first Common Tern of the year.Mandarin drake in sheep field.Pied Flycatcher male.Redstart male.Wednesday 24 April 2024
April 24th
Yellow Wagtail in cow field towards the point early morning , also Common Whitethroat singing both birds new for the year.
Tuesday 23 April 2024
April 23rd
Another movement of Chiffchaff through this morning with 21 birds noted singing . Just makes you think how many more there are undetected. Three Oystercatcher's on the point along with 3 x Common Sandpiper. Unfortunately yesterday's passage through Staffordshire didn't produce any more Arctic Terns , and yesterday's two must have departed overnight. Green Woodpecker calling in farm field but not seen , Raven and Buzzard overhead. And a Osprey seen at nearby Tittesworth didn't come our way .
Just two of the many Chiffchaff on site.Monday 22 April 2024
Hirundines late evening
Good numbers of Hirundines this evening hawking insects over the water with around 250 Swallow, 45+ House Martin and around 20+ Sand Martin . The two Arctic Terns were still present late evening.
Past Arctic Tern Records
Arctic Tern records are few and far between here at Rudyard , below is the last 20yrs that gives you some idea.
22/04/24 x 2
16/04/24 x 1
16/07/17 x 4
10/05/16 x 1
04/05/13 x 2
30/07/11 x 2
08/98/10 x 3
09/95/08 x 2
25/09/05 x 2
30/08/04 x 1
Apri 22nd
Two Arctic Tern's dropped in mid-afternoon after a large influx throughout the UK, with good numbers at large Staffordshire waters. Weather conditions were terrible and the three shots below are heavily cropped. But we don't get many Arctic's here so made the best of what I could get in the conditions.
Thursday 18 April 2024
April 18th
A walk to the point this morning produced Curlew , 3 x Oystercatcher, 2 x Common Sandpiper and a LRP. Plenty of Warblers around calling , also 3 x G S Woodpecker drumming and a distant Green Woodpecker. Sand Martins and Swallows hawking insects over the water and three Buzzards displaying overhead.
Wednesday 17 April 2024
April 17th
First female Pied Flycatcher noted this morning.
Tuesday 16 April 2024
April 16th
Arctic Tern this morning very briefly between 9-00 and 9-30 when it flew off hight to the north . Still two Common Sandpiper and 5 x Oystercatcher's present .
Sunday 14 April 2024
April 14th
Good early morning birding today with two Dunlin new in , also 5 x Oystercatcher's still. Two male Redstarts made a timely appearance, so did two male Pied Flycatcher's. Both different birds from last year as one was a first year male which could be one of our offspring from last year returning.
Pied Flycatcher first year male.Thursday 11 April 2024
April 11th
Little-Ringed Plover x 1 ( first back)
Common Sandpiper x 3
Oystercatcher x 5
Willow Warbler x 4 ( first back)
Blackcap x 7
Chiffchaff x 18
Pied Flycatcher x 1 male (until mid day)
Redstart x 2 male (long periods dissappearing)
Raven
Mandarin x 5 drakes (along inlet stream)
Little Egret x 2
Butterflies 🦋
Peacock x 2
Chiffchaff .Wednesday 10 April 2024
2024 Returns
First Dates
Mar 16th Chiffchaff
Mar 24th Sand Martin
Apr 1st House Martin
Apr 7th Swallow
Apr 8th Pied Flycatcher
Apr 10th Blackcap
Apr 10th Redstart
April 10th
Our first Redstart of the year this morning with two males seen at different locations. Also Common Sandpiper x 3 , Oystercatcher x 2 , Blackcap x 1 and good numbers of Swallow and House Martin over the water.
Tuesday 9 April 2024
April 9th
And some good news it looks like we have Willow Tits back in a completely different location at Rudyard.
Monday 8 April 2024
April 8th
First male Pied Flycatcher back today , earlier than last year which was 22nd April.
Saturday 6 April 2024
24th March
Sand Martin x 2
Chiffchaff x 6
Greylag Geese x 5
Oystercatcher x 8
Greenfinch
G S Woodpecker
Mistle Thrush
Thursday 15 February 2024
February 15th
Oystercatcher x 5 , Little Egret x 3 and Goosander x 7.
Friday 2 February 2024
February 2nd 2024
I couldn't find the Merganser in a two hour search this morning , but did manage two female Goldeneye. 5 x Goosander, 30 x Tufted Duck , 78 x Canada Geese , 89 x Lapwing ,and a single Little Egret. Also good numbers of Siskin around , 3 x Buzzard , 2 x Jay and a Kingfisher.
Wednesday 31 January 2024
January 31st 2024
The female Red-breasted Merganser has reappeared at the north end of the lake , found this morning feeding 100mts down from caravans. Also a single Oystercatcher , 5 x Goosander and 5 x Snipe . At the south end past miniature railway 3 x Little Egret, Kingfisher, Gt S Woodpecker and Kestrel.
Saturday 20 January 2024
January 20th 2024
The lake is still frozen but in one of the pockets of unfrozen water a single Goldeneye amongst the Mallards and Coots. Plenty of Redwing and Fieldfare around , 7 Snipe along the edge on west side and several small flocks of Siskin. Two separate Great Spotted Woodpecker heard drumming this morning.
Female GoldeneyeFriday 19 January 2024
January 19tth 2024
Overnight temperatures again down to minus 7 has completely frozen over the 2.5 mile lake . Just three very small pockets of unfrozen water. Holding quite a few wildfowl.
Wigeon x 78
Teal x 38
Goosander x 7
Mallard x 97
Coot x 17
Canada Geese x 217
Snipe x 8
Little Egret x 1
38 species recorded in two hours.
Siskins's showing well at the feeders.Wigeon and Teal.
Thursday 18 January 2024
January 18th 2024
Single Little Egret .
Late News
Yesterday Jan 17th
Brambling x 6 at house feeder in village.
Monday 15 January 2024
January 15th 2024
Red-breasted Merganser female still frequenting the area opposite the scout hut. Also female Goldeneye, 2 x Goosander and 3 x Snipe.
Late News
Tawny Owl x 1 on 14th.
Sunday 14 January 2024
January 14th 2024
Just a quick visit this morning , I try not to visit at weekends as there are too many people around for my liking . Red-breasted Merganser was at north end by caravan park, also female Goldeneye .
For anyone visiting the bird it is at the north end commuting between the reedbed by the caravans and the scout hut which is about 800 yds down the old Railway line. Its usually on the far side which is the west bank. Occasionally it can be seen feeding just in front of the scout hut. Merganser's are rare inland especially at Rudyard as you can see from the records below.
Red-breasted Merganser past Records.
09/01/24 ......1 x female
04/05/22 ......1 x pair
04/04/95 ......1 x pair
14/11/87 ......1 x female
13/11/83 ......1 x female
Saturday 13 January 2024
January 13th 2024
Red-breasted Merganser still at the north end also 17 x Wigeon , 2 x Goosander , fem Goldeneye, Common Gull and another rare visitor to Rudyard a Great Black Backed Gull.
Red Breasted Merganser.Thursday 11 January 2024
January 11th 2024
Red-breasted Merganser still at the north end along with 4 Whooper Swans.
Wednesday 10 January 2024
January 10th 2024
Female Red-breasted Merganser still present opposite scout hut , also female Goldeneye eighteen Wigeon , 26 Siskin and a Great Black Backed Gull.
R B Merganser photo by Steve Gibson.Tuesday 9 January 2024
Mega 9th Jan 2024
A female Red-breasted Merganser at the north end today. Also 17 x Wigeon , 10 Goosander and a couple of Lesser Redpoll.