April 26th 2025

Hobby and Lesser Whitethroat found this morning by Phil Locker both new for the year . Also another 2 x  Pied Flycatcher's and male Redstart fresh in . Best of the rest Garden Warbler , Willow Warbler and Blackcap. 

April 25th 2025

Two drakes and one female Mandarin in the stream by the feeders yesterday and this morning.  Pieds and Redstart's settling down now , two more Garden Warblers fresh in and singing .  All the usual stuff around , noted 12 x  Great Crested Grebes all at the north end  possibly all none breeding birds . Three Buzzards over along with single Raven and a female Common Whitethroat seen , unusual at this end as they are usually seen at the south end.

Mandarin drake .

Several Orange-tips around the cottages.

April 23rd 2015

Excellent news our first female Pied Flycatcher has returned. 

April 22nd 2025

We have a third male Pied Flycatcher back today.

Speckled Wood. 

April 20th 2025

A very early visit this morning as I don't like the weekend crowds and especially this weekend. Only did the north end to see if we have got any female Pieds back yet but alas no. The Redstart's put on a fine display showing very close at times going about there courtship in the early morning sun. Two Garden Warblers were new in singing well . This male Pied Fly needs a female soon or else we could loose him too. 

Female Redstart. 

April 19th 2025

We are down to only two male Pied Flycatcher's now as one male has moved on . We need the females to return quickly or we could loose the others. A pair of Redstart's were showing very well early morning also there seems to be more Willow Warblers around today. Also noted a drake Mandarin,  two Oystercatcher's and good numbers of Blackcap and Chiffchaff and several Swallow over the water.

Late News

Garden Warbler singing by the caravans north end late afternoon our first record for the year.

April 18th 2015

A walk around both ends this morning with good friend Phil Jones .

Osprey through at 9-00 heading north.

Redstart x 7 singing males

Pied Flycatcher x 3 singing males

Whitethroat x 3

Willow Warbler x 4

Snipe x 3

Teal x 2

Mandarin x 1

Blackcap x 6

Common Sandpiper x 2

LR Plover x 2

Kingfisher x 1

Both Osprey and Whitethroat are new birds for the year. Also seven singing male Redstart's is a site record the previous being six in 2012.

WMBC Open Day.

 

WMBC Annual Bird Report 2023

The WMBC Bird Report2023 is now available .

If your not already a member WHY not .

The Report covers our region Staffordshire,  also Warwickshire,  Worcestershire and the West Midlands. 

Website for further details. 

http://www.westmidlandbirdclub.org.uk 

Summer Migrants

We are still waiting for six of our summer migrants to appear , so if anybody sees these on there visit please drop me a text or email .

Common Whitethroat 

Garden Warbler 

Common Tern

Spotted Flycatcher 

Hobby

Swift

We are currently on 92 species this year.

April 15th 2025

A White Wagtail was a nice surprise this morning along with 3 x male Pied Flycatcher's,  3 x male Redstart,  2 x Common Sandpiper,  2 x L R Plover , 7 x Teal , 6 x Swallow and a single Snipe.

Phone settings

 If youu are looking at this blog for the first time on  phone scroll to the bottom of the page and open up in web version this allows you to view as if on a computer. On the right hand side you will see a new email address  where to send information too, email also below. All sightings are recorded onto a database , we have records going back to the 1970s . All sightings are useful as it adds a picture to what's happening to our wildlife. Birds that you might think are common elsewhere may not be the case here at Rudyard.  Also high counts of species are also interesting aswell. Not only Birds but we are also interested in Butterflies and Dragonfly records to add to the database. Thank you for your cooperation regards Steve.

scseal29@yahoo.co.uk 

April 14th 2015

Pied Flycatcher  x 3

Redstart  x 1

Willow Warbler  x 3

Blackcap  x 4

Common Sandpiper x 1

Oystercatcher  x 4

Swallow  x 5

Sand Martin  x 3

Teal x 4

Butterflies 🦋

Brimstone 

Orange-tip 

Peacock

Speckled Wood 

Small Tortoiseshell 

Comma

Green Veined White 

April 12th 2025

Now three Pied Flycatcher's on site along with three Redstart. Common Sandpiper on the spit and a couple of Sand Martin and Swallows over the water.  Four Blackcap , Willow Warbler and good numbers of Chiffchaff. 

Butterflies 🦋

Speckled Wood (new this year)

Brimstone 

Peacock 

Orange-tip 

Comma

Small Tortoiseshell 

Green Veined White 

April 8th 2025

Three Redstart's back this morning along with another male Pied Flycatcher (2 x now). Also the first Willow Warbler of the year. Also noted ..........

Blackcap x 2

Chiffchaff ( everywhere)

Oystercatcher  x 6

Common Sandpiper  x 1

L R Plover x 1

Kingfisher  x 1

Swallow x 5

Sand Martin  x 2

House Martin  x 1

Teal x 4

Butterflies this morning 🦋

Orange-tip x 6 (first of the year)

Green Veined White  x 2

Peacock x 1

Small Tortoiseshell  x 3

Comma x 1

Comma .

April 7th 2025

We have our first male Pied Flycatcher back on site one day earlier than last year.

April 5th 2025

First Swallow noted today over the lake.

April 4th 2025

First Blackcap of the year singing at the north end .