Notebook from Rudyard

12 x Little Ringed Plover  9 x Oystercatcher  2 x Common Sandpiper  4 x Common Tern 

Water levels very low vast amount of mud at the north end looking good for wader passage later this month. Oystercatcher  x 7 Redshank x 2 f...

Seven Black-tailed Godwit at north end early morning. 

Single Common Tern this morning. 

Oystercatcher  x 7 L R Plover x 3 Common Sandpiper  x 1 Redstart  x 2 Spotted Flycatcher x 1

No sign of the Little Stint today but two summer plumage Sanderling early morning found by Tom . That's only the second ever Sanderling ...

The summer plumage Little Stint is still present at the north end along with , 8 x Ringed Plover,  2 x L R Plover , Dunlin , Common Sandpipe...

Little Stint on the mud north end . First spring record , the last record on site was August 1995. Only photo I could get way out of my came...

A first summer Kittiwake was at the north end this morning,  the bird looked oiled and unwell but was surface feeding when I left. It's ...

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The area at the north end is looking good for passage waders .  Today 6 x Ringed Plover  2 x L R Plover  4 x Oystercatcher  1 x Common Sandp...

Thirteen Ringed Plovers on the mud at the north end along with a single Dunlin and four Oystercatcher. The previous highest count was 11 in ...

Seven Spotted Flycatcher's noted at various locations around the lake this morning. 

Peregrine over this afternoon. 

First Cuckoo of the year today .

The second Osprey of the year over this morning straight through heading north . All the usual stuff as expected along with two Spotted Flyc...

First Swift of the season back seen at the north end also single Spotted Flycatcher singing by the cottages. All the usual still present Pie...

Three Spotted Flycatcher's now back at Rudyard , we are still waiting for our first sightings of Common Tern and Swift then we have all ...

Hobby and Lesser Whitethroat found this morning by Phil Locker both new for the year . Also another 2 x  Pied Flycatcher's and male Reds...

Two drakes and one female Mandarin in the stream by the feeders yesterday and this morning.  Pieds and Redstart's settling down now , tw...

Excellent news our first female Pied Flycatcher has returned. 

We have a third male Pied Flycatcher back today. Speckled Wood. 

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...

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 th...

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 Fly...

 

The WMBC Bird Report2023 is now available . If your not already a member WHY not . The Report covers our region Staffordshire,  also Warwick...

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 . Com...

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 ...

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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 T...

Now three Pied Flycatcher's on site along with three Redstart. Common Sandpiper on the spit and a couple of Sand Martin and Swallows ove...

Three Redstart's back this morning along with another male Pied Flycatcher (2 x now). Also the first Willow Warbler of the year. Also no...

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

First Swallow noted today over the lake.

First Blackcap of the year singing at the north end .

Nine Oystercatcher's were photographed today which is a site record . We usually get between 5 and eight during March each year , before...

Our first Little Ringed Plover of the year is back on site . Also Oystercatcher's are down to six birds from eight , and we now have a p...

First House Martins of the year with two at the north end. Five Oystercatcher's on the spit and five Mandarin also north end. Afternoon ...

Early morning . 15 x Chiffchaff  32 x Wigeon 5 x Oystercatcher's  5 x Little Egret  7 x Buzzard  1 x Water Rail calling  Small flocks of...

5 x Oystercatcher's  8 x Curlew 2 x Little Egret  9 x Chiffchaff  Tawny Owl  Green Woodpecker 

Oystercatcher  x 4 Wigeon x 32 Curlew x 8 Green Woodpecker x 1 Mandarin x 1 (drake) Common Gull x 8 Little Egret x 2

South end Chiffchaff  x 5 Wigeon x 32 Green Woodpecker  x 1 Also 7 x Curlew on the ground which is a good number for us , as we usually only...

A short walk this morning south end produced 5 singing Chiffchaff,  36 Wigeon a single Little Egret and Raven. 

Little Egret  x 1 Grey Wagtail  x 1 Goosander x 5 (1 x drake)

Two Tawny Owls calling this morning , and around 50 plus Redwing in the field off the north car park . The first Buff-tailed Bumblebee for t...

Tawny Owl x 2 calling Redwing / Fieldfare mixed flock 50 plus Wigeon x 30 Shoveler  x 1 drake Little Egret  x 1 Goldcrest x 4 Chiffchaff x 3...

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No sign of the Red-breasted Merganser since Friday now so obviously it was disturbed by the weekends boating activities. The Pink footed Goo...

No reports of the Merganser since Friday . Pink footed Goose still at the north end with the Canada flock,  also Green Woodpecker at the nor...

Tawny Owl , 5 x fem Goosander,  20 x Pink-footed Geese over early morning and single Raven.

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It's gone past valentines day but love was most certainly in the air today , three pairs courtship displaying . Twenty two birds counted...

The Merganser was showing really well this morning  just up from the dam amongst the moored boats. It was nice to see some old friends and m...

B  H Gull x 50 Canada Geese  x 107 Cormorant  x 13 Curlew x 2 ( New for 2025) G B B Gull x 2 Lapwing  x 5 L B B Gull x 20 Oystercatcher  x 2...

We have a good healthy Nuthatch population here at Rudyard,  you can't go very far without hearing their distinctive call . But can you ...

The first winter drake Red-breasted Merganser was showing well today just by the last moored boat up from the Dam,  only about 200yds walk w...

I was determined this morning to find and photograph the Red-breasted Merganser that's been eluding me for the past few days , soon foun...

Red Kite again today over the lake this afternoon also 5 x Raven and 5 x female Goosander',s. Late News Apparently the first winter drak...

I couldn't find the Red-breasted Merganser in a two hour search this morning,  it doesn't mean it's not there just possibly over...

No reports either way today on the Red-breasted Merganser possibly due to the bad weather. Below is another excellent photo by Steve Gibson ...

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The first winter drake Red-breasted Merganser still present today but no sign of yesterday evenings reported female Long-tailed Duck  . Also...

The first winter drake Red-breasted Merganser is still present halfway along the lake opposite the Lady of the Lake boathouse. Late afternoo...

Five Little Egrets all south of railway station also around 40 x Redwing in trees adjacent to station car park . Late Afternoon  A first win...

Red Kite drifted high south west over the south end of the lake just after mid day today. It was observed  flying over Tittesworth earlier i...

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A single Great White Egret this morning and 3 x Little Egret Heron Marsh , also noted 2 x Goosander  , 4 x Bullfinch,  4 x Teal and a single...

   CONFIRMED AVIAN INFLUENZA IN CHESHIRE Late this evening official notification of Avian Flue from Middlewich area of Cheshire. Here at Rud...

Fourty Pink-footed Geese flew over heading n/w at around 10-00 this morning. The Willow Tit was heard again calling at the south end but not...

Early morning walk  produced 7 x Common Gull with around 100 x Black headed Gulls off the spit and in the adjacent field. Siskin x 11 on the...

Just a quick visit this morning to the north end all the usual on the feeders Siskin , Redpoll , Goldfinch,  Nuthatch,  Coal Tits etc . Sing...

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Fantastic news a Willow Tit has been seen and photographed along the old disused railway line just south of the Miniature Railway station ne...

Twenty three Wigeon just south of miniature railway station in flooded field along with 3 x Little Egret. Four Goosander on Heron Marsh fish...

A Merlin was hunting the field behind the Scout Hut this afternoon , first Merlin record since 2018. On the lake we're 6 x Goosander  , ...

Eight Little Egrets and six Goosander best of today's offerings.

Twenty one Cormorant,  10 x G C Grebe and 6 x Goosander. Around 170 x Canada Geese and 145 x B H Gulls. Single Grey Wagtail and Raven.

South end early morning . Five Goosander (3 x fem , 2 x drakes) , 3 x G C Grebe and 4 x Cormorant.  Also Jay and a pair of Bullfinch.  

Two drake Pochard at the north end this morning these are scare birds at Rudyard with only a couple of records each year usually of just sin...

Around 300 Canada Geese were on the water north end this morning along with 150 plus B H Gulls. Also noted were 5 x Lesser Redpoll,  20 x Si...

The lake is still frozen today , a second hand report of a G B B Gull on the ice.

Even with good overnight temperatures of 4 degrees and daytime at around 10 degrees the lake is still frozen over . On the ice were around 2...

A report of a Hawfinch flying over the north end bridge towards the lake mid-afternoon . This would be only the second record for the sight ...

Even though temperatures are now above freezing for the second day the lake is still frozen over. On the ice at the north end were 267 x Lap...

Lake is still completely frozen over from one end to the other.  Its good to see Lesser Redpoll are back at the north end feeders , they hav...

Siskin x 12 and 5 x Redpoll on north feeders . The lake is completely frozen over. Bad conditions under foot around North end car park and f...

I always spend new year away so this is the first time I have been able to get to Rudyard . Heavy snow again making the roads difficult to g...

The Barn Owl has been seen a few times over the past week hunting on Heron Marsh and Harpers Marsh early evening. Today on the lake five Goo...

Barn Owl hunting Harpers Marsh this evening in fading light.

Very quiet this morning no sign of yesterday's Redshank at the north end. Five Raven flew over calling , a eclipse Mandarin on flooded f...

Redshank at the north end on the mud .

Thirteen Goosander on fishing pool south end and 3 x Little Egret in Cattle field by main road. Late report of two Pochard  on Friday 29th N...

Dipper again this year on the feeder bottom of the Dam wall. 

Sixty Lapwing on the ice at the north end also 30 x Cormorant on the spit . No sign of yesterday's Dunlin.

Ten Goosander have arrived during the cold snap along with 12 x Wigeon a single Little Egret and a report of a Dunlin at the north end.

Cold wintery conditions with heavy overnight snow temperatures around 1degrees. Seven Snipe noted north end along with 29 x Teal , 43 x Lapw...

Female Goosander,  28 x Teal a single Little Egret and good numbers of Redwing passing over.

Fourty six Pink-footed Geese over at 9-45 heading east.

Nothing new to report the Teal are stable with 38 counted again today. One thing of note was a really good count of 71 L B B Gulls just off ...