West Midland Bird Club
Tittesworth Reservoir Latest News
Unless otherwise stated, reports on this page are anecdotal, and have not been verified by the relevant country recorder or rarities committee.
For the scientfic names of these birds, and their local status, see our county lists.
The latest update covers October 2011.
This page is available as an RSS feed ; and has a microsummary.
November2011
- 28: Sixty five Teal, 2 Nuthatches, 3 Reed Buntings, 4 Snipe, 6 Greenfinches, a Willow Tit and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
- 26: The number of Teal had swollen to 82. There were 11 Cormorants present. Also of note: 5 Goosanders, 74 Lapwings, 2 Pied Wagtails, 200+ Rooks, 8 Goldfinches, ~150 Chaffinches, 8 Bullfinches, 3 Goldcrests, 3 Nuthatches, 4 Coal Tits, 2 Willow Tits, 45 Fieldfares, 6 Redwings, 2 Song Thrushes, a Mistle Thrush and a Barn Owl.
- 23: A Pink-footed Goose was found on the water.
- 21: Of note were 18 Lesser Redpolls, a Barn Owl and a Starling flock numbering in excess of 400.
- 19: There was a slight reduction in the numbers of ducks, thus - 27 Wigeon, 2 Tufted Ducks, 2 Goosanders and 74 Teal. Also of note: 228 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Common Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Grey Herons, a Willow Tit, a Bullfinch and 16 Long-tailed Tits.
- 18: There were 140 Lapwings present.
- 15: The best observation of the day was of 2 WHOOPER SWANS flying over the main reservoir at about 1245 hrs. Also noted: two Shelducks, 84 Teal, 61 Wigeon, 7 Pochards, a female Goldeneye, a Peregrine, a Treecreeper, 11 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Collared Doves, a Barn Owl, 3 Coal Tits, a female Reed Bunting plus Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
- 13: Three Pochards, 31 Wigeon, a female Goldeneye, 98 Teal, 2 Grey Herons, 3 Pheasants, a Coot, 4 Herring Gulls, 80+ Jackdaws, 130+ Rooks and several large flocks of Woodpigeons flying SW.
- 12: Fifty seven Teal, 2 Pochards, 9 Goosanders, 190 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Common Gulls, 2 Coal Tits, one Snipe and a Sparrowhawk.
- 10: Six Great Crested Grebes, 10 Tufted Ducks, a female Pochard, 42 Wigeon, 65 Teal, 74 Lapwings, 2 female Kestrels, a Nuthatch, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Mistle Thrushes, a Barn Owl and 6 Lesser Redpolls.
- 8: Forty Wigeon, 74 Teal, 2 Pochards, a pair of Gadwall, a Dunlin, 2 Goosanders, 43 Lapwings, 4 Snipe, 3 Song Thrushes, a Willow Tit, a Mistle Thrush, a Kestrel, a Common Buzzard and a Meadow Pipit.
- 7: Of note were A pair of Gadwall and a Jay.
- 5: Pink-footed Geese flew over the site in waves early in the morning in the following approx. numbers: 360, 170, 210 and 300. Also seen: 85 Teal, 34 Wigeon, a male Pochard, a female Pintail, 75+ Lapwings, 2 Ravens, 12 Long-tailed Tits, 6 Goldcrests, 2 Nuthatches and 12+ Siskins.
October 2011
- 30: A female Common Pochard, a female Pintail, 4 Great Crested Grebes, a Snipe, 4 Collared Doves, a Tawny Owl, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, a Kingfisher, 75+ Fieldfares, a Song Thrush and 2 Tree Sparrows — very rare at Tittesworth.
- 29: A female Pintail, 25 Wigeon, 91 Teal, 5 Cormorants, a Snipe, 2 Goldcrests, a Treecreeper, 56 Fieldfares, 8 Redwings, a Mistle Thrush, 3 Common Buzzards, a female Sparrowhawk, a pair of Kestrels, 10 Long-tailed Tits and a Dipper.
- 23: 83 Teal, 3 Mistle Thrushes, 4 Skylarks, 6 Meadow Pipits, 2 Treecreepers, 65 Redwings, 23 Fieldfares, 2 Grey Wagtails, 20 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Goldcrests, 20 Siskins, 5 Lesser Redpolls, 2 Reed Buntings, a Jay, 12 Siskins and a Barn Owl.
- 21: Three Long-tailed Tits and 3 Common Buzzards.
- 18: Five Great Crested Grebes, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Mandarins, 56 Wigeon, 65 Teal, 73 Lapwings, 2 Sparrowhawks, a Common Buzzard, a Kestrel, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Stock Dove, 8 Pheasants, a Nuthatch, 8 Fieldfares, a Tawny Owl, 3 Goldcrests, a Willow Tit and a Siskin.
- 16: 43 Teal, 6 Wigeon, 85 Lapwing, a Song Thrush, a Coal Tit and a Nuthatch.
- 15: A Grey Heron, 50 Lapwings and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
- 12: A Kestrel, 2 Wrens and several Pheasants.
- 6: Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Common Buzzards, a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail, a Song Thrush and a Red Admiral butterfly.
- 4: A Coal Tit, a Common Buzzard, a Kestrel and several Siskins.
September 2011
- 30: A Green Sandpiper, 8 Wigeon, 45 Teal, a Common Sandpiper, 4 Grey Herons, 2 Dippers, 4 Nuthatches, 3 Jays, 12 Lesser Redpolls, 5 Chiffchaffs, a Reed Bunting, a Grey Wagtail and a Willow Tit plus Peacock, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood butterflies.
- 28: A Kingfisher was noted.
- 27: 40 Lapwings, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 7 Meadow Pipits and a Pheasant.
- 25: 20 Teal, 2 Mandarins, 52 Black-headed Gulls, 18 Pied Wagtails, a Mistle Thrush, a Song Thrush, 8 Siskin, 7 Meadow Pipits, 3 Common Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, 35 Lapwings, a Chiffchaff, a Nuthatch and a Pheasant.
- 23: 20+ Long-tailed Tits, 50+ Swallows, 60+ House Martins, a Nuthatch, 6 Great Tits, 2 Goldcrests, 10 Siskins, a Treecreeper, Red Admiral & Small Tortoiseshell butterflies.
- 21: Of note were 2 Mute Swans and 37 Teal.
- 20: Four female Goosanders, 50 Swallows, 6 Chiffchaffs, 14 Linnets, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 60 Goldfinches, a female Kestrel, 2 Common Buzzards and a Song Thrush.
- 19: Two Rooks — quite unusual on this site, a Reed Bunting, 6 Swallows, a large flock of finches (~ 300) — mainly Goldfinches, and a Chiffchaff.
- 18: The first Wigeon of the season, which was a male bird, 36 Teal, a Mute Swan, a Dunlin, 30 Lapwings, 15 Swallows, 20 House Martins, 20 Siskins, a Skylark, a Mistle Thrush, a female Sparrowhawk, and an immature Kestrel.
- 17: A Common Sandpiper, a Dunlin, 10 Teal, a pair of Tufted Ducks, Swallows still around, 4 Jays, 2 Tawny Owls, 74 Pied Wagtails, 45 Black-headed Gulls, a Goldcrest and a Barn Owl.
- 11: One Common Tern remained. Two Blackcaps, a Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Tits, 8 Long-tailed Tits and 10 Siskins were also noted.
- 10: There were some surprise visitors to the site — namely 7 Common Terns including 4 juveniles and a female Ruddy Shelduck. Also worth a mention — 6 Mandarins, 6 Teal, 10 Cormorants, 4 Grey Herons, 2 Snipe, 80+ Swallows, 10 Siskins, 2 Goldcrests, 5 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Coal Tits, 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Common Buzzards, a Willow Tit, a few House Martins and a Little Owl.
- 9: 3 Snipe, 9 Great Crested Grebes, a Stock Dove, 30+ Pied Wagtails, Swallows, House Martins, Long-tailed Tits, a Willow Warbler and butterfly species including Small Copper and Red Admiral.
- 7: A Kingfisher, 20+ Pied Wagtails, 9 Siskins, a Willow Tit, a Coal Tit, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Long-tailed Tits, 5 Mandarins and unusually 4 Red Grouse were reported.
- 4: A similar range of birds to the 1st (including the Willow Warbler)but with notable addition of a Whinchat and a Wheatear, 40+ Goldfinches, an immature female Peregrine, a Raven and 7 Siskins.
- 3: Four Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin, 2 Snipe and 2 Chiffchaffs.
- 1: Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Snipe, 4 Little Ringed Plovers, 8 Teal, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mandarins, 2 Grey Herons, 94 Black-headed Gulls, a Pheasant, 5 Common Buzzards, a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk, Swallows & House Martins, a Song Thrush, a Willow Warbler, 5 Goosanders and 2 Collared Doves.
August 2011
- 31: The best observation of the day was of 2 Little Stints. Also present were 2 Dunlin, a juvenile Ringed Plover, 161 Mallards, 13 Teal and 37 Pied Wagtails.
- 29: A Yellow Wagtail was the find of the day. Also noted were 3 juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Dunlin, 4 Sedge Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, 18
Goosanders, 38 Goldfinches, a female Sparrowhawk, 2 Jays, a pair of Kestrels and 2 Ravens.
- 27: The highlight was an immature Little Gull. A juvenile Dunlin was also noted.
- 25: Two Coal Tits, 2 Willow Tits, over 20 Goldfinches, 2 Grey Wagtails and over 100 Swallows. Butterfly species noted were Small Copper, Small White and Peacock.
- 24: Counts included 12 Teal, 8 Great Crested Grebes, 13 Pied Wagtails and 112Black-headed Gulls.
- 23: Teal numbers had risen to 16. Also noted were 17 Goosanders, 6 Common Buzzards, a pair of Kestrels, 2 Jays, 4 Goldcrests, a Coal Tit, a Willow Tit, a Nuthatch and the presence of Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.
- 21: The Kingfisher was found again and a Raven was noted. A Ringed Plover was
also picked up + 217 Black-headed Gulls and 186 Canada Geese were counted. In addition the following were noted: 4 Teal, 2 Common Buzzards, 7 Great Crested Grebes and 3 Sand Martins.
- 17: Little Grebe — a most uncommon species at this site, 21 Goosanders, a female Teal, a Kingfisher, a Kestrel and 45 Swallows.
- 16: Two Reed Buntings, 8 Long-tailed Tits, a Nuthatch and a Stock Dove. Additional butterfly species noted were Small Copper and Small Skipper.
- Red Admiral, Peacock, Small White and Small Tortoiseshell.
- 13: Eleven Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers, one Curlew, a female Mandarin with 3 Juveniles, 2 male Tufted Ducks, a male Siskin + 3 juveniles, 5
Lesser Redpolls, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Treecreepers, 2 Nuthatches, an adult Spotted Flycatcher with 4 juveniles, 10 House Martins and 19 Goosanders.
- 11: Two Black-tailed Godwits were the best find of the day. In addition there were 3 adult and 2 juvenile Oystercatchers.
- 8: Lapwing numbers had crept up to 58. There were 13 Little Ringed Plovers, a Snipe, 4 Oystercatchers, 8 Goosanders, 9 Great Crested Grebes, 35 Swallows, a juvenile Peregrine, a Tawny Owl and a Barn Owl.
- 7: 53 Lapwings and 3 Mandarins were of note.
- 5: A Common Tern, 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Curlew, a Green Woodpecker, a Willow Tit, 5 Grey Herons, a juvenile Common Redstart, 8 Willow Warblers, 2 Jays, 16 Pied Wagtails and 2 Snipe.
- 3: An unusual sighting was a Sacred Ibis — presumably an escape, possibly from the Blackbrook Wildlife Park near Leek. There was also a Green Sandpiper and a Dunlin. Six Brown Hares were also noted near Hen Cloud. Further observations included 11 Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Common Sandpipers, 3 Spotted Flycatchers and a Collared Dove.
- 2: Of note were a Little Egret and 50 Lapwings.
- 1: Ten Little Ringed Plovers, one Common Sandpiper, 2 Curlew, 4 adult & 2
juvenile Oystercatchers, 24 Lapwings, 3 Grey Herons, a female Goosander and 2 juveniles, 6 juvenile Mandarins, 2 Sedge Warblers, 5 Whitethroats, 6 Blackcaps, 4 Garden Warblers, a juvenile Common Redstart, a juvenile Green Woodpecker, 2 Willow Tits — a Red-listed species, 32 Swallows, 6 Great Crested Grebes, a Nuthatch, 4 Buzzards, a female Sparrowhawk, a Tawny Owl and 2 Spotted Flycatchers.
July 2011
- 31: A Green Sandpiper, 11 Little Ringed Plovers, 5 Curlews, 21 Lapwings, 4 Oystercatchers, 80+ Swallows, a juvenile Peregrine, a Kingfisher, a Chiffchaff and 4 Linnets.
- 30: Four Oystercatchers, a juvenile Green Woodpecker, a Tawny Owl, 5 Whitethroats, 4 Sedge Warblers, 6 Willow Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, 2 juvenile Mandarins, 2 Jays, a Mistle Thrush, 2 Common Buzzards and 2 Spotted Flycatchers.
- 28: Ten Swallows, 9 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Teal, a female Goosander with 2 juveniles, a female Mandarin, 2 adult Oystercatchers + 2 juveniles, 2 Common Buzzards, 5 Willow Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps and 2 Swifts.
- 27: Twenty one Lapwings, one immature Common Gull, a House Martin, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Willow Tit, a Kestrel and a Song Thrush.
- 25: A hen Pheasant with 4 young.
- 23: Two Barn Owls, one Tawny Owl and a juvenile Common Redstart.
- 21: A Peregrine; a Lapwing with 2 very small chicks just one or two days old.
- 17: The 3 juvenile Green Woodpeckers again, 6 adult Common Sandpipers and a juvenile, and 15 Little Ringed Plovers..
- 16: Three juvenile Green Woodpeckers, 6 adult Spotted Flycatchers with 8 juveniles and a Hobby.
- 12: Little Egret, 7 Little Ringed Plovers with 10 juveniles, 3 Curlews, 165 Canada Geese, a Stock Dove, 63 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Swift and a Pheasant.
- 11: Little Egret, 2 Oystercatchers with one juvenile, 4 Grey Herons and 6 adult Lapwings plus 7 juveniles.
- 10: Little Egret, a Dunlin, 2 Common Terns and 2 Sedge Warblers.
- 9: Little Egret, a Curlew, a female Mandarin, 3 Grey Wagtails and a Song Thrush.
- 8: Little Egret, a Peregrine over the Roaches, 3 Oystercatchers but only one juvenile noted, 5 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 adult Common Sandpipers + a juvenile and a female Sparrowhawk.
- 6: An immature Little Egret arrived.
- 5: Two adult Oystercatchers with 3 juveniles. Seven Lapwings plus 4 juveniles. Three Common Sandpipers, 3 Grey Herons, 4 Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, a Whitethroat, a Jay and 2 Reed Buntings. Butterflies: Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown and Speckled Wood.
June 2011
- 27: Three young Oystercatchers still present, 3 Common Sandpipers, Lesser Black-backed Gulls including one ringed bird — details to follow.
- 26: Ten Little Ringed Plovers including 4 Juveniles, Oystercatchers plus 3 juveniles, 5 juvenile Lapwings noted, 5 Teal, 2 Gadwall, a pair of Mandarins with 2 juveniles, a Hobby and 3 Bullfinches.
- 24: Two Grey Herons, 2 Common Sandpipers with a fledging, 3 juvenile Whitethroats, a juvenile Willow Warbler, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Juvenile Grey Wagtails, 6 Spotted Flycatchers & 19 Lapwings with 3 chicks.
- 22: Five adult Little Ringed Plovers plus 8 juveniles, 16 Lapwings with 4 juveniles, a Mistle Thrush and 2 Brown Hares.
- 20: An Oystercatcher sitting on eggs, a Stock Dove and 2 Bullfinches.
- 19: Lapwings + 4 juveniles, 2 Oystercatchers, a Sand Martin, 2 adult Grey Wagtails with 2 juveniles, 3 Spotted Flycatchers + juveniles, a Bullfinch, a Common Buzzard and a Kestrel.
- 18: Two adult Little Ringed Plovers with 4 young, There was no sign of the Pied Flycatchers, but 6 young had fledged from a nesting box. Five Sedge Warblers, Spotted Flycatchers feeding young, 2 Nuthatches feeding 4 juveniles, 6 Great Crested Grebes plus one juvenile, a Greylag Goose, a male Mandarin plus 2 females, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 juveniles plus 109 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
- 14: The following butterfly species were noted: Painted Lady, Peacock and Small Copper.
- 13: Two adult Peregrines with one juvenile observed on Hen Cloud just north of the site. One Dunlin, 152 Canada Geese, 56 Lesser Black-backed Gulls & a Grey Heron.
- 10: Ten Lapwings — 2 females with 4 young each, a female Goosander with only 2 young remaining, 2 Curlews, a Cuckoo, 12 Swifts, a Green Woodpecker — very uncommon on site these days, 2 male Common Redstarts, 3 adult Whitethroats with 3 juveniles & 6 Spotted Flycatchers.
- 6: Little Ringed Plovers with at least one young on the Large Island. A Great Crested Grebe with one young. Six Spotted Flycatchers.
- 5: Two Oystercatchers, a pair of Pied Flycatchers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Song Thrushes, a Kestrel, a Green Woodpecker, a Crossbill and a Barn Owl.
- 4: Forty six Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Greenshank, a Redshank, 4 Common Sandpipers, 10 Little Ringed Plovers, 16 Lapwings and a Curlew.
- 3: The water had disappeared from the Conservation Pool except for a narrow stream traversing the bottom of the pool. Nine Canada Goose chicks were noted. A Barn Owl was seen at about 8.45 am.
- 1: Two Common Sandpipers, 2 Oystercatchers, a Curlew, 6 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Ringed Plovers, a female Goosander with 3 juveniles, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 3 Nuthatches and 3 Common Redstarts.
May 2011
- 31: Eighty one Canada Goose plus 9 goslings, a Goosander with 3 ducklings, 3 Goldcrests, 4 Mistle Thrushes and an adult Dipper with a juvenile.
- 29: The highlight was the first Wheatear of the year. Also of note were 2 Ruddy Shelducks.
- 28: Of note were 7 Lapwings, and a Cuckoo above the Roaches.
- 26: A juvenile Dipper, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Common Sandpipers and 2 Shelducks.
- 25: A summer plumaged Sanderling, 5 Oystercatchers, a male Mandarin, a Green Woodpecker, a Jay, a Treecreeper, 2 Common Buzzards and a Cuckoo.
- 22: A Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Curlew, a Nuthatch, 2 Grey Wagtails and other sightings very similar to the 21st.
- 21: Nine Dunlin, 9 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Ringed Plovers, 5 Common Sandpipers, 8 Lapwings, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Grey Herons, a pair of Gadwall, 2 Pied and 5 Spotted Flycatchers, a Common Tern, 4 Coots (relatively uncommon at Tittesworth), 4 male Redstarts and a female Kestrel.
- 20: A pair of Goosanders with 8 young, 2 Dippers, 6 Dunlin, 9 Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Common Sandpipers, 3 male Redstarts, 34 warblers (Sedge Warber, Willow Warber, Garden Warber, Whitethroat, & Chiffchaff), and a Green Woodpecker — something of a rarity on site these days.
- 19: The best find was a Tree Pipit. Also of note were 3 Grey Herons, 3 Shelducks, 8 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plovers, 4 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Curlews, a Sanderling, a Cuckoo and a Tawny Owl.
- 18: Canada Geese with 2 fluffy goslings, 2 Shelducks, one tiny Mallard duckling noted, a Snipe and 6 Ringed Plovers.
- 15: Two Grey Herons, 10 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Cormorants, 4 Oystercatchers, 5 Little Ringed Plovers, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Cuckoo and 2 Cuckoos over the Roaches.
- 12: 200+ Swallows and 80+ House Martins.
- 11: Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins; a Pheasant and both Spotted Flycatcher and Pied Flycatcher.
- 10: Twelve Tufted Ducks, 3 Dunlin, 3 Oystercatchers, a Greenshank, a Ringed Plover, 6 Common Sandpipers, a Common Tern, 6 Pied Wagtails, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 male Pied Flycatchers, 2 Jays and 3 Reed Buntings.
- 9: A Barn Owl and 9 Whimbrel.
- 8: The Greenshank was still present, 4 Common Sandpipers, 6 Greylag Geese, 3 Swifts, a Spotted Flycatcher, a pair of Pied Flycatchers and a Sand Martin.
- 7: A Greenshank, 4 Oystercatchers, 11 Whimbrel and one Bar-tailed Godwit flying together and also seen on the western shoreline, and an Arctic Tern.
- 6: A Spotted Flycatcher in nearby Meerbrook churchyard was the first in the area this year, 2 Teal, a Grey Heron, a Collared Dove and 2 Grey Wagtails.
- 4: Two male Pied Flycatchers, 2 Mistle Thrushes, a Song Thrush and 4 Mute Swans.
- 3: A male Pied Flycatcher, a Cuckoo, 7 male Redstarts, 12 Garden Warblers, 15 Blackcaps, 8 Whitethroats, 8 Sedge Warblers, 2 Curlews, 5 Common Sandpipers and 7 Little Ringed Plovers.
- 1: A Pink-footed Goose, a Greylag Goose, 2 Shelducks, a male Mandarin, a pair of Goosanders, 3 Gadwall, a Curlew, 11 Whimbrel, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits in summer plumage, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Oystercatchers, 5 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Common Buzzards, 2 Grey Wagtails, a Swift, 4 Redstarts, 3 Bullfinches, 5 Lesser Redpolls and a male Pied Flycatcher — the first this year.
April 2011
- 30: Five Bar-Tailed Godwits, a Barn Owl in the "kestrel" box, a Swift — the first for 2011 — plus 15 Whimbrel were seen at about 6pm.
- 28: The Wood Sandpiper was seen again and 2 Greenshank flew by. There were now 4 Common Sandpipers present and 3 late Bramblings were found.
- 27: A Wood Sandpiper was seen — a site rarity.
- 25: Sixteen Lapwings, 8 Little Ringed Plovers, 5 Oystercatchers, 3 Curlews and a Treecreeper.
- 24: A Cuckoo was heard and 5 Yellow Wagtails were found.
- 23: Six Sedge Warblers were observed — the first for 2011, a Dunlin, 2 Shelducks, 4 Oystercatchers, 4 Greylag Geese, a White Wagtail, 10 Lesser Redpolls, a Whimbrel, a Curlew and 5 Whitethroats. A Garden Warbler was also locate — the first this year,
- 21: A good find for the day was a male Red-breasted Merganser.
- 20: Two Whimbrel popped in.
- 19: The highlight of the day was 2 summer plumaged Dunlin.
- 17: Six male Common Redstarts, a House Martint — this year's first sighting, 7 Little Ringed Plovers and 2 Common Sandpipers.
- 15: A Whitetroat — once again a first for 2011, a Tree Sparrow — now a site rarity, a pair of Gadwall, a male Goosander, 37 Willow Warblers and 3 Sand Martins.
- 14: Of note were a Common Sandpiper — the first this year, and a Raven.
- 12: An Osprey!
- 10: Three male Common Redstarts — the first of the year, a Green Sandpiper, a Redshank, 6 Greylag Geese, a Pink-footed Goose, 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Kestrels and 2 Mistle Thrushes.
- 9: Fourteen Tufted Ducks, 2 Oystercatchers, 8 Lapwings, 4 Curlews, a Peregrine, a female Sparrowhawk, 32 Willow Warblers, 18 Chiffchaffs, 5 Nuthatches, 5 Song Thrushes and 4 Reed Buntings.
- 8: Ten Teal, 4 Shelducks, a pair of Mandarins, 2 Curlews, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Stock Doves, a Nuthatch, a Jay and 5 Meadow Pipits. Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies were also noted.
- 6: Two Greylag Geese, 5 Common Buzzards, 6 Little Ringed Plovers, a Curlew, 5 Bullfinches, a Grey Wagtail, 7 Blackcaps, a Willow Tit, a Tawny Owl and 2 Little Owls.
- 3: Six Little Ringed Plover, 2 White Wagtails, 2 Oystercatchers, 21 Sand Martins, a male Brambling, a Pink-footed Goose and the first Blackcap of the year.
March 2011
- 31: The first Willow Warblers (4) of 2011 were observed. Also present were 2 White Wagtails, 5 Bullfinches, 2 Peregrines, 8 Sand Martins, 12 Chiffchaffs, 110 Fieldfares and a Willow Tit.
- 30: Goosander numbers had dropped from a high of 65 on the 6th to just a pair. Also seen were 12 Great Crested Grebes, 35 Sand Martins and the single Greylag Goose & single Pink-footed Goose were still present. There were 14 Swallows — the first this year.
- 27: A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker — exceptionally uncommon at this site. Curlew numbers had dropped from a high of 124 on the 6th to 7.
- 25: 2 Little Ringed Plovers and one Ringed Plover — the first this year. Also 21 Sand Martins, 3 Fieldfares, 14 Chiffchaffs, 10 Pied Wagtails and a Raven.
- 24: 3 Sand Martins — the first of the season, a pair of Sparrowhawks, 2 pairs of Mute Swans, 2 pairs of Oystercatcher and 2 Tawny Owls.
- 23: A Dipper, 8 Chiffchaffs and 8 Long-tailed Tits. Also Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies plus plants in flower — Butterbur, Dandelion, Lesser Celandine, Daisy and Coltsfoot.
- 22: A Tawny Owl in a nest box opposite the west hide. Also a male Common Scoter, a male Green Woodpecker and 3 Mandarins.
- 20: A Shelduck, 3 Gadwall, a Pink-footed Goose, a Greylag Goose, 4 Oystercatchers, 3 Grey Wagtails, 5 Nuthatches, 8 Reed Buntings, a Skylark, a Jay and a Peregrine over the Roaches.
- 19: 2 Gadwall, 7 Pochards, 3 Oystercatchers, 50 Redwings and a Peregrine.
- 18: 2 Peregrines, a Dunlin, 23 Lapwings, 45 Curlew, 15 Wigeon, 23 Coots, 2 Little Owls, 2 Grey Wagtails, 4 Chiffchaffs, 8 Lesser Redpolls, 2 Goldcrests, 2 Little Owls, a Tawny Owl and a Raven.
- 16: A Skylark, a Greylag Goose, 38 Tufted Ducks, 11 Coots, 7 Great Crested Grebes, a Tawny Owl, 3 Treecreepers and 5 Redwings.
- 15: 2 pairs of Shoveler, 18 Pochards, 31 Goosanders and 2 Mute Swans.
- 13: A Redshank, a Snipe, 3 Oystercatchers, 21 Lapwings, a Meadow Pipit, a Stock Dove, a Peregrine over the Roaches, a female Sparrowhawk, 13 Fieldfares, 6 Reed Buntings, 5 Lesser Redpolls, 4 Bullfinches, the season's first Chiffchaff and a Brown Hare.
- 11: 80+ Redwings, a Fieldfare, a Peregrine, 5 Bullfinches and a Grey Wagtail.
- 8: A Pink-footed Goose, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Grey Herons, 51 Goosanders, 17 Pochards, 2 pairs of Mandarins, 2 Oystercatchers, 15 Lapwings, 121 Curlews, 3 Nuthatches, 8 Redwings, 3 Song Thrushes, 5 Mistle Thrushes, a Treecreeper, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 11 Coots and 7 Reed Buntings.
- 6: A Pink-footed Goose, 65 Goosanders, 31 Teal, 46 Tufted Ducks, 16 Pochards, 124 Curlews, a Snipe, 26 Common Gulls, 2 Kestrels, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Coal Tit and a Siskin.
- 3: A pair of Mandarins, 41 Tufted Ducks, 13 Teal, 2 Song Thrushes, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Nuthatches, a Kestrel and 3 Reed Buntings.
- 2: 4 Oystercatchers, 112 Curlews, 18 Lapwings, 11 Pochards, 2 Common Buzzards and a Peregrine.
- 1: 2 Curlew, 11 Lapwings, 2 Oystercatchers, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Pochards, 2 Mute Swans and a Little Owl.
February 2011
- 27: Eleven Pochards, 32 Goosanders, 41 Tufted Ducks, 3 Great Crested Grebes, a Grey Heron, 2 Mute Swans, a pair of Peregrines over The Roaches, 2 Siskins and a ringed male Reed Bunting.
- 26: A pair of Shovelers, 47 Tufted Ducks, 4 Wigeon, an Oystercatcher, 82 Curlews, 2 Tawny Owls, a male Kestrel, 2 Willow Tits, 5 Reed Buntings, 3 Bullfinches and 12 Lesser Redpolls..
- 25: An exceptionally high count of 66 Goosanders!.
- 24: Of note were 34 Curlews and 4 Buzzards.
- 23: Forty three Tufted Ducks, 8 Pochards, 9 Curlews, 3 Coal Tits, a Nuthatch, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 5 Song Thrushes, a Mistle Thrush, 4 Bullfinches, 2 Reed Buntings and 6 Lesser Redpolls.
- 20: Lapwings now up to 34. Also of note were 2 Mute Swans, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Willow Tit, a Song Thrush and a Sparrowhawk.
- 18: The highlight of the day was a Dipper.
- 16: Goosander numbers had risen to 36. Also present were 34 Tufted Ducks, 16 Lapwings, 2 Stock Doves, a Little Owl, 2 Nuthatches, a pair of Mandarins, a Fieldfare and 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
- 14: A Peregrine over The Roaches, 3 Curlews, a Reed Bunting, a Willow Tit and 3 Goldfinches.
- 13: Twenty four Goosanders, 14 Lapwings, 2 Curlews, an Oystercatcher, one Wigeon, 5 Pochard, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Treecreeper, 23 Common Gulls, 28 Redwings, a Song Thrush, a Collared Dove and 4 Coots — not many of this latter species found at Tittesworth.
- 12: The number of Tufted Ducks continued to rise — 41 being counted. Also noted were a wing-tagged Buzzard, 32 Lapwings, a Curlew, 5 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Coal Tits and 3 Stock Doves.
- 11: Thirty three Tufted Ducks, 9 Goosanders, a Willow Tit, a Kestrel, a pair of Bullfinches and one Snipe.
- 10: Four Mute Swans, 30 Tufted Ducks, an Oystercatcher, 8 Lapwings, 20 Redwings and a Brambling.
- 9: Four Mute Swans — a fairly uncommon species for this site, 2 Snipe, 7 Lapwing, 23 Tufted Ducks, 6 Coot, a female Kestrel, 3 Mistle Thrushes, a Song Thrush, 2 Nuthatches, a Little Owl, 3 Lesser Redpolls, a Raven and 67 Rooks — a very high number for the site.
- 8: Two Little Owls, one Willow Tit, a Lesser Redpoll and a Kestrel.
- 6: A Goosander, 16 Teal, 6 Pochard, 21 Tufted Ducks, a Tawny Owl, 2 Mistle Thrushes, a Kestrel, 12 female Pheasants, 3 Coal Tits, 2 Nuthatches, 2 Willow Tits, a Lesser Redpoll and a Lapwing.
- 2: Of note were one male Bullfinch on the west hide feeder, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Coal Tits, 2 Willow Tits, a Nuthatch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
January 2011
- 30: Wigeon numbers had lifted again to 99, three Collared Doves were noted, the number of Teal had dropped a bit to 43 and 2 Nuthatches & 2 Bullfinches were recorded.
- 29: The number of Goosanders had edged up to 23, their were 77 Teal present, 2 Dippers, a Common Buzzard and a male Kestrel, 3 Nuthatches, a Willow Tit, 3 Siskin, 5 Lesser Redpolls and 3 Ravens.
- 28: Of note were eighty-one Wigeon, 14 Long-tailed Tits, a Collared Dove, a Willow Tit and 8 Pink-footed Geese.
- 25: A Snipe and a female Peregrine were observed.
- 24: One hundred and thirty Pink-footed Geese flew in a north-westerly direction over the site.
- 23: Goosander numbers had recoverd to 19 birds. Wigeon were at a relatively low 52, two Common Buzzards and a male Sparrowhawk were present plus a Herring Gull, a Kingfisher, a Tawny Owl and a Little Owl. The two visiting Mute Swans were still present.
- 22: Three Goldeneye (a male, an immature bird and a female), 71 Teal, 28 Tufted Ducks, 3 Mistle Thrushes, 6 female Goosanders, 6 Bullfinches, 5 Coal Tits, 2 Jays and a single Snipe.
- 19: Two Great Crested Grebes, 25 Tufted Ducks, 27 Teal, 2 Mute Swans (infrequent visitors to Tittesworth), 14 Lapwings and 3 Willow Tits — a Red Listed species.
- 16: There were two good finds: a Marsh Tit and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, both site rarities. In addition the following were interesting:- 20 Goosanders, 132 Canada Geese, 4 Stock Doves, a Dipper, 11 Lesser Redpolls and 2 Reed Buntings. .
- 15: Four Mandarins (3 male & one Female), 10 Lapwings, a Grey Heron and a Grey Squirrel — the latter somewhat scarce at Tittesworth.
- 14: The number of Common Pochard now stood at 8 birds. There were also 25 Redwings, 22 Fieldfares, 38 Common Gulls and 2 Curlews.
- 13: Once again a Woodcock was seen, certainly a site rarity. Some of the other birds noted were a Jay, a Willow Tit, a Mistle Thrush and over 20 Teal. .
- 9: The routine count of Canada Geese yielded 122 birds. Also noted were 5 Common Gulls, 2 Stock Doves, a Collared Dove — there are very few in the area, a Song Thrush and a Pied Wagtail.
- 8: The only entry in the logbook was of a Woodcock, truly an excellent find.
- 6: Thirty three Teal, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Common Buzzard, a male Kestrel and 2 Jays.
- 3: Of note were 12 Redwings, 15 Lesser Redpoll and a Barn Owl.
- 2: Six Pochards, 2 male Goldeneye, 2 Willow Tits, 3 Nuthatches, 14 Long-tailed Tits, 6 Bullfinches and 2 Jays.
- 1: Twenty Goosanders counted. One hundred and eighteen Wigeon were observed, down from a high of 249 in December 2010. Also present were over 70 Teal, 6 Pheasant, 3 Treecreepers, a Goldcrest, a Nuthatch, 2 Willow Tits, 3 Coal Tits, 7 Long-tailed Tits and 11 Lesser Redpolls.
Reports by Ray Perry.
The Tittesworth Visitor Centre is at Meerbrook, Leek, Staffordshire ST13 8SW; map reference: SJ9960
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