West Midland Bird Club

Tittesworth Reservoir News, in 2009

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.

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December 2009

30: On the penultimate day of the year few species were recorded, but included a Snipe, a Kingfisher, a Nuthatch and the wing-tagged Buzzard.
28: A Red Fox and a Brown Hare were the most unusual observations.
27: The best observation of the day was of 35 Golden Plovers flying over the site.
26: An excellent find on Boxing Day was a Little Egret. It arrived at about 3.30pm, flew around the reservoir and then disappeared southwards. Other observations of note: a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, 153 Mallards, a wing tagged Common Buzzard, six Stock Doves, 25 Long-tailed Tits, 160 Jackdaws — usually very uncommon on the site, three Moorhens and two male Sparrowhawks.
20: Thirty two species were recorded in the logbook including 148 Mallards, 97 Canada Geese, a Kestrel, a Common Buzzard, four Coots, a Moorhen — so scarce at Tittesworth, a pair of Shovelers and two Snipe.
19: The best find was a Jack Snipe, a site rarity. Also of interest — 16 Cormorants, 19 Goosanders, two male and one female Goldeneye, 10 Great Crested Grebes, seven Lapwings and 42 Siskins.
16: Duck numbers: a female Goldeneye, 43 Wigeon, 81 Teal, three Goosanders, 146 Mallards, three Pochards and 15 Tufted Ducks. Also present: five Snipe, a Treecreeper, four Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 24 Long-tailed Tits, a Willow Tit, a Grey Wagtail and a Reed Bunting.
14: Twenty five Goldfinches were located. Also the following were noted: 25 Siskins, a Dipper, 40 Snipe and two Stock Doves.
13: A sample of the birds present: a pair of Shovelers, 52 Teal, some Meadow Pipits, 13 Long-tailed Tits and three Song Thrushes. One hundred and ten Pink-footed Geese flew over at about 10am heading south.
8: Once again there were around 3,000 Black-headed Gulls in the gull roost but this time there were 185 Common Gulls present.
6: Duck numbers had changed a bit. There were 23 Goosanders, 28 Tufted Ducks, 48 Teal, three Mandarins and five Pochards. Also present: nine Cormorants, two Grey Herons, a female Sparrowhawk, a pair of Kestrels, a Jay, a Mute Swan and two Kingfishers.
5: Of note: twenty one Goosanders, 41 Teal, 23 Tufted Ducks, six Great Crested Grebes, approximately 3,000 Black-headed Gulls, 48 Common Gulls, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Kingfishers, a Tawny Owl and a Little Owl, four Nuthatches, 32 Fieldfares, 14 Redwings, four Song Thrushes and a Raven.
2: One hundred and one Canada Geese, 39 Teal, a pair of Shovelers, five Pochards, six Wigeon, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, four Coal Tits, five Bullfinches, 20+ Siskins and a Kingfisher.

November 2009

29: Of note: two Kestrels, a pair of Peregrines, a Tawny Owl, a Little Owl, three Coal Tits and two Redshanks.
25: There were over 1,800 Black-headed Gulls in the roost. Also there was a substantial Starling flock, estimated at over 1600.
22: The following were in the gull roost: over 900 Black-headed Gulls, four Lesser Black-backed Gulls, four Common Gulls and three Great Black-backed Gulls. The later species is very uncommon at Tittesworth.
21: Of note: 55 Teal, 28 Snipe, 42 Common Gulls, three Crossbills, three Jays, a Tawny Owl, three Goldcrests and a Red Fox.
18: Two ringed immature birds were noted in the small Black-headed Gull flock.
16: There were over 100 Fieldfares and over 50 Redwings present. Also of note: a first winter Grey Wagtail and a juvenile Mute Swan.
15: A Red-throated Diver was found, only the second for this site. The last one was seen in 1997.
14: Of note: nine Goosanders, three Grey Wagtails, 11 Crossbills, two female Bramblings, two Common Buzzards — one with a wing tag — and 11 Common Gulls.
11: A juvenile male Goldeneye, nine Crossbills, 35 Siskins, a pair of Bullfinches, three Nuthatches and a Dipper.
8: Only four Crossbills found. Also of note: eight Goosanders, 12 Great Crested Grebes, two Little Grebes, 15 Siskins, five Meadow Pipits and 160+ Rooks — a species rarely seen on site.
7: Sixteen Crossbills, nine Mistle Thrushes, 40 Redwings, 32 Fieldfares, a Skylark again, two Willow Tits and a pair of Pochards.
4: Of note: two female Goldeneye, 38 Wigeon, 62 Teal, 37 Snipe, a Crossbill, two Nuthatches, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Skylark, three Moorhens and four Stock Doves.
1: Two Whooper Swans, two Mute Swans, 35 Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, two Grey Wagtails, two Meadow Pipits, Long-tailed Tits and a Pheasant.

October 2009

31: Three Golden Plovers, 208 Lapwings, five Bramblings, a Shoveler, 38 Teal, three Kingfishers, a Willow Tit, 33 Siskins, 13 Lesser Redpolls and a Red Admiral butterfly.
29: A pair of Goldeneyes was observed. Also there were eight Meadow Pipits, 18 Siskins and 14 Lesser Redpolls.
28: About 175 Redwings and 300+ Fieldfares were seen. Also of note: a Pheasant, two Stock Doves, a Collared Dove, two Kingfishers and a Goldcrest. Two Red Admiral butterflies were spotted.
27: Two Little Grebes were seen — very uncommon at Tittesworth.
25: Sixty one Wigeon and 58 Teal were counted. Also of particular note: 128 Lapwings, 230 Black-headed Gulls, four Common Buzzards, two Skylarks, three Bullfinches and five Crossbills.
24: Of note: Forty eight Teal, the female Shoveler, 28 Snipe, 15 Long-tailed Tits, two Jays, two Bullfinches and two Kingfishers.
23: Approximately 60 Siskins found.
21: A Peregrine was a good find. Also of note: a male Mandarin, 24 Snipe, three Mistle Thrushes, a pair of Bullfinches and a Treecreeper.
19: Forty one Teal, a female Shoveler, a male Pochard, the wing-tagged Common Buzzard, a Jay and 22 Siskins.
18: Five Crossbills (3 males & 2 females) were found in Forster's Wood. Also noted: 15 Snipe, 11 Cormorants, 167 Black-headed Gulls, two Swallows, a wing-tagged Common Buzzard and 25 Siskins.
17: Forty two Fieldfares — the first of this winter season, 17 Redwings, a Green Woodpecker, two Kingfishers, a male Pochard — first of the season, four Goosanders, two Willow Tits, three Nuthatches and three Lesser Redpolls.
14: Of note: Fifteen Great Crested Grebes, 34 Wigeon, 45 Teal, seven Swallows over the Conservation Pool, four Skylarks, a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail and a Little Owl.
11: The female Goldeneye was seen again on the Conservation Pool.
10: Of note: a female Goldeneye — the first of the season, three Mute Swans — including two juveniles, 21 Snipe and one Common Gull.
9: Over 20 Redwings were seen in the Churnet Valley — the first arrivals for the current season.
7: Lapwing numbers had lifted to 148. Also of particular note: 14 Coots, three Moorhens, a Dipper, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a pair of Crossbills in Foster's Wood, a Little Owl and five Snipe.
4: One hundred and twenty eight Lapwings were counted. Also presen: a Kingfisher, a Kestrel and the female Shoveler.
3: Four Whooper Swans arrived on the Conservation Pool at about 8.30 am, departing at around 11.45 am. Also of note: two Mute Swans, seven Grey Herons, four Wigeon, a female Shoveler, 18 Teal, a female Sparrowhawk, three Common Buzzards, three Ravens, five Jays, two Nuthatches, 24 Swallows, five Sand Martins, 14 House Martins and a Chiffchaff..

September 2009

30: 11 Great Crested Grebes, 219 Canada Geese, 12 Snipe, 60+ Swallows, three Sand Martins, five House Martins, two Chiffchaffs, a pair of Bullfinches, a pair of Blackcaps and a Goldcrest.
27: A Lesser Whitethroat was a good find; a male Pochard, a male Shoveler, two Kingfishers, four Crossbills (again in Forster's Wood), seven Siskins and 47 overflying Pink-footed Geese. A stag Red Deer was seen near Leek Old Road.
26: Seven Crossbills, five Grey Herons, a male Gadwall, a male Mandarin, 36 Teal, a Common Sandpiper, three Nuthatches, six Common Buzzards, five Chiffchaffs, three Grey Wagtails, a Siskin and a Lesser Redpoll.
23: Two male and three female Crossbills in Forster's Wood, a Willow Warbler and 12 Pied Wagtails.
21: Four Grey Herons, 50+ Goldfinches, 25 Siskins and five Coal Tits.
20: Four Crossbills (Forster's Wood), adult and a juvenile Hobby, 12 Common Buzzards, five Spotted Flycatchers, three each of Treecreeper, Nuthatch and Jay, 55 Goldfinches, 75 Swallows, 60 House Martins and 16 Snipe.
19: 16 Teal, six female Goosanders, an eclipse male Wigeon, 16 Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, three Skylarks, 32 Meadow Pipits, three Jays, two Kingfishers and two Nuthatches.
18: A female Shoveler, 13 Snipe, a Little Owl, eight House Martins, a Common Buzzard, a Kestrel, a Spotted Flycatcher, 14 Meadow Pipits and 45 Goldfinches.
16: Three Grey Herons, five Tufted Ducks, three Snipe, a Kingfisher, four Common Buzzards and 16 Swallows.
15: Kingfisher near the west hide and a Tawny Owl in the woods to the north of the hide. Plants in bloom included Devil's-bit Scabious (blue), Purple Loosestrife, Ragged Robin (pink) and Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil (yellow).
14: 13 Great Crested Grebes, eight Cormorants, five Wigeon, six Teal, six Snipe and 14 Chiffchaffs (most singing).
12: 11 Great Crested Grebes, 17 Tufted Ducks, 11 Snipe, four Grey Wagtails, five Swallows, 40+ House Martins, three Moorhens, a Jay, six Song Thrushes, and 900+ Roaches in the Conservation Pool.
6: Over 20 Lapwings, three Snipe, two Kingfishers, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 20 Long-tailed Tits.
5: One Little Grebe, 13 Great Crested Grebes, a female Mandarin, two Wigeon, a Common Sandpiper, a Raven, three Willow Tits and two Nuthatches.
2: Two Lapwings, a Snipe, a Kingfisher, a Little Owl, a Stock Dove, three Sand Martins, a Nuthatch and a Raven.

August 2009

31: Seven Pied Wagtails, a Jay, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Little Owl and a Snipe. Butterflies: Speckled Wood, Small White and Large White. Dragonflies: Common Hawker and Brown Hawker. Common Carder Bee.
30: One Snipe, two Mandarins, 12 Tufted Ducks, two Kingfishers, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 25+ Long-tailed Tits, a Little Owl, a Tawny Owl, two Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk.
29: The best find of the day was a first summer Arctic Tern. Also noted were a Kingfisher, two Grey Wagtails, a Treecreeper, five Bullfinches, a Goldcrest, a Willow Tit and a Hobby.
23: Three Grey Herons, 25+ Goldfinches, 250+ Rooks and Carrion Crows and 73 Mallards.
22: A Greenshank flew through. Also of note were a Kingfisher, a Common Sandpiper and eight Long-tailed Tits. Butterflies: Painted Lady, Peacock, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood.
19: Three Snipe, a Hobby, five Sand Martins, 25 Greenfinch, a Nuthatch and a Meadow Pipit.
16: Of note were eight Cormorants, 19 Great Crested Grebes, a female Mandarin, two Snipe, a Hobby, a Sparrowhawk, two Common Buzzards, six Spotted Flycatchers, a Jay, over 50 Goldfinches, a Little Owl and three Kingfishers.
15: 12 Great Crested Grebes, three Whitethroats, a Grey Wagtail, three Willow Warblers and five Stock Doves. Please note a male Hobby was found injured on the path by the River Churnet and was taken to the Kingsley Bird and Falconry Centre.
13: A possible Goldeneye and a Kingfisher.
9: Grasshopper Warbler (1), Hobby (1), seven Snipe, 79 Lapwings, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl and two Little Owls.
5: A Grey Wagtail, a Kingfisher, a Dipper and three Common Buzzards plus a Little Owl. Butterflies: Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Large White, Small White and Green-veined White plus Small Copper. Bumblebees: Common Carder, White-tailed Bumblebee, Red-tailed Bumblebee and Buff-tailed Bumblebee.
2: Oystercatcher (3), Common Sandpiper (4), Lapwing (54), Common Buzzard (4), Sand Martin (5), Peregrine (2 at The Roaches), Common Tern (1), Spotted Flycatcher (8, including 3 juveniles), Raven (1) and eight Song Thrushes.

July 2009

31: Three Oystercatchers, a Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Grey Wagtail and a Lesser Redpoll. Butterflies present included Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper and Small Copper.
30: The best find of the day was a juvenile Scaup. Also of note were a Blackcap feeding a juvenile, a Nuthatch, 42 Swallows, a Redshank, three Coal Tits and a Moorhen.
22: One hundred and seven Lapwings, two adult Oystercatchers + one juvenile, two Mute Swans, two Sparrowhawks and 187 Canada Geese.
19: Eighty nine Lapwings, two Common Sandpipers, a Greylag Goose, three Oystercatchers and a Kingfisher.
18: The best find of the day was a Common Tern. Also of note were three female Manderins, four Spotted Flycatchers, a pair of Bullfinches, a Jay, 15 Swifts and two Kingfishers.
17: A Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, two adult Common Sandpipers with one juvenile, a Mistle Thrush and three adult Willow Tits with two juveniles.
12: Two Kingfishers, 23 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, three Ravens, a Treecreeper, a Snipe, Tufted Ducks with five juveniles, a Sand Martin, 303 Canada Geese and a Lesser Redpoll.
10: Seventy eight Lapwings, three Common Sandpipers, a Curlew, a female Sparrowhawk and three Spotted Flycatchers.
8: A Gannet. Unfortuately this was a sick bird which was taken to a vet in Leek and subsequently transferred to an RSPCA rescue centre at Stapeley Grange, Nantwich where it sadly died on the 10th. The bird was very thin and when first found was covered in lice. A sad end to a magnificent bird.
7: A Kingfisher was the best find.
6: Five Curlews, two Common Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover.
5: Of note were ten Grey Herons, eight Great Crested Grebes with six juveniles, one Greylag Goose, two Mute Swans, 32 Coots plus one juvenile, three adult Oystercatchers and one juvenile, 83 Lapwings with one juvenile, eight Common Buzzards, a Peregrine, a Kestrel, three Stock Doves, a Little Owl and a juvenile Willow Warbler.
4: Fifteen adult Great Crested Grebes and possibly eight juvenile birds; a female Mandarin; five adult Oystercatchers and one juvenile; three Common Sandpipers; 45 Lapwings; two Little Ringed Plovers; 32 Coots; five Whitethroats; Barn Owl and Tawny Owl; three Reed Buntings.
3: Great Crested Grebe: a pair on the main reservoir with three young; a pair on the Conservation Pool with one adult on a nest with at least one youngster.

June 2009

30: Two juvenile Grey Herons noted. An adult Coot with four young was recorded. A male Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen feeding a juvenile bird at the west hide birdtable.
29: Only one juvenile Oystercatcher reported. Confirmation of the loss of the other two? Butterflies on the wing: Painted Lady, Meadow Brown, Small Copper, Comma and Red Admiral. Fourteen Black-tailed Godwits flew south at about 2100 hrs.
28: Only one Oystercatcher chick seems to be present. Were the other two predated? Two juvenile Great Crested Grebes and two juvenile Lapwings were observed. There were 301 Canada Geese present. The rare Grasshopper Warbler was found again.
27: A ringed Lesser Black-backed gull was found and later identified by the BTO as a bird ringed at Bath in July 2007 and found again at Ferrol, Coruna, Spain in January 2009.
24: Curlew numbers had increased to four. There were 237 Lesser Black-backed Gulls present.
22: Three Curlews were noted. Also a Tawny Owl was seen trying to raid Blackbird nests. The bird was driven off by the Blackbirds. A new plant record: Southern Marsh Orchid! Six specimens only.
21: Twenty one Coots were counted — a high number for this site. There was a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers with two juveniles! A Little Owl was located.
17: A pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers were found with a juvenile bird.
16: A juvenile Common Sandpiper was noted. The single Curlew and the adult and juvenile Peregrines were observed again. Also the Barn Owl turned up.
14: The Grasshopper Warbler was found again. A pair of Common Redstarts were feeding young. Two Common Terns were recorded.
13: A Grasshopper Warbler was located, a site rarity. Nuthatches were found feeding young. The adult Peregrine and its offspring were again seen at the Roaches.
12: Eight adult Oystercatchers were counted again.
11: Local birding interest was in the Oystercatcher chicks. Three were still being observed. At 8:45pm a Barn Owl was seen.
8: A Weasel was the most interesting sighting.
7: Three Oystercatcher chicks were counted today. A Peregrine plus one juvenile was recorded for the Roaches. The elusive Dipper was observed on the Churnet.
6: Two newly hatched Oystercatcher chicks emerged from their nest.
4: Over 150 Swifts hunted over the site. A Peregrine was seen over the Conservation Pool. The Curlew was still present and Nuthatch and Treecreeper were pleasing finds. A Chimney Sweeper moth was also noted.
3: A Peregrine was seen over the Roaches. There were 180 adult Canada Geese present plus 11 goslings. Twenty one Tufted Ducks were also counted.
2: Eight Oystercatchers were seen on the large island but they flew off at about 7:15am. A single Redshank and two Little Ringed Plovers were also noted.
1: A considerable rise in the number of Lesser Black-backed Gulls was noticed, the count reaching 202.

May 2009

31: Five Common Buzzards were observed plus a Sparrowhawk and two Kestrels. Also of note: 24 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Treecreeper and a Coal Tit.
30: Of note: A female Mandarin with six young. Also worth a mention: a Song Thrush, 23 Garden Warblers and a Lesser Redpoll.
29: Good news! Three Lapwing chicks were seen by the Conservation Pool. Four Ostercatchers were noted, two on the small island and two on the large island. Also present: four Mute Swans, a Curlew, a male Bullfinch, a Linnet and three Reed Buntings. Butterflies present: Orange Tip, Small Copper, Painted Lady and Speckled Wood.
28: Two Oystercatchers, two Little Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, over 20 Lapwings, a Peregrine, a Sparrowhawk, a Common Redstart and three Brown Hares.
24: A pair of Long-tailed Tits with nine young! A pair of Canada Geese with 10 goslings.
23: Once again the Barn Owl. A female Goosander and five Dunlin. A Greylag Goose, a female Goosander, four Oystercatchers, five Little Ringed Plovers, five Spotted Flycatchers, two Common Whitethroats and three Sedge Warblers.
22: Two Brown Hares, a Common Sandpiper and a Barn Owl.
20: Coot with young. A Peregrine over the Roaches.
19: A pair of Oystercatchers sitting on eggs! A very streaky plumaged Tawny Owl!
17: Of note: a Ringed Plover, two Whimbrel, five Little Ringed Plovers, 60+ Swifts, 80+ House Martins, 250+ Swallows, three Sand Martins, a Goshawk and two Spotted Flycatchers — the first of the season.
14: Good observations included a Black Tern, an Arctic Tern, a Turnstone, four Dunlin, two Grey Plovers, a Hobby and over 1000 hirundines.
13: A Little Tern was seen, a very good find.
12: A site rarity was observed — a Wood Sandpiper.
10: Little Ringed Plovers were now up to six. Three Moorhens were noted — a high count for this site. Two Peregrines were observed.
9: A pair of Mandarins with young.
8: Two Ringed Plovers and 13 Swifts. A Hobby was noted near the Winking Man pub and two were over Gun mid-afternoon.
7: Of note: a pair of Goosanders, four Dunlin, three Oystercatchers, six Little Ringed Plovers, four Whimbrel, a Dipper and an Orange Tip butterfly.
6: Seven Dunlin, three Whimbrel, two “Commic” Terns, and a Peregrine over Hen Cloud.
5: Of note: two Yellow Wagtails, a pair of Common Sandpipers mating and a Linnet.
4: The best sightings were three Brown Hares, a pair of Stonechats, a Whimbrel, and a female Mallard with eight ducklings.
3: The most interesting observation of the day was of a pair of Dippers feeding young! Also two Grey Wagtails were feeding young. Four Swifts zipped through the sky.
2: The best find of the day was a Lesser Whitethroat. Also eight Common Whitethroats were encountered. Garden Warbler numbers were now up to 12. Six Curlews were also present.

April 2009

29: Tufted Duck numbers were up to 23. Garden Warbler numbers had lifted to six. There were five Stock Doves and a Treecreeper.
28: Two Curlews, two Oystercatchers, four Mute Swans, a single Moorhen, two Jays, three Common Redstarts (two males and a female), two Nuthatches and a Peregrine.
26: Garden Warbler numbers were now up to four. A Dipper was seen again. A Little Owl was noted and three Grey Wagtails were counted. A Peregrine and three Sparrowhawks were observed.
25: Firsts for the year — a Sedge Warbler and a Garden Warbler. Little Ringed Plovers now numbered five. The following were also of interest: a male Mandarin, a Snipe, three Curlews, a Dipper, five Sand Martins, 11 Song Thrushes, two Bullfinches and a Coal Tit.
24: Four Common Sandpipers, two Little Ringed Plovers, two Whitethroats, 33 Willow Warblers, 12 Chiffchaffs, 11 Blackcaps, two male Common Redstarts, a Dipper, eight Lesser Redpolls and five Reed Buntings.
23: Of particular interest: Tree Sparrow — now a site rarity, White Wagtail, a Yellow Wagtail, a Common Sandpiper, two Oystercatchers, a Common Pochard and a Dipper.
22: At least 20 Goldfinches were observed. Two Pheasants were calling. A female Great Spotted Woodpecker was at the west hide feeding station and a male was heard drumming in Foster's Wood. 16 plant species in flower including Bird Cherry, Red Campion, Greater Stitchwort, Cuckooflower, Garlic Mustard, Forget-me-not and Common Mouse-ear.
21: Three Ringed Plovers turned up.
19: The first Whitethroat for 2009 was recorded. Also of note were a Jay, a Little Owl, a White Wagtail, three Goldcrests and now three male Common Redstarts.
18: 32 Willow Warblers were counted. The following were also noted: a Yellow Wagtail, three Grey Wagtails, two male Common Redstarts, an Arctic Tern and two female Sparrowhawks.
16: Firsts for the year: two male Common Redstarts and two Arctic Terns. Also noted were 18 Teal, 25 Swallows, 14 House Martins, 12 Sand Martins, 11 Blackcaps, 26 Willow Warblers and four Long-tailed Tits.
13: Good finds included eight Goosanders, four Little Ringed Plovers, two Oystercatchers, eight Common Buzzards, two Nuthatches, nine Lesser Redpolls and six Reed Buntings.
12: Of note were five Mute Swans, two Little Grebes, a pair of Mandarins, 27 Coots, a male Brambling, 22 Willow Warblers, a Peregrine and, exctingly, a Goshawk.
11: Best of the finds were a Yellow Wagtail — the first for the year, four White Wagtails, two Little Ringed Plovers, six Common Buzzards, a Peregrine and three Common Sandpipers.
10: Four Snipe, four Curlews, three male Blackcaps, 18 Willow Warblers, 15 singing Chiffchaffs, a Redshank, one Little Ringed Plover, one Greylag Goose, three Mistle Thrushes, six Song Thrushes, two Ravens and 11 Lesser Redpolls were among the 34 species recorded.
8: Of note were three Grey Herons, 10 Great Crested Grebes, one Wigeon, 36 Tufted Ducks, two Oystercatchers, a Common Snipe, a Curlew, four Lapwings, 23 Coot, a Siskin, over 60 Sand Martins, 25 Swallows, five House Martins, two Treecreepers and three Reed Buntings.
7: Three male Shovelers, 10 Swallows, a Grey Wagtail and eight Willow Warblers. Plants newly into flower included Wood Anemone, Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage, Blackthorn and Marsh Marigold.
6: Two Oystercatchers, three Snipe and 30 Redwings.
5: Two Oystercatchers were noted. Also present were six Greylag Geese, three Shovelers, 11 Curlew, three Lapwings, a Peregrine over the Roaches, seven Common Buzzards, a female Brambling and six Willow Warblers — the first of the year.
4: Of note were nine Great Crested Grebes, 21 Tufted Ducks, a pair of Goldeneyes, two Little Ringed Plovers, an Oystercatcher, a pair of Kestrels and 12 Chiffchaffs.
3: A Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher were seen.
2: The day's best finds were an Oystercatcher, a Redshank and a Little Ringed Plover.
1: Goosander numbers continued to hold up at 38. There were now 16 Teal. Two Shelducks were present and two Ravens passed by. By far the best sighting of the day was of a pair of Goshawks seen over the dam. Three Little Owls were seen. Butterflies were noticed. Both the yellow Brimstone and multi-coloured Peacock were present.

March 2009

31: One Oystercatcher was noted and two Rooks — quite uncommon on this site.
30: The best find was a Barn Owl. In addition the following are worth a mention: an Osprey on early passage north, a Greylag Goose, 35 Coots, 100 Fieldfares, two Redwings and a pair of Peregrines over the Roaches.
29: Of note were seven Wigeon, six Pochard, six Common Buzzards, two Siskins, seven Chiffchaffs, two Little Owls, two Nuthatches, eight Meadow Pipits and five Lesser Redpolls.
28: Three Swallows were seen. Goosander numbers were slightly down at 37. Eleven Lesser Redpolls were present. There were 52 Meadow Pipits on the dam wall!.
26: The first Swallow of the year was seen near the visitor centre.
25: A Jack Snipe was found — a site rarity.
22: Six Chiffchaffs were recorded. Spring must be here! Amazingly the four Mute Swans have stayed on site for weeks. Usually the species is absent from the site. One pair displayed and then mated. Goosander numbers lifted to 39. An unusual sighting was a single Herring Gull. In addition there were 36 Common Gulls. The Moorhen, in such huge numbers at Carsington Water, is present on this site as a single pair.
21: A Tree Sparrow was undoubtedly the best find of the day. This species used to breed on the site but has just about disappeared in the last few years. Two pairs of Shoveler were spotted. Two Little Grebes were noted — a species usually absent from the site. Also of note were 36 Goosanders, two Grey Herons, a Raven, a Siskin, two Nuthatches and seven Goldcrests.
20: A pair of Shelducks was seen.
19: There was a female Hen Harrier over Gun being mobbed by Crows. A Skylark was ascending and singing above Gun. Insects present included Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Water Boatman and Pond Skater. The plant Lesser Celandine was in flower.
18: The first Chiffchaff of the season was noted. Two Dippers were found. A Shelduck turned up. Two Sand Martins passed through.
17: The presence of a Little Ringed Plover was posted on a pager.
15: A pair of Mandarins put in an appearance as did a single Little Grebe. Two Oystercatchers were seen but the most exciting observation of the day was a Red Kite. Also worth noting were ten Common Buzzards, two Sparrowhawks, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Kingfisher, a Stoat and two Brown Hares.
14: The best find of the day was a pair of Stonechats. The first Sand Martins (4) of the year were seen flying over the main reservoir mid afternoon.
12: Of note were ten Pochards, eight Teal, three Goldeneyes, two Little Owls and 14 Lesser Redpolls. An unusual sighting was a "silver" Carrion Crow. This was not an albino bird because it had dark eyes. A Brown Hare was seen and Coltsfoot was in flower.
11: There were 31 Goosanders and 33 Tufted Ducks. Also worth noting were a Moorhen (very scarce at Tittesworth), three Grey Wagtails, a pair of Bullfinches, five Lesser Redpolls, six Reed Buntings, a Nuthatch, a Treecreeper, a Mistle Thrush, three Stock Doves and two Collared Doves.
10: Common Frogs and frogspawn found in ponds to the NW of the Conservation Pool.
8: Wigeon numbers were up to 60. Curlew numbers had lifted slightly to 105. Also found were a Dunlin, five Common Buzzards, a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk, 150 Fieldfares, 15 Redwings and a Tawny Owl.
7: A pair of Peregrines attacked a Raven over the Roaches. Also of note were two Greylag Geese, a pair of Shovelers, 32 Wigeon, 26 Coot, 11 Snipe, 10 Song Thrushes, two Grey Wagtails, a Willow Tit and four Reed Buntings.
6: One hundred and three Curlews were seen on the eastern side of the Conservation Pool. Also of interest were 10 Teal, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 10 Redwings, a Treecreeper and two pairs of Reed Buntings feeding on the ground by the west hide. The four Mute Swans, first observed early in February, are still present. The Mute Swan is an uncommon site visitor. The following plant species were just coming into flower: Gorse, Daisy and Butterbur. Snowdrops have been in flower for some weeks. Pussy Willow and Hazel catkins are now on display.
4: The best observations were: Six Great Crested Grebes, 34 Coot — a very high number for the site, a Kingfisher, 12 Long-tailed Tits, three Coal Tits, a Willow Tit and eight Lesser Redpolls.
1: Of note were four Great Spotted Woodpeckers, an Oystercatcher, 94 Curlews, a Peregrine, four Common Buzzards, two Tawny Owls, a Raven, three Rooks - quite uncommon on this site, two Goldcrests, five Lesser Redpolls on the west hide feeder, a Brambling and a male Bullfinch.

February 2009

28: Teal numbers had lifted to 33, Tufted Ducks to 25, Pochards to 11 and Curlews to 81. Amazingly, 14 Song Thrushes were located! Also three Nuthatches were observed.
25: The best find of the day was undoubtadly the Barn Owl seen from the west hide, hunting for 50 minutes in the early evening.
24: 26 Teal, 10 Pochards, 23 Tufted Ducks, 35 Wigeon, four Great Crested Grebes, 47 Curlews, 13 Snipe, nine Lapwings and two Moorhens.
22: Fifty six Goosanders were counted, thought to be a site record. In addition the following were noted: 17 Cormorants, a Shelduck, an Oystercatcher, three Skylarks flew north, 46 Fieldfares, 63 Redwings, a Nuthatch, a Collared Dove, a Willow Tit and five Lesser Redpolls.
21: The following were of note were 75 Wigeon, 29 Teal, 31 Goosanders, four Goldeneyes, 18 Curlews, five Snipe, two Shovelers, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Tawny Owl, a Bullfinch and three Reed Buntings. In addition the gull roost consisted of 850 Black-headed Gulls, 190 Common Gulls and 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
18: Four Mute Swans present, a high count for this site. Also of note were a pair of Shovelers, a pair of Goldeneyes, eight Goosanders, six Snipe, one Curlew, three Stock Doves and a Willow Tit.
16: Of note were two female Great Spotted Woodpeckers feeding at the west hide feeding station, three Curlews flew over the hide, an Ostercatcher was observed and five Snipe were present near the Conservation Pool.
14: Seventy seven Pink-footed Geese flew South-East. A Green Woodpecker was observed. The Wigeon flock had increased its numbers to 124. A Willow Tit was observed, a Red-Listed species, but doing alright on this site.
12: The Wigeon flock was back up to full strength with a count of 103. Amazingly there were now 26 Coots present. Maybe numbers had increased due to small ponds just off site having frozen. About 180 Pink-footed Geese flew over the site at about 12:30pm heading North-West.
9: The best find of the day was a Barn Owl near the main entrance to the site.
8: Coot numbers were on the rise and had now reached 15 but there was only a single Moorhen. Eight Great Crested Grebes were found.
7: Three Pairs of Goldeneye were seen. The number of Common Pochards present had reached 16. A Dipper was found again.
6: A Treecreeper on the west hide feeder was an unusual sight.
1: Twenty two Goosanders were now present. There was a good count of 51 Common Gulls. The raptors present were two Kestrels, a Sparrowhawk and a Common Buzzard. A Skylark was found again and the Tawny Owl was noted.

January 2009

31: A Little Grebe was noted, a very uncommon and short staying species on this site. Also worth a mention: a pair of Sparrowhawks, a Raven, two Coal Tits and a Willow Tit.
28: Common Pochard numbers edged up to 13 and Goosanders to 17. A single Pink-footed Goose was located.
25: The Goosander numbers continued to climb reaching 19. The Common Pochard count had risen to 12 and Tufted Ducks to 47. The following were also noted: five Mute Swans — a high count for this site, a Great Black-backed Gull, 10 Snipe, a Tawny Owl, a Raven and three Stock Doves.
24: The number of Goosanders had increased to 14.
20: The best find of the day was a Barn Owl sitting in a tree by the inlet to the Conservation Pool.
18: The Wigeon flock had increased to 104. In addition there was a pair of Shovelers, a Grey Heron and a Skylark.
11: Goosander numbers were up to eleven, two Dippers were found on the River Churnet, 32 Greenfinches were counted, an overflying Raven was spotted and seven Bullfinches were noted.
10: Of note were a Greylag Goose, a female Sparrowhawk, two Common Buzzards, four Kestrels, 22 Redwings, six Mistle Thrushes and three Song Thrushes.
7: The following were noted: 69 Wigeon, 102 Teal, seven Goldeneye, five Common Pochards, four Goosanders, 343 Mallard, four Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Treecreeper and two Nuthatches.
6: The best find was a Woodcock flying low on the top of Gun, a hill quite close to the site.
4: Goosander numbers were up to 12. A pair of Shovelers was found. Three Treecreepers were noted. A Tawny Owl, a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail, a Raven and 15 Meadow Pipits were also good finds. Two Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were reported near the east hide.
3: The best find of the day was a Water Rail — a site rarity. Tufted Duck numbers had risen to 66. Pochard numbers had edged up to seven. Thirty two Greenfinches were counted. Amazingly eight Jays were found plus six colourful Bullfinches. A Kingfisher was also noted.
1: Of note were a Barn Owl, a Woodcock, four Great Crested Grebes, 55 Tufted Ducks, 75 Teal, 257 Mallards, six Goldeneye, seven Pochards, 10 Goosanders, 10 Lapwings, three Moorhens, seven Coot, three Mute Swans — a high number for Tittesworth, a Kingfisher, a Nuthatch, 12 Long-tailed Tits and 22 Meadow Pipits.

Reports by Ray Perry.

The Tittesworth Visitor Centre is at Meerbrook, Leek, Staffordshire ST13 8SW; map reference: SJ9960 .

Ornithology in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire & the West Midlands county, since 1929.

Fetched from http://www.westmidlandbirdclub.com/staffordshire/tittesworth/latest-2009 on Tuesday 21 May 2013 10:25:37

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