Staffordshire

  I picked up Bill before heading into Derbyshire for a Glossy Ibis than had turned up at Willington. Well we got to Utch when a negative report was reported. Well a change of plan was in order. Utch quarry was the first stop again packed with birds if only my local patches had half as many birds. First pool held 6 Snipe and 3 Green Sandpipers with a couple of Golden Plover mixed in with the Lapwing. 40 odd Golden plover were doing the rounds over head but we never saw them land. Main pool was chocka with duck Gadwall, Shoveler, Red Crested Pochard, Goosander the better birds. A few Gypo geese about as well as a large flock of Greylags & Canadas. Routing through the gulls 2 looked suspiciously like Yellow Legged. Top man Powell rolled up agreeing they looked good candidates but we confirmed a couple of minutes later in full preen and flight. We decided knock around the chase foe a few hours after. Great Grey Shrike showed quite well but never sat still whilst using the hole valley on a  feeding spree. Other birds around the Butts were a male Stonechat and a huge flock of Redpoll well over a 100. It was a Firecrest hunt next focusing around the cemetery no luck in that department but a male Peregrine flew over and plenty of common birds around, Long Tailed Tits, Nuthatch, hat full of Goldcrest many tits & Treecreeper knocking around the wood beyond the cemetery. A quick look around Freda's grave produced a Willow Tit in front of a few Photographers with a mock up environment, A pair of Green Woodpeckers entertained at close quarters & again plenty of common birds. Homeward bound we just had enough light to nip into Westport for the Meragnser that was spending it second day in the middle of Stoke-on-Trent