Utch 28/2/10 "Hard Slog"

Hey up folks, it's weekends like this that make you realise just how bad birdin' in the mid's can be sometimes. Then again as you can see from the piccie above if there's only the usual suspects out lookin' for their own birds, is it any wonder!!! This is the best spot to view the main pit at Utch and as usual there is no one there. Anyone readin' this who is lucky enough to live on or near the coast must be laughin' there knackers off!

It's been that bad this weekend that the best i could muster today despite two visits to Utch was 5 Mandarin, but they were along the Dove at Rocester nowhere near the quarry. Even a last minute decision to do the gull roost at Blithers proved pointless as the 2nd winter Iceland Gull from last night decided to roost at Chasewater.

Utch 0830-1000

This mornin's highlights were 3 singin' Skylarks, a singin' male Reed Bunt' and 5 very noisy "pipin'" Oyst's.

Wigeon 113

Goosander 14

Tufty 20

Pochard 3

Teal 3

Oyst' 5

On the way home i clocked a herd of swans feedin' in fields opposite the South lake at Rocester. As expected a quick check of them confirmed that they weren't "wild" but just bog standard Mutes, 22 of 'em. The 5 Mandies that got up off the Dove were a nice surprise though. I love that daft little call of theirs as they take off, it sounds like it should be on a Star Wars film. Over the road on the South Lake were 8 Gazunders.

A quick look in at Poxey again proved fruitless apart from yesterdays Shelduck still bein' on the old lagoon.

Back home it was time for a stroll in the mud with our Alex, Ellie and the hounds. There's no finer pick me after a crap mornin's birdin' than splashin' in the mud with a three year old princess. Priceless!

Utch 1530-1630

Oystercatchers had risen to 8 by this afternoon! A couple of hundred BHG's dropped in again along with 20 LBBG's and 3 Common gulls all of which had been feedin' on a nearby ploughed field. Goosander had reached 54 by around 1615 but even the thought of again breakin' the roost record couldn't stop me from makin' a pointless trip to Blithers.

Roll on spring.

Utch 27/2/10 1300-1530.

Hey up folks, after the last few weeks "excitement" the birdin' at Utch this last two days as been as poor as the weather. Yesterday afternoons highlight was a single Shelduck which was probably the bird from last weekend.

Today wasn't much better than yesterday. A check of suitable areas for any Water Pipits proved fruitless which was a bit disappointin' with 5 havin' turned up at Willington over in the darkside. 35 Goosander was a good count mid afternoon, how many roosted tonight? The main point of interest today was around 300 BHG's that dropped in for a wash and brush up before they headed for the Blithers roost. Any sizeable flock of gulls at Utch is always a treat because we just don't get 'em here even though it's only a few miles to Blithers.

Goosander 35

Wigeon 91

Teal 3

Pochard 6

Tufty 14

Mallard 60

Oyst' 4

Curlew 3

Snipe 1

Lappy 80

Wildfowl numbers have dropped dramatically since last weekend, possibly due to the thaw and the availability of open water elsewhere.

A quick call in at Poxey on the way home produced a single Shelduck on the old lagoon and nearby on Sandy Lane pool an unseasonally high count of 25 Tufties some of which were probably at Utch last weekend. Tufties normally peak around here in late May early June as they gather in pre-breedin' flocks.

Hopefully the bad weather forecast for tomorrow will bring a few avian goodies for us otherwise a trip out of the county may be called for.

That's all folks.

Rock n Roll!!!!!!!!!!

Oh happy days! A last flick through the tour dates in CR last night as i waited for the nogger to come on after Man City's demise at the hands of The Potters proved rather fortuitous! There right in the top right hand corner of page 111 was what i'd been waitin' for for a while now. THEORY OF A DEADMAN at the Wulfran Hall in Wolvo on the 6/4/10!!! Needless to say minutes later 3 tickets were booked pour moi, Jan and Sosh. Happy days indeed, April will not only be busy on the bird front but we've now got four gigs to go at as well, Airbourne and TOAD in Wolvo, Ac/Dc tribute "Livewire" up 'anley duck and on May the 1st, KISS at Sheffield! I think i'd better get a new set of draws for all those T-shirts owd duck.

Thats all folks.

Duck Hunt 22/2/10.

Heavey overnight snow in the Kingdom of Cheesedale meant todays Webs Duck Hunt with me old mucker and Tony Pullis "lookey likey" Norbert was a none starter. There was no way i was goin' to risk gettin' stranded in the snow among all those hungry Chip Eaters. After brekkie and MOTD i saddled the old slog iron and headed for Hales Hall Pool determined to at least get the hunt goin', even if i couldn't get to Brookers and the JCB Lakes at Rocester. The pool was around 90% frozen so it took less time than usual with the only bird of note bein' this imm' Grey Heron standin' on the ice in the middle of the pool.

A rapid thaw around dinner time(we call it dinner you might call it lunch) meant the game was back on so i headed off to Utch first before continuin' on the Webs duck hunt. You might think it strange that i don't cover Utch on the duck hunt but it's been covered by potteries geneticist and lover of Scottish Islands old Fair Isle for a few years now.

Utch 1230-1415

The only bird of note that was new in today was a rather dapper male Goldeneye, which happens to be the first bird i pointed my very first 'scope at many moons ago at Fairburn Ings on an RSPB bus trip! How times change eh? No time for the Goosander roost today so a measly 27 Goosander seemed a bit like bein' short changed after last night but eh oh. The aytha hybrid was back from it's trip to Brookers and Tufties had risen to 136.

Goosander 27

Tufty 136

Pochard 28

Wigeon 100

Goldeneye 1

Teal 10

Shelduck 1

Green Sand' 1

Oyst' 3

Curlew 1

Lappy 170

Next stop JCB Lakes at Rocester for a resumption of the duck hunt. Very little of note here apart from 3 Common Gulls, 2 Oyst's and 2 rather tame Mandarins. They were "wingus intactus"though so obviously kosher as far as the hunt was concerned.

The thaw meant i'd got to at least try and get to Brookers to complete the hunt but as soon as i left the main lane out of Ellastone i was confronted by a snow covered track which was impassable in the old punto so i beat a hasty retreat before i got stuck. Only a few weeks ago i got the punto stuck in somethin' resemblin' Lake Baikal so i didn't want to trouble the locals again for a push so soon after the last debacle.

On the way wom i called into have a look at a couple of birds which i snapped for what is probably the worst photo you've ever seen. Any ideas on what these are? Answers as usual on a post card please.

That's all folks.

Guilty Pleasure.........

Hey up folks, we've all got one and in rock n roll terms mine is of a Swedish kind! Yep we've all got a guilty pleasure and mine is the fact that i actually like Swedish Hair Metal exponents Europe led by Joey Tempest, eighties rival to JBJ. After readin' several good reviews includin' the fact that they wowed a crowd of hairy bikers at last years Bloodstock Festival over in the darkside(Derbyshire) i bit the bullet last October and booked up for me, Jan and our Soph' at the O2 Academy in Brum.

I don't mind i admittin' i was havin' second thoughts about goin'. Oh how wrong can you be!!!! We got in, just in time to catch support band Diamond Head finish their set with "Am I Evil" a song covered by the sandmen themselves, Metallica.

Enter Joe and the boys who for the next ninety minutes put on a bostin' show. Owd Joey is as good a frontman as i've seen, and i've seen a few. Vocaly superb from start to finish. Highlights were the power ballard Carrie, Cherrokee a superb rendition of Rock the Night and of course that song! Yep they finished off with Thee Final Bloody Countdown and by this time i didn't care who saw me i was singin' me head off. Brilliant!

It's a bit of a struggle sometimes decidin' what's best, Birds, Beer or Rock n Roll. Last night it was definitely rock n roll.

After that back to birds eh?

Another late start today after a spot of hide and seek with our Ellie and yet more shoppin', this time in search of an eighties style bikers jacket for our Soph's 18th bothdee. Yes she's a chip off the old rock n roll block is our Soph'.

Utch 1530-1745

Birds new in today included 2 Great-crested Grebes and Coots had risen to six! A flyover Shelduck eventually came in and settled on the main pit. Snipe had risen to 17, with 10 on the rough meadow and 5 on Leasowes fm pit. No sign of the aytha hybrid today it's now at Brookers where it was picked up by RP this mornin' alongside 2 Scaup. A Barn Owl was huntin' over the far side of the main pit from around half five.

This afternoons highlight though was again the Goosander roost. Last weekend RP and Moi broke the site record with a bat raising 50. This time we battered it in to submission with a rip-roarin' 61 not out!! Birds were still comin' in from along the Dove as we left.

Goosander 61

Wigeon 75

Tufty 103

Pochard 21

Teal 22

Mallard 65

Shelduck 1

Great-crested Grebe 2

Coot 6

Little Egret 1

Oyst' 3

Curlew 2

Snipe 17

Green Sand' 1

Lappy c200

Barn Owl 1

That's all folks.

Utch 19/2/10 1410-1550.

Only a quick visit this afternoon because i'm off to Brum in a bit for a spot of Hair Metal Swedish style.

The only birds of note today were a single Little Egret and the hybrid TuftyxPochard. Duck are numbers well down on last weekend.

Goosander 18

Wigeon 104

Teal 9

Tufty 51

Pochard 22

Mallard 102

Little Egret 1

Oyst' 4

Curlew 2

Snipe 1

Lappy c200

Common Gull 4

That's all folks.

Ronald Belford Scott 1946-1980.

On the 19th of February 1980 the world of rock n roll was stunned to hear of the death of AC/DC's lead singer Bon Scott. Thirty years on and the band that he lead so brilliantly is still rulin' the of world of rock today with a new generation of young rockers keepin' the faith alive. With classic songs like Highway to Hell, Whole Lotta Rosie, Let There Be Rock, The Jack, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Hell Aint A Bad Place To Be, Rocker, Sin City, Touch To much and many more his memory will live on long after the band have hung up their flat caps and guitars.





Cheers Bon, i'll be havin' a drink or two just for you!





Andy.

Utch 14/2/10 1510-1745.

Hey up folks, first things first. I don't know if you've noticed but i've had a Brazilian this week! No it's not what you think, i haven't succumbed to the modern trend among young males to have a bit of a trim round the old tickle tackle. As our Ellie is fond of sayin' "No way Jose"! No infact i was referring' to the fact that i've just had me first visitor from South America, who'd have thought it eh? Obviously our Brazilian friend must have been mislead by the title of me blog and thought he'd jammed onto something a bit livelier!!!!!!!!!!

Back to birdin' now.Family duties this mornin' meant i was restricted to a brief visit to the feedin' station set up by professional squirrel hunter and former nightclub bouncer "Clacky Clowes" behind the Ramblers Retreat Restaurant at Dimmings Dale on the edge of the Cheesedale recordin' area. My target was the Marsh Tits that visit Clackys feeders. Bingo! Within ten minutes of gettin' there i had a Marsh Tit safely UTB as it raided the generous portions of seed provided. If you haven't visited Dimmings ' before please don't bother, because it's very popular and unless you are there at the crack of dawn you'll be swamped by hordes of locals out for a stroll before the omnibus edition of 'Enders. Despite the hordes it can be brilliant for Wood Wobbler and Pied Fly' in spring so it's up to you.

Finally got to Utch at around three after callin' in at the JCB Lakes briefly to unleash the trusty Mugimaki on a few more rubber ducks and Blockheads.

After yesterdays Pinkies it was to say the least, a bit quiet. A stroll along the hedges hopin' to turn up a roostin' LEO proved fruitless as did a quick check for any roostin' Tawny Owls near to where we found a newly fledged owlet last spring. No sign of the female Scaup from yesterday but thee now controversial aytha hybrid was still swimmin' around and seemed to have designs on one rather cute female Pochard. Plenty of Goosander around today though and it was these that provided the highlight of the afternoon pour moi and Tenfords Top Ticker, good old RP Spooner who'd turned up after spendin' the day bolsterin' his staffs year list.

We settled into try and get the site record for roostin' Goosander at about half four and an hour later RP "raised his bat to the crowd" as we hit the magic fifty! No bad eh, and just the two of us to witness it. Doesn't get much better than that. Well perhaps findin' the Eastern Crowned Wobbler was slightly better i suppose.

With the record safely UTB we went our separate ways for home and guess what? Floatin' over the rough meadow right between me and the motor was a Barn Owl! A bostin' way to finish another good a'noons local patchin'.

Goosander 50, site record

Wigeon 146

Tufty 101

Pochard 28

Teal 7

Cormorant 29

Snipe 8

Green Sand' 1

Curlew 1

Oyst' 1

Barn Owl 1

That's all folks.

Utch 13/2/10 0750-1030 "sink the pink"!

Hey up folks, as soon as i stepped out of the back door this mornin' two Ravens went tumblin' low over the garden callin' loudly as i chucked Old Mol' in the Punto. Not a bad start to the day and then a Siskin flew over callin' as it headed for me neighbours feeders. "Oooh, let me at 'em" i thought as i hit the road for Utch," could be in for a good mornin' 'ere owd duck".

Change of routine today, instead of parkin' at Spath i parked near to the River Tean after i realised i'd forgot Mol's lead. She's a good birdin' dog but can be a bit unpredictable around traffic off the lead so i didn't fancy crossin' the busy road with her off the lead.

First bird i clapped me mince pies on was a Little Egret roostin' with BHG's and Lappies on Cottonmill Fm pool. At this rate Little Egret will be replacin' Green Sand' as Birdwatchin' Mag's target bird next time Utch hits the national press. New in today were a flyover Peregrine and the female Scaup reappeared among the divin' ducks alongside yesterdays aytha hybrid. No sign of the six Pinkies from yesterday.

Around nine o'clock c120 Pinkies went over headin', yes you've guessed it n/nw as they headed towards their stagin' post on the Lancashire mosses around Martin Mere. At nine forty five i picked up another 200 as they headed north over Uttoxeter town centre. Then at five past ten as i was scannin' the local geese i heard the nasal calls of Pink-footed Geese comin' from close behind me! I turned round to find 13 Pinkies loosin' height rapidly and flyin' straight towards me at head height low over the field as they headed for the main pool before pullin' up and circlin' overhead.

Had they spotted me earlier? And decided to turn the tables and get their own back on me for reportin' their movements to RBA, who knows but for a minute or two i could have sworn they were huntin' me as they circled low overhead for several minutes before eventually headin' north.

Another good movement of Pinkies today with 100 over Blithers, 250 over Ipstones Edge and several flocks over the potteries. Several flocks also seen over the darkside(Derbyshire).

Pinkie, flocks of c120, c200 and 13 over between 0905 and 1005

Scaup 1

Goosander 18

Tufty 104

Pochard 27

Scaupxtufty 1

Wigeon 96

Teal 6

Peregrine 1

Sprawk 1

Little Egret 1

Oyst' 3

Curlew 3

Back home later after a shoppin' trip with Jan and our Ellie, i had a Cheesedale Mega Alert waitin' for me from MAD MALC' on me phone" LESSER-SPOT' with a tit flock along Sandy Lane"! In Cheesedale terms Lesser-spot' is a real blocker and could be the difference between us at the end of the year. Then another text from the mad one, this time "TREE SPARROW on me mothers bird table"! At this point i began to wonder if the lad had been on the pop a bit earlier than normal or perhaps he'd been on the smarties! I can see i'm goin' to have me work cut out to defend me title. This is what happens when you show someone your secret sites but things will come to a grindin' halt for the lad when May's over. That's when local listin' becomes a true test of stamina and determination here in the birdless depths of Staffordshire.

That's all folks.

Utch 12/2/10 1350-1630 "is it a bird"?

Hey up folks after a crap week at work(god how i regret not takin' me redundancy) it was a relief to get to Utch this a'noon. Today's transport was kindly provided by fellow Cheesedale year lister and Master Crisp Maker, Mad Malc' who luckily pour moi happens to work in Utch. Topman.

Almost as soon as i started across the rough meadow a Little Egret came sailin' overhead, headin' towards Spath. Quick as a flash i unleashed my trusty Mugimaki 750 slr and reeled off a few shots as it circled over the nearby road, easy peasey lemon squeezey! A quick look at the photies revealed something that looked not unlike a large white UFO, well it doesn't look much like an egret anyway. Don't think i'll be submittin' this for the 2010 WMBC report.

Last weekends Pinkies were still on the main pit, well six of 'em anyway. The other one's probably nipped down to Rocester for a spot of dry bread. While i was checkin' the main pit the familiar donkey like call of a Rubber Shelduck caught my ear as one passed low overhead and then dropped in among the assembled goose flock. Oh to tick or not to tick? Well seein' as a pair nested in the same barn as a pair of Barn Owls near Cheesedale recently i think i'll just pencil this one in. Then again the wind was in the east today so perhaps it really is a wild bird fresh in of't continent eh? Also new in today were a single Great-crested Grebe and five Curlews.

A flock of 304 Wood Pig's was a good count as they fed in fields near the River Dove.

The best, well certainly the most interestin' bird today was an aytha hybrid among the tufties and Pochard. From my notes and lookin' at the Collins Guide i'd say it was an adult male ScaupxTufty, either that or a TuftyxPochard. Either way it's a smart bird!

Pinky 6

Greylag' 110

Canadas c220

Barnie 1

Mute Swan 2

Rubber Shelduck 1

Goosander 20

Wigeon 130

Tufty 102

Pochard 24

Mallard 222

Teal 6

Scaup x Tufty 1

Little Egret 1

Great-crested Grebe 1

Green Sand' 1

Curlew 5

Snipe 8

Wood Pig' 304

Common Gull 1

BHG 80

After a good a'noons birdin what better way to end the day than with a few sherbets and the Bruce Dickinson Show on 6music. Rock n Roll.

That's all folks.

Utch 7/2/10 0800-1040 "cocks everywhere"!

Oooooh happy days! Hey up folks after the last two evenings watchin' Woodcock fly out of the gloom at Woodhead Pool i finally nailed not one, but two of 'em today at Staffordshires nationally famous Quarry, good old Utch!! Site Tick Pour Moi! The first flew out of a patch of nettles on the edge of the River Tean and then another "exploded " from the bottom of an Hawthorn hedge as i stalked the rapidly expandin' population of Pinkies as they fed in fields near to the River Dove.

Call me sad but nothin' beats a new bird on ya local patch, well nothin apart from birdin' abroad. Don't get me started on that one, how anyone can say shiverin' ya knackers off here in blighty lookin' through ducks and geese for the odd one out beats havin' the back of ya legs burnt as you study some cripplin' wobbler or even better a raptor, in some far flung destination leaves me baffled.

Anyway enough of that, back to Utch. Apart from the Woodcocks the only new bird was a lone female Goldeneye. The female Scaup that had been at Brookers yesterday was back among the Tufties and Pochard with Tufies up to 95. Teal had risen to 44.

Pinky 7, feedin' in fields near the Dove

Canada Goose c200

Greylag c50

Mute Swan 4

Goosander 8

Scaup 1, adult female

Goldeneye 1

Tufty 95

Pochard 19

Teal 44

Wigeon 135

Mallard 160

Common Gull 3

Lappy 140

Oystercatcher 2

WOODCOCK 2

Walkin' back to the car i couldn't believe my eyes. The two Mute Swans that had been feedin' on the pit by Cottonmill Fm had had their heads knocked clean off!!! How this happened i don't know but there was a lot of gunshots goin' off from the nearby shootin' range so i can only assume that a couple of bullets went astray at some point.

A quick tootle round Poxey with the hounds just before dark provided me with another addition to the Cheesedale yearlist in the form of a Willow Tit as i chucked the hounds back in the old punto.

Well after that i think a sherbet or two is called for don't you?

That's all folks.

Utch 6/2/10 1400-1620.

Hey up folks, well that late start cost me today! Huge numbers of Pinkies on the move again through Staffordshire today. A text message from Mad Malc' sayin' he'd had a large skein go over Hawks' followed by one from RP sayin' he'd had around 300 go over as he stepped out of the front door at Powells Palace were the first signs of a big day. From then on it was an almost constant stream of messages on the pager with movements of Pinkies through Gods Own County. Highest count of the day went to Westport Lake with 1650 over followed by 900 over Keele, 500 over Audley, 300 over Cheadle and 98 over Silverdale.

No sign of any Pinkies on the move this a'noon at Utch but the 6 from yesterday which flew off north were back with the Greylags, feeding in fields between the Rivers Dove and Tean. Three Oystercatchers at the far end of the main pit were the only birds of note today apart from the pinks.

Oystercatcher 3

Pinky 6

Goosander 23

Wigeon 148

Tufty 87

Pochard 14

Cormorant 45

Strollin' back along the Tean me and The Mad One bumped into RP who'd been prospectin' around one of his secret sites. I mentioned the Woodcocks at Woodhead and the Earl of Teanford decided to join us for a torchlite vigil as we went in search of the 'cocks!

Almost as soon as we got out of the car at Woodhead RP picked up a Kingfisher as it flew across the small pool. Then two Goosander flew over! Not bad for the first five minutes. As darkness fell RP plugged himself into his phone as he waited for the final score of his beloved Brewers match with Burslems finest Port Vale. Then James Alexander Gordon told him all he wanted to know, the Brewers had beaten the Vale!!!!!!!!!!!! No tremblin' voice this time like when he found Fergal the Fudge Duck just a couple of "get in there's" and gloatin' texts to vale fan Sylvia Staffs were enough for my Old Burtonian pal.

Darkness fell and still no sign of any 'cocks, then as we headed back to the car we picked up first one then two, three Woodcock as they flew overhead and dropped into the newly silaged field.

That's all folks.

Utch 5/2/10 1400-1650.

Hey up folks, after the recent cold spell it was positively balmy at Utch this a'noon. It must have been warm i had me gloves off, unheard of in Feb' pour moi. Last weekends good run continued with four Green Sand's runnin' around together on Leasowes pit and six Pinkies on the main pit with the Can's and 'lags. The Pinkies moved into the fields by the River Dove before flyin' off north at around three o'clock. Twenty two Pochard was a good count and could even be a record for the site. Two Shelduck flew over headin' south west.

Pinky 6

Canadas 226

Greylags 76

Goosander 21

Wigeon 161

Shelduck 2

Pochard 22

Tufty 85

Teal 24

Mallard 147

Cormorant 35

Green Sand' 4

Snipe 1

Lappy c250

After Utch i thought i'd try my luck with a report of a Barn Owl near Woodhead Hall on the edge of Cheesedale. Once again i failed with a barnie, second time in a week. But i did have six Woodcock fly over while i was stood waitin' for the owl to show and a callin' Tawny Owl finished off a good a'noons birdin'.

Late start tomorrow, no i'm not on the lash again, we're on grandaughter duty.

That's all folks.

Jermaine Defoe 3- 1 Leeds United.

Hey up folks, wasn't quite sure what to mention first, the latest Rob Zombie album "Hellbilly deluxe 2" or the fact that our cup run is over for another year. Baring in mind my recent gloatin' when we beat a team from lancashire in the last round i think it's only right i mention the nogger first. It could have been six or seven if it wasn't for Casper Ankergrens heroics so i'll settle for 3-1. it looks so much better than 6-1. For a minute though when the blonde Mario Kempes scored i thought we were in with a shout for a mo'.

If you like rock n roll with a twist try "Hellbilly ' 2". With song titles like Jesus Frankenstein, Werewolf Baby, Virgin Witch and Werewolf Women of the SS it's got to be worth lendin' an ear to surely. Bostin'.

Lookin' good for tomorrow a'noon, Jan's off so the car is all mine. Utch here we come.

That's all folks.