Utch 27/8/10 1505-1650.

A poor show at Utch this afternoon with two adult Dunlin being the highlight! An adult Common Gull was among the blockheads.

Dunlin 2, Common Sand' 1, LRP 2, Common Gull 1, Shelduck 3, Teal 13, Shoveler 1, Goosander 1, Mandarin 1.

A call in at Croxden on the way home producd the "bird of the day" a Common Sand'! Yes it's a bit over the top but wader wise this year at Croxden, Common Sand' is more than welcome. This next three weeks at Croxden "normally" turn something of note up, something of note could mean something as common as a Little Egret but it's still a MEGA up here. Anyway hope it's a good un but not when I'm in Portugal!!

That's all folks.

Ellie Grace Big Four Today!!

Our beautiful little granddaughter is four years old today "Happy Birthday El'" from Nana Jan and Grandad xxxx.

Utch 25/8/10 1830-1920.

I was torn tonight between nippin' up the M6 for a buchas at the Long-billed Dowitcher in Northwich or another visit to Utch. In the end Utch won and I'm glad it did because the dowitcher flew off at around 1810 when I would have been "half way there....... livin' on a prayer" by then!



Five Black'wits were the highlight tonight. They flew in over Cotonmill fm at c1900 and immediately turned round and flew of again! Other than that there was very little on show apart from the four Shelduck from last night.



Black'wit 5, Green Sand' 1, Common Sand' 1, LRP 2, Shelduck 4.



That's all folks.

Utch 24/8/10 1830-2010.

A quick tour of North East Staffordshire's top birder less hotspot this evenin' again failed to turn up anything decent. The last decent bird was RP's Wood Sand nearly two months ago! It's bird less times like this that test even the most ardent of local patchers. What I'd have given tonight for summat like a Knot, Kittiwake or Little Gull all of which were only eight miles away at Blithers this evenin'.

A single Ringed Plover and a flyover Greenshank were the "highlights" this evenin'.

Ringed Plover 1, LRP 9, Greenshank 1, Common Sand' 2, Green Sand' 2, Shelduck 4 juv's, Yellow Wag' 2, Peregrine 1.

That's all folks.

Utch 22/8/10 1820-2010.

Still no quality at Utch this evenin'. A crackin' evenin' for a stroll though, we'd better make the most of 'em cos the nights are closin' in quickly and before we know it we'll be stuck inside night after night! God I hate dark nights!!!


Greenshank 4, Green Sand' 6, Common Sand' 3, Dunlin 2, LRP 2, Snipe 1, Goosander 2, Shelduck 1, Teal 13, Yellow Wag' 13.


That's all folks.

Utch 21/8/10 1240-1540.

Naked Birdin' seems to be the latest thing if you look at Martin Garners excellent new blog "Birding Frontiers" it's all about birdin' without optics and all the other paraphernalia we carry around nowadays. Well today I was semi naked! No don't worry I haven't been wanderin' around Utch with the old crown jewels hangin' out, nothin' of the sort but I did feel rather lost and nervy with NO PAGER! Yes me pager has died and I can't seem to get through to anyone at RBA so I'm relyin' on The Alkborough Two to keep me up to date until I can get it sorted.



Nothin' of any real interest today infact the only real talkin' point was the fact that I didn't have a coat when the heavens opened and I had to dash for shelter under a hedge



Greenshank 3, Green Sand' 6, LRP 6, Common Sand' 5, Dunlin 1, Snipe 1, Shelduck 2 juv's, Yellow Wag' 7, Redstart 2, Sedge Warb' 1, L'throat 2.



That's all folks.

"watch where ya treadin' owd duck!"

Hey up folks, let me tell you a little story about something that happened at work today. Every detail is for once sadly and completely true!

Earlier this mornin' my team leader Dogtanian said I was wanted outside in the kittin' shed but he didn't know why. "Where's the kittin' shed?" I said "I'll show you" said Dogtanian who obviously thought he was missin' out on something, how he would later regret bein' so nosey! So after donnin' the compulsory Hi-vis vests we trooped of outside to see what was occurin' ?

As we walked into the shed through a large roller shutter door two Swallows flew out and almost knocked me block off! From over at the far end of the shed one of the lads shouted "you've just trod on that bird!!! "WHAT BIRD?" We both asked as we turned round to see a juv' Swallow doin' the dyin' fly spinnin' around on its back. " Oh shit that bird" I quickly rushed across and picked it up as the poor little sod drew it's last breath! How unlucky was that? If they'd only said that they needed me to move a bird then Dogtanian probably woudn't have come with me and the poor little sod would have been still alive tonight and dreamin' of spendin' the winter in the sun!!!

So you can say that old Dogtanian really put his foot in it this time!!!!!!

That's all folks.

Tickin' like a tart!!!

Well after finally nailin' a Tree Pipit securely to the Old Pox' List after fourteen years on Monday the last thing I expected was another addition so soon! But then just as i was jumpin' in the car after a bird less hour on the viewpoint me mobile went off with a message from my nemesis the newly crowned Baron Croxden or as he's known to his fans Mad Malc' lettin' me know that he'd got two Spot' Fly's over the far end of the quarry right where I had the Pipit!!!

Then RP turned up just as I was about to roar off,can you roar off in a punto? "Spot Fly's follow me!" So off we roared in a mini convoy with Paul Rogers warbling away to the Bad Co. classic "Bad Co." What a tune! Five minutes later and we were just in time to 'scope one of the fly's before it flew off into the edge of the wood.

Nice one Baron!

That's all folks.

Utch 17/8/10 1815-2015.

With a report of four Spot'shanks at Blithers and up to eleven Ruff at Belfield I hit Utch with high hopes of a good bird at last tonight. As usual the birdin' gods failed to play ball but three Greenshank and a crackin' juv' Whinchat wasn't to bad a result.


Greenshank 3, Green Sand' 6, Snipe 3, Common Sand' 1, LRP 7, Teal 34, Shelduck 1, Y-front 1, Yellow Wag' 3, Whinchat 1 juv'.


That's all folks.

Site Tick!!!

Hey up folks back at work today after an almost completely bird less three week break and as soon as I got outside at snappin' time a juv' Wheatear flew up from between two tractors! First of the autumn.


Today's best bird though was a single Tree Pipit this evenin' at Croxden which flew up in front of me and the dogs and gave crackin' views through the 'scope. A long overdue species at poxey and a site tick to boot!!! Also at poxey this evenin' were a fem/juv Mandarin and two Teal.


That's all folks.

Utch 15/8/10 0915-1200.

Meet Hansel and Gretal two of several "donations" to the local avifauna at Hales Hall, presumin' they are a pair any offspring will will be tickable under the latest Cheesedale Recordin' Area Guidelines which have just been published in the local rag.

The only thing of note on todays Webs duck count was two Yellow Wag's which flew over Hales Hall callin' at 0650. Yep I know they aren't ducks but they're still a good bird for Cheesedale!

No need for a full check of the Utch today with RP already on site but plenty of time for a natter as usual. The light north easterlies seemed to have done the trick with a bit of an influx of Yellow Wag's which numbered at least ten and possibly up to fifteen. Duck numbers were up with twenty two Teal the highest total since the spring. Very few waders on show but a juv' Greenshank showed well on the pool by Cottonmill fm.

Greenshank 1 juv', Common Sand' 1, LRP 1, Gypo 10, Shelduck 1 juv', Teal 22, Shoveler 2, Yellow Wag' c15, Reed Warb' 1, Sedge Warb' 1, Garden Warb' 1, Chiff' 2, Willow Warb' 1, Willow Tit 1, Swift 1, Peregrine 1, Stramshall Man 1.

A rare appearance today from Stramshall Man who was twitchin' the feral Y-front for insurance purposes. Sadly no sign of said Y-front while he was there so it meant a long drive up the road to home.

That's all folks.

Utch 14/8/10 0800-1050.

The best couple of hours at Utch for a while with the highlights bein' 3 juv' Greenshanks that touched down briefly at 1005 in front of an incomin' shower before movin' off again and Redstarts now up to 3!!! Two fem' imm's and the crackin' male still in hawthorns near the Dove.




Greenshank 3, Green Sand' 7, Common Sand' 1, LRP 4, Goosander 2, Shelduck 1 juv', Y-front 1, Gypo 10, Yellow Wag' 2, Redstart 3, Sedge Warbler 1, Lesser' throat 1, Whitethroat 1, Willow Warb'1, Chiff' 1, Swift 1, Peregrine 1 juv'.




Duck count tomorrow and hopefully a Gargoyle or two!




That's all folks.

Redstart!

At this time of year I usually start doin' a spot of bush bashin' at Hales Hall Pool on the edge of Cheesedale lookin' for any migrant wobblers, flycatchers and chats that have stopped off on their way south. Today was a bit of a red letter day with a Redstart flashin' right in front of me just as one of the lads from work stopped for a chat! Needless to say it never showed again while I was there. Although it's only a mile to Hawksmoor and the Churnet Valley where Redstarts are regular breeders it's only my second record for the site.

With the Redstart at Hales and a pager message revealin' a Whinchat at Potteries Birdin' Mecca Berryhill I thought I'd give Tickhill ago but didn't expect to much with these seemingly permanent westerlies. Oh how wrong can you be! First hedge I looked in produced 2 Redstarts! After that it went rapidly downhill at Tickers with not even a sniff of a 'chat but I wasn't complain' after the recent run at Utch. As you can see from the picture below a 'scope is a must at Tickers. Make a note of that ready for when you're watchin' the biggy up there this autumn!

Next stop Utch and unbelievabley 2 more Redstarts! Both birds were in Hawthorns near the Dove. One was a corkin' male!!! Very little else at Utch not even a Green Sand'!

Quite a day really in local terms pour moi it's the first time I've ever had Redstarts at three different sites away from breedin' sites.

No Idea what the fly is, have you? Answers on a postcard please.

That's all folks.

Cotton Dell...........If you've never bin, try it!

A stroll with Jan and the hounds around the beautiful SWT Res' that is Cotton Dell yesterday made me realise just how lucky we are livin' in Gods Own County, all we need is a bit of coastline and we'd have it all.

Do me a favour though try and not to go when I am(just joshin' owd duck). But if you do go there's two pubs in Oakie where you can refuel!

Andy.

Utch 9/8/10.

Tell you what folks I'm glad I went for that Bairds the other day with me mad mucker because it's gettin' pretty desperate at Utch. Never the less optimism won over common sense today and I put in another two shifts . One just after brekkie and again around tea time after an afternoon watchin' a couple of juv' Peregrines and their dad puttin' on a show and givin' the local pigeons a scare or two!

Highlight at Utch today was a trio of Common Terns, an adult and two juv's that had turned up this afternoon and gave cripplin' views down to c30ft as the two juv's rested on the mud right by the path.

Common Tern 3, Green Sand' 1, LRP 4, Common Sand' 1, Yellow Wag' 7, Egyptian Goose 7.

That's all folks.

Utch 8/8/10 0940-1215.

A later than planned visit today after watchin' the Leeds match first thing this mornin'. Not the best start to the new season made even worse by the fact that we lost to old Mr Fake Tan himself Robbie Savages Derby! Nice to see some old clips of my boyhood heros at half-time though, Peter Lorimer and Eddie Gray. How much would they go for today?

Back to birds, Yellow Wag's continue to come through in good numbers with at least twenty around this mornin'.

Yellow Wag' c20, L'throat 4, W'throat 4, Chiff' 1, Reed Warb' 1, Kingfisher 1, Green Sand' 6, LRP 12, Dunlin 1, Common Sand' 1, Gypo 6.

If you're wonderin' about the cow picture fear not so am I!!!

That's all folks.

A Refreshin' Change.......

After the last couple of weeks in the birdin' doldrums at Utch it was nice to finally to grips with a good bird this afternoon, the Bairds Sand' at Lound courtesy of Mad Malc' and the all new "Mystery Machine" . It was the first proper trip out of the county since that mad week at the end of May when we had White-tailed Plover, Ib' Chiff', Mammies Wobbler, Great Reed Wob' and a stunnin' adult sum' plum' White-winged Black Tern which I first saw in Salop before it moved to Belvide.

This is how birdin' should be, just pull up, walk twenty yards to view the target bird happily feedin' alongside a juv' Dunlin among Lappies and then when you've grilled it in preparation for it's arrival at Utch, walk the twenty yards back to the car. The pager message said it was showin' distantly but it was probably around 150 yards away which with a decent 'scope still gives you pretty good views.

Back at the "Mystery Machine" I bumped into "The Blurred Birders" rival Jules Allen and his young apprentice Tom who like us were goin' for a look at the Black-necked Grebe on Neatholme pit. Lucky for us though we bumped into an over sexed birdin' pensioner who told us it was at least a two mile walk for the grebe. That was enough to turn us back towards the car especially with a ninety mile trip back home and a far more accessible grebe on offer at Belvide.

After a crackin' bird all we need now is a good result at Elland Road and a drop of the old Danish love juice to finish off a good day.

COME ON LEEDS!!!!!

Utch and Blithers 6/8/10.

Today saw me at Utch earlier than of late since family duties meant I'd be on call for taxi drivin' duties from around ten.


Two new additions to the Utch year list today in the form of a Goldcrest and a rather dodgy Y-Front among the 'lags that had obviously eloped with one of them from the nearby "pain in the birders arse" that is the free rangin' wildfowl collection at my employers base in Rocester!!! So that takes me to 124 for the year if I take into account dodgy category D escapees from Rocester.


It's funny though, I spent all last winter hopin' for a Y-Front and one finally turns up in soddin' swinin' August with a bunch of feral grass guzzlin' Greylags!


Most of yesterdays Gypos were still pres' and Yellow Wag's had risen to at least 13 but the highlight of a rather rushed visit was 2 Greenshank that literally dropped in just after 8 o'clock and then took off almost instantly and flew over to the dark side.



Greenshank 2, LRP 7, Common Sand' 1, Dunlin 1, Green Sand' 1, Gypo 5, Yellow Wag' 13, Willow Tit 1, Kingfisher 1.


With taxi drivin' duties complete and me old dear back at home I gave old Vaughanicus a ring and said I'd meet him at Blithers seein' as I couldnt twist his arm for a quick trip up the M1 for a shufty at the Bairds at Lound.




Lurkin' in the carpark at Blithers munchin' on a pickled gerkin was none other than Blithers very own Captain Caveman lookey likey Ricardo Berry or as the kids used to say at his old school"ooh Richie Berry, ooh Richie Berry, ooh Richie Berry, ooh Richie Berry"(one for all Stokies and Wolvo fans there). A quick chuckle with Ricardo revealed that he'd been pourin' scorn on Boy Georges recent records and he wouldn't be buyin' anymore!!!



A quick check of Blithe Bay produced zip apart from seven Little Egrets and four Common Sand's.



Tad Bay wasn't that much better either with another three egrets and a couple of Blackwits.




Little Egret 10, Common Sand' 4, Black'wit 2, LRP 5,




That's all folks.

Utch 5/8/10 1500-1645.

Yes,yes I know but it's got that dull at Utch I've resorted to takin' pic's of cows in fields!

A very slight improvement today with eight Gypos waddlin' around on the "new scrape" infront of the earthmovers. A juv' Dunlin was new in and Yellow Wag's had risen to ten.

Egyptian Goose 8, Yellow Wag' 10, Dunlin 1, Common Sand' 1, LRP 4, Green Sand' 0, Kingfisher 1.

That's all folks.

News Gets Out Quick At Blithers!!!!!

A lack of birds at Utch yesterday mornin' meant I couldn't resist another trip up the road to Blithers and hopefully a few more birds than we've been gettin' at Utch this last few weeks.

As soon as I got into Blithe Bay I spotted our Graham movin' stealthily towards the hide. Three Little Egrets were a nice surprise as they stood preenin' at the mouth of the Blithe but as I scanned right I spotted another four along the banks of the river and then another five flew up!!!! Bloody hell!!! Now I knew why our Graham was movin' so steadily, he was countin' 'em in the hope that it would mean yet another site record for GJM. With this in mind and knowin' that news can be a bit sluggish gettin' out of Blithers I was straight onto RBA with the news knowin' full well that GJM would be gobsmacked about the news comin' through on his pager since he was the only birder present or so he thought.

Five minutes later and GJM was walkin' back and the first thing he said was "I bloody new it must be you who'd put the news out!" MOI??? "Nobody else is daft enough!" said Blithers top lister. Can't argue with that can I but it did give me a giggle.

Apart from the egrets there was very little else at Blithers. One sad note though was the shockin' discovery that someone had stolen a plastic sleeve from the noticeboard in the Stansley Wood hide which led to Sir Roger of Milford(he of Belted Kingfisher fame) questioning "why I ######' bother?"

I'd gone off Blithers but you don't get this entertainment at Utch so I might start spendin' a bit more time there if only to exercise the old chuckle muscles.

That's all folks.

Utch 3/8/10 1800-2000.

When's the weather goin' to improve? Surely some easterlies can't be that far away!


Naff all tonight, in fact less than last night apart from half a dozen Yellow Wag's, which as nice to see as they are don't really get the old pulse racin'.


Green Sand' 6, LRP 17, Common Sand' 6, Snipe 3, Yellow Wag' 6.


Today's highlight was a fem/juv Pied Fly' at the top of Greendale which is the latest I've seen locally by a mile.


That's all folks.

Utch 2/8/10 1945-2125.

Finally got to Utch late on this evenin' after Jan's session at the Fat Club(she's not fat more like round at the edges, like moi). Anyway after tonight her body is a once again a temple, I said more like a mosque and seconds later i got a swift kick up the arse as I headed for the car.


Tonight's highlight was the record count of thirteen Green Sand's which I think could well be beaten before the end of my forced three week break.


Green Sand' 13, LRP 32, Common Sand' 3, Snipe 3, Lapwing 180.


That's all folks.

Utch 1/8/10 0835-1150.

Another quiet mornin' at the office produced zip!!! Well I wouldn't call a superb juv' Peregrine zip but after it had finished tazzin' about aimlessly there wasn't much left on site. There were however still the usual suspects providin' avian backup.

LRP 25, Common Sand' 3, Green Sand' 8, Oyst' 2, L'throat 3, W'throat 5, Yellow Wag' 2, Peregrine 1 juv'.

If I'd seen this many birds at Croxden I'd have been havin' palpitations. For those who aren't familiar with Croxden it's a large hole in north-east Staffordshire that very rarely gets owt good.

That's all folks.