Scott Staffs Wildlife

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow evening is the next talk for Stafford Branch of @WestMidBirdClub

Steve Dawes will be enthralling us with "The Realm of the Tiger".

All are welcome, members or non-members.

Please see attached details.

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59 Whooper Swans in the fields at Garreg.

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Out for a bit of stellar navigation in the hills of Snowdonia.

Temperature's dropped off a bit, but the clear sky is ablaze with stars.

Not as warm as the desert used to be, but at least the North Star is higher above the horizon! 😉

50 Whooper Swans in the fields at Garreg.

Separate flock of 17 Mute Swans.

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First Hawfinch of the year near Prenteg this morning.

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Just had info back from WWT Colour-Marking for Whooper Swan Yellow 'TDU' that I spotted near Pont Croesor at the weekend.

Ringed as an adult male on 12/08/21 at Brusatjorn, Bardardalur, Iceland.

It was then seen on 19/02/22 at Brigsteer Causeway, Kendal.

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I did.

On a roll with colour-ringed Whooper Swans. Three in 3 weeks.

Another one at Garreg / Pont Croesor today.

67U, a male, was ringed as an adult at Sandvatn, Mývatnsheiđi, Iceland on 13/08/25.

Thanks to WaterbirdCM for the info 😊

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Whooper Swan near Pont Croesor on the Glaslyn today.

Yellow Leg Ring: TOU

Also White-Fronted And Pink-Footed Geese.

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Glad you saw them. The farmer and his dog put everything up as I was leaving.

Also 6 Pink-footed

51 Whooper Swans and 8 White-Fronted Geese in fields near Pont Croesor.

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Friday: White-Billed Diver

Saturday: White-Billed Diver (x2)
White-Winged Scoter
Stejneger's Scoter (probable 2w)

Sunday: Drake Smew

I'd say that was acceptable 😊

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The long-staying drake Smew was speeding about Broadwood Loch this morning.

Coot (briefly 😂) for scale.

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Anything below 250ft asl is a bad investment 🤔

Arrived at East Wemyss to find another Birder had the probable Stejneger's Scoter in his scope.

The two-tone bill colour was clearly different than the Velvets it was with, but the 'horn' was not obvious. Tricky.

Also saw a leucistic Velvet with an all white head. Looked very strange.

Also White-Billed Diver off the Temple earlier this morning.

Drake White-Winged Scoter amongst a flock of 40ish Velvet Scoters off Carrick Villa / Drumbarnie Links on the Forth today at noon.

Flushed further offshore by three low-flying microlight pilots.

Spent a nice afternoon at a very cold but sunny St David's near Dalgety Bay on the Forth.

Highlights were White-Billed Diver and Slavonian Grebe.

Lots of other seabirds and waders.

Grey Seals were hauled up and loafing on barely submerged rocks.

Weird blue stuff spotted over Staffordshire.... 👆

Final reminder that tomorrow is the next @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social Stafford Branch talk.

Featuring our very own Clive Davies presenting 'Mongolia - a journey through sound'.

We hope to see you all there 😊

22L, a female, was ringed at Bjargavatn, northern Iceland in Aug 23.

She was then seen in Southery, Norfolk in Feb 24, and Elford, Staffs today.

Thanks to Waterbird Colour-Marking for info.

Bizarrely, whilst surveying glaciers in Iceland I was only 12 miles from Bjargavatn at one point.

Popped over to Elford to see the 60 Russian White-Fronted Geese.

Nothing doing when I got there, but fortunately they flew in after an hour.

Also 4 Whooper Swans. One of which had a white ring on it's left leg. The number looked like 22L

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Thought I'd do a bit of Fallow Deer Watching on Cannock Chase tonight.

I've muted the biting cold gale 😂

Plenty of deer around.

More videos in thread.

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The weather picked up enough for a visit to RSPB Middleton Lakes this morning.

Water levels were very high.

Paths are doable in waterproof boots, but wellies are better.

Managed to add Bittern and Cettis Warbler to the year list which now stands at 106.

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Nipped over to Whitemoor Haye this afternoon for very distant views of the Slavonian Grebe, but slightly better ones of the two drake Red-Crested Pochards.

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