BELVIDE Cloudy SW 1-2

 A late afternoon visit produced 1 Greenshank, 19 Ringed Plover and 3 Dunlin. A Yellow Wagtail was  at the west end. 4 Great Egret were noted. A Marsh Harrier was seen by others this morning. 

BELVIDE Early Rain S 3

 21 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin were present including a dark smokey breasted individual that stood out from the other Ringed Plovers. 3 Red Kite flew over. 68 Wigeon and 9 Pintail were counted. A single Swallow was over the dam. 3 male Stonechat were at the west end. 3 Great Egret were noted.

BELVIDE Overcast SE 3-4

 18 Ringed Plover were the only waders present. The Yellow Wagtail was still in front of the Chappell hide. A Hobby and Peregrine were present. 260 Linnet were at the west end. 4 Great Egret were noted. 

BELVIDE Fair SE 1-2

 Today's waders included 18 Ringed Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper and 1 Common Sandpiper. An 4th winter/adult Caspian Gull (photo) and 3rd winter Yellow-legged Gull were from the Chappell hide this afternoon. A Yellow Wagtail was still in front of the Chappell hide. 5 Stonechat were off the west track. 47 Wigeon, 9 Pintail and 3 Goosander were counted. 2 Peregrine and 3 Great Egret were noted. 

BELVIDE Patchy Light Rain SSE 2-4

 The 3rd winter Caspian Gull (photo) was again present this afternoon from the Chappell hide, also 2 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gulls (photo) 17 Ringed Plover were the only waders present. 14 Pintail, 10 Pochard and a Mandarin were counted. 2 Hobby flew thru, also a Goshawk was east of the dam. 220+ Linnet were at the west end. A Yellow Wagtail was in front of the Chappell hide. 12 Swallow and 2 House Martin flew south. 6 Great Egret were noted.

BELVIDE Sunny SW 2

 12 Ringed Plover were the only waders present today. 12 Jay flew over this morning which appears to be part of a movement of the Species at the moment. 11 Pintail were counted. 8 Stonechat were at the west end. 3 Red Kite were in the area. A Vis Mig off the dam between 0700-0930 hrs produced 27 Swallow, 83 Meadow Pipit and 17 Chaffinch.

BELVIDE Overcast Patchy Drizzle N 2

 A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper at the west end was a new arrival, also 2 Dunlin and 12 Ringed Plover were present. A Yellow Wagtail and Stonechat were at the west end. 10 Pintail and 37 Wigeon were counted. A Goshawk was chasing Jackdaws east of the dam this afternoon.

BELVIDE Fair SSW 1

 A juvenile Little Stint from the Chappell hide was a new arrival, also 2 Dunlin and 11 Ringed Plover were present. 8 Pintail, 35 Wigeon, 216 Teal and 224 Shoveler were counted. A Red Kite flew over. 3 Stonechat were at the west end.

BELVIDE Showers NW 2-4

 An Osprey flew over high to the west at 1.37pm, also 1 Hobby, 1 Peregrine 1 Goshawk and 2 Red Kite were in the area. 12 Ringed Plover and 3 Dunlin were the only waders present. 8 Pintail, 27 Wigeon, 134 Teal and 218 Shoveler were counted. 1 Great Egret and 1 Little Egret were noted. At least 60 Swallow flew thru south this afternoon. 

BELVIDE Warm Sunny SW 2

 1 Redshank and 8 Ringed Plover were the only waders present today. 6 Pintail, 20 Wigeon and 200 Shoveler were counted. An Australian Shelduck was in front of the Gazebo hide. 3 Great Egret and a Little Egret were noted. 132 Linnet were on the north shore. 

BELVIDE Fair W 1

 8 Ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin and 3 Snipe were the only waders present today. 4 Pintail and 197 Shoveler were counted. An imm Peregrine and 2 Red Kite flew over . A 1st winter Med Gull (photo) and 3rd winter Caspian Gull were on the north shore late afternoon. 

BELVIDE Fair W/ NW 2

A juvenile Knot dropped in along the south east bay at 7.15am. A Turnstone dropped in this afternoon, also 1 Ruff, 16 Ringed Plover, 1 LRP, 1 Dunlin and 2 Common Sandpiper were present. 4 Pintail and 19 Wigeon were counted. A Wheatear was on the north shore. 3 Cattle Egret were below the dam this afternoon, also 1 Great Egret and 1 Little Egret were present. An imm Peregrine has been a constant menace today scaring off most of the waders mentioned above. 

BELVIDE Cloudy WSW 4-5

 Not a bad day with a few new arrivals. 7 Knot flew thru south at 9.20am, also 29 Ringed Plover, 1 LRP, 2 Dunlin and 2 Common Sandpiper were present. A Cattle Egret dropped in at 9.48am, then flew out over the A5 15 minutes later. A juvenile Black Tern dropped in at 10.50am and was still present late afternoon. 4 Pintail and 18 Wigeon were counted. An imm Peregrine, 2 Hobby, Red Kite and Great Egret were noted. At least 4 Willow Emerald Damselflies were by the first bench along the Gazebo bay.

BELVIDE Afternoon Rain WSW 3-4

 29 Ringed Plover, 1 LRP, 2 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Ruff were present. 4 Pintail and 16 Wigeon were counted. 2 Peregrine and 2 Hobby were noted. 

BELVIDE Cloudy WNW 4

 25 Ringed Plover, 1 LRP, 2 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper and 2 Snipe were present. A Wheatear and 2 Yellow Wagtail were at the west end. At least 70 Linnet were on the north shore. A Goshawk and 3 Hobby were in the area this afternoon. 3 Pintail and 2 Great Egret were noted. 

BELVIDE Cloudy W 2-3

 26 Ringed Plover, 1 LRP, 2 Dunlin, 1 Ruff and 2 Common Sandpiper were present. A Wheatear was on the north shore. 2 Great Egret, 3 Pintail and 2 Hobby were noted. 

BELVIDE Cloudy W 3

 29 Ringed Plover, 3 LRP, 3 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper and 1 Ruff were present. A single Wheatear was on the north shore. 3 Pintail and 14 Wigeon were counted. 2 Hobby and 2 Great Egret were noted.

I took a trip up to Rudyard Lake in North Staffordshire, to see a juvenile Baird's Sandpiper that had been found this morning. The bird showed very well on arrival with a small group of Ringed Plover. This becomes the 3rd record for Staffordshire of this transatlantic vagrant and my 2nd in the county, following a juvenile I saw at Blithfield Reservoir in November 1996. Also a flock 0f 35 Pink-footed Geese flew over. Some Video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16e7IhC1MFI

 

BELVIDE Morning Drizzle SW 3

 The first decent gathering of large gulls this afternoon produced a 3rd winter Caspian Gull (photo) and 4 Yellow-legged Gulls including the first juvenile/ 1st winter (photo) of the season and 3 adults. 3 Ruff, 24 Ringed Plover, 3 LRP, 3 Dunlin and 1 Common Sandpiper were present. 3 Pintail, 11 Wigeon and 1 Mandarin were counted. 3 Great Egret and a Hobby were noted. 2 Wheatear were on ther north shore.

BELVIDE Early Rain W 1

 2 Ruff, 26 Ringed Plover, 3 LRP, 4 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Snipe and 123 Lapwing were present. 2 Wheatear and a Stonechat were on the north shore. Today's WeBS count produced 1 Goosander, 11 Wigeon, 2 Pintail, 109 Teal, 147 Shoveler, 483 Mallard, 18 Gadwall, 277 Tufted Duck, 178 Coot, 91 Moorhen, 357 Greylag Geese, 229 Canada Geese, 19 Grey Heron, 2 Great Egret, 1 Little Egret, 8 GC Grebe, 11 Little Grebe, 54 Cormorant. 

BELVIDE Overcast SW 2

 A late afternoon /early evening visit produced 1 Black-necked Grebe, 6 Wigeon, 3 Pintail, 2 Ruff, 13 Ringed Plover, 3 LRP, 2 Dunlin and 1 Common Sandpiper. 2 Yellow Wagtail were at the west end. 2 Grasshopper Warbler were along the south east bay this morning , including one trapped and ringed.