Belvide and Gaily Reservoirs, Staffordshire, UK.

A mornings birding and an evening in the pub !!!!

Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea).

I was pleased to find that John and Sharon Holian were going to be free for a mornings birding around some of the old local spots. We started in the rain and decided to go to Belvide Res as there were several hides to sit in and stay dry. 

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

We parked and had a quick look at the woodland hide first before going to the main hide, at the feeders we saw Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Marsh (Carbonero Palustre / Parus palustris) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and several Pheasants (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus).

Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus).

We moved on to the Scott hide and soon had several Goldeneyes (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula) in the scope amongst a blizzard of Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) with the odd House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) dotted in with them. 

Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

In the reeds in front of us we had Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and further out on the main water there were Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Canada (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis) and Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo). 

Great Crested Grebes (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).

Whist we were in the hide Geoff Russon a midlands birder who I had not seen for many years came in and we spent a bit of time catching up before we moved around to the next hide with a few feeders in front of it where we added Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor) and Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).

Goldeneyes (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula).

We then got a call from the far hide from Steve Knutall another birder I knew from past trips to tell us that there was an Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) hovering over the top end of the lake so we scanned the area and eventually picked it up as it disappeared over the woods on the North shore. 

Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).

From the far hide we had a better look over the North Shore where we added Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and a quite smart Black Swan (Cisne negro).

Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis).

As we walked back towards the car we picked up a nice Goldcrest (Reyezuelo Sencillo / Regulus regulus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) and Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulg aris).

Tawny Owl (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco).

Once we were back near the car park Geoff Russon called us over and told us that there was a female Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) at the feeder hide so we spent a while there and had nice views of the bird before leaving and heading to the nearby Gailey Res. 

Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor).

Here we checked out an area of Ivy covered trees where Sharon found a very smart sleepy Tawny Owl (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco). 

Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis).

We saw most of the wildfowl here that we saw at Belvide, new species were seen mainly out on and over the fields and included Rook (Graja /  Corvus frugilegus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Greylag Goose (Ansar Común / Anser anser).

John and Sharon then dropped me back to my Moms after a cracking mornings birding, Thanks both.

Later I went to see my brother and during the evening we all went up to a nearby pub and had a beer and a game of darts.