Belvide Res, Staffordshire.

A days birding with friends Sharon and John.

Red Campion (Silene dioica).

I was up early and out just after 07.00 making my way towards Belvide Res over in Staffordshire, I was going on my bike so I took a very nice cross country route out to Humphreston Farm and then Donington Lane and Shackerly Lave via the cut across over the fields.

Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon).

During this section I stopped in several of the gateways and scanned the fields and hedgerows picking up Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and a singling Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin).

Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor).

Plants along the verge and in the fields included Red Campion (Silene dioica), White Dead Nettle (Lamium album), Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum), Agimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Common Daisy (Bellis perennis), Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), Cut-leaved Cranesbill (Geranium dissectum), Little Robin (Geranium purpureum), Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea) and Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata).

Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis).

I continued on up Shackerly Lane to Boscobel House again stopping in several more gateways adding Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), good numbers of Yellowhammers (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella) with at least 4 males chasing each other along the hedges at one spot, Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and a nice noisy Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea) in a roadside Oak.

Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus).

In the fields behind Boscobel House I had at least 3 Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and a single Grey Partridge (Perdiz Pardilla / Perdix perdix) in a strip of fallow land at the side of the field which had lots of Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum) and other wild flowers in it.

Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii).

In the same area I also had a couple of Western Yellow Wagtails (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava flavissima), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and as I passed Boscobel House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica). I crossed Offoxey Road and turned in to Foxes Lane where I had good views of a male Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) as it hunter over the hedges and down in a dell on a small pool a pair of Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus). On the verge here I also added Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon), Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), Annual Mercury (Mercurialis annua), Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale), Common Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), Hedgerow Cranesbill (Geranium pyrenaicum) and Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris).

Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).

I again continued on hearing Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and crossed the Kiddemore Green Road and took Shutt Green Lane towards the Res car park, before I got there I stopped in several more Gateways seeing Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Stock Dove (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas), Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcerilla / Sylvia curruca) which showed in a bush right next to me, Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), a pair of Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera) in a roadside field as well as Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca), Red Dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum) and Wood Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica)

Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).

I was a bit early to meet John and Sharon so I peddled on down to the Shropshire Union Canal where I found several Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) on a ploughed field and on my way back up to the carpark from a gateway over looking the Res I picked up Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Rook (Graja /  Corvus frugilegus) and a couple of Common Tern (Charrán Común / Sterna hirudo) which approached the Res over the fields.

Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor).

John and Sharon came up the hill and went on to the car park so I went after them and met them there, after chaining up my bike to the fence and we went at a social distance on to the reserve.

Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera).

We walked around to the West hide first stopping several times on the way finding Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus),  Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor),  Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), a Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) which gave us a very short squell as we passed the screen, Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), a calling but unseen Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and more Common Tern. 

Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus).

We reached the West hide and spent a while scanning the far shore, we soon found Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) before moving round to the Hawkshutts hide over looking the bunds were we had another couple of Pied Oystercatchers, one with a chick.

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).

From here we also saw a single male Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii), a couple of Stock Doves, Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and as we walked out Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus).

On the way back we checked the fields near the far house but found nothing new but heard several Skylarks before walking round to the Gazebo hide. From the hide we had views of a couple of Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), a smart male Great Spotted Woodpecker which came into the feeders as were a few Pheasants picking up the fallen scraps.

Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus).

We walked back around to the car park and added two noisy Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax) on the way. I said goodbye to John and Sharonbefore getting on my bike again and heading back to Albrighton none stop.