Belvide Res, Staffordshire, UK.

A few hours out birding with good friend JJ.

Comma (Polygonum c-album).

John Holian kindly picked me up from my Mom's and we headed off to Belvide Reservoir, we parked and went out towards the dam.

In the car park we saw Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and a very fresh looking Comma (Polygonum c-album).

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

From the end of dam we picked up quite a few species including Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Greylag (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii) as well as Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

We then walked all the way down to the fields at the western end of the reserve, on the way along the Southern side of the Res we added Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Stock Dove (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Goldcrest (Reyezuelo Sencillo / Regulus regulus) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) in the bushes and trees on either side of the path.

Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and a Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Just before we went out onto the track to the fields we scanned the shallows at the western end finding Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) x3, Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) x1F, European Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and in the air we had 2x Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) one of which was being mobbed by a male Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus).

Out at the end of the track looking over the fields we picked up a couple of Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax), a group of at least 10 or so Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), 3x Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Rook (Graja / Corvus frugilegus) and as we walked back to the car we finished the list off with Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca) x4, Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula) and a nice male Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator).

Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser).

At the car we had a drink and a sandwich before heading to the Harp in Albrighton where we had another drink before John dropped me back to my Mom's and then headed off home. Thanks for a nice day John.