Wye Dale

Well around this time of year we generally head up to Wye Dale just outside Buxton for the nice and easy tick of a Dipper, not too many years ago this area from the car park down to the cottages held at least 3 - 4 pairs now we are down to just a single pair. Unsure if it is the fact the area has got busier with visitors or the habitat has been destroyed in some way but there are definitely less of these great little birds.

In one of the usual areas we soon found a pair, well we think a pair as they were both feeding close to one another.

Dipper at Wye Dale near Buxton

 It was turning out to be a great little walk as a bit latter Lesley pointed out a pair of Grey Wagtail a bit further along the river.

Grey Wagtail Wye Dale

 But the best was still to come we a first ever sighting for this location in the form of a Water Vole good old Ratty himself swimming across the river in front of us and they watching us from the opposite bank, this really finished off the afternoons walk.

Water Vole aka Ratty at Wye Dale.

Crewe

Well the original plan this weekend was to work in the garden but we rain, sleet, hail and general cold weather forecast it was no time to be laying a lawn so this was put on a back burner so it was a quick trip to Hanley for Mothers Day presents and stuff for tea followed by a run up to Crewe. This involved getting generally wet!

Titesworth 16 Mar

Well with the Sun being out although still cool we planned on a drive around the moors looking for Red Grouse and anything else that see could spot from the car on a circular trip around the general area of the Roaches.
Well we left the city in full Sun and by the time we reached Leek this had dropped to full on grey and getting to the other side of the town you couldn't even make out the Roaches oh well we had come this far we carried on with the plan. Strangely enough we didn't spot anything!

So we headed down to Titesworth and watched the feeders a couple of nice looking Redpoll being the highlight.

Redpoll at Titesworth 

Moore 15 Mar

Well with the weeks weather being lovely and warm and quite a few reported sightings of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker we headed off North to Moore.
Being the weekend typically the weather had gone down hill, gone was the warm weather replaced by the odd bit of Sun and a very cool breeze so we weren't holding our breath in finding our target.
Turns out everyone else seemed to have the same idea as the place was pact no a single space in the car park.

No Lesser Spotted but we did see a pair of it's larger cousin, along with the usual stuff a Tree Creeper by the road was a nice spot.

Brummie Bash

Today I took Gem out for the morning doing a small tour of the West Mids.

We started off at the delightful location of Hams Hall industrial estate at Colwitch we were here to try and find the Leaf Warbler although we didn't manage to see the target we bird we did see quite a few Chiffchaff which were in full song and combined with sun made it feel quite Spring like. Also noted we're Grey and Pied Wagtails.

We then headed off to a bird I was more confident at being able to find the Longtailed Duck which was at Sutton Park, pulling up in the car park I soon found the bird in the middle of the lake.

Long tailed Duck Sutton Park

It was then a case of making our way home although I made a quick pit stop at Bescot to allow me to grab a few shots of the shutters there including the newly turned out 08907 in DB colours.

08907 stabled on Bescot depot

08580 and 709 stored at Bescot