A venture to the very edge of my 10k this anoon for the 3 Russian White-fronted Geese (2ad+1w) at Mere Farm, near Highgate was successful plus picked out an ad Pink-footed & 1 Egyptian amongst 300+ Greylags. 3 Stonechat (2m,1f) around too. 75 for the 10k year @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social #ukbirding

Last few photos processed for end of Dec’25. Although much more regular in Staffs now, any encounter with a Goshawk (the avian terminator) is still a pleasure…although I’m not sure the Sparrowhawk keeping a watchful eye would agree! Male Stonechat & drake Mandarin the supporting cast #ukbirding

2w Caspian Gull in West Park, Wolverhampton on 27/12/25 (also present 1/1/26). A fairly small bird & likely the same bird that has been regularly seen at Belvide this winter & was also present at both sites last winter, compare 1w photos from 4/1/25 #caspiangull #gulls #ukbirding

4/1/26 a quiet last day off b4 work until last hr walk to Pool Hall fishery: Jack & 2 Common Snipe in tiny patch of unfrozen ditch, Great Egret, 3 Teal, Shoveler & 7 Goosander on ice / small area of unfrozen pool. 2 Tawny Owl dueting at dusk & in flight. 68 for 10k in 2026 in 4 days #ukbirding

A quiet day yday but still added Red Kite to the 10k year with one SW over Finchfield. Back out walking today and added a lovely ad male Goshawk cruising above a woodland in the cold winter sun. Fem Stonechat, male Kestrel, Treecreeper & a few other common bits took the 2026 10k up to 61 #ukbirding

A respectable 50 species in & around Wolverhampton for day 1 of 2026: 2w Caspian Gull again in West Park at 14:15 @rarebirder.bsky.social also 7 Shoveler & 2 RN Parakeet plus male Peregrine nearby. Pool Hall fishery in am held: Great & 6 L Egret, 26+ Goosander, Lapwing & male Kingfisher #ukbirding

Ended 2025 with 118 for the 10k circle, down on 122 (2024) & record 126 (2023) but plenty of quality: Marsh Warbler & Whimbrel were 10k ✅’s. Firecrest, Dipper, Caspian Gull, Black Redstart, Hawfinch, Goshawk, Grey Partridge & Corn Bunting all noteworthy for in & around Wolverhampton #ukbirding

Last attempt of 2025 this am to add to the 10k year list failed but did find two 2nd records - 2 adult Goshawk inc this perched bird with was joined by a brave Sprawk! A distant Great Egret was the other. Peregrine, Kestrel, male Stonechat & remains of an unfortunate Barn Owl also found #ukbirding

2nd winter Caspian Gull showing very well in West Park, Wolverhampton this afternoon coming to bread. With the recent regular 2w bird at Belvide, I had an inclining that bird might be the returning 1w bird I found in West Park in late Dec24, so I dropped in today & there it was 😊 #ukbirding #gulls

A full day of 10k birding failed to produce an addition for the year but was just great to be out of the office! A drake Mandarin on the canal at Awbridge brightened up a dull grey day. 4 Golden Plover NE over Trescott mid anoon (only my 2nd 10k record of 2025) were the other highlight #ukbirding

Another addition to the 10k year today with the Firecrest in Whites Wood, Baggeridge CP showing well, although mobile, early pm (118). There aren’t many better birds in Britain in my opinion. Finish work on Thurs for this year, so might just push the 10k year up to 120 or above again #ukbirding

The last day of Nov produced an addition to the 10k with an imm male Goshawk causing chaos as it raided a local wood at 15:30 (117). 3 Corn Bunting, 8 Goosander over & 11 Red-legged Partridge the best of the rest #ukbirding

A very pleasant morn in the Trescott area produced my first Golden Plover of the year in 10k (116 now) but a covey of 12 Grey Partridge stole the show. Single Snipe & Lapwing were my first in area of ‘winter’ also 2 Stonechat, 2 fem Goosander, 2 L Egret, 3 L Grebe, Reed Bunt, Kestrel #ukbirding

With Sept+Oct unfortunately dominated by work, I only added two species to my 10k year - Jack Snipe & Red-legged Partridge to put me on 115, 2 short of this time last year & 5 short of my best in 2023. Hopefully Nov+Dec will be more productive…although work isn’t going to be any quieter! 😣

A walk around theTrescott area finally produced an additional in October to my 10k year with a single Jack Snipe (115 for year now). Without a thermal ydays bird flew out before I could see it, unlike this one at the same spot in 2022, found the old fashioned way with my eyes! #ukbirding

After the thrill of the Belvide White-rumped Sand flock on Sat it was a rather more routine (previous stomping ground) ✅ Whooper Swan at Gailey Reservoirs. Found by @thesnapper1978.bsky.social late on Sat it was still present in the fog with 11 Mutes on the sailing reservoir yday

Sept+Oct so far had been poor for me locally & not being able to get up to the Needletail due to work I was quite demotivated yday…then @belvidebirding.bsky.social pulls out an unbelievable flock of 8 White-rumped Sandpiper at Belvide. A jog to the west end for my 233rd sp for the reserve #ukbirding

A family holiday in Cala d’Or, Majorca in mid-Aug was ‘non-birding’ but a short walk down to the sea & I could enjoy one of my favourite birds of the Med with sev Audouin’s Gull present most days. Much more relaxing than my first in Britain after a mad dash to Dunge on a bank holiday Monday! #gulls

After a good start to Aug with 3 x 10k additions in the first week, a family holiday in Majorca ended that run & I missed a few but a session watching @birdergaz.bsky.social ringing on 25/8 added 2 more: Grasshopper Warbler & Spotted Fly to hit 113 by the end of the month #ukbirding

The good start to Aug in the 10k was followed by two ‘dips’ (after work walks for birds seen earlier) in two days, so was pleased not to make it a hatrick early am with another attempt at Dipper proving successful with this 1cy bird showing well before work. 111 now for the 10k year #ukbirding

August has started well in the 10k with overdue addition of Green Sand (2/8) & first Tree Pipit (3/8) taking total to 110. First garden Hobby of year over yday too. Love or loath them Wolverhampton’s Parakeets have had a good season with flocks of up to 11 noted at sev sites in late July #ukbirding

My first gulling session of summer in West Park, Wolverhampton yday anoon produced a single (smallish fem?) Juv Yellow-legged Gull amongst 100+ LBBG. Bright sunlight & fact they’d been well fed already hampered decent photos. An imm male Redstart locally on 25/7 was a 10k year ✅ (108) #ukbirding

Finally put a ✅ against a butterfly bogey species today with 2 White-letter Hairstreak at Baggeridge Country Park this afternoon. Also 1+ Silver-washed Fritillary bombing around the meadow amongst a host of the commoner species

Unfortunately the westerly winds at Flamborough at end May weren’t productive for migrants but, as way evidenced 9 days later when a singing Song Sparrow turned up in the same small cove I’d checked every morning, all I really needed was the right container ship to be passing 🫣 #ukbirding

Finally got round to checking my photos from our trip to Flamborough 26th-30th May. Seabirds were the obvious highlight for any landlocked birder with the auks, as always, particularly oblidging and entertaining #ukbirding

June has been relatively quiet but 3 x local additions, included a welcome first singing Cuckoo for many years, took the 10k circle year up to 107 (cf 108 in 2024 & 110 in 2023). Still plenty of gaps in the list inc some that should hopefully start moving through soon on their return migration 🙏

Spent 26-30/5 at Thornwick Bay, Flamborough as a post-birthday break but the constant west winds led to none existent migrants. Still so much to enjoy inc all the seabirds (photos still to be sorted!) & quality farmland birds inc Barn Owls, Tree Sparrows with young & singing Corn Buntings #ukbirding

A busy last couple of weeks included a quick dash to Doxey on 17/5 to add the Woodchat Shrike to my Staffs List (288) plus a couple of 10k year list additions, this fem Mandarin on the canal at Bentley Bridge on 19/5 & an Oystercatcher over Pool Hall Fishery on 22/5 : 104 for 10k year #ukbirding

Walks in the Pool Hall / Trescott area over wkend produced two 10k year ✅’s: 2 Hobby & a singing Sedge Warbler taking the total up to 102 for the year. Also noted was this smart Yellow Wag plus Corn Bunting, Red Kite, Lesser Whitethroat & Little Egret @birdergaz.bsky.social #ukbirding

This singing Corn Bunting on west edge of Smestow Valley was the only #westmidsalldayer sighting. Doing ok west of Wolves due to friendly farming this one field left free of crops also held 3 Yellow Wag, numerous Skylark, Whitethroats etc. How it should be done. #ukbirding @andles4forks.bsky.social

So the curse of bird race day #westmidsalldayer continued yday with 5 species seen at & near home, without going birding, that I didn’t get on Sat : Peregrine, Cormorant, 3 Swift, Pied Wag & 3 Goldcrest! In fact the first two weren’t seen by the whole team on Sat in Smestow Valley 🫣

A personal total of 57 species for #westmidsalldayer in Smestow Valley inc 3x 10k yr ✅ to reach 100 for yr: Garden Warbler, Yellow Wag (3) & Tawny Owl. 2 Cetti’s, Lesserthroat, singing Corn Bunt & Kingfisher the best of the rest from 17.5km / 22k steps walked. Team total on 70 by 18:30 #ukbirding

Finished April on 96 species for my local 10k circle, a couple down on previous years. Like clockwork the calendar turned to May & the first local Swift (3) appeared yday. Hoping to eek out a few missing species for the year during #westmidsalldayer on Sat for team Smestow Valley 🤞

Smestow Valley walks yday am & this pm produced singing warbler totals of: 2 Cetti’s, 1 Lesser & 4 Common Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap & 16 Chiffchaff. Still no Sedge, Garden or Gropper so far this year. This Pale Tussock was found earlier by Mrs M & was a garden ✅ #UKbirding #moths

April had been v quiet for me in my 10k so far until a Whimbrel on the bank of the farm pool at Furnace Grange, Trescott this am; a real bonus 10k lifer! It hung around for over 2hrs, enabling a mini local twitch 😊 also 5 Wheatear (3m,2f) & 4 male Whitethoat #UKbirding @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social

As it was 20 years ago today that Sir Roger of Ingestre found us a Belted Kingfisher on a canal in Staffs, I thought it only right to walk my local canal after work down to Pool Hall Fishery…my reward was a Gt C Grebe & 16 Tufties 🥴 Lightening didn’t strike twice this April Fool’s Day #UKbirding

The first post-work evening walk of the year failed to add anything to the 10k year list, so a male Wheatear near Trescott on 29/3 took the 10k up to 86 species by the end March: 2 more than in 2023 (when I was 10k year listing) & 2024 (when I was trying not to!) @birdergaz.bsky.social #UKbirding

Pool Hall Fishery this am produced my first Sand Martin of year with 6 present & this smart singing Grey Wag. Bhylls Pools on way home for this male Brambling (photos @chrisvaghela.bsky.social) my first in 10k for 15 months! 10k year up to 85 #staffsbirds #UKbirding @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social

A walk in the Pool Hall Fishery area for 2nd Sat morn running was less eventful but 4-5 singing Chiffchaff & Treecreeper (finally!) added to the 10k year. A Little Egret strolling across a field should have been rarer. Always a good day when Yellowhammers & Skylarks singing #UKbirding #staffsbirds

A walk near Pool Hall Fishery this am & last thing I expected to see when my wife said “What’s that on the track?” was a Grey Partridge fly up - a proper local mega these days! Luckily it only nipped over the hedge & was twitched by many locals 😊 @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social #UKbirding #staffsbirds

Quick stop as driving past to work and a single Hawfinch was in the tallest deciduous tree on the edge of Wergs Hall, near Codsall viewed from Wergs Hall Road 07:50-07:54 before dropping down into the hall grounds. 2 seen by N.Moss c08:15 & again this PM @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social #staffsbirds

No sign of the 2 Tundra Bean Geese at Patshull Great Pool late anoon just 9 Greylags over. 1+ Great Egret in flight. Please view only from the road @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social #staffsbirds

After a venture just into Staffs for the Hawfinch at Wergs Hall early am it was back to Wolvo: no sign of 1w Caspian Gull in West Park 11:00-12:00 but 7 Shoveler (4 drake) & 35 Tufties. Red Kite over Bantock Park at 10:25. 2 Redpoll & c20 Siskin at Compton Wetlands #UKbirding @birdergaz.bsky.social

Hawfinch showed well at Wergs Hall, near Codsall in top of the tallest deciduous tree viewed from Wergs Hall Rd 07:58-08:08 @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social #staffsbirds

The Hawfinch in flight at Wergs Hall near Codsall today at 14:10 @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social & a Grey Wag were both 10k year ✅’s. The first house Red Kite of the year was over Finchfield on 7/2 at 14:40, distracting me from a work call @birdergaz.bsky.social

Marsh Tit at Himley Plantation on the feeders by the car park at 12:15. Seen from the car as I pulled up…if only all birding was that simple 🤔 @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social

Ended Jan with 65 species in the 10k after 2 Raven over the house while working today the last addition. Down on the 74 (2024) & 73 (2023) but it has been quality over quantity with Black Red, Caspo and Yellow-legged Gull & 2 Water Rail the highlights #UKbirding @birdergaz.bsky.social

The first winter Caspian Gull, first seen on the 24/12, was still present in West Park, Wolverhampton on the west lake 12-12:30 at least and showing well #UKbirding @rarebirder.bsky.social

A decent weekend in the 10k with the Water Rail at Perton finally showing for me yday also 3 (2 drake) Goosander. Black Redstart at the i54 industrial site, Coven today showed well (but too far for my camera). A male Blackcap in the garden was the first this year #UKbirding @birdergaz.bsky.social

A check of Perton Upper Lake yday anoon drew another blank with the regular (for others!) Water Rail but a drake Gadwall was a bonus as I only see 1-2 each year in my 10k. Little Egret & 3 drake Goosander the best of the rest #UKbirding