Late afternoon visit to Gailey Res produced 3 Little Egrets, Red Kite flew low West, 5 Oyc + 1 well grown chick, Spot Fly, Garden Wblr #staffsbirds

Morning walk with the parents for a few miles along the coastline through desert steppe. Pretty quiet for birds in windy conditions. A few Cory’s Shears offshore, Southern Grey Shrike & the ubiquitous Spanish Sparrows & Red-Vented Bulbuls. Also noted Atlantic Lizards & Barbary Ground Squirrels

Birds aside, highlight of today was the impeccable behaviour of my little partner in crime. Helping my dad over rocky ground & ensuring we all had food & drink. Dave is the bomb ❤️

Sat with the family having a drink and Spanish Sparrows feeding around our feet. The commonest bird on Fuerteventura but one I really quite like.

On drive back to hotel, we stopped off at the coastal village of La Pared. Another cracking spot with sev Cory’s Shearwaters passing close inshore & entertaining Barbary Ground Squirrels.

We then made the short drive to the Barranco de los Molinos. A really beautiful wild location. Absolute highlight was a family of 4 Fuerteventura Stonechats showing very well.

Hired a car today and took the family to Embalse de los Molinos. Superb scenery and very birdy. 60 Ruddy Shelduck, 2 ‘Barbary’ Peregrines, 2 Egyptian Vultures, 10 BW Stilts, 20 Black-Bellied Sandgrouse, 2 Hoopoes, sev Southern Grey Shrikes, 5 Berthelots Pipits, 7 Lesser ST Larks, 2 Trumpeter Finch

A very windy day on Fuerteventura. Just a short walk from the hotel was hard work with the weather. Nevertheless Berthelot’s Pipit located and good to hear the distinctive call. Some impressive desert scenery

After a delayed flight y’day,nice to take it easy today on Fuerteventura.Spanish Sparrows everywhere but more interesting were 3 African Sacred Ibis & sev Red-Vented Bulbuls. Naturalised escapes which are now part of the avifauna here. Also,always entertaining to see the Barbary Ground Squirrels

Couple of hours at Belvide this afternoon with Dave was thoroughly enjoyable. The 1st s Bonaparte’s Gull again gave great views. Also noted Red Kite, ringed 1st s Caspian Gull, 2 YL Gull(ringed 2nd s & 3rd s), ad Med Gull, plenty of warblers singing #staffsbirds

Early morning visit to Gailey Res produced 2 Egyptian Geese, Common Tern, 4 Oyc + 2 young, Common Sand, 2 Yellow Wag, 7 Reed Wblr, Garden Wblr. Also at nearby WMI off Gravelly Way 2 LRP #staffsbirds

Belvide does it again! The smart 1st s Bonaparte’s Gull gave some nice flight views but even better when it landed on the Chappell bund. 30 years since my last and only other in Staffs! Also BN Grebe & drk Scaup as a nice back up #staffsbirds

At Gailey Res this morning Osprey N(per earlier report), pr Oyc with 2 young, 5 Common Sand, Spot Fly, sev Reed Wblr, Sedge Wblr #staffsbirds

At Gailey Res my first Spotted Fly of the year below the dam #staffsbirds

At Gailey Res Osprey 08:09-08:17 then headed N towards The Chase #staffsbirds

With a bit of time spare before a family birthday celebration, no better way to spend an hour enjoying one of my favourite migrants the Wood Wblr. Outstanding views of a very vocal individual. Doesn’t get much better!

A few hours at Belvide this evening. After a couple of brief views, the Great Reed Wblr finally gave itself up on top of an oak tree! One of the most random sightings I’ve had in Staffs. Also BN Grebe, drk Mandarin, sev Common Terns, & plenty of Garden, Reed & Sedge Wblrs #staffsbirds

Quick after work visit to Gailey Res produced Little Egret, pair Oyc with 2 well grown young, Common Sand & a large increase of Swift with a few hundred present #staffsbirds

Decent morning at Blithfield with GJM & MPR 06:15-10:45 produced 2 Great & 3 Cattle Egret, Ruddy Shelduck, Marsh Harrier, 2 Red Kite. 1st s Caspian Gull, Little Tern, c37 Common Tern, 10 Ringie, Sanderling, 3 Dunlin #staffsbirds

At Blithfield Little Tern off Beach Tree Point 06:30 #staffsbirds

Did Blithfield 05:00-15:00. A proper good mooch by our small team of 5 reached 98 species so far. Other members still on site #westmidsalldayer

Nice start at Blithfield with 3 Whimbrel at Admaston Reach then flew to deep end #staffsbirds

And so it begins. Dawn at Blithfield. Good luck to all participating in today’s #westmidsalldayer

After work visit to Gailey Res produced pair Oyc with 2 well grown young, 5 Common Sand, & 4 Reed Wblr #staffsbirds

Couple of hours at Blithfield this evening with GJM produced c50 Arctic Terns & 20+Commons. Always a thrill seeing these migrants heading northbound #staffsbirds

Couple of hours at Belvide this evening was bliss and had the place to myself. 2 Wood Sand on the N shore & BN Grebe off the dam still. Also present drk Mandarin, 1st s Med Gull, 2 Common Tern, sev LRP, 2 juv Tawny, Swift, confiding Garden Wblr & plenty of Reed & Sedge Wblrs #staffsbirds

A morning in our Huntington garden putting our new BBQ smoker together with bins never far away. 2 Red Kite flew SW at 12:30 which is almost expected nowadays. Displaying Buzzard, sev House Martins, singing Willow Wblr nearby & sev Holly Blues. Very pleasant indeed

Only a short venture out this morning. My first Garden Wblr of the year at Shoal Hill Common, male Wheatear at Otherton, & Swift at Gailey Res #staffsbirds

Blithfield 05:45-12:15 produced 1 Great Egret, 1 Cattle Egret, Ruddy Shelduck, 2 drk Mandarin, 2 Red Kite, 1st S Caspian Gull, 2 Black Terns, 20+Common Tern, sev LRP, 2 Common Sand, heard Whimbrel, Wheatear, sev Yellow Wag, 2 Sedge Wblr #staffsbirds

Blithfield early morning update. Cattle Egret top of Blithe Bay. 1 Black Terns still with 20 Commons #staffsbirds

An excellent couple of hours at Blithfield this evening produced Great Egret, fem Marsh Harrier over Blithe Bay for 10 mins then flew high SE 19:10, 1st S Caspian Gull, 14 Black Terns still 19:20 at least, 6 Common Terns, sev LRP, Barwit over c’way & landed on deep end #staffsbirds

Quick after work visit to Gailey Res in the windy conditions was pretty quiet. Of note 3 Common Sand, Yellow Wag, 2 Reed Wblr #staffsbirds

Change of scenery with a visit to Doxey Marshes was well timed as a Whinchat came on just before I arrived. A dapper male & one of my favourite migrants. Also noted 2 Little Egret, 2 LRP, 6 Swift, 3 reeling Gropper, num Sedge Wblr. #staffsbirds

Check of Otherton revealed my first rattling Lesser Whitethroat of the year. The bird gave some lovely views as it came to the top of the hawthorns #staffsbirds

Spent most of today in the garden with the family. The first 2 House Martins are back on the estate & the usual Buzzards & Ravens + a Redpoll. Also my first Orange Tip & Holly Blue of the year. After, took an hours stroll on the Chase. A pair of Redstart gave nice views + Cuckoo & Tree Pipit

On the way home from the Moors, I had a quick stop at Rudyard Lake. A pair of Pied Flys have great views & a few singing Redstarts were the first of the year for me.

A few more of the cracking Ring Ouzels from the N Staffs Moors today

Early morning I headed to the N Staffs Moors. The area around Blackclough Farm was excellent and produced at least 5 Ring Ouzels. A pleasure to spend time with this upland species. Also 12+Wheatear, bubbling Curlew and Red Grouse.

A couple more shots of the Gailey Res Cattle Egrets. Clearly the birds which were at Belvide yday. Probably the best examples I have seen in the UK.

At Gailey Res 4 superb sum plum Cattle Egret on heron island 16:00 #staffsbirds

At Otherton late afternoon male Wheatear in sheep field E of disused railway. Also along the nearby B5012 2 Wheatear(m&f) in large paddock adjacent to Rockstar Equestrian #staffsbirds

Always a joy hearing the first Cuckoo of the Spring.

After checking local paddocks to no avail after work, I had an hour in Sherbrook Valley this evening. My first Cuckoo and 2 Tree Pipits of the year. The latter giving superb views as they tried to sing and shelter out of the wind #staffsbirds

Beautifully calm evening at Blithfield. 1st w Kittiwake present between causeway & Beach tree point the best. Also drk Mandarin, Ringie, 4 LRP, 4 Common Sand, 3 Yellow Wag #staffsbirds

At WMI late afternoon LRP now up to 10. Also Shelduck & 2 Oyc present #staffsbirds

Couple of hours at Gailey Res this morning in the cold wind produced my first singing Reed Wblr & Yellow Wags(3) of the year. Also present 3 Gadwall, 3 Common Sand, 5 House Martin, Willow Wblr #staffsbirds

At Otherton this morning male Wheatear in field East of disused railway + 2 Shelduck on pool along Micklewood Lane. Also at WMI 8 LRP on pool viewable from Stable Lan2 #staffsbirds

After Chasewater, I drove to Alvecote where the fem Hooded Merganser showed immediately. Hopefully it would move on shortly to have a chance of being accepted. The smart drk Garganey also showed nicely. Several House Martins & Whitethroat new for the year.

At Chasewater drk RN Duck still showing nicely off causeway. Also 2 Common Tern, 3 Common Sand, LRP, 3 singing Willow Wblr along W edge, 10+Swallow with Sand Martins, Kingfisher #staffsbirds

Got back from Florida earlier today. Just a quick check of the paddocks at Otherton and along Mansty Lane failed to produce any Wheatear but my first Swallows of the year with 6 present #staffsbirds