Down in the Woods.

When we went down to the wood's today, we had a lovely suprise! managed to spot this Wood Warbler, by his beautyful song, without that we would never have located him, had to get into some very strange positions to track his movements and had to be quick with the quickly disappearing sun.
Wood Warbler.

Cannock Chase

Hotest day of the year!! Officially, as we must have been told a good six times by the radio presenter, and that was just in the time it took us to get to Cannock Chase, went back primarily to get another shot of the Green Hairstreak and was lucky enough to find a Small Copper as well.
They do say that patience is a vertue and it really is, we spotted this pair of Redstart on the way back to the car, it took a good three hours to track their movements and to wait for them to come exactly were we wanted them!! I think you will agree it was well worth the wait!!

Green Hairstreak.

Small Copper.

Redstart (fem).

Redstart (male).

Coombes Valley RSPB

Was a little more productive this visit and we will keep perservering with Coombes Valley, as it is such a lovely place to visit and so close to home and when we found the Garden Warbler so close to the car park, did think it would be a better day, but again we heard more than we actually saw.

Cottage.

Goldfinch.

Garden Warbler.

Peacock.

Green-veined White.

Sunny day out.

A very unexpected day, decided to stay out until the forecasted rain arrived, but it did not appear, so just carried on enjoying the lovely day with the residents of the countryside.

Farmyard Geese.

Tufted Duck.

Nuthatch.

Inner Marsh Farm

What a lovely day, did think we had gone with the wrong toss of the coin, as it got closer and closer to the Wirral, the cloudier it got, with us leaving brilliant sunshine behind. But turned out well in the end. My second visit to Inner Marsh Farm, and managed to get a better shot of a Wheatear, than my previous one, and added a couple of new species to my collection.

Inner Marsh Farm.

Wheatear.

Small Tortoiseshell.

Avocet.

Avocet.

North Staffs

Up at the crack of dawn with the morning sun, with impending heavy rain forcast, we wanted to get onto the North Staffordshire Moors, to see how the Grouse were fairing, only to come across a not previously found Valley of Delight (scenery wise that is). On the way back on track to the Grouse, found this very cheeky Wheatear that was glad to pose for me while I still sat in the car, same with the Grouse, we were almost off the moors when we spotted him (again from the shelter of the car), as we still had the sun with us, dropped in on Tittisworth and had a Ruddy Shellduck glide in onto the island,right in front of the car, but no camera at the ready to get a flight shot, mores the pity, as just had my coffee passed to me, almost got scalded with the shock, of my dearly beloved shouting get the camera quick!!! stayed for a quick wash and brush up and he was off again that was the Shellduck by the way not my dearly beloved!!!! An all together lovely day to be remembered, yet again!!!



Wheatear.

Red Grouse.

Ruddy Shelduck.

Dimmingsdale

Out and about today, suprised the rain stayed at bay, as did toy with the idea of giving up for the day, but the sun stayed with us, found this Youngster waiting around for mum or dad but no show, and found my first female Pied Flycatcher, did see the Male but not long enough to photograph, sure I can improve on these but at least have them catalogued for now.
Pied Flycatcher (fem).


Dipper (juvenile).

Dipper (juvenile).

Westport Lake

Westport Lake over a period of two days, could not get near the Ruddy Duck as would not come close enough, so decided to practice on anything else I could find, second day got there a lot earlier in the morning and managed to get the Little Ringed Plover, all ads to the portfolio.
Mistle Thrush.

Canada Goose.

Magpie.

Gosling.

Great-crested Grebe.

Great-crested Grebe.

Little-ringed Plover.

Little-ringed Plover.

Little-ringed Plover.

Tittisworth Res.

Why can the weather men never get it right!! Did not set the alarm only to be woken by cloudless sunny skies, to find we had missed the best time of the day for photography, which did not go down well with my Dearly Beloved!!!
So only thing for it was to stay close to home, decided to visit Tittisworth, on the way there across Biddulph Moor came across a Foal frolicing around his mum, but by the time we had turned the car around, it had worn itself out and no amount of coaxing would get it on it's feet again, oh well always another day!!
Tittisworth did not produce many birds willing to pose although plenty of Warblers singing, as the Dearly Beloved reiterated we should not have overlay!! So the only thing for it was to try for some of the many Butterflies although a Hybrid Mallard insisted on getting in on the act and could not resist his insistance, after all he cannot help his heritage!!!
Foal.

Tittisworth Reservoir.

Hybrid Mallard.

Green-veined White.

Green-veined White.

Orange-tip.

Orange-tip.

Cannock Chase

In all of my years of living in and around Staffordshire and the many times I have passed by Cannock Chase, this is the first time I have partaken of it's beauty, apparently if ever you get lost all you have to ask anyone is "where is the Stepping Stones" and you can get your bearings from there, so thought I should take a shot of them for prosterity, many people were out and about enjoying their individual persuits, as you can see by the shot of the Horse and Trap. My main catch of the day however, was the Green Hairstreak Butterfly, small colonies are scattered about the Chase.
Birds were few and far between, although caught site of a Cookoo, Great Spotted Woodpecker, heard a male Redstart and on the way back to the carpark my partner connected with a Wood Warbler but could not follow were he had to scramble, in order to get the shots he did....Oh to be that nimble!!!!
Weather changable, sun very warm when out with a few scattered showers, thrown in for good measure, all in all a very good Bank Holiday.