Stubbers Green - Ice and Iceland

Blue skies, great light and a Monday afternoon off work! The Black-throated Diver was tempting but ice cover had scuppered that opportunity. A plan 'B' in the form of a visit to Stubbers Green was formulated and arriving at about 2.00pm, I bumped into Martyn Yapp, locked onto the 'sometimes in often out' 2nd Winter (or is it a 3rd Winter - still can't decide!)Iceland Gull (not bad at my second attempt!)

It was certainly the centre of attention as far as we and the other Black-headed Gulls were concerned! Afternoons at Stubbers's Green from the road side have one down side - you're looking into the sun! Oh well, here goes....






I was beginning to think the most exciting thing it would do was turn it's head....










When I got a wingflap!






The rest of the time was spent watching it occasionally relocate on the ice (always into the sun) before eventually flying off back to the tip or Chasewater??

Ryder's Mere - Black-throated Diver

The last time I was here, was to admire the reasonably long staaying Hoopoe and I remember checking out the patch of water (Ryders's Mere) adjacent to the marsh which looked 'interesting'. It was certainly of interest today, a diver had settled down overnight which was now considered to be a Black-throated Diver.

It was still there on arrival but apt to disappear after long distance dives (nothing new here then!)

The light was pretty dire on arrival but occasional close appearances eventually confirmed it was juvenile Black-throated Diver (there was quite a bit of discussion leading up this!) The white flanks being the most obvious distinguishing feature, with striking thight patch. Head shape was probably the most misleading feature for Great Northern confusion!









A hint of a chin strap - intriguing many!







The one and only wingflap.....






Head on shots...










The sun all too briefly threatened to come out....












The latter shots in good light show the disappearing chinstrap to be largely due to the neck aspect and light.....

Trench Pool - Yellow legged Gulls

A Saturday morning check of the Telford Gull haunts put Trench Pool once again in pole postion! There were only a dozen or so large Gulls present amongst the 200 odd Blacked-headed Gulls and two of these were Yellow-legged Gulls!!

The first - a 1st Winter Yellow-legged Gull , initially seen on a buoy and then on the ice - quite distinctive with white head, dark eye mask and substantial deep bill.










Also present was this 2nd Winter Yellow-legged Gull. The grey mantle and scapulars develop much quicker than in Herring Gull of comparable age








In flight the white rump and black tail band (already breaking) are quite striking coupled with that grey mantle....









I had been waiting on news from Clayhanger Marsh regarding the Great Northern Diver reported the previous day, it was now reidentified as a Black-throated Diver! The short journey there became a little compelling.....

Goosander dating agency

It might be cold but Wildfowl are busy getting to know each other right now and a lunchtime meeting with a group of Goosanders was a pretty full on affair.

I'll let the pictures do most of the talking on this one.....

Here come the Girls.....










Looking good in close up?






Even closer.....






Then there's the lads. Always one of the trickiest birds to get a decent exposure!!








Playing hard to get?






Who's chasing who?








Do you think the 'teddy boy' style slicked hairdo will work?








Evidently! He's scored!!






If he can keep up with her....

Whixall Moss - Shortie

By mid afternoon, with a few more year ticks in the bag, I decided to 'chance' Whixall Moss for the Short-eared Owl. I was checking the Swans at Cound (Four Whooper Swans) present today) when RV stopped briefly and reckoned that was such a good idea - he's join me!

Just as well we did! After 30 mintes or so of waiting, we had a very obliging Short-eared Owl quartering the moss....








Always an exciting moment as it turned and flew in our general direction!






Passing not much more than 50m away!








It briefly perched.....






Then flew to the Moss Cottages end of the Moss, always in view but always (sadly) distant!






As if that wasn't enougth excitement, as it approached the perimeter trees, another raptor flew down as if to mob/warn it off. The initial impression was 'another Owl'!? But then it dawned on us, this bird was grey with black wing tips - male Hen Harrier!! The light had really 'gone' by now but a great bird for Shropshire!

Venus Pool - What on earth?

Sunday was going to be another day spent cruising the East and North of the County. A quick check of Polemere confirmed this remained a very happy Winter haven for Teal and Wigeon (but not a lot else). The Ruddy Shelduck was feeding with Greylags in one of the fields on the approach to VP .......






As I entered the main hide I was greeted with ‘What the hell is this’ by one of the regulars. I had a look - what on earth was this?

This strange Herring type Gull was stood near the main island.








I say 'strange' - my first thought was that it had upended a can of wood preservative on a tip somewhere – the brown colouration could not be natural? All the visible white plumage parts were stained or streaked orange brown. I've seen blood dstained and dye stained Gulls before but this was in a different league!






It walked about a bit, giving a wingflap in the process. The underparts covered by the wings appear pure white which leads me to a likely conclusion that it had been bathing in some type of ‘staining’ liquid? Or is it just from red clay slurry??








Within a couple of minutes it flew off, no doubt to puzzle birders elsewhere.

Oh and there's plenty of Lapwings building up, I counted 215 on the pool on Monday.....






Onwards then......