Dancing on Ice

First stop yesterday morning; the Whitehouse car park at Cannock Chase. Waxwings were reported here this week; but had predictably taken the weekend off. A few Fieldfare, Redwing and Blackbirds were munching through the berries. We bumped into Blurred Birder, Martyn who turned out to have similar plans to ourselves for the day.

Martyn kindly guided us on a walk around the Cadet Huts, Trig Point and the Rifle Range; our target bird was Crossbill. It took a while, but eventually we spied a flock of 16 Common Crossbill in distant pine tops. On the way back, the flock came our way and we had pleasing views. The flock was very mobile and contained at least two bright red males.

Also 3 Stonechat, Treecreeper, several Goldcrests, Jay and Great Spotted Woody.

Martyn then carried on to Blithers but Max and I went to Marquis Drive Feeding Station. Not the best for Brambling at the moment as the xmas trees and plants being sold in close proximity to the bird tables are causing much disturbance. The best we could come up with were 6 Bullfinch, 2 Siskin and a Nuthatch.

One more unsuccessful check for Waxwings at Whitehouse, before heading off to Blithfield.

We were reunited with Martyn at Admaston car park and we all did our best 'The Flumps' impression to peer over the causeway wall at this little beauty.....

Snow Bunting was not only a year tick but a WMBC tick too. Also a Common Sandpiper present.

We then went to the dam where a good gull roost was building. We found two adult Yellow Legged Gulls and a possible juv one. It was a great spectacle to end the day; the reservoir for once, as still as a mill pond and a stunning winter sunset with gulls still pouring into the roost.

This morning we arrived at Kingsbury WP to find a thick layer of ground frost and the lake and canal almost completely frozen over. We had a walk out to Fishers Mill and Dosthill Pits.

It made our day seeing the ringtail Hen Harrier twice at Richards Meadow, a year tick and another one for the WMBC list!

Also at Dosthill; an impressive flock of c200 Linnet, plus 2 Stonechat and 8 Goldeneye. We could see 4 Redshank over on Middleton Lakes and we had 7 Golden Plover over on the walk back along the canal. Back at Broomey Croft much of the waterfowl had now moved off after being frozen out. A few Common Gull were standing on the frozen lake with the more numerous Gull species.

Cue some predictably wintery scenes....

And a Stonechat who fancied himself as a bit of a Christopher Dean...