Grant Hames
@cuckoobirder.bsky.social
Birdwatcher and lister for 50 years mainly around Burntwood in south staffs sometimes further afield
Sometimes you see birds in places you just would not expect - big female Goshawk flying over Walsall ring road at the jnc of A34 just after midday heading towards the town centre! (delicious feral pigeon for lunch perhaps?)
January 12, 2026 at 1:43 PM
Sometimes you see birds in places you just would not expect - big female Goshawk flying over Walsall ring road at the jnc of A34 just after midday heading towards the town centre! (delicious feral pigeon for lunch perhaps?)
7 inches of snow has not dampened the ardour of the local tawny's they're dueting their heads off already this evening
January 9, 2026 at 5:31 PM
7 inches of snow has not dampened the ardour of the local tawny's they're dueting their heads off already this evening
11 herons and the little egret slugging it out on the ice at Chasewater Swag. Only coots and mallards left on the dwindling small area of ice free water quite a few gulls loafing on the ice but nothing unusual
January 6, 2026 at 12:23 PM
11 herons and the little egret slugging it out on the ice at Chasewater Swag. Only coots and mallards left on the dwindling small area of ice free water quite a few gulls loafing on the ice but nothing unusual
The coots and wigeon doing a good job of keeping a small area of Chasewater Swag clear of ice this afternoon
January 5, 2026 at 3:32 PM
The coots and wigeon doing a good job of keeping a small area of Chasewater Swag clear of ice this afternoon
12 heron and 1 little egret on an ice bound Chasewater Swag this afternoon
January 5, 2026 at 3:29 PM
12 heron and 1 little egret on an ice bound Chasewater Swag this afternoon
Chasewater Swag 98% frozen but a decent selection Inc coot moorhen wigeon tufted duck mallard gadwell goosander pochard teal black headed, herring, lesser black backed & great black backed gulls herons cormorant a little egret and best 7 common snipe on the ice/shoreline
January 4, 2026 at 3:53 PM
Chasewater Swag 98% frozen but a decent selection Inc coot moorhen wigeon tufted duck mallard gadwell goosander pochard teal black headed, herring, lesser black backed & great black backed gulls herons cormorant a little egret and best 7 common snipe on the ice/shoreline
Popped up to Blithfield for the Red Throated Diver albeit a bit distant but a nice year tick, my first one in the UK since 2018 apart from a breeding pair on a nest in Svalbard in 2022. Also year ticked the Scaup
January 3, 2026 at 3:36 PM
Popped up to Blithfield for the Red Throated Diver albeit a bit distant but a nice year tick, my first one in the UK since 2018 apart from a breeding pair on a nest in Svalbard in 2022. Also year ticked the Scaup
Red Crested Pochard pair still on Chasewater Swag this lunchtime
December 28, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Red Crested Pochard pair still on Chasewater Swag this lunchtime
Red Crested Pochard pair still on Chasewater Swag at midday, no sign of the tufted/ferruginous hybrid
December 27, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Red Crested Pochard pair still on Chasewater Swag at midday, no sign of the tufted/ferruginous hybrid
Found this Tufted/Ferruginous hybrid (happy to be corrected if I'm wrong) hiding under the trees on Chasewater Swag this midday
December 26, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Found this Tufted/Ferruginous hybrid (happy to be corrected if I'm wrong) hiding under the trees on Chasewater Swag this midday
Pair of Red Crested Pochards on Chasewater Swag midday
December 26, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Pair of Red Crested Pochards on Chasewater Swag midday
Just been out delivering Xmas cards to the neighbours, heard at least 2 dozen tsseep's going over in about 5 or 6 minutes on an easterly wind must hundreds going over
December 20, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Just been out delivering Xmas cards to the neighbours, heard at least 2 dozen tsseep's going over in about 5 or 6 minutes on an easterly wind must hundreds going over
@bbs-birds.bsky.social Dec winter bird survey done this morning and apart from the ducks & geese on the quarry pools it was pretty bleak not a single linnet, yellowhammer or skylark to be seen, the only highlight a lone female Stonechat
December 11, 2025 at 11:52 AM
@bbs-birds.bsky.social Dec winter bird survey done this morning and apart from the ducks & geese on the quarry pools it was pretty bleak not a single linnet, yellowhammer or skylark to be seen, the only highlight a lone female Stonechat
Really quiet at Belvide yesterday (30/11/25) so took a little time to photograph the common stuff below
December 1, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Really quiet at Belvide yesterday (30/11/25) so took a little time to photograph the common stuff below
Stock dove at Belvide yesterday
December 1, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Stock dove at Belvide yesterday
Belvide yesterday
December 1, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Belvide yesterday
Belvide yesterday
December 1, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Belvide yesterday
Nice couple of tits at Belvide yesterday
December 1, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Nice couple of tits at Belvide yesterday
Belvide yesterday
December 1, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Belvide yesterday
Little brown jobs at Belvide yesterday
December 1, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Little brown jobs at Belvide yesterday
Hi @westmidlandsrg.bsky.social is this one of your ringed stonechats photographed (by someone else) at Norton Bog, Chasewater today (ringed position)
November 27, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Hi @westmidlandsrg.bsky.social is this one of your ringed stonechats photographed (by someone else) at Norton Bog, Chasewater today (ringed position)
Spent an hour freezing my nuts off on the causeway at Blithfield this morning looking for the GN Diver reported last weekend with no luck, popped into Chasewater Swag on the way home watching the Little Grebes fishing
November 19, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Spent an hour freezing my nuts off on the causeway at Blithfield this morning looking for the GN Diver reported last weekend with no luck, popped into Chasewater Swag on the way home watching the Little Grebes fishing
Nice to see 3 red kites thermaling over Norton Bog/ Chasewater Heath just before midday
November 17, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Nice to see 3 red kites thermaling over Norton Bog/ Chasewater Heath just before midday
A few of the dozen+ meadow pipits from the Hawkshutts hide at Belvide mid morning
November 13, 2025 at 6:20 PM
A few of the dozen+ meadow pipits from the Hawkshutts hide at Belvide mid morning
Cracking views of this male bullfinch from the Gazebo hide at Belvide this morning, one of 3 pairs between the Hawkshutts and Gazebo hides
November 13, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Cracking views of this male bullfinch from the Gazebo hide at Belvide this morning, one of 3 pairs between the Hawkshutts and Gazebo hides