Author | Lightnews

Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · 20h

I know people say you need to fill your time when you’re retired but 🫣!! You’d have been better off painting that shed again 🤣

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · 1d

A very pleasant morn in the Trescott area produced my first Golden Plover of the year in 10k (116 now) but a covey of 12 Grey Partridge stole the show. Single Snipe & Lapwing were my first in area of ‘winter’ also 2 Stonechat, 2 fem Goosander, 2 L Egret, 3 L Grebe, Reed Bunt, Kestrel #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · 3d

With Sept+Oct unfortunately dominated by work, I only added two species to my 10k year - Jack Snipe & Red-legged Partridge to put me on 115, 2 short of this time last year & 5 short of my best in 2023. Hopefully Nov+Dec will be more productive…although work isn’t going to be any quieter! 😣

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · 8d

A walk around theTrescott area finally produced an additional in October to my 10k year with a single Jack Snipe (115 for year now). Without a thermal ydays bird flew out before I could see it, unlike this one at the same spot in 2022, found the old fashioned way with my eyes! #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · 22d

After the thrill of the Belvide White-rumped Sand flock on Sat it was a rather more routine (previous stomping ground) ✅ Whooper Swan at Gailey Reservoirs. Found by @thesnapper1978.bsky.social late on Sat it was still present in the fog with 11 Mutes on the sailing reservoir yday

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · 23d

Sept+Oct so far had been poor for me locally & not being able to get up to the Needletail due to work I was quite demotivated yday…then @belvidebirding.bsky.social pulls out an unbelievable flock of 8 White-rumped Sandpiper at Belvide. A jog to the west end for my 233rd sp for the reserve #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Sep 7

A family holiday in Cala d’Or, Majorca in mid-Aug was ‘non-birding’ but a short walk down to the sea & I could enjoy one of my favourite birds of the Med with sev Audouin’s Gull present most days. Much more relaxing than my first in Britain after a mad dash to Dunge on a bank holiday Monday! #gulls

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Sep 7

After a good start to Aug with 3 x 10k additions in the first week, a family holiday in Majorca ended that run & I missed a few but a session watching @birdergaz.bsky.social ringing on 25/8 added 2 more: Grasshopper Warbler & Spotted Fly to hit 113 by the end of the month #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Aug 7

The good start to Aug in the 10k was followed by two ‘dips’ (after work walks for birds seen earlier) in two days, so was pleased not to make it a hatrick early am with another attempt at Dipper proving successful with this 1cy bird showing well before work. 111 now for the 10k year #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Aug 4

August has started well in the 10k with overdue addition of Green Sand (2/8) & first Tree Pipit (3/8) taking total to 110. First garden Hobby of year over yday too. Love or loath them Wolverhampton’s Parakeets have had a good season with flocks of up to 11 noted at sev sites in late July #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Jul 27

My first gulling session of summer in West Park, Wolverhampton yday anoon produced a single (smallish fem?) Juv Yellow-legged Gull amongst 100+ LBBG. Bright sunlight & fact they’d been well fed already hampered decent photos. An imm male Redstart locally on 25/7 was a 10k year ✅ (108) #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Jul 13

Finally put a ✅ against a butterfly bogey species today with 2 White-letter Hairstreak at Baggeridge Country Park this afternoon. Also 1+ Silver-washed Fritillary bombing around the meadow amongst a host of the commoner species

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Jul 5

Unfortunately the westerly winds at Flamborough at end May weren’t productive for migrants but, as way evidenced 9 days later when a singing Song Sparrow turned up in the same small cove I’d checked every morning, all I really needed was the right container ship to be passing 🫣 #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Jul 5

Finally got round to checking my photos from our trip to Flamborough 26th-30th May. Seabirds were the obvious highlight for any landlocked birder with the auks, as always, particularly oblidging and entertaining #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Jul 1

June has been relatively quiet but 3 x local additions, included a welcome first singing Cuckoo for many years, took the 10k circle year up to 107 (cf 108 in 2024 & 110 in 2023). Still plenty of gaps in the list inc some that should hopefully start moving through soon on their return migration 🙏

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Jun 15

Cigar-billed Gull!

Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · May 31

Spent 26-30/5 at Thornwick Bay, Flamborough as a post-birthday break but the constant west winds led to none existent migrants. Still so much to enjoy inc all the seabirds (photos still to be sorted!) & quality farmland birds inc Barn Owls, Tree Sparrows with young & singing Corn Buntings #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · May 31

A busy last couple of weeks included a quick dash to Doxey on 17/5 to add the Woodchat Shrike to my Staffs List (288) plus a couple of 10k year list additions, this fem Mandarin on the canal at Bentley Bridge on 19/5 & an Oystercatcher over Pool Hall Fishery on 22/5 : 104 for 10k year #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · May 12

Walks in the Pool Hall / Trescott area over wkend produced two 10k year ✅’s: 2 Hobby & a singing Sedge Warbler taking the total up to 102 for the year. Also noted was this smart Yellow Wag plus Corn Bunting, Red Kite, Lesser Whitethroat & Little Egret @birdergaz.bsky.social #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · May 5

This singing Corn Bunting on west edge of Smestow Valley was the only #westmidsalldayer sighting. Doing ok west of Wolves due to friendly farming this one field left free of crops also held 3 Yellow Wag, numerous Skylark, Whitethroats etc. How it should be done. #ukbirding @andles4forks.bsky.social

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · May 5

So the curse of bird race day #westmidsalldayer continued yday with 5 species seen at & near home, without going birding, that I didn’t get on Sat : Peregrine, Cormorant, 3 Swift, Pied Wag & 3 Goldcrest! In fact the first two weren’t seen by the whole team on Sat in Smestow Valley 🫣

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · May 3

A personal total of 57 species for #westmidsalldayer in Smestow Valley inc 3x 10k yr ✅ to reach 100 for yr: Garden Warbler, Yellow Wag (3) & Tawny Owl. 2 Cetti’s, Lesserthroat, singing Corn Bunt & Kingfisher the best of the rest from 17.5km / 22k steps walked. Team total on 70 by 18:30 #ukbirding

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · May 2

Finished April on 96 species for my local 10k circle, a couple down on previous years. Like clockwork the calendar turned to May & the first local Swift (3) appeared yday. Hoping to eek out a few missing species for the year during #westmidsalldayer on Sat for team Smestow Valley 🤞

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Apr 28

Smestow Valley walks yday am & this pm produced singing warbler totals of: 2 Cetti’s, 1 Lesser & 4 Common Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap & 16 Chiffchaff. Still no Sedge, Garden or Gropper so far this year. This Pale Tussock was found earlier by Mrs M & was a garden ✅ #UKbirding #moths

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Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · Apr 23

April had been v quiet for me in my 10k so far until a Whimbrel on the bank of the farm pool at Furnace Grange, Trescott this am; a real bonus 10k lifer! It hung around for over 2hrs, enabling a mini local twitch 😊 also 5 Wheatear (3m,2f) & 4 male Whitethoat #UKbirding @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social

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