Monday 21 July 2008 - Drayton Bassett Pits, Staffordshire - 21/07/2008

Monday 21st July 2008

Drayton Bassett Pits, Staffordshire

An evening trip to the new RSPB reserve of 'Middleton Lakes' (will this name ever stick) produced some good birds around the North Pit.  The highlight was an adult and two juvenile Black-necked Grebes.  Amongst the impressive numbers of Lesser-blacked Backed Gulls I managed to pick out an adult and a 2nd summer Western Yellow-legged Gull.  Unfortunately there was no sign of the adult Mediterranean Gull that was present earlier on in the day.  Waders included an adult Ringed Plover, an adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, a Green Sandpiper and three Common Sandpipers.  Earlier on in the day a Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Sanderling were also reported.  Wildfowl included two Gadwall families, a small group of Eurasian Teal, two Northern Shoveler and about a dozen Tufted Duck.  Large numbers of Common Coot, a few Great Crested Grebe and a single Little Grebe were also seen.