A juvenile Robin
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
Photo: A juvenile Robin
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com/2026/04/17-a...
A female Wheatear
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
Photo: A female Wheatear
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com/2026/04/15-a...
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com/2026/04/14-a...
One of the Mandarins, a male quite high up in a tree. 2 males were chasing a female and calling
Oystercatcher pointlessly seeing off Red Kite.
Tuesday so to VP with G as usual. Chilly and blustery w 120 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 45 BHGull (most 2CY), Common Sand, brood of 11 Mallard, 22 Shoveler, 18 Gadwall, 4 Siskin, Whitethroat, 3 Mandarin, Peregrine, Kestrel caught a small mammal etc. Red Kite being chased by the Oycs. #shropshirebirding
Wheatear male in sheep field near Pole Cottage, Long Mynd yesterday
One of 5 singing male Pied Flycatcher at Bridges. One female seen too
Swallows on the wires, Bridges
13 Apr continued... Then normal service was resumed with 2 Wheatear and Redstart around Pole Cottage; 6 Pied Fly, 4 Redstart, 2 Swallow etc Bridges; and 4 bright male Yellow Wags at Polemere. #shropshirebirding
Left wing with at least one damaged primary.
Right wing also with some damage.,,
1010 Y'day heading for the Mynd w @janettem34.bsky.social we were amazed to see a White Stork over the A49 near Chatford. After some manoeuvring we found a place to stop and caught it heading to SW overhead. Assumed it was the Shotatton bird but primary damage = not the same one. #shropshirebirding
Great Crested Grebe
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
Photo: Great Crested Grebe
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com
Kestrel hunting over the arable field at VP
The hovering Kestrel over the arable field. They're not the common site they were in my youth!
Later at VP with @janettem34.bsky.social Whitethroat nfy in the lane hedge, Common Sand, 2 LRP, 4 Oystercatcher, 13 Shoveler, 12 Gadwall, 22 Tufted, GWE, the confiding Kestrel, c50 Sand Martin, Swallow, 4+ Willow Warbler, Cetti's etc in blustery conditions with heavy showers. #shropshirebirding
White Stork along the edge of ploughed field
Both feet seen and no rings just above them nor above the 'knees'. Plumage not stained like the recent bird in Monts so either faded or a different bird
Flew and dropped to next field closer to the village where it was watched in field being ploughed. All seem to be regarded as suspected reintroduction birds or escapes these days but wild ones obviously still occur, spring is the time and this is about as good as we could expect in Shropshire. Ave it!
White Stork by A5 at Shotatton this morning, thanks to Reevesy for the refind. It moved just S of the village to fields being ploughed. No sign of rings and not the recent bird in Staffs? as primaries all present and correct. All suspect but as good as we could get these days. #shropshirebirding 🪶
Breeding begins March, continuing through July and August. Location: Robins favour secluded areas near the ground, including log piles, banks, hedges, and ivy. Unusual Sites: They frequently nest in forgotten items like kettles, teapots, old boots, or hanging baskets. Nest Structure: Built by the female using moss, hair, grass, and dead leaves. Broods: Usually have 2-3 broods, with 4–6 eggs per clutch. Incubation/Feeding: Female incubates for 13–15 days while the male feeds her. Both parents feed the young, which fledge in about 14 days. The Woodland Trust.
When you decide this might be the place to raise a family. 🪶🌱 🐣
#Shropshire #UKnature #UKwildlife #UKbirds #wildlivesmatter #Shropshirebirding #Robin
View toward Wales from Brown Clee, Shropshire
Snow and hail storm at the summit of Brown Clee, Shropshire
My partner and best friend Ruth in a bracing wind looking west. near the summit of Brown Clee,Shropshire
Small lake surrounded by scrub, sedge and woodland where we eat lunch. Near the summit of Brown Clee, Shropshire
Brown Clee circular walk, Shropshire
15km of sunshine, snow, hail & strong wind! 😵💫
Brilliant day & beautiful as always
8+ Redstart
2 Tree Pipit
7+ Crossbill
Siskin aplenty
Red Kite, Buzzards, Kestrel & Ravens
Stonechat
Reed bunting m&f
Willow warb, Swallow, Greenfinch
#shropshirebirding
#UKbirding
Adult drake Lesser Scaup in a flap
Grey Heron chicks in the nest
Adult Grey Heron on a nest
Our drake Lesser Scaup was still waving to passers-by at The Mere #Ellesmere this evening before flying to the far SE end, and the heronry is starting to get noisy 🐣 #shropshirebirding #ukbirding
Goldfinch
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
Photo: Goldfinch
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com/2026/04/10-a...
A male Bullfinch
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
Photo: A male Bullfinch
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com/2026/04/9-ap...
Pair of Little Ringed Plover mating at VP
Pair of Oystercatcher with the same idea
VP with G (changing hide codes and dropping the water a little) on Tuesday on a warm sunny day. LRP pair, Oystercatcher pair, 4 Willow Warbler, 4 Blackcap including a female, Sprawk, Red Kite, 5 Gadwall, 16 Shoveler. Holly Blue nfy, O-tips, Brimstone, Peacock and a Small Tort. #shropshirebirding
A Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album)
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
Photo: A Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album)
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com/2026/04/8-ap...
Lovely to watch the drake lesser scaup at Ellesmere, found by @saloplarus.bsky.social tonight in the sunshine #shropshirebirding
Sleepy adult drake Lesser Scaup in the early morning sun with female Tufted Duck behind
The Mere Lesser Scaup: a 23-day gap between sightings, but just two early negative reports, and only four eBird checklists(!) in that time. Did it ever actually leave?! What's that? Underwatched?! 🤯 #shropshirebirding #ukbirding
Reed Warbler
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
Photo: Reed Warbler
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com/2026/04/7-ap...
Adult drake Lesser Scaup with female Tufted Duck
Look who's back at The Mere #Ellesmere this morning! Not the tern or wader I was looking for! #shropshirebirding #ukbirding
White Stork over Bridgnorth, left (Martyn Owen) and Trentham (Rob Gilbert)
Looks like the same one we had near Bridgnorth #shropshirebirding a few days ago, that was claimed as theirs by a nearby zoo unfortunately. Primary patterns match #staffsbirding
Common Sandpiper
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
Photo: Common Sandpiper
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com/2026/04/6-ap...
A poster supporting the message in the post, showing images of a male Pied Flycatcher and a nest holding a clutch of the species' beautiful sky blue eggs.
"Volunteers needed for the Pied Flycatcher Resting Hill Nest Box Scheme near Snailbeach (3 miles south of Pontesbury). Help check nesting boxes and monitor the number of Pied Flycatchers.
"For more information contact project lead Julian at:
restinghillnestbox@gmail.com "
#ShropshireBirding
VP on sunniest day of the Easter w/e with @janettem34.bsky.social Redshank the highlight found by Sally J. They bred here when it was my patch in early 90s. Now a scarce migrant. Common Sand NFY, 3 Willow Warbler, Swallow, 38 BHGull, 2 Herring & 10 LBBG, 4 G'sander, pr Stonechat. #shropshirebirding
1w fem Scaup from Duivendijk Handbook
Female Scaup plate from Reeber's Wildfowl
Massive overlap in size between Scaup and Tuftie, Collins has 42-51 vs 40-47. Looks like a Scaup to me, surely the Chelmarsh bird from across the river #shropshirebirding
Long-tailed Tit
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
Photo: Long-tailed Tit
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com/2026/04/5-ap...
An interesting immature female aythya at Dudmaston Estate NT on the Big Pool #Shropshire this afternoon.
Superficially resembling a Greater Scaup its overall bulk and size seems to be lacking for this species as well as the possibly suspect bill pattern 🤔
#ShropshireBirding
The Merlin app picked up goldfinch, wren, robin, linnet, siskin, blackcap, greenfinch and redpolls in two minutes in a local wood.
We had a fab walk this morning, a little hail but sunny otherwise.
Recorded in the woods for two minutes using Merlin and picked up all of these beauties! 😊
Also picked up a redpoll moments later.
#shropshirebird #shropshirebirding
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com/2026/04/4-ap...
A male Yellowhammer
Here are Ed Wilson's sightings from Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash, Telford, Shropshire
#shropshirebirding
Photo: A male Yellowhammer
friendsofpriorsleelake.blogspot.com/2026/04/3-ap...
