And so onto Saturday and amazingly my first full days birding in Staffordshire this year. First stop was at Gailey where two Bewick's Swans were still present with a small flock of Mutes.
We then went onto the Chase for the GREAT GREY SHRIKE, but, we couldn't find it and the Chase was generally very quiet.
Next stop was just past Croxall and the five Whopper Swans were showing very well in the field.
We finished off the day at Chasewater for the roost. This was my first roost at the new look Chasewater, and it was a bit of a nightmare. Some gulls were roosting on the water, and some on the shore in the middle, but these were clumped together tightly, so you couldn't really see them all. Then all these plus the ones on the water were flushed by something and most flew off. There were still a few gulls dropping in late on, and fortunately, Steve Richards, who was standing on the veranda with Jules, rang to tell the juvenile Iceland Gull had dropped in. The drake Smew was also showing well all afternoon.
