Although Gareth went to Dunstall Park briefly this morning, we otherwise had a change from our local patches and went birding in south Staffordshire instead.

Firstly, we joined the work party at Belvide Reservoir, which was a great success in clearing several areas of invading scrub from the shore of Southeast Bay.

At lunchtime, we went to Chasewater. Between about 1974 and 1993, as a result of changes in local government boundaries, the southern and western part of this site used to be within the West Midlands County and indeed within the Black Country. We saw the Snow Bunting and 2 Great Northern Divers, still present from last year, actually in this former part of the Black Country, though a fine drake Smew and Jack Snipe were definitely in what has always been part of Staffordshire.

We returned to Belvide for the gull roost, which included single adult and third-winter Yellow-legged Gulls, whilst a Water Rail showed in front of the Scott Hide.

Kevin: 56 species. Gareth: 64 species.