Subscribers to Birdguides or Birdwatch magazine will be aware that recently Club member Steve Nuttall reached a memorable target of species that he had personally seen at our Belvide Reserve. This happened when Mark (Foz) Foster, Dave Bate and Steve discovered distantly a bird that they identified as a Red-backed Shrike. Not only was it a new bird for Belvide but it was also Steve’s 250th species that he had seen over a period of 39 years. It would be remiss not to acknowledge that achievement within the pages of this Club publication for it has involved and continues to involve complete dedication to one site over many years dedication beyond the means of many of us.

Steve was a schoolboy member aged 12 years of the RSPB Young Ornithologist’s Club on his Belvide first visit in 1984. Spurred on by the late Eric Phillips and John Higgingson (Aka Higgo now residing in Scilly) and others Steve started to be a regular at Belvide from1987. His confirmed observations started to raise a few eyebrows a year later with a well watched Leach’s Storm Petrel on September 5th. Then dramatically Steve witnessed an eighteen record-breaking Red- throated Divers emerging out of low cloud cover over the Reservoir on November 19th.That unforgettable moment was witnessed by a lucky, few and fortunate other members who were present that day. That was the moment when many more of us sat up and took notice for here we had a very special and devoted Belvide birder, but would that enthusiasm last? You bet it did!

Other notable discoveries include Staffordshire’s only Icterine Warbler on 10th July 1993. He saw a Red Kite on 17th September1994 when still they were very scarce in our Region In 2000 a passage of eleven bow-winged Honey Buzzards was witnessed on 25th -26th September when perhaps many might just have dismissed them as Common Buzzards September 25th 2012. 3 Juvenile Sabine’s Gulls were a stand-out observation on June 24th in 2017.

Lockdown in 2020 presented Steve with a dilemma when he discovered a much-wanted Bonaparte’s Gull. The Club kept open its reserves during that period for local people.

It was necessary however for Steve and a very few locals to check for any urgent issues to be monitored and addressed. On one such visit on April 16th he discovered and photographed a Bonarparte’s Gull. After consultations it was decided not to release news generally as it would present serious health issues at the height of the pandemic. Throughout Steve has always willingly shared his bird news as promptly as possible but on that occasion, it was deemed inappropriate. As lockdown eased later in the year for a while it was possible under special conditions to share the discovery of a Laughing Gull found by a solitary Steve in the afternoon of June 28th.

In addition, Steve is a signed up “Wolverhampton Seawatcher” having found and identified successfully 2 Long-tailed Skuas, 3 Pomarine Skuas, and several Great and Arctic Skuas, Gannets, Manx Shearwaters and a highly creditable 5 Leaches’s Petrels. 3 Spotted Sandpipers add to Steves incredible reputation in being one of the country’s best bird finders?

How does he do it you might ask? With a host of published birding identification material like many of us have available, Steve can memorise specific identification details including bare part colours and plumage detail and, of course with some years now of field experience. Steve has learned the best vantage points from where he can view and cover most of the direction of bird traffic across the Reservoir. He is also an avid follower of weather forecasts particularly wind directions and cloud conditions. Over the years he has developed into the best digiscoper that any of us know Particularly he is renowned for his flight shots. So, what are his ambitions? Which bird on the Belvide bird list that he has not yet seen would he like to see most? If any of you see either a Black-throated Diver or a Bearded Tit then you know who to call!

He had to take a while to answer my next question when asked which bird not on the Belvide list would you like to add next? His answer, “Franklin’s Gull to complete the list of small American Gulls on the Reserve. A Wilson’s Phalarope would be nice!’’

Roger Broadbent

A similar article to the above has appeared in Birdwatch Magazine (October 2023 edition) and on the Birdguides website. Dates have been checked by referral to various WMBC Annual Bird Reports available on the Club website www.westmidlandbirdclub/archives.org.uk.