A good turnout of 19 folk met at the New Fancy View viewpoint north of Parkend at 10 a.m. on a still grey, but at least dry, day. We scanned and scanned for about an hour but sadly had no luck with the hoped for Goshawk despite this being the place to look for them. Perhaps the cold grey still conditions, and the resultant lack of lift, had put them off. There was even a lack of Buzzards. We did log a few species such as a couple of Ravens, Jay, Magpie, Crow, Mistle Thrush, fly-by Chaffinches, & Goldfinches and unexpectedly a pair of Goosander. A Coal Tit was feeding as we walked back down the steep access path. 
Next we headed for RSPB Nagshead with the rather ambitious hope of finding Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. We walked the long trail, returning via the incredibly muddy lower section. No LSW sadly, but good numbers of common woodland species including Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Wren, Song Thrush & Blackbird.
Back to Parkend and the green by the cricket pitch, surrounded by tall trees, a Hawfinch spot. Some seed was distributed on their favourite feeding log. We waited quite some time before any bird at all was seen, then a few Chaffinch and Greenfinch came in, plus a lone male Bullfinch, but no appearance by the big beaked one. There was a lighting ‘smash & grab’ visit by a Marsh Tit which although incredibly brief, was identifiable by its obvious extensive bright white cheeks. After a while a Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard and then seen in one of the tall trees, before flying off. Just as we had given up and were about to leave, a Sparrowhawk flew through.
Final stop was Cannop Ponds where we were at least guaranteed a good number of species. We parked up by the stone works at the southern end of the valley, where there are feeders, and predictably there were many Chaffinches and Tits coming down to feed on seed spread on the boulders by the lake. In Alders nearby there were a few Siskin, and a Dipper was spotted by the pond outlet, which was quite a torrent. On the water we had our first Mandarin and a couple of Little Grebes were diving. A couple of folk drove up to the northerly car park and the rest of us walked along the lakeside path. This gave us nice views of a pair of Goosander [presumably the ones we had seen at New Fancy]. A lakeside viewpoint gave very close views of Mandarins and a pair of Gadwall. By the northern lake the feeding station by the entrance road eventually gave up the regular Marsh Tit plus the usual Chaffinches and Blue & Great Tits. We had nice views of a Dipper by the stream that exits down towards the lower lake. Back at the stone works end we were greeted by an incredible 20+ Mandarins, mostly drakes, out on the grass beside the the lake, plus one cheeky one up on the fence below the seed feeder, mopping up the spillages. A couple of Greylags and a pair of Mute Swans and a few Mallard completed the wildfowl species. Last but not least were Coot & Moorhen and a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls.