fri  30/11/12    early morning     cloudy but still frosty


Little Grebe                       4 on canal  2 below Compton Lock, 2 nr Prefab Weir,
Grey Heron                       1  feeding on canal side  north of Meccanao  Br,
Kingfisher                         1  on Smestow at Prefab exit at 08:00 and again 09:30,
GS Woodpecker               1 calling in trees nr prefabs and 1 watched fly west across valley,
Goldcrest                          1 calling at Meadow View and 1 seen at top east cnr Barleyfield,
Long tail Tit                      flock c12 in the Paddock,
Coal Tit                             1 Railway Walk  Aspine Way,
Brambling                         1 calling from top of tall tree in grds at top of Barleyfield, A scares bird here in the valley,
Bullfinch                           4♂ 3♀  together in the Shrike Bushes,

                 thur  29/11/12     Cold,clear & frosty.   early morning.


                                             Very quiet again

Little Grebe               5 including 2 below Compton Lock, 1 nr Prefab weir and 2 north of Meccano Bridge,
Green Woodpecker  1 flew low east across Shrike Bushes twds alders,
G S Woodpecker      1 calling from trees nr Prefab weir and 1 calling from trees along Railway walk nr Aspine Way,
Greenfinch                6  flying around the top of Barleyfield,
Chaffinch                      a few in Lower Alders wood Barleyfield and 2♀ nr the Graisley Brook culvert,
Goldfinch                  c10 feeding in Eddys Alders,


                          Of interest though not strictly in our recording area.

Waxwing                  22 feeding on small berry tree at junction of Adams Rd / Northfield Gr, Finchfield, Wolverhampton. today.

Great Northern Diver  1 immature on Pool Hall Fisheries res, Trescott nr Wolverhampton from sun 25/11/12 till 28/11/12. No sign today.

MONDAY 26th NOVEMBER

Dunstall Park.     10.05am to 11.00am.
Heavy overnight rain, lake level up, margins now covered.  Cold, dull, NW wind, rain later.
 
Grey Heron  1  lake.
Teal  17  (including 9 males, some displaying),  feeding,  lake.
Snipe  2  base of lake island.
Little Grebe  1  lake.
Jay  2  oak copse by Staffs & Worcs Canal.
Lesser Black-backed Gull  14  (including 2 first-winter birds)  on central grass area.
Herring Gull  2 adult  on central grass  area.
Black-headed Gull  c.50  on central grass area.
Pied Wagtail  1  over hotel.

(NB. Dunstall Park is a restricted site.  Access only to pass-holders, or by prior appointment).   

SATURDAY 24th NOVEMBER

Fields bordering the Smestow brook between Windmill Lane, Wightwick, and Castlecroft canal bridge, 10.45am to 11.45am.

Slight mist clearing, high cloud, SW breeze, clouding to rain later.

Kestrel, female, perched by brook just south of Windmill Lane.

Fieldfare, 8-plus, smallholding hedge by Castlecroft canal bridge.

Redwing, 5-plus,           "               "                 "             "          "

Goldfinch, 3-plus,         "               "                 "             "          " 

Buzzard, juvenile, calling frequently, perched on phone wire post near brook, mid-section of fields. A dark-plumaged adult (white primary streak, left wing) flew in to join it, both perched close together before adult, then youngster, flew off towards Radford Lane.

Yellowhammer, 6-plus, male and female, hedge by Castlecroft canal bridge.

Sparrowhawk, male, very low across canal by Castlecroft bridge to hunt along towpath hedge towards Pool Hall.

Kingfisher, male, perched by brook, southern section of fields.  Twice flew to perch again on low vegetation. Did not fish, brook cloudy and full. 

Grey Wagtail, first-winter bird, foraging on top of brook bank behind former Wine Rack off-licence building.

SUNDAY 25th NOVEMBER

Wood next to Newbridge playingfield, bordering Staffs &Worcs Canal,  09.45 to 10.15am. 

Bright, cold, calm.

Goldfinch, 3-plus, one singing, feeding tops of  trees.

Coal Tit 1

Goldcrest 2,  feeding in mixed titmice flocks.

Long-tailed Tit, 8-plus,    "            "          "  

Stock Dove 1

sat 24/11/12   early morning. 

cold,frosty and foggy

                                                            Very quiet today.
                       Chris sky watched from the edge of Barleyfield whilst I walked the
                                                                    canal.


Buzzard                      1 left roost in Eddies Alders to the west, and an imm heard calling from Tettenhall Ridge,
Herring Gull              2 ad on St Peters field,
LBB Gull                   25 flew south,
Little Grebe              2 on canal north of Meccano Br,
Sparrowhawk            1♀ flew low west over Compton Field,
Green Woodpecker  1 calling Meccano Br,
Grey Wagtail            1 flew east over top of Barleyfield,  another flew from new lake to Graisley Culvert,
Redwing                    c10 with fieldfare flew in from south to feed on hawthorn berrys at Shrike Bushes,
Fieldfare                   c25 with redwing flew in from south to feed on hawthorn berrys at Shrike Bushes,
Long tail Tit             c10 feeding in Paddock,
Jackdaw                    26 flew north,
Starling                     18 flew south over Barleyfield,
Chaffinch                  7 flew to Eddies Alders,  8 flew over east,
Goldfinch                  9 at Eddies Alders, ( this time last year we had 30+ and winters before 100+ were common.
Siskin                       1 flew calling over Lower Alders,

tue  7/12/10

                                                      looking forward to winter

23/11/12 Late Pm 

Red Fox at barleyfield

3 Little Grebe at Prefab weir
Male Sparrowhawk S of Meccano Bridge
5 Siskin N over lock
Red Fox on Eastern Border of barleyfield

Little Grebe at Prefab Weir

fri 23/11/12   early morning.  clear sunny later.

                    sky watch with Chris  07:30 - 08:00.


Little Grebe              3 on canal nr prefabs wier,
Redwing                    2 Shrike Bushes,
Long tail Tit             c10  Lower Alders,
Jay                             1 top of Barleyfield,
Chaffinch                  c20  Lower Alders,
Goldfinch                  c10  Shrike Bushes,
Siskin                         1     Shrike Bushes,
Bullfinch                    few  Barleyfield,

23/11/12  Dry,cold,light frost, light SW

Dawn watch from barleyfield.
07:00 - 08:20
1 Greylag Goose SW
1 Buzzard left roost at Eddys Alders
46 LBB Gull South
577 Woodpigeon North
Green Woodpecker
2 Grey Wagtail ex wetland
1st Song Thrush singing Waterdale
75 Redwing SW
7 Fieldfare West
2 Mistle Thrush SW
1 Nuthatch
137 Magpie ex roost
10 Jackdaw N ex Peasley
10+ Chaffinch
10 Goldfinch
2 Siskin at  EA

Thur  22/11/12    early morning    o/cast & dull  mild  SW  f4.    with Chris.


Little Grebe                       3  between Compton Lock  & Meccano Br.
G Heron                            1  fishing nr Prefab weir,
G Wagtail                          1 flew over Prefab weir,  1 flew along canal at Newbridge,
Redwing                               few seen flying over head along canal and Barleyfield,
Nuthatch                           1 heard calling in the Paddock,
Kingfisher                         1  flying north along canal north of Tettenhall Rd,
Goldcrest                          1 calling just south of Tettenhall Rd,  1 calling in Station Paddock and 2 seen in the Paddock,                                                                                                                      
Wood Pigeon                    flocks of 50+, 10 and 60+ travelling north over the valley, possibly ahead of  an approaching weather front,                                                                        
Buzzard                             1 over valley,
Jay                                    1 seen at top SW corner of Barleyfield,
Mistle Thrush                    1 flying S over Barleyfield,
Lesser Redpoll                  1  called whilst flying over Shrike Bushes twds Lower Alders,
BH Gull                             195  on St Peters playing fields,
LBB Gull                           14    on St Peters playing fields
Herring Gull                        4 ad + 1 imm  on St Peters playing fields
Jackdaw                            37  on St Peters playing fields
Stock Dove                        5  on St Peters playing fields,

mon 19/11/12  07:15 - 09:45.                 Cloudy,mild. W f2


Redwing                      3
Little Grebe                 2 nr Compton Lock @ 8 o'clock, picked up later 9:30 by Meccano Bridge joined by another. None of these 3 were the ones I saw on 13/11.
Pied Wagtail               1♂ feeding on flooded area just east of new lake.
Buzzard                      1 briefly over valley, seen from Barleyfield.
Long Tail Tit                c10 with small tit flock on Railway Walk nr  Aspine Way.
Grey Wagtail               1  at Prefab weir,
Great Spot Wood       1♂ in trees nr Prefab weir.
Goldcrest                    1 in bushes nr Prefab weir
Kingfisher                   1 fishing by Newbridge squash club. flew south.

17 November 2012
Dull overcast after overnight rain. Mild. Light westerlies. strong current on brooks and weirs.
Mid-section-newbridge to compton
Quiet - no redpoll/siskin
This time last year -4 song thush sang in the indian Summer!

2 little Grebe on canal S of newbridge.
G Heron fishing below compton lock.
13 adult/10 juv moorhen on canal.
110 B H Gull, 2 adult LBB Gull and 1 adult Herring Gull at S. Peters.
fem GS Woodpecker hanging gardens.
2 Grey Wagtail SW over Compton lock and female at graisley culvert.
3 Redwing W over compton lock.
2 Fieldfare.
Goldrests at the crossings, prefab weir(2) and shrike bushes.
Coal Tit at Newbridge.
2 Parties of c10 LT Tits at paddocks and meccano bridge.
Nuthatch at top of barleyfield and in the main paddock.
2+ jay eastern border.
50+ magpie in trees by eddys alders leaving roost W/NW.
10+ Goldfinch at roost in shrubs near the lock,but these head south. only 3 were at eddys alders!
7 Greenfinch at top of barleyfield.
Bullfinches everywhere! We are so lucky to almost take them forgranted!
32 species

15/11/12
An afternoon visit 14:30 till dusk 16:50.
Very quiet.  11 LT Tits Barleyfield /  Compton Field  border ( Shrike Bushes ),  30 / 40 Magpie heading east over Barleyfield towards the roost.  A male Kestrel flew low north east along western border.

NOVEMBER 13th 2012
Woodcock 1
Flushed near canal bank,  just south of Aldersley canal junction, 10.45 am.

NOVEMBER 14th 2012
Wood next to Newbridge playingfield, mid-morning.
Treecreeper 1,  Nuthatch 1,  Goldcrest 1,  Coal Tit 1

NOVEMBER 15th 2010
Grass fields south of Windmill Lane, Wightwick, late morning.
Kestrel 1 immature male, hunting,   Buzzard 2 adults perched,   Redwing 30-plus headge by Castlecroft canal bridge ,   Yellowhammmer 2 females canalside hedge by Castlecroft bridge .

Garden by Newbridge playingfield, early morning.
Long-tailed Tit  22 in mixed flock of titmice etc.

13/11/12 highlights
2 little grebe on canal just north Meccano Br,
1 heron on canal Tettenhall,
22 redwing over SW. 2 on Barleyfield
1 pied wag on flooded area east of lake,
1♂ gsw the paddock,