Friday, January 11th,  2013.

Dunstall Park
Misty, clearing to high broken cloud, dull, calm, damp, cool. 10.40 to 11.50.

Few birds were visible initially on a misty, cold, quiet racecourse, just a handful of gulls on the central grass area and eight Canada Geese grazing near the lake perimeter fence.  On the lake, four male and three female Teal fed near the shoreline, while a pair of Mallard rested along the base of the island.  A pair of Gadwall, now present for over two weeks, moved away from a group of quarrelling Coot, at least 11 of which are now on the lake, some of the adults already contesting territory in what has so far been a comparitively warm winter.  The depth of water provides no margins at present for Snipe, but closer inspection of the island revealed 21 resting birds (doubtless more were present), beautifully camouflaged among dried and dead vegetation as they waited to feed elsewhere on the site.  Two Pied Wagtail foraged on the banked lake sides, as a group of Crow took off to pursue a dark-plumaged Common Buzzard low across the lake and into trees by the Staffs & Worcs Canal below Dunstall Water Bridge. As the mist began to lift, a Nuthatch was heard calling from towpath trees just north of Aldersley stadium, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker flew on to a canalside oak and two Robin sang near to each other in the racecourse's north western corner.  A brief glimpse of two Jay and a single Fieldfare in the same area, and it was back on to the open central grass to check the gulls.  Many had flown in as the weather brightened, and a count produced three adult Herring Gull, 14 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 200-plus Black-headed Gull.  Also foraging were more than 40 Woodpigeon, at least 12 Magpie and 12 Rook.  No sign yet of activity around the site's rookery, but in recent years birds have been seen "chase-flying" near the nest trees, sometimes as early as late December and early January.         

(NB    Dunstall Park is a closed commercial site.  Access is restricted).