Saturday 19th January 2013

Walk along Staff & Worcs Canal from Newbridge to Aldersley.
Cold, calm, dull, overnight snow on ground, fine snow falling later in morning, 11.20 to 13.15.

Later than I'd intended, but at least some fresh air in the lungs.  All quiet initially on the canal, but Bullfinch, single males, perched at Newbridge wharf, the Wildside Activities Centre and the oak copse by the Water Bridge (calls heard, but no sign of any other birds. Females will have been nearby). A Nuthatch called from the oak copse, three Goldfinch fed in trees by Aldersley canal junction, but all was silent as I climbed the grass slopes up towards the railway carriageworks to look back over the frozen Birmingham Canal, across Dunstall Park (the lake totally ice-bound) and down a grey, cold Smestow Valley.  Normally there's some kind of action here as birds funnel in from the north and east to follow the green strip along the edge of the city, or go about their daily business across the racecourse to Newbridge, Stockwell End, Aldersley, Oxley and Pendeford, but not today. Twenty minutes of nothing, just getting colder, but then away to the west shapes begin to appear over Tettenhall ridge, Lesser Black-backed Gulls making their way steadily north eastwards, rising and falling against the weather, at least 35 birds, the largest group 18 in number, the vast majority adults, the contrast of the black angled edges of their white underwings unusually clear, illuminated by the snow's reflection as they pass and disappear behind the top of the hill towards Oxley golfcourse. Leading a group of three is perhaps the bird of the morning, an adult Great Black-backed Gull, heavy and powerful, the boss of the bunch and a species not now regularly seen either on or over the racecourse.  This harsh-weather movement is shortlived, so it's back down to the junction, out of the wind, and homewards along the towpath.  A few hundred yards down, and there's the sound I've been waiting for, Rooks in the racecourse nest trees, four of them, possibly two pairs, bowing and calling as the fine snow falls, one of them actually in one of the four nests that have survived from last summer.  After a few minutes they depart to perch in nearby beech trees, knowing that the rookery, although smaller than in recent years, is intact.  Two immature Coot, most likely refugees from the racecourse lake, edge out on to the canal, a Collared Dove flutters down into the oak copse, a Jay flies out of the trees and across to Aldersley stadium, and a Grey Heron stands hunched against the Smestow brook culvert by the Water Bridge.  Leaving the canal I pick my way along the frozen banks of the Smestow towards Tettenhall Road, but no bad-weather birds, just a female Great Spotted Woodpecker, seven or so Long-tailed Tit moving through the trees, and a Song Thrush grubbing among leaves and moss at the water's edge.  Then it's back up via the Old Bridge to swishing traffic and brown slush.            

(PS  Across the frozen playingfield at 22.30 the sound of a Tawny Owl, calling from the darkness beyond the canal towards the Double Pennant boatyard.  Magical . . .)