Since in a way, this was an experimental trip, the words of my old Biology teacher scare me to death and lead me to follow the old Method, Results and Conclusions way of reporting my trip!! So bare with me and here goes......
Method:
The route was basically simple. Set off from Compton Bridge at 07:20am (dawn) and head North along the canal to eventually end up at Calf Heath Marina, almost 6 miles away, returning via the same route in order to increase my observations and understandings of the area.
Before setting off, I listed all bird species that I was likely to see and applied a probability factor for each factor between 0 and 1. By adding up all the probabilities it gave me my species target for the day, which I rounded up to 55 species.....now you can wake up and enjoy the results.........
Results:
I spent too much time on my sandwiches, so by the time I arrived at Compton Hospice, I missed the opportunity to pick up the Tawny Owls, but managed to see the 100+ Peasley Wood Corvids heading North. Robin, Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Wren had been picked up on the way down and Song Thrushes had been noted singing at the canal and railway bridges, so the Carrion Crow, Jackdaw And Rook, got my total up to 8, before first light.
On the canal by the road bridge there were 5 Moorhen, 2 Mallard and an early singing Blue Tit (11). At Compton lock there were 2 more Song Thrushes in Song, one by the lock and the other mid-way along Compton Rough on the railway line.
I noticed the new valley information sign at the lock, but my Biology teacher told me never to include politics in your results, so I am saving that for my conclusions!!!!....
A beautiful confiding Coal Tit (12), was in the canal side trees by the weir and 6 noisy Canada Geese (13) headed SW over Compton from West Park.
At Prefab Weir a Great Tit announced it's presence, as did a Green Woodpecker as it headed towards Henwood Road. 2 Little Grebe(16) were fishing by the far bank. On the way up to Meccano Bridge, the Green Woodpecker at Henwood Road started calling in response to another bird that was laughing from the Barleyfield area.
At the bridge a Dunnock was singing and Goldcrest, Magpie and Black-headed Gull (20) were noted. Then came a lucky encounter with a bird that I had not seen at this site since the breeding season. I was doing a count on Long-tailed Tits just North of the bridge in the far bank alders, when a single Treecreeper appeared, characteristically climbing one tree before dropping to the next. An early bonus and bird number 22 already.
A lesser Black-backed Gull (23) passed over and 2 more Song Thrushes were singing from the main Paddock. The 3rd Little Grebe of the morning was at the Tennis Club along with another singing Dunnock.
At Newbridge a Coal Tit was briefly singing and 4 Starling (24) were noted along with an extremely well-camaflauged mammal.....Geoff Russon!!!!!! I was so pleased to bump into Geoff on my trip, as he really has been the driving force behind all the developments regarding valley birding lately and for me he is just the perfect mentor, and thereason why I am posting this report today. After a half hour chat and a quick look at a 4th Little Grebe just North of the old bridge, we parted.
A Redwing (25) was in trees by the new bridge and my first Chaffinches (26) were on the wharf feeders. A Grey Heron (27) then passed low overhead South along the canal.
A Bullfinch (28) joined the frenzy at the feeders and a little further along a 5th Little Grebe was seen.
Just South of Hordern Road bridge a Great Spotted Woodpecker (29) was drumming away and another Song Thrush further enhanced the feeling that Spring is near. A Nuthatch (30) was feeding at the Boatyard feeders, and the couple at the bungalow told me that they had young visiting there last year.
A partial Summer-plumaged 6th Little Grebe was at the Wildside Activity Centre and 2+ Bullfinch were nearby. At Dunstall Water Bridge Goldcrest another Nuthatch and Coal Tit were present, as was an adult Coot (31). On past Aldersley Stadium, where 5+ Long-tailed Tit were noted and to Aldersley Canal Junction where another similar sized flock was observed.
At the viaducts my first Goldfinch (32) was jangling away, and unfortunately, just off patch, I picked up a flock of 25+ Siskin (33) at Oxley Marine.
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| As you can see I am no Simon King, but if you click on the image, you can enlarge it to see part of the Siskin flock. |
At Marsh Lane Bridge some 55 Mallard were congregated and c10 House Sparrows (38) were calling at the houses to the West. At Foster Bridge a Mistle Thrush (39) provided beautiful song to enhance the blue sky and warming sun. First sight of the Marshy area opposite the lorry park raised hopes of new finds and it wasn't long before a splendid and much-missed female Reed Bunting (40) was seen perched on the low trees at the edge of the reed-bed.
Forty species and it was only 09:40!!!! Surely I can break my target?? I avoided looking at my predicted list to avoid adding pressure to the shear joy that this walk was providing, and continued. I was once again thankful to Geoff, as our little chat meant that although my pace was going to plan, I abandoned any plans to leg-it to Gailey, once I reached Calf-heath, or the racecourse on the way home. Birding in today's world often involves time pressure and I didn't want that on this day. Work commitments meant that I hadn't had a holiday in two years, so I was determined to unwind and make the most.
Just South of the M54 I could see a very distant pool and a scan revealed 6 Teal (41) were on it. This was a real bonus, having just made the decision not to visit a body of water today.On the adjacent canal 2 Little Grebe and a Coot were together and 3 Goldfinch were by the Motorway Bridge.
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| A distant group of Teal - apologies for making you squint!!! |
My childhood instincts were telling me that the area just North of the motorway felt like Willow Tit and Treecreeper territory, but sadly I was in dream-land, though it may warrant a separate, more detailed visit.
Sadly my schedule prevented me from going to try and find the I54 finch flock, and I bargained that with the morning going so well, it wouldn't be needed to reach target and would be too much of a risk.
On to Coven Heath Sewage Works (Thoughts of Hobby and rare passage birds entered the head!! Anyone got archives for this site??...sorry I am dreaming again!!), where 100+ Carrion Crow, 175+ Jackdaw, 1+ Pied Wagtail (42) and a Nuthatch were noted.
At Coven Heath Bridge, 28 Mallard were gathered and 10+ Fieldfare, 5+Redwing and 5+ Starling were on a flooded paddock nearby. The first of many House Sparrow colonies was around Brinsford Bridge, which I reached at 10:05. 4 Fieldfare, 10 Starling and my first Buzzard (43) were noted nearby and at the 3 Hammers Golf Club another House Sparrow colony and c5 Long-tailed Tits were present.
I passed the pub at Cross Green, which made me hungry but I didn't want to stop just yet. 2 Mistle Thrush and a Redwing were had just South of the railway line, and a Greenfinch was overhead.
At Slade Heath Bridge, yet another good House Sparrow Colony along with 20 Mallard. two Rook and c5 Long-tailed Tits were nearby, but then another special bird for the day was had in trees alongside a paddock South of Larches Wood. A Goldfinch had caught my attention, but as I scanned through the trees for birds on the deck, I noticed a silent solitary bird sat quite high up in an alder on the other side of the canal. Will it sit still long enough for me to get my camera?............
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| .......YES female Brambling and species number 44!!! |
At last between Moat House and Deepmore Bridge I finally got my first Kingfisher (45) of the day!!!! It was interesting to note that my first encounter off patch was in an area similar to ours where a brook and the canal are in close proximity, presumably giving more feeding options, depending on the strength of currents, making it a prime territory.
I was going through a little purple-patch and at Deepmore Bridge I had another lucky encounter. just to the south of the bridge to the West there was a flood meadow, reminiscent of the Newlands Lane one at Cannock, which was part of my patch in my teens. I stopped to scan the small pond and immediately picked up 2 Snipe (46) at the water's edge. I hazarded that there could be maybe 10+ present and maybe a prized Jack Snipe, but I hadn't got the heart to go off on a flushing expedition, like I used to as a kid at Chasewater.
After the excitement of the last half hour I arrived at the terminus of my walk... Calf Heath Marina...Dohhh... no Mute Swans!!!!.....time to eat.....
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| Time to rest, eat and cool my wellies down in the canal!!! |
In that Hour and a half, I had 2 Buzzard at Deepmore Bridge, a Siskin, North of Larches Wood, 2 more Buzzard over the wood, with a singing Mistle Thrush nearby and a Nuthatch at Slade Heath Bridge. Then a second brief purple-patch occurred that kept me on track....
At Slade Heath Bridge, surprisingly my only Kestrel (47) of the day, a male was hunting over the adjacent fields and railway embankment.
Whilst watching 25 Rook in a field between Cross Green and Stafford Road, 2 Golden Plover (48) flew up, skimmed a hedge and disappeared out of view. As a young man I used to maintain a garden on the long-mile at Calf-Heath and at this time of year hundreds of these waders would be seen passing overhead. So it was with a strange mix of ecstasy and sadness that I added the sighting to my notebook.
I explored fields in search of Linnet and Yellowhammer, without luck but did turn up a lone Stock Dove (49) overhead.
2 Collared Dove, 10+ Long-tailed Tit and the now slightly larger Corvid gathering were at Coven Heath Sewage Works.
Then silence........ until at last at 14:00 as I was recounting the Teal (still 6) South of the M54, a lone Redpoll (50) an amazingly scarce bird this Winter flew East over the truck park.
The next part of the walk yielded little (Pendeford held good numbers of Starling with 20+ in the Poplars together by the canal). And at 14:45 I was sat having a picnic on the lupin fields, reflecting on the gains and losses of the day. But what a glorious day it had been, for pleasure, for learning, for birding and for the friendly people I met along the way. Then what was pretty much always meant to be!!!!!
After serving up 32 species this morning (would have been 34 if I had terrorised the Grey Wagtails and Siskin into heading South earlier!!!), 2 gifts which the romantic in me puts down to the caring attitude of Dunstall Park racecourse owners.....2 Raven (51) and a single Meadow Pipit (52) over the racecourse asI ate. Thank you, thank you, thank you, at least I could head off home with a respectable go at my target!!
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| Dunstall Park Racecourse - shining example of wildlife care and management and source of 2 valuable ticks. |
Jay and Sparrowhawk!! Last year both these birds had been noted regularly on dusk watches so it was worth a shot to head straight there to increase my chances.....
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| Geoff's bench at the top of the barleyfield....home sweet home. |
after 15 minutes, there was no jay squawking and the Merlin that I had ordered, failed to turn up so homeward bound, with a much larger female Sparrowhawk, rounding off a thoroughly enjoyable day.
P.S. Next morning a Jay (the first I have seen there this year) was in a tree right outside my window at home. was he having a laugh or what????
Conclusions tomorrow, since posting this blog has added some extra thoughts that i need to sleep on!!!!
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