Friday 12th April 2013
Mid afternoon mid-section: dry warm sunny!!
After spotting a singing Chiffchaff and another bathing at the new wetland (also the Pied Wagtail pair were present), I attempted a Chiffy count. After getting another at the Barleyfield Hanging Gardens I realised I had a problem!! Singing birds were following me as I headed North along the towpath. It appears the only way to get a good picture of whats going on is to do it by going South so that you can count and then discount the birds as they pass by. a singer followed me from meccano bridge and was singing at newbridge when i got back from the shop there.
As I headed South through the paddocks, i had the Newbridge bird, one in the main paddock and 2 at Meccano Bridge. one of these was silent and looked bigger and less brown, more green but after following it I eventually got black legs on it at the very moment the joker started singing!!!! Wish I had a pound for every time thats happened.
I have been so lucky at Meccano Bridge this year and I managed to locate what must be Geoff's Willow Tit. It was easily located in the SW corner of the playing fields and showed typical pale cheeks and panel, though the thick neck wasnt obvious. After two short sessions of song it headed into the thicket between the railway and canal by Graisley Brook and wasn't heard again.
A superb Raven lifted off the big Alder in the NE corner of the barleyfield, heading low towards Compton village.
Other highlights:
Goldcrest (confiding,low,middle paddock),Pair of Grey Wagtail (wetland), singing Coal Tit (Meccano),3 twittering Redwing by the new housing and a pair of Mistle Thrush chasing away Crows near the entrance to Compton Park.
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