Monday 1^st April 2013

Dry, overcast, no frost but bitterly light-mod easterlies Light Easterlies.

Mid Section of reserve:Compton to Newbridge including Barleyfield and Compton Park

Skywatch – Top of Barleyfield 06:45 – 07:15:

Canada Goose – 2 NE 4 SW

Black-headed Gull: 41 SW

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 4 South

Wood Pigeon – 7 North

Meadow Pipit – 2 SW off Barleyfield 4 NE

Redwing – 1 East 3 SW

Starling – 25 SW

Chaffinch – 1 East

Patch Highlights:

Little Grebe - The Summer-plumaged pair were still below Compton Lock, with one uttering its laughing trill call.

Black-headed Gull – 41 still on the pitches by Meccano Bridge

Green Woodpecker – 2 birds calling at same time from Eastern Border of Barleyfield and near the Crossings there. Later a male was in the top of a tree at the South end of The Paddocks calling for over 10 minutes.

Great Spotted Woodpecker – a bird drumming on the eastern border of the Barleyfield.

Meadow Pipit – 1 North off Compton Park Wetlands at dawn. 4 North over Meccano Bridge and 5 over the pitches there later, making a total of 16 for the morning.

Grey Wagtail – the pair were in the overflow channel at prefab weir and later a female was on Compton Park Wetlands.

Redwing – 5 South over Compton.

Mistle Thrush – overcast cold weather meant that only the Great Tits and Dunnocks were really vocal this morning. However the Henwood Ridge/ Newbridge Tennis Club male was singing well.

Goldcrest – an excellent morning with sightings of one by Meccano Bridge, one low in the middle Paddock and presumably the Meccano bird by the smestow at the south end of The Paddocks later.

Coal Tit– one at Compton Lock.

Nuthatch – one singing at Compton Road at dawn by Compton Park.

Treecreeper – after watching one in a Larch by the canal at The Academy, a pair were seen on the same tree between the South end of The Paddocks and Smestow Brook Bridge, continuing the excellent run of sightings here for this species.

Siskin – the pair were again present in tree tops by the South entrance to the Paddocks.

Greenfinch – a pair at the top of The Barleyfield again.

Bullfinch – 4+ at the Barleyfield Crossings, 3+ in the main paddock, with 2 singing there and a pair at the Station Paddock

Census:

Mallard: 21 male and 3 female

Moorhen: 7

Dunnock: 13 birds with 12 singing (groups of 3 at Compton Rough, South of Meccano Bridge and Newbridge)

Great Tit: 11 birds, all vocal.

Total: 36 species