Saturday 30^th March 2013

Afternoon: Cool, sunny intervals, Moderate NE, becoming calm by dusk.

South Section of reserve:Compton Park, Barleyfield then Compton to Castlecroft along canal

Little Grebe - The Summer-plumaged pair had moved to the section by The Dell

Grey Heron – one SW over Wightwick Fields

Canada Goose – 3 on the canal at castlecroft

Mallard – 14 male and 9 female South of Compton Lock

Buzzard – 2 at wightwick Fields

Moorhen – 8 south of Compton Lock

Black-headed Gull -  3 on houses at Castlecroft

Stock Dove – 2 on Compton Park wetlands site

Little Owl – My first for Smestow Valley!!! Flew out of the Oak Tree just East of Castlecroft Canal Bridge, heading low North over the paddocks and hence into the West Midlands!!! This appears to be a different territory to the Pool Hall Bird and was a most welcome addition to my “patch” list.

Grey Wagtail – a male seen at Wightwick Mill Lock headed North towards the Bridgnorth Road Petrol station, suggesting that it may be the same bird that is seen at Prefab weir and Compton. If so, then the pair hold a sizeable territory.

Redwing – 2+ at Compton Park and c5 on the Railway Walk by Compton Lock at dusk.

Mistle Thrush – one at Compton Park and another singing at Wightwick Fields near Castlecroft Bridge

Fieldfare – c95  flew NE over Castlecroft Bridge shortly before dusk. These were probably from the flocks seen feeding in South Staffordshire earlier and presumably were migrating, rather than heading to roost??

Long-tailed Tit – pairs at Compton park, Compton Lock, The Dell, Wightwick Mill Lock and Castlecroft Bridge

Treecreeper – one feeding in the lone Alder by the canal, just South of Wightwick Road Bridge, where one had been seen earlier in the year.

Rook – strangely an immature bird was seen in a canal-side tree just North of Wightwick Road Bridge on the way out, calling by a partly constructed nest and was in exactly the same position on my return later.

Starling – 9 North over wightwick Fields and 20 north over Pool Hall Lane late afternoon.

House Sparrow – small colonies noted at Compton allotments and the canalside houses at Castlecroft

Goldfinch – 4+ at Compton Lock

Bullfinch – male at Compton allotments, 2+ at The Dell and 2+ at Wightwick Lock

 South Staffordshire – Castlecroft canal Bridge to Trescott

Highlights:

Great Crested Grebe – 3 at Pool Hall

Coot – 8+ at Pool Hall

Lapwing – 30+ NE over Trescott

Lesser Black-backed Gull – 195+ North over Trescott to roost in 5 groups.

Skylark – 9 on field just East of Trescott Ford, with 2 rising to sing.

Meadow Pipit – 2+ at the sewage works

Pied Wagtail – 20+ at sewage works, with 8 heading off to the South and located on a ploughed field near Pool Hall later (No White Wagtails amongst them!)

Redwing – 10+ in the field just SW of Wightwick Fields

Fieldfare – c50 in the field just SW of Wightwick Fields and 75+ in fields between trescott Ford and the sewage works.

Starling – c50 in the field just SW of Wightwick Fields

Yellowhammer – just one calling from a hedge by Pool Hall Lane

47 species seen in total today, 43 of which were in Smestow Valley.