DUCKS DEPART AND SWALLOWS

SWOOP IN, FRESH OUT OF AFRICA

Dunstall Park,   Saturday 12th April 2014

The spring blossom is everywhere, pink and white waves of cherry and blackthorn bright against the fresh green of hawthorn and willow along the western and northern boundaries of the racecourse.  High broken cloud edges in from the north west, and despite the mid-morning sun the air is cold out on the open grass, so it's a two-fleece layer and a steady walk alongside the drainage ditches where two Wheatear were seen by a member of the racecourse staff on March 29th.  This species has for more than three decades been seen here on spring migration from its sub-Saharan and east African wintering grounds, always favouring the south eastern edge of the site and feeding along edges of the mown central area and its service roads.  Fewer have been recorded in recent years, but in the 1990s good numbers were seen annually, despite racecourse redevelopment in the middle of the decade.  An impressive 70 birds were seen in total during the spring of 1992, and single-day records include 31  on the site on 17/4/2004, a total only exceeded regionally by 35 birds at Sandwell Valley on 3/4/1983.  A scan of the lake confirms that wintering ducks have departed (the Gadwall pair were last seen on April 5th, with three male and two female Shoveler and three female and four male Teal present the day before), and that at least seven pairs of Canada Geese are sitting on nests, most of them enjoying the relative safety of the island.  Coot too are nesting, possibly as many as six pairs, their white forehead "shields" glimpsed among the spiked aquatic grass, and a brief whinnying call shows that the Little Grebe pair are still here.  The fact they're now so elusive as to be invisible strongly suggests they're breeding.  Fingers crossed, as the last nesting success in the valley was at Dunstall Park 14 years ago.  At least three Moorhen are present, again, breeding is on the cards, and close to the lake fence three Snipe are flushed, angling away back towards the island (numbers have fallen away since 16 were seen on March 16th).  High above, a single Cormorant makes its stiff bow-winged way towards the south west, while two female Sparrowhawks are in territorial display over the western edge of the racecourse, white undertail feathers spread as they twist, glide, swoop and circle, one of them eventually diving away towards a traditional nest site pursued by its rival, both birds disappearing below the tree line as a single Buzzard circles high in outline against the white-grey clouds.  At least three singing Chiffchaff and the clear notes of a Blackcap along the tree-lined north western boundary show that the first of our breeding migrants are well and truly back, and from the copse bordering Aldersley canal juction comes the sharp trilling call of a Nuthatch, the bird returning to a nest site used by a pair for the past three summers.  This time of year you never know quite what's about, so one more walk round the lake, and sure enough, just the briefest of glimpses, fast and low, turning up into the sun and back down to skim the surface, our first recorded racecourse Barn Swallow for 2014. Typically it vanishes, but a few minutes later there are two, this time lifting and falling low over the mown grass, slanting away as they hawk, hopefully birds which will help continue the Dunstall Park nesting tradition for this wonderful species.  The ground staff now mark their return date on their office calendar.

OK, time to go, but hang on, something's just dropped in, there's a familiar shape rolling and veering over the lake fence, dark paddle wings propelling their owner on to the top of the island where he stands erect, dark-eyed, black head crest bending in the breeze, a single Lapwing, hopefully back to stand vigil and await the arrival of a mate.  A pair first bred in the lake area in 2002, and there was intermittent success thereafter, with two youngsters successfully fledged in 2007. Since then all nesting attempts have failed, with chicks predated and nests abandoned.  Last year there was just the odd record of a bird in late April, so let's see what happens this time.  Hope springs eternal.

                      

Other recent Smestow Valley sightings have included on March 26th a male Reed Bunting at Dunstall Park lake, 26 Magpie foraging on Dunstall Park, and a total of seven Buzzard seen in the air at the same time over three sites (one over Wightwick, two over Stockwell End and four over Aldersley/Oxley), and on March 23rd two Goldcrest in the hawthorn wood north of Hordern Road.  Six Siskin and a male Redpoll were on garden feeders by the old railway south of Hordern Road on March 25th (three Siskin were still present on March 28th), ten Redwing fed on ivy berries by the canal towpath near Dunstall Water Bridge on March 28th,  a Mistle Thrush sang by Newbridge playingfield on March 31st and April 6th,  Stock Dove called from trees near Aldersley canal junction on April 5th, an adult Mute Swan was on Dunstall Park lake on April 8th, and a female Grey Wagtail foraged along the muddy exit of the Smestow brook culvert by Dunstall Water Bridge on April 10th.  

NB.   Dunstall Park is a closed commercial site.  Access is strictly controlled.