New life appearing

16th May 15              mid morning                    mid section

mostly sunny,  10-11°c,  1022mb,  NW 11-13mph

Mallard was the first to bring new avian life to the valley this year as usual, a brood of 11 chicks were found on 26th April being the first. Since then several mallard broods have been seen along the canal, about the same time long tail tits were noted taking food to a nest near the Graisley brook culvert and the grey wagtail was first found sitting on eggs. Many species have since been seen carrying food. The long tail tits at Graisley culvert seem to have fledged and were found near by on 8th May. Grey wagtails were first found feeding young on 7th May and if all goes well should fledge towards the end of this coming week, there filling the nest to over-flowing at the moment.

Buzzard	1 to the north	Barleyfield
Moorhen	2	Wetlands
Swift	1	Newbridge
Hirundides	3-4 to the N	Barleyfield
Grey Wagtail	pr feed yng	Smestow Bridge
Wren	13 singing	mid section
Dunnock	3 singing	mid section
Robin	14 singing	mid section
Blackbird	9 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	2 singing	Barleyfield
Blackcap	7 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	5 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	pr + 4+ imm	pr feeding 4+ imm  Barleyfield Annex,
Great Tit	song	mid section
Jay	1	Annex Barleyfield
Jackdaw	10	Barleyfield
Chaffinch	3 singing	mid section
Goldfinch	3	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	pair	Annex Barleyfield