Kingfisher and Ring neck Parakeet

23rd January 16          morning             mid section

hazy sunshine,  7-9°c,  1028 mb,  S 8-13 mph

  A kingfisher at the Prefabs was a first for the year and good to see it's still around. Met Ian at Compton Lock and continued to the Barleyfield where we had a great spotted woodpecker drumming in the Annex and a goldcrest in trees there also about ten redwing around the Wetland area. A chaffinch singing along Railway Walk past the Paddocks is very early along with several great tit and plenty of robins singing. A ring neck parakeet seen and heard flying south over Station Paddock and maybe the same bird later heard calling further north in Newbridge wood. Another great spot a male seen in trees at Double Pennant and a total of five little grebe including the two summery birds rounded off a decent mornings birding.

Little Grebe	5	S&W canal
Mute Swan	1 imm ♂	Meadow View
Ring Necked Parakeet	1 flew S over Station Paddock,  poss same calling Newbridge wood,
Kingfisher	1 flushed from Graiseley Brook Prefabs,
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 drumming Barleyfield  Annex,   1♂ Double Pennant,
Robin	13 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	1 singing	Smestow Meadow
Redwing	c10	Wetlands
Goldcrest	1	1 exit Barleyfield Annex to railway,
Long Tailed Tit	c10	Smestow Aldersley Stadium
Coal Tit	2	Newbridge Wharf feeder
Great Tit	5 singing	mid section
Chaffinch	5 ( 1 singing )	mid section
Greenfinch	7+ 5	mid section
Bullfinch		mid section