Ogre better

So tomorrow is the first day of spring by some authorities!!??
This is a post covering winter and hiliting records additional to those mentioned by Angus.
Little grebe, not a good winter for a valley regular. Always difficult to assess numbers but we tend to assume once birds arrive they stick. It was the end of the year before 3 were seen on same day all quite colourful. A very grey, juvenile?, bird was therefore number 4 and it frequented the southern half of the valley. A dead bird mostly eaten was found on the towpath by the pre fans in early January. The report o otter traces the previous week at Compton suggested this could be the killer. Otters have left signs both at pool hall and on the pink at pendeford recently and it certainly wasn't a raptor kill.

Goosander, scarce this winter so 18 (4 male) at pool hall today was a surprise. Also good to see 2 pairs of great crested grebe there.

Water rail, a calling bird was noted at the wetland around start of December. Not sure of exact date due to new phone and losing access to last year's records.
It remained throughout December  and we began to suspect two birds. However last saturday geofff and I confirmed 3 were present.

Parakeet, occasional reports suggesting still around coming from gardens on he nwood road, old hill and person rd. My only sighting was 7 in early January over the paddock. All would seem to on same vector from west park.

Kingfisher, only 2 sighting in the north, lock 19 in early Jan and today at Oxley viaduct.

Grey wagtail, a regular bird at the Water bridge and another ranging between Compton and Newbridge.

Red poll, scarce this year with the odd bird at the wetland but one in  My garden today was a surprise and could herald an influx as natural food sources will be exhausted.

Siskin, better numbers regular at wetland all winter (max30) and latterly by double pennant.

Rambling a bird by lock 17 in early December was a nice surprise.