Should have been at Pool Hall

sat 9th April 16            morning            mid section

sunny,     6-9°c,   1001 mb,  NW 5-SW 6 mph

 Ian and I seeing plenty of species with chiffchaff and blackcap numbers building nicely, but, a continuous text conversation with Gazz at Pool Hall  / Wightwick area involving tree pipit, 2 white wags and red kite put things in a different completion.

Sparrowhawk	1♂ over	Wolves Training Grd
Buzzard	2 over	Tettenhall Ridge
Moorhen	1	wetlands
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Kingfisher	1	Prefabs
Green Woodpecker	Calls	Tettenhall Ridge
Grey Wagtail	2	mid section
Pied Wagtail	1♂	Wetland Field
Blackbird	4 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	3 singing	mid section
Blackcap	6 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	12 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	2 pair	mid section
Coal Tit	1 singing	Station Paddock
Great Tit	song	mid section
Nuthatch	2 calling	mid section
Chaffinch	2 singing	mid section
Greenfinch	Calls	Top Roses
Goldfinch	2+	mid section
Bullfinch	2 pair	mid section

Thursday update

17th March 16                morning                mid section

mostly cloudy, sunny by 11:00,  5-9°c,  1033 mb, ESE 6,

The male grey wagtail was on the towpath by Meadow View bridge but no sign of the female there or on the Smestow. A green woodpecker calling, not from Tettenhall Ridge as is normal but from somewhere near the Tennis Club or Wolves training pitches.Still three little grebe including the bird below Compton Lock, all in or very near summer plumage. A female sparrowhawk checking out the Barleyfield and adjoining playing field and the kingfisher seen by the weir were good to have, and the male pied wagtail on the grass east of the Wetlands still in splendid plumage. Singing coal tit at Meadow View finished a day that started in dull, cold conditions, in warm sunshine.

Little Grebe	1 s/p below Com Lock,  1 s/p Meccano Br,  1 nr s/p Sq Club,
Sparrowhawk	1♀ low over	Barleyfield
Moorhen	1	Wetlands
Kingfisher	1	Prefab Weir
Green Woodpecker	calls	Tennis Courts
Grey Wagtail	1♂	Meadow View
Pied Wagtail	1♂	Wetland Field
Wren	11 singing	mid section
Dunnock	5 singing	mid section
Robin	13 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	1 singing	Barleyfield
Mistle Thrush	1 singing	Tennis Courts
Long Tailed Tit	2 pair	mid section
Coal Tit	1 singing	Meadow View
Great Tit	6 singing	mid section
Goldfinch	3+	2 Meadow View,  c Compton Rough,
Bullfinch	2	Barleyfield

The wait goes on

15th March 16              morning                mid section

mostly cloudy,  6-8°c,  1032 mb,  NE 7-10 mph

 The wind has turned northerly again after briefly going south then east over the weekend. This is maybe why our hopes were heightened and now dashed. The forecast for the next few days is continued northerly's. A pair of grey wagtail on the Smestow looks like the same pair Ian and myself had by the Prefabs at the end of Feb, if so they may be a breeding pair holding a rather long territory. The redwing and chaffinch are probably the same group from yesterday, count is a guestimate as only seen flying away through dense wooded area adjacent to Wetlands. The siskin was in the same area but seen perched up (behaving itself). 

PS  just seen Ian's post.  interesting grey wags. Yes I was also surprised to find a grebe below Compton Lock, only the second time this winter. ( I think )

Little Grebe	2 s/p	1 s/p Below Compton Lock,   1 s/p Meccano Br,
Buzzard	pair over	Barleyfield
Black Headed Gull	1 flew N over	Compton Rough
Grey Wagtail	pair	Station Paddock
Wren	10 singing	mid section
Dunnock	3 singing	mid section
Robin	11 singing	mid section
Redwing	10+	Lower Alders
Mistle Thrush	2 singing	mid section
Goldcrest	2	Station Paddock
Long Tailed Tit	pair	Hanging Grds
Great Tit	3 singing	mid section
Jay	calls	Top Birches
Chaffinch	2+ 1 singing	2section
Siskin	1	Lower Alders

Winter birds still hanging on

11th March 16          morning              mid section

hazy sunshine,  6-9°c,   1028 mb,  S 4-6 mph

 Good numbers of blackbirds still in evidence, probably passage birds, 9 black headed gulls on Compton Playing Fields and 4 little grebe on the canal at Newbridge still. The grebes may also be passing through. We cant tell whether they are different individuals or the same birds acquiring breeding plumage or indeed a mixture of the two scenarios. No sign of any summer migrants yet, the northerly winds of the last two weeks seem to be holding them up. 

Little Grebe	4	S&W canal
Mute Swan	1	S&W Canal near Meadow View,
Mallard	3♂	Wetlands
Buzzard	1	over Prefabs
Moorhen	1	Wetlands
Black Headed Gull	9	Compton Field
Green Woodpecker	calls	Tettenhall Ridge
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1	Compton Lock
Grey Wagtail	1	Station Paddock
Wren	4 singing	mid section
Dunnock	8 singing	mid section
Robin	5 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 singing	mid section
Mistle Thrush	2 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	1	Meadow View
Coal Tit	1	Newbridge feeder
Great Tit	4 singing	mid section
Jackdaw	odds over	mid section
Chaffinch	2 singing	The Paddock
Goldfinch	2	Wetlands

Ring neck Parakeet

5th March 16            morning               mid section

mostly cloudy,  4-5°c,  1001 mb,  NW 8-15 mph

  Very quiet today in cold raw conditions after what looks like heavy o/night rain. The ground is really slushy and slippery. The best I could muster was two silent ring neck parakeet flying high west over the Paddocks. Still three little grebe, two of which are almost in full summer plumage. A noticeable  increase in blackbird numbers, many feeding on the ground.

Little Grebe	3	S&W Canal
Buzzard	calls	Barleyfield
Ring Necked Parakeet	2 >> W over	The Paddock
Grey Wagtail	1 >> NW over	Top Roses
Wren	5 singing	mid section
Dunnock	7 singing	mid section
Robin	8 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 singing	Barleyfield
Mistle Thrush	1 singing	Tennis Courts
Long Tailed Tit	1	Graiseley Cnr
Great Tit	2 singing	mid section
Chaffinch	pr + 1♂+1♀	mid section

Wagtails save the day

28th February 16        morning            mid section

cloudy,  3-7°c,  1023 mb,  NE 5-8 mph

 Met Ian on arrival at Meadow View, Fishermen on canal so we did the Paddocks. A pair of coal tit was found in the main paddock but little else, a splendid male pied  wagtail in breeding plumage was on the field to the east of our Wetland pool. Another coal tit this one singing from the eastern border of Barleyfield. We headed south to Wightwick Mill Lock and back along the canal without seeing much until we checked the Smestow behind the prefabs, where we were treated to a pair of grey wagtail feeding on the edges of the brook, Little grebe ended the day back at Meadow View.

Little Grebe	1+	S&W Canal
Green Woodpecker	calls	Compton Rough
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 >> over	Sandfields
Grey Wagtail	pair	pair Smestow Prefabs,
Pied Wagtail	1♂	Wetland Field
Wren	song	mid section
Dunnock	song	mid section
Robin	song	mid section
Song Thrush	song	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	2	Barleyfield
Coal Tit	pr Paddocks + 1 singing Eastern Border Barleyfield
Chaffinch	1 over	Wetland Field
Greenfinch	1 singing	Compton Allotments
Bullfinch	3♀	Annex Barleyfield

A touch of frost and we get Teal  

16th January 16          morning            mid section   

hazy sunshine,  -1-2°c,  1030 mb,   WNW 3-W 4

Again the Barleyfield and canal was pretty quiet, with more seen between Tettenhall and Hordern Rds. The slushy mud was mostly frozen and hazy sunshine took the chill of the very low temperature. Just two little grebe on canal one either side of Prefab weir, coal tits on the feeders at Newbridge boats and Double Pennants and two nuthatch at the latter. The Smestow near Hawthorn Wood produced a bright grey wagtail and four teal which were flushed from behind gardens in Aldersley Rd.

Little Grebe	2	S&W Compton
Teal	4 flushed from Smestow Hawthorn Wood / Aldersley Rd,
Green Woodpecker	calls	Tettenhall Ridge
Grey Wagtail	1	Smestow/H Wood
Robin	9 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	1 singing	Meadow View
Coal Tit	1 Newbridge boats feeder + 1 Double Pennant feeder
Great Tit	2 singing	mid section
Nuthatch	2	Double Pennant
Jay	1	Hills Coaches
Chaffinch	1+	Newbridge boats feeder
Greenfinch	7 top Barleyfield,  few Newbridge boats feeders.
Goldfinch	3	Eddies Alders
Bullfinch	calls	Barleyfield

North to Aldersley

8th January 16,         morning            north section

partly sunny,    4-7 °c,   996 mb,   S 8-10 mph

 North again today. The treecreeper still at Double Pennant in the same trees as 21/12 also there at least two coal tit after one on the feeders by Newbridge Boat moorings and a nuthatch calling over the canal in Newbridge wood. A great tit singing here was the only species in song apart from the robins. On the Smestow as it runs between Hawthorn Wood and the gardens of houses on Aldersley Rd I found the dull grey wagtail that Ian's been having recently. Four lapwing flew west off Dunstall Park and over the canal ( there's usually a good sized flock on DP so its strange they are so uncommon in the surrounding areas ). The single mute swan was near Meccano bridge and between here and Oxley Moor Rd there were five little grebe including the two with remains of summer plumage.

Little Grebe	5	S&W canal
Mute Swan	1	S&W Canal just N Meccano bridge
Lapwing	4 over	Dunstall Park
Black Headed Gull	c50	Aldersley Field
Grey Wagtail	1 dull	Smestow behind Hawthorn Wood
Robin	10 singing	north section
Song Thrush	1	Newbridge wood
Long Tailed Tit	1+	Double Pennant
Coal Tit	3+	north section
Great Tit	1 singing	Double Pennant
Nuthatch	calls	Newbridge wood
Treecreeper	1	Double Pennant
Jay	1	Hawthorn Wood
Rook	2+	Dunstall Park  Oaks rookery
Greenfinch	1	Newbridge boats feeder

All the water birds again

1st December 15       morning            mid section

mostly sunny, mild,  11-12°c,  1019 mb, SW 9-12 mph,

All the action was again on the canal, two winter plumage little grebe together by the Tennis Courts and the summery one by the weir at Prefabs, where  a grey wagtail flew from the weir over canal to Graiseley brook and the kingfisher was flushed by a walker on the towpath passing over the Graiseley brook. I was on the bridge over the Smestow when it emerged from Graiseley to Smestow brook and flew north. So all three water birds within a few metres. 

Little Grebe	2 w/p Tennis Club,  1 s/p Prefab weir,
Moorhen	1 calling  Wetlands,  1 imm Prefab weir,
Kingfisher	1 flew N	Prefabs Smestow
Grey Wagtail	1	Prefab Weir
Pied Wagtail	1	Wetlands Field
Wren	2 singing	Mid Section
Robin	4 singing	Mid Section
Great Tit	1 singing	Station Paddock
Chaffinch	1♀	Graiseley Cnr
Greenfinch	5	Top Roses
Bullfinch	2♂ 2♀	Graiseley Cnr

Kingfisher,   Grey Wagtail,   Little Grebe

14th November 15           morning             mid section

o/cast,dull,  7-8°c,  1023mb,  SW 9-S 8 mph

Forecast rain held off long enough to get some birding done. I seemed to have flushed a kingfisher from just below the old bridge on Meadow View as I arrived on site, which flew off towards the brook in Station Paddock , also seen from here a little grebe to the north by the boats, probably the pale bird, two more seen by Meccano Br both darkish birds and another the now fast fading summer plumaged bird at the weir.  A grey wagtail on brook by Smestow Bridge makes a full pack of our water birds. 

Little Grebe	4	1 (s/p)+2 (dark w/p)+ 1 (pale poss 1cy)
Moorhen	3 imm	S&W Canal
Black Headed Gull	13	Compton Field
Kingfisher	1 flushed from below bridge-flew off twds Smestow Station Paddock,
Great Spotted Woodpecker	calls	Railway walk Annex Barleyfield
Grey Wagtail	1	Smestow Bridge
Wren	1 singing	The Paddock
Dunnock	1 singing	The Paddock
Robin	4 singing	mid section
Redwing	c25	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	calls	Meadow View
Coal Tit	2	Newbridge boats feeders
Nuthatch	2 calling	Newbridge Wood
Jackdaw	odds over	mid section
Chaffinch	c5	mid section
Greenfinch	c15	mid section
Bullfinch	calls	Barleyfield

Fog fog fog then kingfisher kingfisher

1st November 15     morning            mid section

foggy, sun appearing 10:15 ish,  10-11°c, 1028mb, N 3-SE 2 

A late start due to fog was the right decision. Apart from a few robin's singing the first hour was a right off, Visibility down to 100m, birding visibility 30m.  Paddock and Barleyfield nothing seen or heard. The sun appeared as I reached Compton Lock and as if by magic a loud and continuous call alerted me to two kingfishers flying north past me towards Prefab weir where they disappeared. One of them was seen later on the Smestow. All three little grebe were together here and at the Prefab bridge a nuthatch and bullfinch in the bushes and two parties of canada geese flew over heading for West Park. A grey wagtail on the Smestow behind the station cafe rounded off an unusual day.

Little Grebe	3 ( 1 s/p + 1 dark w/p + 1 light w/p ) Prefabs,
Canada Goose	c50 ( in 2 groups ) flew NE over PF,
Kingfisher	2 flying N Compton Lock-Prefabs weir,  1 Prefabs  (Smestow)
Grey Wagtail	1	1 Smestow Station Paddock,
Robin	9 singing	mid section
Nuthatch	1	Prefabs
Bullfinch	1	Prefabs

A winter fare

31st October 15          morning               mid section

murky,   11-13°c,  1019mb,  SSE 9-7 mph

A good start with grey wagtail and 3 little grebe off Meadow View bridge and a few redwing over the Paddocks. Barleyfield was quiet until we got to the top where we had more redwing, greenfinch, goldfinch and a ♂ sparrowhawk, the sparrowhawk reappeared over the Wetlands  and we had a ♀ over the valley later. The Wetlands also held more goldfinch and chaffinch. A great spotted woodpecker (probably ♀) perched high in trees between Hanging Grds and the railway walk and the Barleyfield was done. The canal produced six immature moorhen, more than we have seen for a long time but 3 of them were just north of the Tettenhall Rd so not officially the mid section. Also at the feeders here by the moored boats we had a coal tit, loads of greenfinch and another great spotted woodpecker a male this time. A smart grey wagtail on the Smestow at the Prefab bridge brings at least 3 different individuals on the patch. Two here ( prefabs ) and another well marked bird on the Smestow by St Michael's school.

Little Grebe	3 ( 1 S + 2 N ) MV, later  2 Tennis Courts,
Canada Goose	c50 over Barleyfield in 3 groups
Sparrowhawk	1♂ over Top Roses,  again Wetlands,  1♀ over Valley,
Moorhen	6 imm (1 imm Prefab weir,  1 imm Meccano Br, 1 imm Meadow View, 3 imm Newbridge boats,).
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1♀ Hanging Grds,  1♂ Newbridge boats feeders,
Grey Wagtail	1 Meadow View,  1 v/bright Prefabs Smestow,
Wren	1 singing	Lower Alders
Robin	7 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	5+	mid section
Redwing	c45	mid section
Coal Tit	1	Newbridge boats feeders
Chaffinch	2+ Wetlands, 2+ Newbridge boats feeders,
Greenfinch	c10 Top Roses,  c10 Newbridge boats feeders,
Goldfinch	10+	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	2	Shrike Bushes

What a difference a few minutes make 

25th October 15         morning                 mid section

partly sunny,  5-8°c,  1024mb,   S 3-6 mph

 The Paddocks was quiet and the Barleyfield seemed the same but I met Ian and was surprised to find he had had some decent stuff at the top of the Barleyfield. We headed back up top but all was quiet now. We had two of the grebes on canal by the Prefabs and both green and great spotted woodpeckers back towards Meadow View.  A stroll along the Smestow by St Michael.s sch produced a very smart winter plumaged grey wagtail.

Little Grebe	2 ( 1 s/p + 1 w/p )  Prefabs,
Green Woodpecker	calls	Station Paddock
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1♂	Meadow View
Grey Wagtail	1	Smestow Meadow
Wren	1 singing	Graiseley Cnr
Robin	5 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	few	mid section
Greenfinch	3	Top Roses
Goldfinch	3 over	Meccano Grds
Bullfinch	calls	Barleyfield

A late start, but turned out fine

17th October 15          late morning            mid section

cloudy,  10-11°c,  1024mb,  NW 4-N 8 mph

You've heard of the early bird catches the worm, well the late birder didn't do too bad today. As expected it was generally quiet in the trees and bushes but the canal waterbirds saved the day. Good to get the dark winged kingfisher perched up reasonably close, enough to see the bill which looked all black, making it a male. So we have two individuals because I had a female in the same place not long ago. Still two little grebe again in the area of the MS centre and flying over the MS building, a grey wagtail calling.

Little Grebe                                         2 (1 s/p + 1 w/p )  MS centre

Buzzard	1 adult over	Barleyfield
Kingfisher	1 by tennis club flew twds Smestow at Paddocks,  later same around boats MS centre when seen to be ♂ dark bird,
Grey Wagtail	1	1 calling over MS centre,
Wren	2 singing	Wetlands
Robin	3 singing	mid section
Redwing	7	5 flying S along V,   2 over Top Roses Barleyfield,
Nuthatch	calls	Tennis Courts
Jay	1	Barleyfield

A hard slog for little reward

16th October 15            morning               mid section

dull & o/cast,   10-11 °c,   1024mb,   N 7-9 mph

Just one grebe, a summer plumaged bird with the mallards by the MS centre on arrival at the old Tettenhall Br, On the way back probably the same s/p bird was by Meccano bridge and another bird in winter plumage was just south of said bridge, A flock of about 40 redwing headed over Barleyfield to the northwest again, shortly after another 12 followed. Two calling nuthatch in the trees alongside the Smestow and behind the prefabs and a grey wagtail on the brook farther north by small Prefab bridge.

Little Grebe	2 (1s/p 1 w/p)	S&W Canal
Mallard	21♂   10♀	S&W Canal
Moorhen	2 imm	S&W Canal
Black Headed Gull	19	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Grey Wagtail	1	prefabs
Wren	2 singing	mid section
Robin	13 singing	mid section
Redwing	c52	c40 + 12 flew NW over Barleyfield,
Mistle Thrush	1	Wolves Firs
Nuthatch	2	Prefabs
Jay	1	Hanging Grds
Goldfinch	2+	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	calls	Graiseley Cnr

A flock of parakeets and Barleyfield lifted

9th October 15          morning            mid section

sunny,  7-13°c,    1022mb,  S 1-6 mph

A cracking start with a kingfisher dashing south along the canal. The Paddocks were quiet, no chiffchaff today, but arriving at Meccano Br I heard the calls of a parakeet, it didn't take long to locate. As I watched it another appeared and after a while they both flew into back gardens of houses in Henwood Rd. Now I had one yesterday and we've been seeing one or two since January, so I wasn't surprised, but another flew to join them in the garden ( brill ) feeding together on sunflower heads and sitting on an ornamental arch. Imagine my surprise when two more flew in!! ( brilliant ) and then another !!!, making six ( double brill ), all performing on and around this arch, plus i'm sure I could still hear another calling above me. They must have bred somewhere near over the summer, possibly up on Tettenhall Ridge?

Contractors were collecting and lifting the grass cuttings off the Barleyfield this morning, so that's good news for our flower meadow next year.

Little Grebe	1 s/p	1 by boats MS centre,
Moorhen	1 imm	1 imm Prefab weir,
Ring Necked Parakeet	6+	6 Henwood Rd grd + 1 c Meccano Br,
Kingfisher	1	1 >> S along canal past SqC,
Grey Wagtail	1	Prefabs, Smestow
Wren	1 singing	The Paddock
Robin	22 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	11	mid section
Coal Tit	1	The Paddock
Jay	1	Wetlands
Bullfinch	5 (2♂)	Hanging Grds

Chiffchaff

6th October 15              morning                   mid section

mostly cloudy,   13-16°c,   996mb,    E-SE 6 mph

Three sightings of chiffchaff in the Paddocks this morning was probably the same bird but two together in Meccano Grds makes three, then another in the Hanging Grds and later, it or another was found feeding and heading towards the Barleyfield crossings. So at least 4 and possibly more chiffchaff today, but no other warbler species present. 

Buzzard	1 over	Tettenhall Ridge
Moorhen	1 imm Prefab weir,   1 imm Meccano Br,   1 imm Wolves Firs,
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 >> N over	The Paddock
Grey Wagtail	1 flew W over top BF,  1 on Smestow Prefabs,
Wren	2 singing	Barleyfield
Robin	17 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2	Barleyfield
Chiffchaff	3 sighting, poss same bird Paddocks,  2 Meccano Grds,  1+ Hanging Grds,  later 1 HG moving twds crossings,
Long Tailed Tit	c10	mid section
Nuthatch	1	The Paddock
Jay	6 sightings	mid section
Goldfinch	1	Shrike Bushes

A mixed bag

4th October 15              morning                  mid section

sunny,  8-13°c,  1014mb,  SE 6 mph

Two warbler species, chiffchaff  one in bushes near Meccano Br and blackcap 1♀ in Hanging Grds northern end and a male by the Barleyfield crossings in elder bushes. Again numerous sightings of jay around the Barleyfield probably involving 2-3 birds and one calling by the station. Two green woodpecker flying and calling in the Hanging Grds, one flew across field to Wetland Alders. A nuthatch calling from the eastern border of Barleyfield was unusual. A grey wagtail foraging in the brook by the bridge at Prefabs and a little grebe by the Meccano bridge.

Little Grebe	1	1 nr s/p  Meccano Br,
Moorhen	2 imm	1 imm Prefab weir,   1 imm Meccano Br,
Green Woodpecker	2	Barleyfield
Grey Wagtail	1	1 ad wt  Prefabs on smestow,
Wren	2 singing	mid section
Robin	15 singing	mid section
Blackcap	1♂ 1♀	1♀ Hanging Grds,  1♂ Hanging Grds X,
Chiffchaff	1	Meccano Grds
Nuthatch	calls	Barleyfield Eastern Border
Jay	4+	mid section
Chaffinch	2 >> E over	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	5	Barleyfield
Red Admiral	1	Meadow View
Speckled Wood	2	1 Barleyfield,  1 Prefab Weir

an oversight from yesterday

A confrontation with the Barleyfield fox