Migration update

mon 4th April 16              morning               mid section

mostly cloudy,  9-11°c,   1001 mb,  SW 3-1 mph

Hardly any breeze gave a strange still feeling to the day. Good numbers of chiffchaff again and two singing blackcap. Two ring neck parakeet heard calling from Tettenhall Ridge area eventually picked up flying north over Station Paddock. Last bird seen today was a grey heron flying north over Tettenhall Rd. After  none seen for ages, this is the second in a week.

Grey Heron	1 >> N over	Meadow View
Canada Goose	8 >> NE over	Barleyfield
Mallard	1♂	Wetlands
Buzzard	1 over	Valley
Moorhen	2	Wetlands
Ring Necked Parakeet	2 >> N over	Station Paddock
Wren	10 singing	mid section
Dunnock	5 singing	mid section
Robin	8 singing	mid section
Blackbird	4 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 singing	Barleyfield
Blackcap	2 singing	The Paddock
Chiffchaff	8 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	pair	Annex Barleyfield
Coal Tit	1	Station Paddock
Great Tit	4 singing	mid section
Chaffinch	1 singing	The Paddock
Greenfinch	1 singing	Meadow View
Bullfinch	pair	Station Paddock

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

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

A game of two halves 

1st january 16         morning            Compton Rd to Hordern Rd

cloudy,  3-6°c,   1014 mb,  ESE 11-14 mph

 Apart from a few singing robins and song thrushes, the Paddocks, Barleyfield and canal were very quiet. It wasn't until we strayed north of the Tettenhall Rd that things picked up. The feeders by the boats were buzzing, both sparrowhawk and buzzard overhead scattered these birds,  a goldcrest and nuthatch were at Double Pennant and the mute swan was under Hordern Rd bridge. We returned via the rail track where we heard a parakeet calling from the other side of canal and picked it up flying towards Newbridge wood and a male great spotted woodpecker was it trees by the coach depot.

Little Grebe 2 S&W Canal Mute Swan 1 S&W canal Hordern Rd, Sparrowhawk 1♂ over Newbridge boats Buzzard 1 over Newbridge boats Ring Necked Parakeet 1 Newbridge wood Great Spotted Woodpecker 1♂ Double Pennant Robin 7 singing mid section Song Thrush 5 ( 4 singing ) mid section Redwing 2+ Shrike Bushes Goldcrest 1 Double Pennant Long Tailed Tit c30 mid section Coal Tit 2 Newbridge boats feeder Nuthatch 1 Double Pennant Jay 1 Hawthorn Wood Chaffinch 3+ Newbridge boats feeder Greenfinch 4 Newbridge boats feeder Goldfinch 2 Double Pennant Bullfinch 4 mid section

Parakeet the only highlight today

28th December 15           morning               mid section

cloudy,  10-11°c,   1014 mb,  SW 14

A brighter day than of late ( that's the weather not the birding ) and a good start with three little grebe from the old bridge on Meadow View and a robin singing, but the star was a calling parakeet in the large trees by the corner, it eventually flew and perched in the canal side trees of Station Paddock and then back again. It was still calling when I left for the Paddocks where I had it again, it left the area to the south. Two male pied wagtail by the Wetland pool and two redwing which flew from the Barleyfield Annex to Lower Alders and a female great spotted woodpecker flew to the trees between the prefabs and canal before going over Compton Rough to the railway trees were as good as it got today.

Little Grebe	4	S&W canal
Ring Necked Parakeet	1	Meadow View
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1♀	Prefabs
Pied Wagtail	2♂	Wetland Field
Robin	6 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 singing	mid section
Redwing	2	Barleyfield
Long Tailed Tit	few	Lower Alders
Great Tit	1 singing	The Paddock

Parakeets investigating nest holes

7th December 15         morning          valley

partly sunny,  12-14°c,  1022 mb,  S 10

Changed my routine today and covered most of the length of the valley. Three redpoll in the Paddocks but otherwise quiet as was the Barleyfield. The canal held six winter plumaged little grebe, but the summery individual from the weir was absent and no sign of Ian's ruddy coloured bird from a week or so ago. Calling ring neck parakeets from a small wood ( I won't say where just incase they breed next year ) turned out to be three birds high up in a dead tree with three or four large holes, which one of the birds was very interested in, nearly disappearing into at times. Occasionally being set upon by the local corvids. A short distance away another one was calling.

Little Grebe	6	S&W canal
Ring Necked Parakeet	3  in small wood  (1 investigating holes in dead tree  ),   another calling some distance away,
Wren	1 singing	Meadow View
Robin	5 singing	valley
Coal Tit	3+	Newbridge boats feeders
Nuthatch	1 calling	Newbridge wood
Redpoll	3	The Paddock
Bullfinch	3	valley

Redwings have arrived 

15th October 15          morning               mid section

o/cast & cold,   6-10°c,  1023mb,   N 6 mph,

After just five minutes on site a small flock of c25 redwing flew northwest over Meadow View. The first for this autumn in the valley ( as far as I know ). The bushes and trees were quiet again, so instead of spending time bush bashing the lower Barleyfield I made my way up top to view the sky ( birders call this  "vismig" or visible migration ) in only half an hour two redwing  flocks of around 60 each went over again heading northwest, also seven were found in the dogwood and roses and blackthorn of the southwest corner.

Two parakeets flew west over the Wetlands, Two mute swan entered the Barleyfield airspace from the north arched around just once and immediately returned back north ( what's wrong with Barleyfield ).  The kingfisher put in another of appearance, this time by the tennis club.

Little Grebe	1 N of Meadow View,  later  2 ( 1 s/p+1 wt) N of Meccano Br,
Mute Swan	2 looped over	Barleyfield
Canada Goose	c30 > NE over	Barleyfield
Ring Necked Parakeet	2 flew W over	Wetlands
Kingfisher	1 flushed Tennis Courts flew twds Smestow,
Wren	3 singing	mid section
Robin	10 singing	mid section
Redwing	c 150 over	mid section
Chiffchaff	calls	Wetlands
Jay	2	Shrike Bushes
Bullfinch	calls	Barleyfield

Reed Bunting  valley year tick for me

13th October 15            morning                mid section

mostly cloudy,  5-11°c,   1025mb,  N 6-11 mph

Up until 2010 reed bunting was a regular breeding bird on the Barleyfield, indeed that year i'm sure  the pair had two successful broods. I still miss the repetitive song every spring when sitting on the seat at the top of the meadow. From there I could hear many singing birds in april including reed bunts and willow warbler, another species which didn't breed this summer for the first time.

A calling parakeet above the Paddocks, two chiffchaff still hanging on and still two little grebe by Meccano Br were other highlights.

Little Grebe	2	2 Meccano Br
Moorhen	1 Wetlands,  17 counted Compton Rd - Tettenhall Rd,
Ring Necked Parakeet	calls	The Paddock
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 >> E over	Barleyfield
Wren	2 singing	mid section
Robin	10 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	2	c Paddock,  1 in bullrushes  Wetlands,
Coal Tit	1	The Paddock
Jay	2	mid section
Greenfinch	calls	Annex Barleyfield
Goldfinch	4	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	calls	graiseley Cnr
Reed Bunting	1	Central Scrub
Speckled Wood	1	Prefabs

Teal on the cut and parakeets over Ridge

10th October 15             morning                mid section

low cloud,chilly,  7-10°c,  1022mb,   E 5-NE 6 mph

Very quiet today, next to nothing in the trees and bushes, a chiffchaff at Hanging Grds the only bird of note. The stars were four parakeet seen briefly flying north over Tettenhall Ridge and a very obliging female teal swam alongside me as I walked the towpath towards Meadow View. It joined the mallards around the MS centre.

Teal	1♀ swam alongside me from Meccano  - Meadow View were joined Mallards,
Buzzard	2 flew N over	Tettenhall Ridge
Black Headed Gull	20	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	1	1 Compton Field, odds over,
Ring Necked Parakeet	4 flew N over	4 flying N over Tettenhall Ridge,
Robin	15 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	1	Hanging Grds
Long Tailed Tit	7	Shrike Bushes
Bullfinch	calls	Hanging Grds

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

Summer migrants almost gone

still waiting for winter migrants

8th October 15           morning              mid section

sunny,  7-12°c,  1020mb,  SSE 1-SW 4 mph

One chiffchaff and two blackcap linger on from summer, soon to disappear completely, to be replaced by siskin,redpoll,redwing and fieldfare plus perhaps scarce visitors like brambling, waxwing and possibly a rarer gull ( iceland, mediterranean or yellow-legged )?

A ring necked parakeet was the first for two months, they are reported regularly around the Wolverhampton area now. six seen last week to the south of us on the West Mids border.

Little Grebe	2 (1 nr s/p)	2 ( sculking ) ( 1 nr s/p ) GRb,
Buzzard	1  >> W over	The Paddock
Moorhen	2 imm	S&W Canal
Ring Necked Parakeet	1 >> W over	Barleyfield
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 >> S over	The Paddock
Wren	3 singing	mid section
Robin	22 singing	mid section
Blackcap	1♂ 1♀	Hanging Grds
Chiffchaff	1	The Paddock
Goldcrest	2	The Paddock
Coal Tit	1	Canal Grds Newbridge
Nuthatch	2	c Wolves Firs,   1 feeding Canal Grds Newbridge,
Jay	1	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	3	Barleyfield

Still no change after a week off

8th August 15          morning                 mid section

warm & sunny,    14-20°c,  1023mb,    variable 4-6 mph.

A good day for butterflies but not birds.All the bird song has now dwindled to nothing and still waiting for the robins to begin their autumn song, ( Ian had a couple of robins singing in the week.) Autumn passage should begin in earnest soon, the few summer visitors were seeing now could be passing through ( the willow warblers I had last week were almost certainly passage birds ) or could be local breeding birds with their young, we just don't know.

Local birds like tits and goldfinches are beginning to form flocks.

Black Headed Gull	50+	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Ring Necked Parakeet	calls	Barleyfield
Green Woodpecker	calls	Barleyfield, the Paddock
Whitethroat	2	Shrike Bushes
Blackcap	3	mid section
Chiffchaff	6	mid section
Goldfinch	c10	Shrike Bushes
Bullfinch                    Butterflies	3+	mid section
Peacock	1	Barleyfield
Small Skipper	plenty	Barleyfield
Essex Skipper	2+	Barleyfield
Comma	1	Barleyfield
Meadow Brown	plenty	Barleyfield
Gatekeeper	2	Barleyfield
Ringlet	2	Barleyfield
Small White	few	Barleyfield

It felt like autumn stirring this morning

25th July 15           morning               mid section

mostly cloudy,  12-15°c,  1014mb,  NW 11 mph

Only one singing bird (song thrush ) today, but  more activity than the last few days with family parties of whitethroat,blackcap and chaffinch. Nothing unusual yet but it's early days for autumn passage.

The parakeet was heard calling from the fir trees near Meccano bridge and then it arched north over Compton field almost following the line of the canal. Our parakeets spent most of last winter in and around West Park defending a tree with a possible nest hole which was blown down in storms around January. They were not seen again until Ian had them flying over Crowther Rd on 22nd Jan, but for the last two weeks local birders have reported them back at the park again, I had one today and one last saturday so are they the same pair or have we got more??

Mallard	1♀	Wetlands
Moorhen	2 broods	1+1 imm  Wetlands,   1+1 imm  Meadow View,
Black Headed Gull	15 ( 1 juv )	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Ring Necked Parakeet	1 over	1 calling then flew  N across Compton playing field,
Swift	2 over	Tettenhall Ridge
Green Woodpecker	calls	Tettenhall Ridge
Swallow	1 over	Compton Field
House Martin	30+ over	Barleyfield
Song Thrush	1 singing	Hanging Grds
Whitethroat	4 (family)	Hanging Grds
Blackcap	3+ ( family )	Hanging Grds
Chiffchaff	calls	Station Paddock,   Graiseley Culvert,
Long Tailed Tit	calls	Hanging Grds
Jay	1 >> to	Lower Alders
Chaffinch	3♂ 1♀ 2 juv	1♂ Meccano Grds,  2♂+1♀+2 juv ( family ) Hanging Grds
Greenfinch	4	Hanging Grds
Goldfinch	calls	Hanging Grds
Bullfinch	calls	Hanging Grds

Hardly any song today

18th July 15            early morning                mid section

sunny & warm,   9-16°c,  1015mb,  S 6-SW 13 mph,

Birding was hard work today with very little song to guide us and lots of foliage to disappear into. The ring-necked-parakeet was heard calling in the Paddocks and then flew across towards the gardens of Henwood Rd. A few blackcap and whitethroat were around the lower Barleyfield and a sparrowhawk flew over to the north east as did a great spotted woodpecker. An adult and juvenile goldcrest was in the hedgerow between the canal and the Paddocks.

Mallard	few	Staffs & Wocs
Sparrowhawk	1♂ >> NE over	Barleyfield
Moorhen	2 broods	1 juv Meadow View,   1 + 3 juv Prefabs,
Black Headed Gull	11	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Ring Necked Parakeet	1 >> W over	The Paddock
Swift	odds over	mid section
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 >> N over	Hanging Grds
House Martin	odds over	Barleyfield
Pied Wagtail	1	Compton Field
Wren	2 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	3+	Barleyfield
Blackcap	2 singing	Barleyfield
Chiffchaff	2 singing	mid section
Goldcrest	2 ( 1 imm )	2 ( 1 ad + 1 imm ) in trees btw canal /Paddock,
Chaffinch	pair	Hanging Grds
Goldfinch	7	4 Paddocks,   3  Wetlands,
Bullfinch	pair	Barleyfield

Dont call me if your gonna hide

21st June 15            morning               mid section

cloudy,occ sunshine,  12°c,  1016mb,   W 11mph

The only sighting (except I didn't see anything) was a ring necked parakeet that flew over the Paddock calling, I looked up and all round but couldn't locate it. A large bright green exotic bird with long wings and even longer tail, flying around  looking like nothing else up there, but I couldn't find it ( time to hang me bins up me thinks ) (no wonder I can't find a skulking night heron at Sankeys pool).

                 Paid a trip Belvide Reservoir this afternoon and guess what? yes that was dead too. Must be the time of the year.

Mallard	1 brood	1♀ + 8 juv (WL9) Meadow View,
Moorhen	1 juv	Prefab Weir
Ring Necked Parakeet	calls	The Paddock
Wren	8 singing	mid section
Dunnock	1 singing	Station Paddock
Robin	3 singing	mid section
Blackbird	10 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	4 singing	mid section
Blackcap	9 (8 singing)	mid section
Chiffchaff	8 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	1	Central Scrub
Chaffinch	3 singing	mid section

But have they made the right move

26th May 15             morning                 mid section

mostly cloudy,  10-13°c,  1023mb,  NW 11-13mph,

The Wetland mallards as David noted earlier have moved to the canal but is it the right move. They may have more food available but surely they were more secure against predators with the extra cover available at the Wetland site.
The parakeet flew in an arch from north to south over the Barleyfield and was lost to view behind the trees at the top.

Grey Heron	1	Canal nr Prefab weir
Mallard	pair + 9 chicks	the family from Wetlands relocated to canal nr Prefab weir,
Buzzard	1 over	Barleyfield
Moorhen	pr + 2 chicks	Canal nr Prefab weir
Ring Necked Parakeet	1 arching over	Barleyfield  N to S lost behind trees at top,
Green Woodpecker	calls	Tettenhall Ridge
Wren	11 singing	mid section
Dunnock	3 singing	mid section
Robin	7 singing	mid section
Blackbird	4 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	calls	Hanging Grds
Blackcap	4 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	6 singing	mid section
Chaffinch	2 singing	mid section
Bullfinch	pair	Graiseley Culvert

Another quiet day enlivened by our newest resident 

25th May 15               morning                 mid section

partly cloudy,  10-13°c,  1020mb,  WNW 8 - NW 10mph

Its that time of the year,singing bird no's down, species no's down,the garden warbler seems to have gone and no whitethroats seen or heard since thursday.But most species have been found in breeding mode, ie carrying nest material,carrying food for nest bound chick,nests or juveniles out and about being feed by parents,so all is probably well. On the plus side today the ring necked parakeet seen again and reported by a resident in Henwood Rd that it or sometimes both birds are visiting his garden  feeders almost everyday. The mallard family at the Wetlands are still complete with 9 chicks,having survived at least one grey heron hunting visit.

Grey Heron	2	1 nr Double Pennent,  1   nr the Tennis courts, Newbridge,
Mallard	♀ + 9 chicks	Wetlands
Buzzard	2	1 over BF,   1 way N of BF,
Moorhen	1	Wetlands
Ring Necked Parakeet	1	flew from trees bordering canal twds Henwood Rd,
Swift	6+ from	Barleyfield
Wren	10 singing	mid section
Dunnock	5 singing	mid section
Robin	6 singing	mid section
Blackbird	6 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 singing	Barleyfield
Blackcap	7 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	6 singing	mid section
Jackdaw	8	Barleyfield
Chaffinch	2 singing	mid section