Chiffchaff again

22nd March 16             morning                  mid section

cloudy,   7-9°c,   1018 mb,   NW 3-6 mph

 The only noteworthy bird today was another chiffchaff, or maybe the same one as Sunday?  ( it looks very similar )( don’t they all ). Feeding just like sundays bird, on low canal side bushes. After watching a long-tailed tit taking nest material into a fir tree yesterday, I found another pair today on the Barleyfield nest building in brambles.

Moorhen	1	Wetlands
Pied Wagtail	1♂	Wetland Field
Wren	5 singing	mid section
Dunnock	10 singing	mid section
Robin	11 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	3 singing	Barleyfield
Chiffchaff	1 feeding on low vegetation on canal bank  Meccano Bridge, (looks like sundays bird)
Long Tailed Tit	2 pair	mid section
Great Tit	3 singing	mid section

Meccano Gardens saw all the action today

12th October 15          morning               mid section

sunny,   4-11°c,   1021mb,   N 3-4 mph

A better day, with three quarters of the species seen today being at or near Meccano Grds. Chiffchaff and great spotted woodpecker the highlights but jay,goldfinch,chaffinch and bullfinch also. Two little grebe by the MS centre, a kingfisher ( dark one) below Compton Lock and another chiffchaff at the Wetland sallows.

A couple of late butterfly species in the warming sunshine rounded the day off.

Little Grebe	2	2 ( 1 s/p + 1 dark ) off  Meadow View
Buzzard	1 over	Prefabs
Moorhen	2 ad	Wetlands
Black Headed Gull	15	Compton Field
Kingfisher	1 (dark)	below Compton Lock
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1♀	Meccano Grds
Robin	15 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	2	1 Meccano Grds,  1 Wetlands
Long Tailed Tit	10+	Meccano Grds
Jay	3	mid section
Chaffinch	5	Meccano Grds
Goldfinch	4	Meccano Grds
Bullfinch	5	Barleyfield
Red Admiral	1	Meadow View
Speckled Wood	1	Prefabs

Kingfisher the only highlight

11th October 15            morning                 mid section

mostly cloudy,  9-11°c,   1018mb,   ESE 7-E 9 mph

Met Ian at Meadow View just after I'd had a coal tit impersonating a yellow browed warbler. Nothing of real interest in overcast conditions until we came across a tit flock half way between Compton Lock and the weir. It was mostly long tail and blue tits with at least one coal tit and a poss goldcrest. Then all went quiet again until we found another flock around Meccano bridge containing a goldcrest, we went on the bridge for better views. After these had dispersed a kingfisher flashed by at tree top height. The sun was just appearing so a revisit to the Barleyfield was in order, but to no avail.

Black Headed Gull	60+	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Kingfisher	1 flashed N by Meccano Br at treetop height
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1	Graiseley Reed Bed
Wren	1 singing	Meadow View
Robin	song	mid section
Song Thrush	1	Station Paddock
Goldcrest	1	Meccano Br
Long Tailed Tit	few	Prefabs
Coal Tit	2	1 Meadow View,  1 Prefabs
Jay	2	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	calls	Barleyfield

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

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

Steady as you go

3rd October 15            morning             mid section

low cloud,chilly,  7-8°c,   1017mb   SW 3-N 4 mph

A chiffchaff with the tit flock in the Paddocks was the only warbler of the day. Another kingfisher sighting again the same general area eventually flew north under the two Tettenhall Rd bridges and disappeared behind the moored boats at Newbridge boat yard. This was a female, it would be interesting to know the sex of the dark bird? The Barleyfield wasn't exactly jumping with birds but a steady stream gradually filled my notebook. Only one little grebe seen today and I saw it from Meadow View bridge, having just walked the towpath, I obviously missed it, Wonder how many more were hiding in the canal side vegetation.

Little Grebe	1	S&W Canal  near tennis club
Moorhen	2 imm	1 imm Prefab weir,  1 imm Meccano Br,
Stock Dove	4 >> SW over	Wetlands
Kingfisher	1	S&W Canal near Squash Club
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 >> E over	Barleyfield
Wren	1	Compton Rough
Robin	20 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2	Annex Barleyfield
Chiffchaff	1	The Paddock
Long Tailed Tit	c6	The Paddock
Nuthatch	calls	Tennis Courts
Jay	c4	Barleyfield
Goldfinch	9	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	2	mid section

Two seasons clash again

2nd October 15         morning              mid section

foggy start but sunny later,  6-13°c,  1028mb,  NW 3-NE 7 mph

Two singing chiffchaff a reminder of summer and autumn and two little grebe very much winter visitors. The chiffchaff, one at either end of the mid section, the grebe, first one near Meccano Br and later two together near Meadow View Br ( can't be sure whether  2 or 3 birds involved ? )  Three buzzards together over the valley suggests the local pair with a female immature. The kingfisher seen again by Dave and Jesseney ( of Wolves Wild fame ) in exactly the same area that I had it on tuesday and I later had it today.

I met our two readers this morning. Two lovely ladies who asked if I was Mr Russon ( after looking around for some posh bloke, I realized they were referring to me ) they reported seeing a treecreeper at the end of the Paddocks. Thanks Sue & Helen.

Little Grebe	2	S&W Canal
Buzzard	1♂  2♀	Valley
Moorhen	calls Wetlands,  1 imm Prefabs, Smestow brook
Black Headed Gull	odds over	Barleyfield
Kingfisher	1 flew N along	S&W Canal past Tennis Club
Robin	14 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	2 singing	1 Station Paddock, 1 Barleyfield Annex,
Long Tailed Tit	4	Barleyfield Annex
Jay	3+	mid section
Bullfinch	calls	Barleyfield

Autumn strikes the Barleyfield

1st October 15             morning                  mid section

low cloud,chilly easterly,  11°c,  1033mb,  ENE 6-E 7 mph

The leaves are starting to change colour and fall, the mornings are foggy and the wildlife characters are beginning to changeover. Not surprisingly given the cloudy and cold conditions it was generally quiet today, 

Only one warbler all morning, a single male blackcap in the elder bushes near the Barleyfield crossing exit. Siskins have been entering our islands from Scandinavia in huge numbers  recently and so have coal tits. Not sure why but it's probably a lack of food on the continent or perhaps they have had an exceptional breeding season but they have found our patch at last. I had a flock of 20+ siskin over the trees near Meccano br this morning. Also a single coal tit in the paddocks ( this was probably a local bird ). Regular sightings of jay again probably four birds involved.

Little Grebe	2	Canal just south Meadow View bridge
Robin	16 singing	mid section
Blackcap	1♂	Hanging Grds
Long Tailed Tit	1	The Paddock
Coal Tit	1	The Paddock
Jay	c4	Barleyfield
Siskin	20+	flock 20+ over MG landed briefly,

All the water birds present 

29th September 15             morning                mid section

high cloud,becoming sunny,  10-14°c,  1036mb,  E 4-6 mph

The first little grebe on the canal this autumn. 3 were just north of Meccano Br on the outward journey but on return two had moved near Meadow View Br. Two grey wagtail on Smestow at Prefabs and a kingfisher ( dark bird ) was fishing from overhanging bush by the Newbridge Squash Club.

Blackcap again played the numbers game, with 2♂ and 3♀ at Hanging Grds and later 2♂ plus 2♀ 300mtrs up the hill in the Annex but are they the same individuals as earlier, I returned to Hanging Grds to try to resolve the matter and in a 15 minute stint there was just one female?? so to play safe I can only claim two male and 3 female.

Little Grebe	3 just N Meccano Br (return) 1 Mb,  2 MV, ( 1st of winter)
Moorhen	2 imm	S&W Canal
Kingfisher	1 fishing Squash Club  flew N twds Newbridge grds,
Grey Wagtail	2	Prefab Weir
Wren	1 singing	Meadow View
Dunnock	1 singing	The Paddock
Robin	10 singing	mid section
Blackcap	2+♂ 3+♀	Barleyfield
Chiffchaff	3+	The Paddock
Goldcrest	1	Hanging Grds
Long Tailed Tit	4+	The Paddock
Nuthatch	calls	The Paddock
Jay	3+	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	1 imm	Wetlands

Migration continues 

24th September 15              morning                 mid section

mostly sunny,  10-11°c,   1010mb,      SW 6-11 mph

Plenty of migrating warblers today with at least four chiffchaff in the Paddocks, at least 8 blackcap ( 1♂ Shrike Bushes, at least  3♂ + 3♀ in elder bushes near the Barleyfield crossing plus another female blackcap in the elder bushes further north towards the north west corner )
 and an unexpected whitethroat near the said crossings.Two raven flew over to the north east not long after Ian left ( hope he got them ). Top of Barleyfield from Squirrels Grave were two coal tit, maybe the forerunners of the predicted huge invasion from Scandinavia which also includes siskin.

Buzzard	1 over	Hanging Grds
Moorhen	1 juv	Prefab Weir
Black Headed Gull	odds over	mid section
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 >> S over	The Paddock
Robin	13 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	1	Hanging Grds
Blackcap	4♂ 4♀	Barleyfield
Chiffchaff	4+	The Paddock
Long Tailed Tit	c6	The Paddock
Coal Tit	2	Barleyfield Annex
Jay	3	Barleyfield
Jackdaw	odds over	Barleyfield
Raven	2 >> NE over	2 flew NE calling over north-west BF,
Goldfinch	2 >> N over	Hanging Grds
Bullfinch	calls	Hanging Grds

Homage to a squirrel ??

20th September 15           morning                  mid section

thick fog again,lifted 09:40 to partly cloudy,

8-13°c,   1024 mb,  S-SW 5 mph

Came across this dead squirrel at an out of the way spot that Ian and myself cleared last winter. It's a well known area that the local birders find some interesting birds but has become completely overgrown over the years. A short track that threads its way to a patch of brambles and bushes and nowhere else! ie a dead end ( forgive the pun )  we didn't think anyone would notice or knew about. 

 I now have a problem? It's been placed by someone ( pretty sure it's a women that walked past me carrying a box a few minutes earlier ) who obviously cared for this squirrel and wanted to help it on it's way to the afterlife. So do I leave it and then spend the next few months trying not to stand on it while it gently decomposes ( there's not room to swing a cat there )? or shall I bury it? or redirect our viewing spot? 

Answers on postcard please.

Not much going on birdwise, here's the highlights of the day.

Canada Goose	c40 >> NE over	Valley
Mallard	few	S&W Canal
Moorhen	1 juv still	Prefab Weir
Green Woodpecker	calls	Barleyfield
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 >> S over	Hanging Grds
Wren	1 singing	Hanging Grds
Robin	11 singing	mid section
Blackcap	2♂2♀+1 calling	Barleyfield
Chiffchaff	1 singing	Shrike Bushes
Long Tailed Tit	2	Hanging Grds
Bullfinch	2 imm	Hanging Grds

Barleyfield ready for stock dove,so where are they?

19th September 15         morning              mid section

thick fog early,clearing 10:00,  8-15°c, 1024mb, S-SW 4 mph

The Barleyfield was mown almost two weeks ago, normally a whole host of species take advantage of the seeds that become available, but so far this year all i've had is a few wood pigeon and corvids, so where are all the stock dove ( normally upto 20 ), jackdaw,crow and magpie ( usually plenty ). 

            The contractor has left the cuttings covering the ground, maybe that has something to do with it. It's suppose to be a flower meadow and leaving the cuttings will enrich the soil, which will encourage the growth of ranker vegetation which is not what a flower meadow needs.A phone call to the ranger Mark Game will hopefully get the job finished.

         Birdwise.   Chiffchaff and blackcap put in a good show, two nuthatch together in the Paddock along with a goldcrest and four chiffchaff was notable. A few late butterflies on the wing with a comma and speckled wood found.

Moorhen	2 young	1 nr full ad  Wetlands,   1 juv Prefab weir,
Wren	1 singing	Graiseley Culvert
Robin	21 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	1	Barleyfield Annex
Blackcap	4	mid section
Chiffchaff	4	The Paddock
Goldcrest	1	The Paddock
Long Tailed Tit	c6	The Paddock
Nuthatch	2	The Paddock
Bullfinch	3 imm	Barleyfield Annex
Comma	1	Wetlands
Speckled Wood	1	Annex Barleyfield

Buzzards and warblers

17th September 15           morning              mid section

sunny, increasingly cloudy,  8-13°c,  996mb,  W 4-7 mph

An immature buzzard over the north west Barleyfield is proof of successful breeding this year, the other two seen today were both adults still in various stages of moult. A good show of chiffchaff for this time of year with  whitethroat and blackcap in smaller numbers. We may not have them for much longer.

Buzzard	1 imm over Barleyfield Annex,   1 ad over Barleyfield,   1 tatty adult over Compton Rough,
Moorhen	1 imm	Wetlands
Herring Gull	1	St Edmonds Sch
Swallow	10 >> SW over	Barleyfield
Wren	1 singing	Graiseley Cnr
Robin	12 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	1	Hanging Grds
Blackcap	2	Barleyfield
Chiffchaff	6	4 together Paddocks
Long Tailed Tit	few	mid section
Nuthatch	calls	Meccano Br
Jay	calls	Top Roses
Greenfinch	3	Top Roses
Goldfinch	6	Meccano Grds
Bullfinch	2	Annex Barleyfield

What a difference a day makes 

14th September 15         morning              mid section

O/cast cold,  9°c,  994mb,  NE 9 mph.

Warm & sunny yesterday --- overcast & cold today, plenty of action yesterday--- pretty dead today, that's autumn and that's birding for you. That is birding here in our valley, it's not necessarily so at other sites, like inland reservoirs or coast and estuary's with different species ( waders,gulls ) involved, Blue sky and sunshine do it for us but the worse the weather the better the birding elsewhere.

Four blackcap together in the Barleyfield Annex producing a little sub-song was about as good as it got this morning.

Pied Wagtail	3	Compton Field
Robin	13 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	1	Hanging Grds
Mistle Thrush	15	Compton Field
Blackcap	4+ (inc subsong)	Barleyfield Annex
Chiffchaff	calls	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	1+	Barleyfield Annex
Coal Tit	2	Barleyfield Annex
Jay	2 calling	Compton Rough
Starling	11	Compton Field
Goldfinch	3	Compton Field
Bullfinch	2 calling	mid section

A mixed bag

12th September 15          morning               mid section

O/cast after o/night rain,brighter later, 13-15°c, 1004mb, SE 10-SW 10 mph,

More migrants this morning after rain overnight, at least 4 blackcap and the immature male bullfinch I had on thursday in the hedge separating the Wetland area from the Barleyfield proper also a small flock of goldfinch flew over, 2 swallow flew over to the south and four small finches flew silently  around and disappeared behind the tall alder tree in the corner (possible redpoll). Elsewhere a whitethroat flew to the broken hedge in the lower Barleyfield, two chiffchaff were in the main Paddock and a grey wagtail was by the canal bridge on Meadow View

Mallard	pair	Wetlands
Moorhen	2 imm	1 either side bridge Meadow View,
Swallow	2 over	Wetlands
Grey Wagtail	1	Meadow View
Robin	6 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	1	Broken Hedge   Barleyfield
Blackcap	2♂ 2+ ♀	Wetlands
Chiffchaff	2	1 + 1 fresh ad  Paddock,
Long Tailed Tit	calls	The Paddock
Jay	calls	Station Paddock
Chaffinch	1 imm	Hanging Grds
Goldfinch	20+	Wetlands
Bullfinch	2 imm	mid section

Garden Warbler unplugged 

3rd July 15           morning                mid section

sunny & warm,  14-20°c,  1026mb,  S 3-SW 6 mph

Is the garden warbler maybe looking to second brood? ( I believe they do occasionally ) Its certainly been singing and maintaining a territory since Wednesday, dashing between the Barleyfield Annex and the Top Roses ( the mixed habitat at the top west border ) performing loud and showy.

                 The Wetland moorhen brood still together with both adults and four young.

           Lots of small blue damselfly and a few broad bodied chasers also around the pool.

Moorhen	pr + 4 chks	Wetlands
Swift	odds over	mid section
Wren	8 singing	mid section
Dunnock	5 singing	mid section
Robin	present	mid section
Blackbird	5 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	1 singing	Hanging Grds
Garden Warbler	1 singing	Top Roses and Barleyfield Annex
Blackcap	7 (6 singing)	mid section
Chiffchaff	2 singing	mid section
Tit flock	c20	The Paddock
Long Tailed Tit	15+	The Paddock
Coal Tit	3+ family?	The Paddock,  1 singing,
Blue Tit	present	mid section
Great Tit	present	mid section
Chaffinch	3 ( 1 singing )	mid section
Greenfinch	4+ ( 1 singing )	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	♀ or imm	Hanging Grds
Red Admiral	1	Wetlands
Small Tortoiseshell	few	mid section
Comma	1	The Paddock
Ringlet	few	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