Sunshine but no magic

7th September 15            morning               mid section

sunny & warm,  9-13°c,  1030mb,   N 3-4 mph,

Severn chiffchaff but most other migrants seem to have cleared out, just 2 calling blackcap no whitethroat and no sign of yesterday's  spotted flycatcher or lesser whitethroat.

Mallard	pair	Wetlands
Buzzard	2 over	2 ( 1 displaying )  over Valley,
Moorhen	1+1 juv PFw,  1 nr f/grown imm Meccano Br,  1 f/grown imm Tennis Courts,
Pied Wagtail	1	Compton Field
Wren	1 singing	Graiseley Culvert,
Robin	12 singing	mid section
Blackcap	2 calling	Barleyfield
Chiffchaff	6 ( 1 singing )	mid section
Goldcrest	1	The Paddock with mix flock,
Long Tailed Tit	c6	c6 Paddocks,  prob same Hanging Grds,
Jay	1 >> N over	Hanging Grds
Jackdaw	odds over	mid section
Starling	16	Compton Field
Chaffinch	1♀	Meccano Grds
Greenfinch	calls	Central Scrub
Goldfinch	14	Meccano Grds
Meadow Brown	few	Barleyfield

A run of the mill autumn day

22nd August 15               morning                mid section

muggy,some sun,  16-22°c,  1017mb,   SE 5-7 mph,

The warblers are on the move as can be seen by the wildly fluctuating numbers,with blackcap predominating today but whitethroat yesterday and chiffchaff up and down, willow warbler one day but not the next. Also an increase in sightings of kingfisher,nuthatch and woodpeckers which are local breeding birds but always reappear as autumn takes hold.

Butterflies put in a good show  today, small copper probably the star.

Mallard	few	S&W Canal
Buzzard	2	1 moulting ad over Valley,   1 moulting ad >> N to the W of Meadow View
Moorhen	few	S&W Canal
Black Headed Gull	1 over	Barleyfield
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Kingfisher	1 flew N along Smestow, Station Paddock,  10 mins later prob same flying N under Meadow View bridges,
Green Woodpecker	calls	Tettenhall Ridge
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 >> E to	Central Scrub
Pied Wagtail	4	Compton Field
Wren	1 singing	The Paddock
Robin	3 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	1	Hanging Grds
Blackcap	5	mid section
Chiffchaff	1	Hanging Grds
Long Tailed Tit	few	The Paddock
Coal Tit	2	The Paddock
Nuthatch	1	The Paddock
Jay	calls	Hanging Grds
Greenfinch	2	Hanging Grds
Goldfinch	1	The Paddock
Bullfinch	pair	Hanging Grds
Peacock	2	Barleyfield
Essex Skipper	1	Barleyfield
Common Blue	3	Barleyfield
Meadow Brown	plenty	Barleyfield
Gatekeeper	1+	Barleyfield
Holly Blue	2	Barleyfield  & Wetlands
Small White	few	Barleyfield
Small Copper	1	Barleyfield

A brief flurry of warblers, then bit and pieces

21st August 15          morning             mid section

Thick low cloud, 17-19°c, 1018mb, S 9 mph

A quiet start, the Paddocks were dead, a few more pied wags (7) than recently on Compton playing field.  Then I bumped into Ian ( haven't seen him for a while ) and we had 30 minutes of fairly intense warbler activity ( nothing funny about that ) whitethroats,chiffchaffs and a willow popping up all over the place, almost certainly the same few birds doing what they've been doing all week, but no blackcaps today which seem to have gone through. A pair of bullfinch and a greenfinch were at the top of Barleyfield and the moorhen with one small chick was still on the Prefab spill weir. Calling goldcrest and long-tailed tit were also noted.

Mallard	few	S&W Canal
Buzzard	calls	Valley
Moorhen	1 brood	Prefab Weir
Black Headed Gull	18	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Pied Wagtail	7	Compton Field
Wren	1 singing	meccano Grds
Whitethroat	3	Hanging Grds
Chiffchaff	3	Barleyfield
Willow Warbler	1	Hanging Grds X
Goldcrest	calls	Smestow Br
Long Tailed Tit	calls	The Paddock
Greenfinch	1	Central Scrub
Bullfinch	pair	Top Roses
Meadow Brown	few	Barleyfield

A tale of two seasons

20th August 15              morning                 mid section

mostly cloudy,mild,  15-17°c,  1018mb,  SSE 4-S 8 mph.

A family of chiffchaff in the Shrike Bushes is possibly the last sign of summer and the breeding season for our migrants and a lonely swift heading south west over the Barleyfield is definitely on its way to Africa. A frustrating time of year for us birders when many of our breeding birds have left us but we are still anticipating the arrival of birds travelling south and stopping over in the valley to rest and feed before moving on. 

Buzzard	1 ad  SE over	1 moulting ad flew SE over Barleyfield,
Black Headed Gull	7	Compton Field
Swift	1 >> S over	Barleyfield
Green Woodpecker	calls	Barleyfield
House Martin	c10 over	feeding high over Barleyfield
Pied Wagtail	2	Compton Field
Robin	1 singing	The Paddock
Whitethroat	4	Hanging Grds
Blackcap	3	mid section
Chiffchaff	3 ( 2 juv )	Shrike Bushes
Jay	1	1 flew E across rail tr into Hanging Grds,
Chaffinch	3+	Graiseley Reedbed
Greenfinch	1	Meadow View
Bullfinch	4 ( 2 imm )	Barleyfield
Peacock	1	Barleyfield
Meadow Brown	few	Barleyfield
White sp	few	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

Tettenhall Ridge buzzards may have juvenile on the wing

1st August 15          morning          mid section

sunny spells,  11-16°c,  1014mb,   S 6- SW 9 mph

Three buzzards seen briefly a couple of time, flying between the trees on the steeply sloping edge of Tettenhall Ridge below a possible nest site, after possible calls to entice young into the air were heard.Otherwise its been very quiet today.

Mallard	few	S&W Canal
Sparrowhawk	1♀ flew north over  Tettenhall Ridge,
Buzzard	3,   poss 1 or 2 juv  seen briefly flying between trees of Tettenhall Ridge,
Moorhen	2 imm	Wetlands
Black Headed Gull	22	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
House Martin	few over	Newbridge
Wren	2 singing	The Paddock
Whitethroat	2 ( 1 imm )	Hanging Grds
Blackcap	calls	Hanging Grds
Chiffchaff	2	Barleyfield
Long Tailed Tit	c6	Station Paddock
Greenfinch	2	Top Roses
Goldfinch	2	Shrike Bushes
Bullfinch	3+	mid section
Meadow Brown	few	Barleyfield

First immature willow warbler this year

27th July 15           morning               mid section

mostly cloudy,  14-16°c,  996mb,  WSW 8-15 mph

The only interest today was my first lovely lemon yellow immature willow warbler this year and I think the first for the valley. Otherwise very quiet, Ian visited earlier and it seems had more action but still struggled.
Two identical mallard broods with two juvs each and of similar age but at opposite ends of the patch.
A few nice fresh comma and gatekeeper butterfly, along with mostly worn and faded meadow brown and ringlets.

Mallard	2 broods	1♀+2 juv Meadow View,    1♀ + 2 juv  Prefabs ( brook)
Moorhen	2 broods	2 imm Wetlands,   4 imm Prefabs,
Black Headed Gull	54	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Swift	odds over	Tettenhall Ridge
Swallow	1	Compton Field
House Martin	plenty	Barleyfield
Wren	3 singing	Paddocks
Blackcap	1♀	Meccano Br
Chiffchaff	1 calling	Station Paddock
Willow Warbler	1 imm	Hanging Grds X
Chaffinch	1♂	The Paddock
Goldfinch	8+	mid section
Bullfinch	4	Hanging Grds
Comma	3	Barleyfield
Meadow Brown	plenty	Barleyfield
Gatekeeper	few	Barleyfield
Ringlet	plenty	Barleyfield
Small White	few	Barleyfield

Our pool needs some fish

14th July 15           early morning               mid section

O/cast occ shower,  14°c,   1015mb,     N 2-NNW 3 mph

Ian had a kingfisher on the Wetland site on saturday and I had one seemingly fishing today ( don't think there's any fish though ) so it's found our pool. It would be good if we could stock it with some small fish.

    The weather played its part this morning, not the best, so I was not surprised that not much was going on with the locals but something a little more special may be forced to seek shelter from the rain of the last couple of days. Unfortunately it no such luck.

Mallard	1 brood	♀+ 3 small chicks on brook  Smestow Bridge,
Moorhen	1 brood	1+ 2 juv  Wetlands,
Black Headed Gull	4 over	Wetlands
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Stock Dove	3	2 >> N over Shrike Bushes,   1 Wetlands,
Swift	odds over	Barleyfield
Kingfisher	1	1♂ Wetlands  fishing ? Off walkway 08:05,
House Martin	1	Barleyfield
Wren	5 singing	mid section
Dunnock	5 singing	mid section
Blackbird	3 singing	Barleyfield
Song Thrush	3 singing	mid section
Mistle Thrush	1 imm	Wetlands Field
Whitethroat	3	Shrike Bushes
Blackcap	8 (4 singing )	Barleyfield
Chiffchaff	5 singing	mid section
Chaffinch	1♂	Shrike Bushes
Greenfinch	3 ( 1 singing )	Top Roses
Goldfinch	5 (2 singing )	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	5	mid section
Meadow Brown	2	Barleyfield
Ringlet	few	Barleyfield

None stop birdin with butterflies 

11th July 15           early morning              mid section

mostly sunny & warm,  14-17°c,  1015mb,  SW 4-7 mph

A walk round with Ian, at times there were too many birds to get to grips with. Not sure how many whitethroats we had together in the Shrike Bushes, how many goldfinches at top of Barleyfield or goldcrests near the Paddocks.Not much going on at the pool, just 1 adult and two juvenile moorhens and a few small damselflies ( common blue and blue tailed ) but when we reached the top of the Barleyfield there was an explosion of small birds buzzing around, all common but all need going through just in case! Probably about 14 goldfinches scattered around the mid section and two different parties of goldcrest near the Paddocks, at least 3 including 2 juveniles in the firs near Smestow bridge and then 2 adults halfway along the Paddocks by the railway walk.

Grey Heron	1 >> W over	Barleyfield
Mallard	1 brood	♀+ 2 chks  Meadow View,
Moorhen	1 brood	1 + 2 juv  Wetlands,
Black Headed Gull	21 ( 1 imm )	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Stock Dove	1 >> E to	Wetlands
Swift	10+ over	Barleyfield
House Martin	3+ over	Barleyfield
Wren	8 singing	mid section
Dunnock	6 singing	mid section
Blackbird	1 singing	The Paddock
Song Thrush	3 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	2 singing	Shrike Bushes
Blackcap	6 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	4 singing	mid section
Goldcrest	5	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	1	Smestow Bridge
Greenfinch	3+	Top Roses
Goldfinch	3 singing	mid section
Bullfinch	2 pair	Barleyfield
Small Tortoiseshell	few	Barleyfield
Large skipper	1	Barleyfield
Comma	2	Barleyfield
Speckled Wood	1	Station Paddock
Meadow Brown	3+	Barleyfield
Ringlet	plenty	Barleyfield
Small White	1	Barleyfield

We seem to be in the mid summer mire

10 July 15           mid morning               mid section

cloudy start,sunny & warm later, 17-20°c, 1020mb,  SSW 8-S 11 mph

Very quiet again today. I've been on the school run most of this week so it's a later than usual start. It really does look like the early birder catches the birds.
      Good to see the two moorhen broods back to usual numbers and the mallard with 4 new chicks has traveled from Compton to Tettenhall.
    It's unusual to find so many swifts and house martins feeding over the Barleyfield in this fine settled weather, Don't see them until rain and overcast conditions occur.
   We may have some thundery rain tonight, lets see what that brings.

Mallard	1 brood	♀ + 4  v/small chks ( the PFw brood) Meadow View,
Moorhen	2 broods	pr + 3 juv Wetlands,   pr + 4 juv Prefabs,
Black Headed Gull	2	1 ad Compton playing field,  1 ad  Wetlands field,
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Swift	10+ over	Barleyfield
House Martin	c20 over	Barleyfield
Wren	4 singing	mid section
Dunnock	2 singing	mid section
Blackbird	4 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	1♂	Shrike Bushes
Blackcap	8 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	3 singing	mid section
Chaffinch	1 singing	Meccano Br
Goldfinch	calls	Wetlands
Small Tortoiseshell	few	Barleyfield
Speckled Wood	1	Station Paddock
Meadow Brown	1	Barleyfield
Ringlet	plenty	Barleyfield
Small White	1	Barleyfield