Unseasonably mild weather temps bird song and flowers 

17th December 15          morning                mid section

v/mild cloudy,  12-13°c,  1011 mb,  S 13 mph

  A barmy 12 degrees in a warm southerly breeze and it feels more like late autumn or early spring than mid winter. Which is probably the reason we have the same bird species day after day. We need some proper winter frost preferably with plenty of sunshine to move the birds around. The small finch flock flew around the Wetland site this morning but didn't settle, so I presume its the usual siskins with a few goldfinch. The usual three little grebe. A count of the mallard (19♂ 8♀) and moorhen (17 inc 3 imm) just to change my routine.

Little Grebe	3	S&W Canal
Mallard	19♂ 8♀  counted btw Compton Rd - Tettenhall Rd,
Buzzard	1 over	Tettenhall Ridge
Moorhen	17 (inc 3 imm) counted btw Compton Rd - Tettenhall Rd,
Black Headed Gull	30	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	1	Compton Field
Wren	2 singing	Barleyfield
Robin	7 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 ( 1 singing)	mid section
Great Tit	3 singing	mid section
finch flock	c25 flew around WL before leaving to NW, prob same as mon/tue ie SK & GO,
Chaffinch	1♀	Eddies Alders
Goldfinch	prob few in with SK flock  WL,
Siskin	prob making up most of flock c25 WL,

Bit and pieces 

11th December 15         morning         mid section

cloudy,  6-7°c,  1019 mb,  SW 10 mph

The holy trinity of wren,dunnock and robin all in song greeted me at Meadow View, a trio that's been rare this year here, at least all singing. Also the pale little grebe swimming south under the old bridge, this one was picked up on the return journey at Meccano Bridge. The Barleyfield came back to life today after a few weeks of  hibernation, a redwing flew to the Alder plantation bordering the Wetlands pool ( Lower Alders ) to join a chaffinch, three siskin and two lesser redpoll, also here a moorhen feeding amongst the bullrushes. Another redwing at the top of the field with two greenfinch and in the nearby Annex four male and three female bullfinch a redwing and a single jay. The summery little grebe was back near the Prefabs weir and a winter plumaged grebe near the Tennis Courts. The garden feeders just south of Meadow View and the feeders by the moored boats at Newbridge boat yard was alive with coal tits ( hard to count as they continually fly in and out ).

Little Grebe	3	1 s/p ,  1 pale, 1 w/p,
Moorhen	1 Wetland, 1 imm Prefab weir,  1 imm Meccano Br,  3 imm Newbridge Boats,
Green Woodpecker	calls  prob Tettenhall  Ridge, heard from BF,
Wren	1 singing	Meadow View
Dunnock	1 singing	Meadow View
Robin	6 singing	mid section
Redwing	3	Barleyfield
Coal Tit	1+ Newbridge feeder,      4+ Newbridge Boats feeder,
Jay	1	Annex Barleyfield
Chaffinch	1♂ 4♀	mid section
Greenfinch	7+	mid section
Goldfinch	1	Compton Rough
Siskin	3	Lower Alders
Redpoll	2	Lower Alders
Bullfinch	12	mid section

Didn't see Ian but we seem to have had a similar day

3rd November 15            morning              mid section

O/cast & gloomy,  8-9°c,  1016mb,  SSE 5-S 2 mph

As Ian found, most of the action was up the top of Barleyfield. Redwing, more blackbirds than usual, more song thrush than usual, plus 9 greenfinch. Elsewhere I had 3 fleeting glimpses of the kingfisher on the Smestow off the Prefab bridge and the feeders by the boats at Newbridge wharf produced coal tit x3 plus more greenfinch and three bullfinch. Two little grebe off Meadow View early and probably the same two north of Meccano on the homeward journey. ( none of which was the summer plumage bird ). So if Ian had the s/p individual that's three today.

Little Grebe	2 ( 1 just N + 1 S ) Meadow View,  later same 2 Meccano Br,
Moorhen	5 imm	S&W Canal
Kingfisher	1	1 fleeting views Prefabs smestow,
Wren	1 singing	Compton Rough
Robin	10 singing	mid section
Blackbird	6\8	Annex Barleyfield
Song Thrush	4\6	Annex Barleyfield
Redwing	c20	Barleyfield
Coal Tit	3+	Newbride boats feeders
Chaffinch	1♂+	Newbride boats feeders
Greenfinch	15+	9 Top Roses,   few NBb feeder,
Bullfinch	2♂ 1♀	Newbride boats feeders

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

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

The chilly autumn is here

3rd September 15           morning                mid section

cloudy,  10-13°c,   1016mb,     NW 4-9 mph

All birders love autumn for many it's the favourite season ( not me spring is my favourite ) . There's a chance that anything can turn up under favourable conditions ( favourable for us not birds ) and more likely to stay around. It can also be very frustrating, our summer migrants and breeding birds are leaving, mostly going unseen overhead it's only when for one reason or another, usually weather related they make landfall that we can check them out. So birding trips become lottery. Today was a flyover day, still a few warblers around but not many and not much else.

Canada Goose	c40 >> NE over	Barleyfield
Buzzard	1 moulting ad over Barleyfield,  flew south to the Cedars firs,
Moorhen	1 brood	1 ad + 1 juv Prefab Weir
Black Headed Gull	25+ over	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	c15 over	Compton Field
Wren	1 singing	Hanging Grds
Robin	3 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	1 calling	Hanging Grds
Blackcap	4	mid section
Chiffchaff	2 calling	Barleyfield
Nuthatch	1 calling	The Paddock
Jay	1+	Barleyfield
Goldfinch	6	Meccano Grds
Bullfinch	3	Hanging Grds

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

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

Another very quiet morning

23rd July 15          morning                mid section

cloudy,  12-14°c,   1017mb,   SW 4-7 mph

Roll on the autumn, next to nothing showing or singing today and definitely nothing unusual .

Good to see the moorhen brood near the Prefabs still intact.

Mallard	few	Staffs & Wocs
Moorhen	2 broods	1+2 full grown juv Wetlands,  1+4 well grown juv Perfabs,
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Stock Dove	1	Wetland Fields
House Martin	3 over	Meadow View
Wren	1 singing	Station Paddock
Dunnock	2 singing	Station Paddock
Song Thrush	1 singing	Station Paddock
Whitethroat	calls	Shrike Bushes
Blackcap	1 singing	Compton Rough
Chiffchaff	3 ( 1 singing )	mid section
Chaffinch	2	Top Roses
Greenfinch	3 (2 singing)	mid section
Goldfinch	5 ( 1 singing )	mid section

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

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

Well the birding didn't spoil the sunshine

9th July 15             mid morning                mid section

sunny & warm,   12-15°c,   1023mb,  NW 9-8 mph

I love this weather, sunny with a fresh NW breeze. No good for finding scares birds but a pleasure to watch the locals.

       The whitethroat family performed well in the Shrike Bushes but didn't sing ( it did for Ian earlier ).

Spent a pleasant half an hour watching dragonflies and damselflies on the Wetland pool but only had one juvenile moorhen. There was also only one juvenile with an adult on the canal just south of  Prefab weir? there should be four at both sites. A new mallard brood of 4 recently fledged chicks was a little further north at the weir. The elusive grey wagtail was again on the weir, but before I could get anywhere near it was off over the canal towards the Graiseley Brook, so no age or sex again. Interestingly Ian had two ( 1 ad ♀ + 1 fairly recently fledged juvenile ) at the Water Bridge yesterday, We're not sure whether this is a second pair.

Grey Heron	1 imm	1 imm flew N to Prefab weir,
Mallard	1 brood	♀ + 4   1 or 2 day old chks  PFw,
Buzzard	1 >> S along	Valley
Moorhen	1 juv only ( spent 30mins here watching dragenflys) others could be in the vegetatian )  Wetlands,  1+ 1 imm  maybe the other 3 are hiding  Prefabs,  1+ 1 imm Prefab weir,
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Swift	15+ over	Barleyfield
House Martin	10+ over	Barleyfield
Grey Wagtail	1	Prefab Weir
Wren	5 singing	mid section
Dunnock	7 singing	mid section
Robin	2 singing	mid section
Blackbird	4 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	pr + 2 juv	Shrike Bushes
Blackcap	11 (8 singing)	mid section
Chiffchaff	5 singing	mid section
Jay	1 >> E to	Central Scrub
Chaffinch	1 singing	Meccano Br
Bullfinch	pair	Barleyfield
Small Tortoiseshell	few	Barleyfield
Comma	2	mid section
Speckled Wood	few	mid section
Ringlet	plenty	Barleyfield

Another cloudy and quiet morning

7 July 15           morning               mid section

cloudy,  16°c,    1007mb,    SW 8-13 mph

The whitethroat in the Shrike Bushes seem to be on a second brood, a pair were seen visiting an area constantly, though I didn't see any food or nest material being delivered. Also what appeared to be a immature was seen dumping a faecal sac ( poo ). The male or maybe another was singing near by.
            The moorhens at the Wetland site caused Ian and myself some head scratching a couple of weeks ago when we couldn't decide whether we had 1 or 2 broods, its been looking more like just a single brood since, but this morning the matter was solved when I ( and some of  their offspring ) witnessed the two adults copulating.
     Two grey wagtail at the Prefab spill weir briefly, were again unable to be aged or sexed.

Mallard	1 brood	♀+ 8 nr f/grown imm ( WL9 )  PF,
Moorhen	pr copulating + 3 juv Wetlands,  pr + 4 imm Prefabs,
Black Headed Gull	2 ( 1 imm )	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Swift	odds over	Barleyfield
House Martin	6+	Barleyfield
Grey Wagtail	2	Prefab Weir
Wren	7 singing	mid section
Dunnock	5 singing	mid section
Robin	present	mid section
Blackbird	4 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	pr + 1 imm c/f-sac + visiting nest site  Shrike Bushes,  another singing  SB east,
Blackcap	6 ( 4 singing )	mid section
Chiffchaff	5 singing	mid section
Chaffinch	1 singing	Meccano Br
Greenfinch	1 singing	Compton Rough
Goldfinch	2 ( 1 ad )	Top Roses