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

Maybe the last siskin

3rd April 16,         morning             mid section

mostly cloudy,  8-11°c,  1005 mb,  S 3-9 mph

The blackcap in the Paddock again only sang briefly. Barleyfield north west corner only ( Ian had already done it ). Ian had two male blackcap just inside Compton Rough but no sign when we looked again. Eight singing chiffchaff in mid section, another four north to Waterbridge. There's a feeding station in a garden off the railway in Corve Grds ( off Aldersley Rd )( behind Hills Coach depot ) where we heard what sounded like many siskin in a dense fir tree, we only saw two, three or four.

Green Woodpecker	Calls	Tettenhall Ridge
Great Spotted Woodpecker	2	Hills Coaches
Blackcap	1 singing	The Paddock
Chiffchaff	12 singing	mid section
Coal Tit	1	Graiseley Reedbed
Nuthatch	calls	Crowther Rd Wood
Jay	1	Hawthorn Wood
Rook	5+	Dunstall rookery
Chaffinch	song	mid section
Greenfinch	song	Station Paddock
Goldfinch	2	mid section
Siskin	3+	Aldersley feeder
Bullfinch	2	The Paddock

A good tally this morning

31st March 16                 morning                mid section

sunny & warm,  3-7°c,  1015 mb,  NW 5-N 7 mph

 A treecreeper in Hanging Grds ( lower western border ) means I've had TC in all three of Barleyfield's wooded borders in the last few weeks. Plenty of song in the warm sunshine, including eight singing chiffchaff and a singing nuthatch. But no sign of any blackcap today. Should be here before the weekend is over.                                                                                                                                       A walk around yesterday afternoon found nine singing blackbirds.

Buzzard	1 over	Valley
Moorhen	1	Wetlands
Green Woodpecker	calls	Tettenhall Ridge
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1♀	Annex Barleyfield
Wren	15 singing	mid section
Dunnock	6 singing	mid section
Robin	12 singing	mid section
Blackbird	3 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	5 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	9 ( 8 singing)	mid section
Goldcrest	pair + 1	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	pair	hanging Grds
Coal Tit	1 singing	Top Birches
Great Tit	3 singing	mid section
Nuthatch	2 (1 singing)	Annex Barleyfield
Treecreeper	1	Hanging Grds
Chaffinch	1 singing	Station Paddock
Greenfinch	2 singing	mid section
Goldfinch	2	Station Paddock
Bullfinch	pair	Hanging Grds

Chiffchaff at last

20th March 16,          morning               mid section

cloudy,  5-8°c,   1028 mb,  N 5- ENE 7 mph

But is it from Africa? Or a british wintering bird moving north to breeding grounds in Scandinavia. Who knows?  Not singing or calling but feeding greedily in vegetation on opposite side of canal at Newbridge. But the star bird of the day must be a male kestrel, hovering high over Barleyfield. the first for almost a year.

  Made another visit late afternoon to see if chiffy would sing, refound bird by Tennis Courts but still not singing. Also had a female goosander fly north west high over Barleyfield and a female great spotted woodpecker on tree tops in Hanging Grds.

Little Grebe	2	1 s/p Squash Club,  1 pale Newbridge Wharf
Mallard	pair	Wetlands
Goosander	1 >> NW over	Barleyfield
Buzzard	1 over	Compton Playing field
Kestrel	1♂ hunting	Barleyfield
Moorhen	1	Wetlands
Green Woodpecker	calls	Tettenhall Ridge & railway S of Barleyfield
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 drum Shrike Bushes,  1 flew over Prefabs, █ later pm 1♀ Hanging Grds,
Pied Wagtail	1♂	Wetland Field
Wren	11 singing	mid section
Dunnock	6 singing	mid section
Robin	14 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	4 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	1 feeding from opp canal bank Newbridge, seen again 17:20,
Long Tailed Tit	7+	mid section
Great Tit	4 singing	mid section
Nuthatch	calls	Tennis Courts
Chaffinch	1 singing	Meadow View
Greenfinch	3 (1 zz )	Barleyfield
Goldfinch	1	The Paddock
Bullfinch	2 pr + 1♂	mid section

Standard fayre for February

25th February 16            morning                mid section

cold but sunny,  2-4°c,  1017 mb,  NNW 5-N 8 mph

A lovely sunny day with plenty of birds around although nothing special on view, all pretty normal for this time of year. Just one little grebe today, it's a little early for their departure so maybe they're north of my area. Two pair of coal tit in the Eastern Border of Barleyfield with both of the males singing, two siskin in the birch plantation at the top and a lone goldcrest there.

Little Grebe	1 w/p	S&W Canal
Mallard	pair	Wetland
Buzzard	pair over	Barleyfield
Black Headed Gull	10+	Wetland Field
Stock Dove	1 singing	Prefabs
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 drumming	Compton Rough
Wren	6 singing	mid section
Dunnock	4 singing	mid section
Robin	13 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 ( 1 singing)	mid section
Goldcrest	1	Barleyfield Top Birches
Long Tailed Tit	2 pair + 1	Barleyfield
Coal Tit	2 pair	Barleyfield Eastern Border
Great Tit	3 singing	mid section
Nuthatch	calls	Barleyfield Annex
Jay	1	Barleyfield Top Birches
Chaffinch	1♀	Barleyfield Eastern Border
Greenfinch	1 singing	Prefabs
Siskin	2	Barleyfield Top Birches
Bullfinch	2 pair + 1♂	Barleyfield

Goldcrest and Treecreeper chasing overhead whilst tree felling on Barleyfield

22nd February 16              morning                mid section    

partly sunny,  6-7°c,  1008 mb,  W 8-11 mph.  

 The Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust are continuing their management plans on the Barleyfield, so today I turned up to help out. They are thinning out the birch trees at the top and planting a greater variety of native tree and understory species like hazel and also ground plants such as primrose. Having a well earned tea break, we were treated to a display of three goldcrest chasing each other around and doing what comes naturally at this time of year, a treecreeper dashing from tree to tree and a pair of long tail tit quietly feeding above our heads. All in all a good way to spend a few hours. I'll be back next time two weeks today and would encourage anybody with some spare time to join us. It's great fun.

Little Grebe	4	S&W Canal
Mallard	pair	Wetland
Buzzard	pair	over Prefabs
Black Headed Gull	14	Wetland Field
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1	Top Barleyfield Birches
Wren	4 singing	mid section
Dunnock	4 singing	mid section
Robin	11 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	5 (3 singing)	mid section
Mistle Thrush	2 (1 singing)	mid section
Goldcrest	1+ Station Paddock,  pr + 1 chasing top Barrleyfield,
Long Tailed Tit	2 pair	mid section
Coal Tit	1 singing	Compton Rough
Great Tit	2 singing	mid section
Nuthatch	1	Barleyfield Annex
Treecreeper	1	Top Barleyfield Birches
Chaffinch	1 singing	Station Paddock
Goldfinch	2	Shrike Bushes
Bullfinch	pr + 1♂	mid section

Playing catch up

fri 5th February 16    morning     mid section 

cloudy,  9-10°c,  985 mb,   SW 4-7 mph

Good to be back after a week off. Nothing particularly outstanding but a good mix of species, the best being three goosander over Compton Lock. The ground is much drier ( until it rains again I suppose??). Plants in flower, daffs,snowdrops,lesser celandine and  lesser periwinkle. 

Little Grebe	3	S&W canal
Goosander	3 flew N over Compton Lock then flew back S,
Buzzard	2	mid section
Moorhen	2	Wetlands
Black Headed Gull	21	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	1	Compton Field
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1♀	Top Roses
Wren	1 singing	Smestow Bridge
Dunnock	1 singing	Meadow View
Robin	14 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	4 singing	mid section
Coal Tit	2+	Newbride Wharf feeders
Great Tit	3 singing	mid section
Nuthatch	3	mid section
Chaffinch	1 singing	The Paddock
Greenfinch	7	Top Roses

 

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

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

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

Anything about?  just another kingfisher

16th November 15              morning                  mid section

cloudy,  9-10°c,  1007 mb,  SW 9-10 mph

Same time, same place, same bird, Yes Meadow View Bridge, my first glance down the canal and a kingfisher flying towards me, it carried on under the bridge north to the moored boats and disappeared behind them. Same time, same place, same birds, Yes the same two little grebe by Meccano bridge, later the summer plumaged grebe was again just south of  the weir, that's where the similarities ended. Two nuthatch together in the Barleyfield Annex along with about 20 redwing and a few finches was the best of the rest. That is unless Angus knows better? I met him arriving as I was leaving.

Little Grebe	3	2 (dark) Meccano Br,  1 (s/p) Prefabs,
Moorhen	1 imm ♂	S&W Compton
Black Headed Gull	30	Compton Field
Kingfisher	1 flew N under Meadow View bridge,
Robin	1 singing	Compton Rough
Redwing	c20	Annex Barleyfield
Nuthatch	2	2 together Annex Barleyfield
Chaffinch	2♀	Annex Barleyfield
Greenfinch	few	Annex Barleyfield
Bullfinch	4♂ 1♀	mid section

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

The one that got away

22nd October 15              morning                mid section

cloudy start, sunny later,  11-12°c,   1013mb,  WNW 14 mph

 Walking through the Paddocks a calling nuthatch caused me to look up to find a bird just dropping onto the top of a fir tree on the other side of the canal where it joined another bird ( ahh two nuthatch thought I, but no, the light was poor so only grey  silhouettes were visible but they were surely not nuthatch. The stubby bill put pay to that, so what were they? They looked quite big and acrobatic feeding on the small cones. I then found another lower down the tree where viewing conditions were a little better and this one was mostly green and eventually shown two light wing bars. After a few minutes all three flew a short distance to another tree and disappeared. I didn't relocate them again. So what were they??  Probably finches, but not green, not chaffinch, not common crossbill and too small for siskin.

Little Grebe	1 w/p Squash Club + 2 ( 1 s/p + 1 dark w/p )  Wolves Firs,
Sparrowhawk	1♀/imm	The Paddock
Buzzard	1 over	Barleyfield
Moorhen	2 imm	S&W Canal
Robin	2 singing	mid section
Nuthatch	calls	The Paddock
Chaffinch	1	Meccano Grds
Goldfinch	c20	Meccano Grds
Bullfinch	pair	Meccano Grds
finch sp	3 Wolves Firs, looks big & bulky,mostly green,stubby bill,with 2 light wing bars (ie Chaffinch) feeding on small cones at top of fir tree,

What ever happened to the redwing flocks

19th October 15           early morning             mid section

dull & o/cast,  8-11°c,  1025mb,  N 4 mph

Under very similar weather conditions as the last few days, when good numbers of migrating thrushes have been piling through the country, this morning just 13 redwing flew east over the Barleyfield. Yesterday 169 were logged? There's no logic in birding.

Generally quiet again. Kingfisher,grey heron,nuthatch and the two usual little grebe the only species of interest.

Little Grebe	2	2 ( 1 s/p + 1 dark w/p ) MS centre,
Grey Heron	1 came in from E went down into Newbridge grds , later left W over Station Paddock,
Mallard	few	S&W Canal
Moorhen	2 imm	1 imm  Prefab weir,  1 imm just N Meccano Br,
Wood Pigeon	68	Compton Field
Kingfisher	1 flew from canal to Paddocks (Smestow), later same flew under Tettenhall Brs,
Wren	3 singing	mid section
Robin	12 singing	mid section
Redwing	13 > E over	Barleyfield
Nuthatch	calls	Station Paddock
Greenfinch	1+	Top Roses
Bullfinch	calls	Meccano Grds