HEADS OR TAILS, MALE TEALS WIN

WHEN IT COMES TO WOOING . . .

Dunstall Park

Sunday December 29th 2013

Cold, calm, bright, slight frost, mid-morning.

The gales of recent days have blown themslves out, new ones are forecast, but at least now there's a brief respite between storms as the year nears its end.  Clear overnight skies have brought a frost, but not hard enough to put off at least 175 Canada Geese which with two Greylag Geese graze the central grass area near to resting groups of c.380 Black-headed Gull,  35 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and a single adult Herring Gull.  Around 20 per cent of the lake is covered with thin ice, five Coot busy themselves on the open water, two adult and an immature Moorhen tread gingerly along the shoreline, and at least seven Snipe rest and preen in the morning sunshine between sandy-coloured rocks along the base of the island.  An adult Grey Heron stands motionless on the grass banks, looking down as a single male Shoveler pushes out from the shore, and a group of  12 Teal emerge one by one from the spiked aquatic grass.  This diminutive duck species has been at the lake since late summer (22 birds were present on October 22nd), and the group that remains are mostly males, now resplendent in full chestnut, green, grey, white and yellow breeding plumage.  They are determined to impress the four or so light-brown females, escorting and chasing, giving high fluted calls and pushing their heads and tails skywards in a exaggerated banana-shaped attempt to catch the eye (the species' collective name is a "spring", capturing perfectly their ability to rise instantly and vertically into the air when disturbed).  A Wren and a Robin are heard and seen in shoreline bushes, two species which have become more frequent visitors to the lake as the waterside vegetation has spread, and two Stock Dove float in to perch in the canalside oak copse near the Water Bridge.  Corvid commotion often means there's a raptor about, and sure enough at least six Crows and a couple of Magpies surround a Common Buzzard as it sits on the banked grass between the racetrack and  service road.  Quite what it's up to is unclear, but if it's looking for worms there's no joy, and it flies up on to a junction box on the side of one the light pylons which line the course perimeter.  The corvids won't give up, and eventually the Buzzard drops off the pylon and flaps slowly away towards the northern end of the site.  The tree-lined western edge of the racecourse is a quiet reflection of a calm day, there's nothing about, so it's back across the tracks and grass to the warmth of the hotel and its reception staff.  A Happy New Year to them, and to you all.

NB. Dunstall Park is a restricted commercial site.   Access is strictly controlled.


DRUM FINALE TO A QUIET YEAR

All told, a quiet end to a quiet year for the whole of the Smestow Valley.  Autumn passage wader records have been few across the region, not helped by high water levels at lakes and reservoirs, but a Green Sandpiper was present from December 1st to at least 4th at Dunstall Park, only the second winter record for the site.  A male Peregrine visited the racecourse on December 4th, and a wintering Coot was on the canal by Newbridge wood on December 16th.  Relatively warm weather encouraged a few singing birds, including single Mistle Thrush near the canalside flats by Hordern Road on December  16th and by Newbridge playingfield on December 24th.  And, sandwiched between the squalls and rain, came the sounds of spring in Newbridge wood on a calm, clear morning on December  29th . . . territorial calls from at least one Nuthatch, and, high in the bare trees, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming away for all the world to hear.








   
 


         


        
 

ALWAYS THE HEADLINER, ENTER, 

STAGE LEFT, THE GREY ASSASSIN

Dunstall Park, August 22nd

09.30 to 10.45, close, dull, calm, warm.



There are preparations for a rock concert near the grandstand, the stage is being set up and large trucks are disgorging sound equipment, lights and other gear (it seems Scouting For Girls are to perform after the evening race meeting.  I was half expecting lines of tents, with fresh-faced youngsters washing in cold water and practising reef knots).  The roadies haven't long started, so there's time for a look at the lake before sound checks make things difficult.  It's all quiet, three female Teal sleep near the island, adult Moorhen shepherd  two broods of chicks feeding along the shoreline, a single Lapwing stands in the shallows, while a Grey Wagtail and a juvenile Pied Wagtail pick their way round the water's edge.  Silver birches by the Smestow brook overflow weir are attracting adult and juvenile Greenfinch and Goldfinch, with single Common Whitethroat and Chiffchaff flitting in and out of nearby bushes.  An adult Grey Heron glides in to join c.50 Black Headed Gull, which are bathing and preening.  A last look across the water, and there's movement on exposed mud near the island, a small bird bending forward to feed, almost certainly a Little Ringed Plover on passage.  Better check it, so bins resting on a fence post,  yes, it's an LRP, a juvenile.  OK, turn to go, when suddenly to the left a shape flashes past no more than three metres away at head height, almost touching the metal fencing, past in an instant, compact, grey, flattening out over the lake and curving upwards, something's being chased, something's flying for its life.  The unidentified quarry makes it to the oak copse, its pursuer banking away, gaining height and turning effortlessly to fly back, stiff wingbeats now almost in slow motion, other birds shooting away in all directions, gulls wheeling, calling, and Starling swirling in defensive waves.  The hunter eases its way back over the lake side, looking down and around, hooked bill, black moustache against the light side face, an adult Peregrine, powerful, intimidating, now climbing steadily away from the pandemonium it has caused,  circling higher and higher over the grandstand, its dark distinctive shape sharp against the grey-white clouds.  Two tiny dots swoop and dive around it, House Martin obeying their instincts as they try to drive it away, and the falcon eventually sets course towards the south west, flying purposefully away over the Farndale housing estate and disappearing over the edge of the city.  Judging by its size it was a probably a male, maybe even a locally bred bird, as nesting has become more and more widespread in recent years across the Birmingham/Black Country conurbation.  The species' recovery from its disasterous pesticide-induced decline in the early 1960s has been dramatic and well-documented, with cities and towns including Birmingham and Walsall now boasting nesting pairs on cathedrals, churches and other prominent buildings.  Birds are seen in all months over the Smestow Valley, and regularly hunt over neighbouring South Staffordshire and East Shropshire where pigeon-rich fields provide a reliable food source, particularly in winter.  Maybe our own city will in the not too distant future provide a home for this top predator.  Here's hoping . . .                              

(NB.  Dunstall Park is a commercial restricted site.  Access is strictly controlled).















                       

catch up from early feb

Havent been able to post for a while so this is just brief highlights of last six weeks which havent already been posted.
2 Raven over Newbridge 9th Feb and calling bird same place on 19th
Kingfisher and Great Tit imitating Marsh Tit at Wightwick Mill Lock on 11th Feb (note this is exactly where I saw my last Marsh Tit in the valley
Peregrine over Oxley bank on 18th Feb
also 4 Jays together at Aldersley
5+ Siskin on 20th Feb where old railway goes over Smestow near Hordern Rd and then regular sightings well into March of presumably the same group in the same vicinity. (on 23rd at Aldersley junction 5 more may have been different)
Also on 20th feb 5 Goldcrest in the Hawthorn wood to Aldersley junction
And then we went into a sterile period as the cold returned and only today have noted increased activity including Rooks at Water Bridge copse.

Smestow Valley and Beyond – almost there!

Today was the last chance before the end of the month to visit the southern part of my Foot It area. First stop, however, was West Park, where wildfowl numbers were slightly lower than recently, perhaps because of the thawing snow: 12 Shoveler, 360+ Canada and 11 Greylag Geese, two Pochard, ten Tufted Duck, 146 Mallard, 46 Coot and 15 Moorhen.

The walk along the Staffs & Worcs Canal produced little, though at Wightwick a flyover probable immature Peregrine was an overdue addition (species number 74). Angus appeared and we headed together towards Pool Hall, noting Lapwing, Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer along the way. Probably the same Peregrine flew over again, flushing 24 Skylark, c400 Starling, c300 Wood Pigeon and several Fieldfare feeding in a sheep field. 

As we neared Pool Hall, Angus suggested that we head instead to the top of a rise along the track towards Trescott to scan for partridges. We found no partridges, but what an inspired decision it turned out to be! In fact, we didn’t stop at the rise, but continued to Trescott expanding our area of search.

Angus said, “Peregrines often perch on these pylons”. I replied, “There’s one up there!” Within minutes Angus spotted a second bird on another pylon. Both adults and three birds in total having gone the month without seeing any. Along the nearby stretch of the Smestow Brook we saw two Teal and 12 Wigeon (species no. 75).

Rather than return to Pool Hall, we continued our search beyond Trescott, when a Barn Owl (species no. 76) suddenly appeared ahead of us, hunting over ground alongside Black Brook. Angus explained that Stonechats have wintered previously in an area of rough grassland and scrub along The Ridge, a prominent escarpment towards Pattingham, so onwards we continued.

As we scanned the fields below the ridge, a shooting party entered Rushy Marsh plantation. Mallards, Pheasants, Stock Doves and Wood Pigeons flew in all directions and Angus wondered whether a Woodcock might also fly out. Almost immediately one did (species no. 77)! Seconds later what was probably a second bird came over our heads and another flew low along a hedgerow straight towards us! A Hare also ran across the fields to escape the commotion.

Still riding the crest of our wave of good fortune, we started to head back, with the Barn Owl still hunting along field edges. As we approached Trescott, a Barn Owl shot out of tree just ahead of us – a second bird? Yes! The first was still hunting behind us. A probable Golden Plover called briefly in flight, but we could not pick it out – frustrating, as it would have been another new species.

Back at Trescott, four Snipe flew from a flooded field. We finally reached Pool Hall, where only 26 Coot and a pair of Mallard were present, Along the Staffs and Worcs Canal we saw single Dabchick and Kingfisher.

The final highlight came as we headed back towards Castlecroft. A couple of Magpies were alarm calling in an Oak tree alongside the track, but we put that down to approaching walkers. However, as we walked along, a Little Owl (species no. 78) flew from the tree and landed on a nearby fencepost. Angus returned to his car, but I walked home, though the volume of traffic through Wightwick, Compton and Newbridge thwarted efforts to hear any calling Tawny Owls.

After 11 hours and 24km (14.5 miles) today, I had noted 58 species, five new for my Foot It list, bringing me one short of my total. How different it would have been had I not bumped into Angus and he not suggested that we walk to the top of that rise and beyond!