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

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

It felt like autumn stirring this morning

25th July 15           morning               mid section

mostly cloudy,  12-15°c,  1014mb,  NW 11 mph

Only one singing bird (song thrush ) today, but  more activity than the last few days with family parties of whitethroat,blackcap and chaffinch. Nothing unusual yet but it's early days for autumn passage.

The parakeet was heard calling from the fir trees near Meccano bridge and then it arched north over Compton field almost following the line of the canal. Our parakeets spent most of last winter in and around West Park defending a tree with a possible nest hole which was blown down in storms around January. They were not seen again until Ian had them flying over Crowther Rd on 22nd Jan, but for the last two weeks local birders have reported them back at the park again, I had one today and one last saturday so are they the same pair or have we got more??

Mallard	1♀	Wetlands
Moorhen	2 broods	1+1 imm  Wetlands,   1+1 imm  Meadow View,
Black Headed Gull	15 ( 1 juv )	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Ring Necked Parakeet	1 over	1 calling then flew  N across Compton playing field,
Swift	2 over	Tettenhall Ridge
Green Woodpecker	calls	Tettenhall Ridge
Swallow	1 over	Compton Field
House Martin	30+ over	Barleyfield
Song Thrush	1 singing	Hanging Grds
Whitethroat	4 (family)	Hanging Grds
Blackcap	3+ ( family )	Hanging Grds
Chiffchaff	calls	Station Paddock,   Graiseley Culvert,
Long Tailed Tit	calls	Hanging Grds
Jay	1 >> to	Lower Alders
Chaffinch	3♂ 1♀ 2 juv	1♂ Meccano Grds,  2♂+1♀+2 juv ( family ) Hanging Grds
Greenfinch	4	Hanging Grds
Goldfinch	calls	Hanging Grds
Bullfinch	calls	Hanging Grds

Hardly any song today

18th July 15            early morning                mid section

sunny & warm,   9-16°c,  1015mb,  S 6-SW 13 mph,

Birding was hard work today with very little song to guide us and lots of foliage to disappear into. The ring-necked-parakeet was heard calling in the Paddocks and then flew across towards the gardens of Henwood Rd. A few blackcap and whitethroat were around the lower Barleyfield and a sparrowhawk flew over to the north east as did a great spotted woodpecker. An adult and juvenile goldcrest was in the hedgerow between the canal and the Paddocks.

Mallard	few	Staffs & Wocs
Sparrowhawk	1♂ >> NE over	Barleyfield
Moorhen	2 broods	1 juv Meadow View,   1 + 3 juv Prefabs,
Black Headed Gull	11	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Ring Necked Parakeet	1 >> W over	The Paddock
Swift	odds over	mid section
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1 >> N over	Hanging Grds
House Martin	odds over	Barleyfield
Pied Wagtail	1	Compton Field
Wren	2 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	3+	Barleyfield
Blackcap	2 singing	Barleyfield
Chiffchaff	2 singing	mid section
Goldcrest	2 ( 1 imm )	2 ( 1 ad + 1 imm ) in trees btw canal /Paddock,
Chaffinch	pair	Hanging Grds
Goldfinch	7	4 Paddocks,   3  Wetlands,
Bullfinch	pair	Barleyfield

Kestrel returns (again) and grey wagtail a&s (at last)

17th July 15           morning                mid section

mostly cloudy,warm, 17-18°c, 1008mb,  SW 8-10 mph

The kestrel we had over most of last winter was a 1st winter male ( ie born last summer ) the bird I had today was a 1st summer male ( ie 1 year old, born last summer. get it )( I know it's confusing, wait till we get into the gull family, ie 1w, 1s, 1cy, 2w and on and on. the bigger gulls have 4 years as immatures ) anyway. Its likely that its the same individual that has paid us a visit two or three times over this spring/summer.

  The grey wagtail on the brook by the Prefabs looks like the male of the pair that nested near Meccano bridge earlier this year. At last i've had a front on view before it's flown off today.

   Apart from the above it's been a very quiet day, indeed week.

  

News from wed 15th.  a family of 8 mistle thrush were on the field east of the Wetlands before being flushed.

Mallard	few	Staffs & Wocs
Kestrel	1 1s ♂	1  1s ♂  hunting over Barleyfield,
Moorhen	2 juv	1 juv Wetlands,   1 juv Prefabs,
Black Headed Gull	13	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Swift	odds over	mid section
Swallow	1 over	The Paddock
House Martin	20+	mid section
Grey Wagtail	1♂	1 washed out ♂ ( from Sb nest ? ) Smestow  Prefabs,
Wren	4 singing	mid section
Dunnock	1 singing	The Paddock
Blackbird	2 singing	1 Paddocks,  1 Barleyfield,
Song Thrush	2 singing	The Paddock
Mistle Thrush	4 ( 2+ imm )	Wetland Fields
Whitethroat	calls	Hanging Grds,
Blackcap	1 singing	Hanging Grds
Chiffchaff	3 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	c6	Station Paddock
Chaffinch	2 ( 1♂)	Graiseley Culvert,
Goldfinch	few	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

Up with the larks again

17th June 15           dawn till early              mid section

o/cast,  11-15°c,  1023mb,  SW 7 - SSW 12mph, 

Those were the days when we had skylarks on the Barleyfield. We do still have plenty of other good songsters, blackcap seem to be doing well here and most other place's 13 singing this morning is amazing for this time of year, others singing well this morning include blackbird,song thrush,wren and whitethroat. Has anybody else noticed the mallards going into eclipse plumage. Also whilst talking to Ian in Station Paddock Ian picked up long-tailed tits flitting between trees and we counted 23 in all, so they are beginning to form flocks already.

             News came through yesterday afternoon that somebody ( we don't know who ) saw a rare heron a night heron flying over Sankey Pool Dimmingsdale, (just off our patch ) ,so Ian and myself  went over to poke about a bit in the evening ( these things are active at night ( the clue's in the name ).  We didn't find it.

              If the truth be known that's why I was here at dawn, you never know our tree and bush lined pool could be attractive to a small heron like this.

Grey Heron	1 >> E over	Wetlands
Mallard	2♂ 2♀+1 chk Wetlands, ♀ + 4  ¾/grwn juv  Compton Lock, 2♀+ 2 dif age chks Sqash Courts,
Moorhen	1 brood	1 Wetlands,  1+1 chk Meadow View,
Swift	3+ over	Station Paddock
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1♂	Station Paddock
House Martin	1+ over	Station Paddock
Pied Wagtail	1	Wetlands Field
Wren	12 singing	mid section
Dunnock	2 singing	The Paddock
Robin	3 singing	mid section
Blackbird	7 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	6 singing	mid section
Mistle Thrush	1	Compton Field
Whitethroat	4 singing	Barleyfield & Compton Rough,
Blackcap	13 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	7 singing	mid section
Goldcrest	2	Top Barleyfield Roses
Long Tailed Tit	23	Station Paddock
Chaffinch	4 singing	mid section
Greenfinch	1 singing	Top Barleyfield Roses
Bullfinch	1♂	Hanging Grds
Fox	1	Wetlands

All change in the sunshine

21st May 15             morning               mid section

sunny & warm,  11-15°c,  1025mb,  WSW 9 - W 11mph,

No sign of the whinchat, No sign of the grey wagtail and no sign of any whitethroats ( the whitethroats are probably still about,just playing hard to get) ( same goes for the wagtails). On the other hand the sun has encouraged songbirds to sing with blackcap songsters well up, chiffchaff and blackbird not far behind.

Mallard	2♂	Wetlands
Buzzard	pair over	Barleyfield
Swift	2 over	Barleyfield
Wren	13 singing	mid section
Dunnock	3 singing	mid section
Robin	10 singing	mid section
Blackbird	8 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	1 singing	Graisley Cnr
Garden Warbler	1 singing	Barleyfield Annex
Blackcap	13 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	11 singing	mid section
Coal Tit	1	Meadow View
Chaffinch	5 singing	mid section
Bullfinch	calls	Barleyfield Annex

WHINCHAT on Chat Clump

20th May 15             morning                  mid section

blustery occ showers,  8-11°c,  1015mb,  WNW 12-15mph,

The morning started quietly with no sign of grey wagtails on a short shufty, Barleyfield dead, until I put my bins on the Chat Clump before I disappeared into the Wetlands, as usual. A small dumpy two-tone bird was sat there? it was either a whinchat or stonechat ( guess why it's called Chat Clump?). I moved to a better view point and after a while it showed again WHINCHAT a female. A species which used to turn up annually in small numbers until recently but has (along with other species) become quite scarce.

Mallard	1♂ 1♀	Wetlands
Buzzard	1 over	Barleyfield
Moorhen	1	Wetlands
Swift	2 over	Barleyfield
House Martin	2 over	Barleyfield
Wren	8 singing	mid section
Dunnock	5 singing	mid section
Robin	3 singing	mid section
Whinchat	1♀	Chat Clump
Blackbird	3 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	2 singing	Barleyfield
Garden Warbler	1 singing	Barleyfield Annex
Blackcap	5 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	4 singing	mid section
Great Tit	1 singing	Hanging Grds
Jackdaw	10	Barleyfield
Chaffinch	4 singing	mid section
Goldfinch	3	Shrike Bushes

New life appearing

16th May 15              mid morning                    mid section

mostly sunny,  10-11°c,  1022mb,  NW 11-13mph

Mallard was the first to bring new avian life to the valley this year as usual, a brood of 11 chicks were found on 26th April being the first. Since then several mallard broods have been seen along the canal, about the same time long tail tits were noted taking food to a nest near the Graisley brook culvert and the grey wagtail was first found sitting on eggs. Many species have since been seen carrying food. The long tail tits at Graisley culvert seem to have fledged and were found near by on 8th May. Grey wagtails were first found feeding young on 7th May and if all goes well should fledge towards the end of this coming week, there filling the nest to over-flowing at the moment.

Buzzard	1 to the north	Barleyfield
Moorhen	2	Wetlands
Swift	1	Newbridge
Hirundides	3-4 to the N	Barleyfield
Grey Wagtail	pr feed yng	Smestow Bridge
Wren	13 singing	mid section
Dunnock	3 singing	mid section
Robin	14 singing	mid section
Blackbird	9 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	2 singing	Barleyfield
Blackcap	7 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	5 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	pr + 4+ imm	pr feeding 4+ imm  Barleyfield Annex,
Great Tit	song	mid section
Jay	1	Annex Barleyfield
Jackdaw	10	Barleyfield
Chaffinch	3 singing	mid section
Goldfinch	3	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	pair	Annex Barleyfield

A run of the mill day

13th May 15           mid morning                mid section

sunny & warm   11-12°c,  1015mb,   N 5-8 mph

Buzzard	1♂ hunting over	Barleyfield,
Moorhen	1	Wetlands
Swift	8 over	mid section
Grey Wagtail	pr feed yng	Smestow Bridge
Wren	11 singing	mid section
Dunnock	5 singing	mid section
Robin	10 singing	mid section
Blackbird	7 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	2 singing	mid section
Whitethroat	1 singing	Shrike Bushes, maybe same? Hanging Grds, ( Ian had one in the Paddocks )
Garden Warbler	1 singing	Annex Barleyfield, ( Ian had 2 earlier )
Blackcap	10 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	7 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	2 family party	Barleyfield
Great Tit	3 singing	mid section
Chaffinch	3 singing	mid section
Goldfinch	2 (1 singing)	Wetlands
Bullfinch	pair	Annex Barleyfield

Spring migration is almost over

12th May 15             early morning                  mid section

mostly cloudy, 8-12°c,  1015mb,  WSW 13-21mph,

The breeding season is now in full swing our birds are busy looking after eggs or young in the nest, what we have now we tend to keep with a few exceptions. Garden warbler is one, for the past few years a garden warbler has sung his heart out for 3-4 weeks, failed to find a mate and departed. If on the other hand we get 24 hrs non stop heavy rain as we did in 2007 at this time of year, we may have what birders call a "fall" as happened on 14 May that year when 24 wheatear, 17 whinchat and various other goodies took refuge in the Valley. The valley's biggest known fall .

              Back to today the ring neck parakeet was the only bird of note.

Sparrowhawk	1♂   flew W	over Compton Rough
Buzzard	1 over	Valley
Moorhen	1	Wetlands
Ring Necked Parakeet	1 flew calling	SE over Barleyfield, later same flew NW over Wetlands,
Swift	4 over	Barleyfield
Grey Wagtail	pair	feeding 4 yng in nest, later  the ♂ Wetlands,
Wren	12 singing	mid section
Dunnock	5 singing	mid section
Robin	12 singing	mid section
Blackbird	4 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	1 singing	Graisley Culvert
Mistle Thrush	1 singing	Meadow View
Whitethroat	1 singing	Hanging Grds
Garden Warbler	1 singing	Barleyfield Annex
Blackcap	7 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	6 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	pair	Barleyfield Annex
Chaffinch	4 singing	mid section
Greenfinch	1 singing	Hanging Grds
Bullfinch	1♂	Station Paddock