HOTEL'S HOME AS HOUSE MARTIN 

CHECK IN FOR THE SUMMER . . . 

A month's absence, so time to shake sand from the travelling bags and see how green is our valley as mid-summer approaches.  At home, a pair of Robins are feeding a second brood in their nest behind a screen of ivy, young Blue Tit and Great Tit are passing through the garden, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush and Blackbird are still singing sporadically, Nuthatch call from Newbridge wood, and Wood Pigeon, Crow and Magpie forage on the playingfield.   They were late, but two Swift pairs have set up in eaves of houses opposite, and the road's only House Martin pair are again in residence.

 

Down at  Dunstall Park,  at least two Blackcap and two Chiffchaff are still in voice,  Chaffinch sing in canalside trees and young Rook fledged from the site's oak copse colony feed with their parents on the central grass area, near to a flock of 25 Canada Geese and a single Greylag.  At the lake, brief glimpses of a stripe-necked juvenile Little Grebe on June 1st  show that nesting has been successful here for the first time since the year 2000 (at least three adults were present on June 6th), five adult Mute Swan were seen on June 1st  (almost certainly some of the 12 birds which were present on May 11th), with four still there on June 6th, and at least 14 scruffy-looking moulting Mallard are sleeping on the island.  Four pairs of Coot are feeding youngsters some of which are now nearly adult size, at least one adult Moorhen is present,  an adult Grey Heron was by the lake on June 1st, and on June 6th a Grey Wagtail foraged on the concrete run-off apron from the Smestow brook culvert.  Lakeside bushes are attracting House Sparrow, Greenfinch and Dunnock, with adult and juvenile Starling sunning themselves on the banks of island brambles.  The racecourse ground staff report that three Barn Swallow pairs are breeding in the stables, that a Pied Wagtail pair have sucessfully fledged young, and that, best of all, House Martins have taken up residence on the hotel building, their three nests tucked in under the roof overhang, safe and dry, away from the weather.  This engaging migrant has for decades nested in numbers at the nearby Farndale housing estate, but this is the first time they have bred on the racecourse site itself.

 

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

                          

no title

First walk in the valley since return from far north of Scotland, still the odd singing warbler; chiffchaff blackcap and garden warbler.  On walk from newbridge to town via the 21 locks biggest surprise was lack of moorhens, only saw 1 brood of 3 by lock 19.  by contrast there were more coot at the town end single under viaduct followed by pair with 2 young under railway drive and pair with 5/6 young at horsley fields. (note I cut across from Stafford rd to carvers so missed about half a mile).
No sign of common tern that had seen a few years ago fishing the canal by horsley fields (always wiondered where it came from ?? clayhanger seems a long way but do they breed closer it was end june).
Notable in Scotland was the number of singing Sedge warblers on the north coast but not that many willows.  both species seem to me to be scarce in England this year.

Robins join the hit list & back in the valley having an Owl of a time!

A few challenges in the health department followed by a backlog of commitments has kept me so near yet so far from Geoff's seat at TheBarleyfield!!

However I did manage to get down for the first time at the start of the month and boy did it feel good!

Nature has an amazing habit of creating a bond with you and the more you spend time enjoying the beauty and wildlife on a patch, the stronger this bond becomes. On Sunday 4th May I took a journey South from Compton Park down to Castlecroft canal bridge on a beautiful evening. It felt so intoxicating and everything felt magnified as I was drawn to all that moved or caught the eye as I got back up to speed with the valley.

At Graisley culvert 2 Chiffchaff were singing along with a Whitethroat and a Blackcap.

"Compton Rough" near the lock was looking all the better for the scalping last year and it was great to see a Whitethroat performing it's display song flight from the Globe Buddleja there. A pair of Goldfinch were nearby.

South of Compton Road there were plenty more Common Whitethroat with birds singing at The Sandfields, Turners Field and Wightwick Fields. Pheasant seem to have drifted North into the Nature Reserve this year with birds calling from Wightwick Lock, Wightwick Fields and the paddocks just North of Castlecroft canal bridge.

The highlight just had to be a stunning Little Owl on the West midlands side of the border

The Little Owl breaks away from the mould by being active by day,
but is often most obvious during twilight hours.

Other highlights were:

21 Magpie and 100 Woodpigeon on Smestow playing fields, together with a pre-roost Buzzard worming.

1 Grey Wagtail South over Wightwick lock.

Male Yellowhammer singing at Castlecroft canal bridge.

The following morning, I was still intoxicated so wrapped up for a dawn circuit of the mid-section from Compton to Newbridge, taking in Compton Park and the Barleyfield.

I was rewarded with a singing Garden warbler which, though distant, allowed me to get a poor shot (they all are! - only just worked out which way round to point the camera!) as it sang beautifully from the top of the Barleyfield.

Other highlights were:

A Willow Warbler singing from the Eastern border

4 singing Common Whitethroat around the Barleyfield and also one still present on Compton Rough. What looked like a pair were in the scrub in the SW corner of the upper playingfields by Meccano Bridge

Adult Mute Swan SW over Meccano Bridge

Grey Heron at Compton Park wetland.

Goldcrest at top of Barleyfield.

2 Stock Dove at Compton Park wetland

3 Swallow low South over the Barleyfield.

A female Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard over the college on the ridge.

Petitions:

As Ian pointed out in his last posting there are a mountain of issues which have petitions. Most of these can be seen on the Twitter feed attached to this blog.

There is one that is really close to home though, which is bound to shock you all!

Please read this article by Patrick Barkham on The Guardian Comment entitled "What do robins, buzzards and badgers have in common? They're all on the Tories' kill list" - speaks for itself really

Comment: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/26/robins-badgers-buzzards-tory-kill-list

If you just happen to care for our beautiful robin, which to most is our national bird, then you may just wish to sign this petition to "STOP NATURAL ENGLAND FROM GIVING PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO KILL ROBINS AND DESTROY THEIR NESTS AND EGGS"

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/877/675/729/dont-let-them-kill-the-birds-and-destroy-their-eggs/

Last but not least, and to complete my re acquaintance with the valley I shall be attending the SMESTOW VALLEY ADVISORY GROUP MEETING TONIGHT, and will be providing an update over the next few days. I will also be collating records for the valley now that the transition from paper reporting to online is almost complete. Thank you to all who have submitted records over the past months via e-mail. the year list will get some TLC at the weekend.

Thank you to all blog readers. We have crossed 20,000 page views, which isn't bad after just 17 months!

GREAT TO BE BACK!!

beyond belief

Our reader may be aware of the catastrophic decline in vulture populations in India.  The cause has been identified as an anti-inflammatory drug used by vetenarians on cattle called diclofenac. It has now been banned over there but unbelievably it has recently been licensed by the EU authorities for use in southern Europe where several, already endangered vulture species breed.
To register your opposition please follow the following link; www.change.org/petitions/european-union-diclofenac-the-vulture-killing-drug-is-now-available-on-eu-market
Whilst on ethical issues, I suspect our reader is already aware of the continuing slaughter of spring migrants in Malta.  Let the Maltese government know why you wont consider going there for a holiday and pressure your newly elected MEPs to challenge the derogation which allows them to shoot turtle doves and ortolans amongst others.
Meanwhile back in the valley things are quietening down altho the willow warbler is still singing forlornly in the barleyfield accompanied by garden warbler. the Little owl is also frequenting castle croft bridge.

the swifts are back

round up of other reports for first half of May

Greylag Geese
3 flying SE on 3rd
and today a single flying towards town over Newbridge and then 9 in single file going northwest over wightwick (the seventh bird in the chain was a bit odd).  Suspect6 they may be from the Chillington flock.

Moorhen
today had my first young of the year on canal-3 at wightwick Mill
this is a month earlier than last6 year and two earlier than after the bad winter of 2009.
altho had a week old bird at Perton at end April.

Coot
nesting pair under Dunstall viaduct

Kingfisher
By Meccano today

Swift
3 birds at Wightwick on 10th drifting north and over the house and in Reans from Wednesday

Common Whitethroat

good numbers in southern half of valley

Lesser Whitethroat

Singing bird at newbridge on 3rd and bird seen at south end of Turners field on 10th but none today

Garden warbler
1 maybe 2 on 10th at smallholdings still there on 15th
Today birds on barley and turners field also smestow bank

AT LONG LAST, A LONE SEDGE WARBLER JUST SINGING, JUST SINGING IN THE RAIN . . .

ALDERSLEY/OXLEY,   SUNDAY  MAY 11th.

It's blustery, wet and cool, but worth trying another trip to the valley's northern end to see what, if anything, has touched down on passage.  A pretty poor year so far for migrants, and we're running out of time, for the best weeks in the valley are usually the last in April and the first in May.  So, shoulders hunched, bins covered against the rain, and it's a somewhat squelchy slog under the Jones Road railway viaduct and on to the canal towpath past the last few of the Wolverhampton 21 locks.  Despite the weather there's song from a Song Thrush, three Blackcap, at least four Chiffchaff and churring calls from Whitethroat in brambles and bushes around the sloped grass field leading up to the railway carriageworks.  A male Reed Bunting sings from the edge of thicket and copse close to lock 20,  and nearby a male Greenfinch's weezing notes bring a response from another bird the other side of the canal.  A female Mallard guards her brood of five duckling as they swim in and out of bankside vegetation, a single Swallow skims the surface and flicks back over the hedge towards its racecourse nest site, it seems that's all of note, so back towards the Stafford Road and the car.  It's raining again, brief  squalls ruffling the water, when, just audible, there come scritching, scratching, chattering notes from the base of bushes just below lock 18, the song at first subdued but then increasing in intesity.  Nothing to see at first, but then a movement just above the water line, the shape small, round-tailed and brown-rumped, the broad white stripe above the eye clear against the semi-darkness at the base of the bushes, our first recorded Sedge Warbler for the year, moving among the stems and picking insects from the base of the leaves.  This stretch of the canal has been a favoured by these diminutive migrants for decades, but last year none were reported from anywhere in the valley.  Nowadays they are only with us for a short time, but in the 1990s they nested successfully by the Staffs & Worcs Canal at Wightwick and at Compton, the earliest return date so far being April 15th in 2011.  Today's bird continues to sing sporadically, never ascending more than a few feet above the base of the bushes and eventually disappearing into the gloom.  The weather's lifting somewhat, so let's give the racecourse a go . . .

 

 

DUNSTALL PARK,    MONDAY MAY 11th.    

 

It's a story of mystery appearances and disappearances at the Dunstall Park.  Firstly, a mass swan invasion, and secondly, a breeding calamity for geese.  Ten Mute Swan were seen on the lake on May 3rd, and today there are 12.   At least seven are immature birds, and their grouping with a handful of adults suggests families may be involved.  Quite where they have come from is a mystery, and the size of the flock is only equalled by six adults and six youngsters which flew in on November 2nd 2008.  As for the Canada Geese, at least six pairs were sitting on the lake island, but by mid-April all nests were empty.  Quite what forced the birds to quit is a mystery, as there was no sign of broken eggs or of dead goslings.  Weather conditions were not harsh, so some kind of predation may have taken place.  Lesser Black-backed Gulls have almost certainly taken Coot chicks this year, and Mink have been seen along the nearby canals in the past.  The Little Grebe pair are still present, but  no youngsters have been seen, so maybe nesting has failed.  A pair of Barn Swallow appear to be setting up inside the Smestow brook culvert pipe by the lake (a pair nested there in 1998), and at least two pairs are breeding in the stables at the other end of the site.

                   

Recent racecourse records include the Gadwall pair still at the lake on April 26th, a nesting Goldfinch near the parade ring,  a singing Lesser Whitethroat on the western edge on April 26th, a Pheasant calling from the oak copse on April 26th, and a male Wheatear on April 29th.  Elsewhere along the valley,  Geoff reports that a Garden Warbler first heard at the top of the Compton barleyfield on May 4th was still present on 11th,  and Gary Christianson from the Pool Hall lane smallholding reported an Oystercatcher flying low along the canal towards Windmill Lane on May 5th, and a group of Swift moving northwards on May 8th, the first local record this year.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

               

weekend composite

This post is a combination of three reports having bumped into both Angus and Geoff .
Kingfisher; couple of sightings in the southern half along the canal
sand Martin one over lupin field
Whitethroat scattered throughout valley10+
Skylark displaying bird between castlecroft and pool hall
Linnet pair just south castlecroft bridge
Lesser Whitethroat both Geoff and Angus  heard, barleyfield and lupin field respectively maybe also one at wightwick
Yellow wagtail calling bird over the rough ground between pines and dell
Reed Buntings mating birds on the lupin field confounding angus who was lamenting their disappearance.
Thrushes; pair of mistles at Compton and several Songs suggesting much better year for both.
Finally more Chiffchaff song than blackcap today reversing events of recent days

update

Quick update from this mornings visit to the north of the valley.  lots of singing Blckcaps including three in the old orchard at Aldersley Junction, but only two singing Chiffchaff. 2 singing whitethroat in the scrub behind the orchard.and Grasshopper Warbler, seen but not heard, in brsambles by railing top middle lupin field.

Willow Warblers

It is that time of year when birders suffer pre migration tension. One does wonder though with the plethora of blogs and information services all reporting sightings whether our expectations are too high. Geoff has been connecting with a singing willow warbler in the top corner of the barleyfield for most of the last week  but that seems to be the only report since the early sighting last month.
However if I reflect on it maybe there is just too much disturbance in the valley. at the risk of being anthropomorphic I wonder if  passing birds are put off by all the building work, maybe the site just looks different and they do not feel safe. Also of course there are a lot of people using the area.  Then again if I look at my own Willow Warbler records this year I did not hear a singing bird until this week just gone. On Monday 5/6 birds on Cannock chase, but all but 1 was in the same small plantation, and 7/8 on cuckoo bank on Wednesday where also had two cuckoos!.  Otherwise it has been perhaps half a dozen on Isle of Wight at start of April , 3 at pool hall yesterday and singles elsewhere.  The early bird I saw in the valley reminded me of a fall of Willows in early April on the Pembrokeshire coast a few years ago. The only other species involved were wheatears and there were about 70 of each.  Whereas the wheatears showed little variation other than gender the willows amazed me with their plumage variation.  Some birds were almost clourless in terms of green/yellow being a washed out fawny colour as was the bird I saw in the valley on 17 march.
Otherwise only catch up reports for 2nd week april were Kingfisher on smestow in paddocks and female grey wagtail at wightwick mill lock.

ONE ROLLER-COASTING BUZZARD

AND THE COOTS WHO LOVE COKE

This morning (Saturday 19th)  it's a north easterly wind at Aldersley/Oxley, the grass slopes next to the bottom end of the Birmingham Canal's 21-lock flight are dull, cold and quiet, bird song is scattered and subdued, and there's very little in the air, save a small group of Lesser Black-backed Gulls making their noisy way towards the city.  The racecourse too is quiet, only the briefest of Little Grebe calls from the lake, and a Nuthatch trilling near its nest tree.  Earlier in the week things were warmer and livelier . . . 

Aldersley/Oxley,  Monday April 14th

Bright and cool, a good day to watch from the top of the rough grass fields between the railway carriageworks and the Birmingham Canal.  A male Sparrowhawk angles low over the railway viaduct at Jones Road, five Chiffchaff and three Blackcap are singing,  the tinkling notes of at least four Goldfinch come from towpath bushes and trees, a Grey Heron makes its laboured way up the flight of locks, while to the south over the city at least 30 Lesser Black-backed Gulls circle over their nests sites.  To the west, low over Aldersley Stadium, a grey shape circles, gaining height, stocky, powerful, broad-based wings outlined against the whisps of white cloud, moving effortlessly against the wind, within minutes towering over the racecourse,  turning and climbing even higher, then slanting away to the south west, a Peregrine, master of the elements, soon returning at speed and, with scarcely a wingbeat, turning and taking up its position again over the city, eventually lost to view, disappearing into  the bright blue bowl of the sky.

 

Aldersley/Oxley/Newbridge,  Wednesday April 16th

 

The wind has died and it's hot, conditions perfect for late-morning raptors.  Bang on cue two Buzzards float up from behind the railway carriageworks at Oxley, the northernmost of three pairs nesting along the Smestow Valley, circling together and displaying before separating, one moving low towards Jones Road, the other disappearing northwards behind the railway bank trees.  Later, mid-afternoon, perhaps one of the same birds calls as it circles over Newbridge playingfield, wing patches lit by the sun as it turns.  Always best to check above the circling bird, and sure enough there's another, very high, moving slowly south westwards, very probably a stranger, possibly sounding out a new territory.  The Newbridge bird gains height and then plunge dives, wings folded, before climbing again as if on a roller coaster, repeating the performance to tell  all who need to know that this is its kingdom.

 

Aldersley/Oxley/Dunstall Park,  Thursday April 17th

 

Dull and a cool breeze again, but calm and slightly warmer alongside the last five canal locks as they descend to Aldersley junction.  A beautiful pink-red chested male Bullfinch feeds in the willows, "tac tac" calls from a male Blackcap suggests the females are beginning to arrive, Chiffchaff have already paired up, and the clear repeated notes of a Song Thrush sound from a traditional nesting area.  A familiar shape hangs and flutters over the rough grass slope, a male Kestrel, the first I've seen here for some time, a species that until recently nested annually at the racecourse, but is now the least regularly seen local raptor.  Later, one of the area's nesting Buzzards hovers over the same area, hanging gently and effortlessly against the breeze, its lack of wing action in sharp contrast to the trembling movements of the smaller species.

Down on Dunstall Park a Swallow flits over the stables and then diasappears (the ground staff say the first arrivals were two on April 10th),  and at least five House Martin and four Sand Martin skim low over the lake.  Soon it'll be summer . . .

 

 

PS.  A pair of Coot are proudly sitting on a nest completed in the last few days on the edge of the Birmingham Canal. They have woven into this impressive structure not only reeds and sticks but mad-made materials including a supermarket carrier bag, string, a plastic Coke bottle and a tobacco packet telling us that UK duty has been paid.  They've covered everything.

 

 

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

           

Migration Update

sun 13th april 2014          early morning           mid section        

clear sky and sunny but chilly

    Willow Warbler singing erratically and mostly distant at the top SE corner of Barleyfield,just after I left Ian by the Meccano bridge,the first this spring.Still singing when revisited late afternoon. Plenty of singing chiffchaff and blackcap,also 2 swallow. A pair of mallard by Meadow View bridge with 7 small chicks.On fri 11th I had a treecreeper at the Barleyfield level crossings,a scarce species in this area.

DUCKS DEPART AND SWALLOWS

SWOOP IN, FRESH OUT OF AFRICA

Dunstall Park,   Saturday 12th April 2014

The spring blossom is everywhere, pink and white waves of cherry and blackthorn bright against the fresh green of hawthorn and willow along the western and northern boundaries of the racecourse.  High broken cloud edges in from the north west, and despite the mid-morning sun the air is cold out on the open grass, so it's a two-fleece layer and a steady walk alongside the drainage ditches where two Wheatear were seen by a member of the racecourse staff on March 29th.  This species has for more than three decades been seen here on spring migration from its sub-Saharan and east African wintering grounds, always favouring the south eastern edge of the site and feeding along edges of the mown central area and its service roads.  Fewer have been recorded in recent years, but in the 1990s good numbers were seen annually, despite racecourse redevelopment in the middle of the decade.  An impressive 70 birds were seen in total during the spring of 1992, and single-day records include 31  on the site on 17/4/2004, a total only exceeded regionally by 35 birds at Sandwell Valley on 3/4/1983.  A scan of the lake confirms that wintering ducks have departed (the Gadwall pair were last seen on April 5th, with three male and two female Shoveler and three female and four male Teal present the day before), and that at least seven pairs of Canada Geese are sitting on nests, most of them enjoying the relative safety of the island.  Coot too are nesting, possibly as many as six pairs, their white forehead "shields" glimpsed among the spiked aquatic grass, and a brief whinnying call shows that the Little Grebe pair are still here.  The fact they're now so elusive as to be invisible strongly suggests they're breeding.  Fingers crossed, as the last nesting success in the valley was at Dunstall Park 14 years ago.  At least three Moorhen are present, again, breeding is on the cards, and close to the lake fence three Snipe are flushed, angling away back towards the island (numbers have fallen away since 16 were seen on March 16th).  High above, a single Cormorant makes its stiff bow-winged way towards the south west, while two female Sparrowhawks are in territorial display over the western edge of the racecourse, white undertail feathers spread as they twist, glide, swoop and circle, one of them eventually diving away towards a traditional nest site pursued by its rival, both birds disappearing below the tree line as a single Buzzard circles high in outline against the white-grey clouds.  At least three singing Chiffchaff and the clear notes of a Blackcap along the tree-lined north western boundary show that the first of our breeding migrants are well and truly back, and from the copse bordering Aldersley canal juction comes the sharp trilling call of a Nuthatch, the bird returning to a nest site used by a pair for the past three summers.  This time of year you never know quite what's about, so one more walk round the lake, and sure enough, just the briefest of glimpses, fast and low, turning up into the sun and back down to skim the surface, our first recorded racecourse Barn Swallow for 2014. Typically it vanishes, but a few minutes later there are two, this time lifting and falling low over the mown grass, slanting away as they hawk, hopefully birds which will help continue the Dunstall Park nesting tradition for this wonderful species.  The ground staff now mark their return date on their office calendar.

OK, time to go, but hang on, something's just dropped in, there's a familiar shape rolling and veering over the lake fence, dark paddle wings propelling their owner on to the top of the island where he stands erect, dark-eyed, black head crest bending in the breeze, a single Lapwing, hopefully back to stand vigil and await the arrival of a mate.  A pair first bred in the lake area in 2002, and there was intermittent success thereafter, with two youngsters successfully fledged in 2007. Since then all nesting attempts have failed, with chicks predated and nests abandoned.  Last year there was just the odd record of a bird in late April, so let's see what happens this time.  Hope springs eternal.

                      

Other recent Smestow Valley sightings have included on March 26th a male Reed Bunting at Dunstall Park lake, 26 Magpie foraging on Dunstall Park, and a total of seven Buzzard seen in the air at the same time over three sites (one over Wightwick, two over Stockwell End and four over Aldersley/Oxley), and on March 23rd two Goldcrest in the hawthorn wood north of Hordern Road.  Six Siskin and a male Redpoll were on garden feeders by the old railway south of Hordern Road on March 25th (three Siskin were still present on March 28th), ten Redwing fed on ivy berries by the canal towpath near Dunstall Water Bridge on March 28th,  a Mistle Thrush sang by Newbridge playingfield on March 31st and April 6th,  Stock Dove called from trees near Aldersley canal junction on April 5th, an adult Mute Swan was on Dunstall Park lake on April 8th, and a female Grey Wagtail foraged along the muddy exit of the Smestow brook culvert by Dunstall Water Bridge on April 10th.  

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

 

          

brief update

6 singing chiffchaff on Saturday morning between barleyfield and water bridge. The one at water bridge calling distinctly slower than others.
singing blackcap in hawthorn wood
3 redwing on barleyfield
male grey wagtail at waterbridge, different to the male I saw near meccano in early march. the latter was really well marked whereas the former was duller; does this mean it was a younger bird??
still very little evidence of nuthatch and great spotted woodpecker; both of these were very prominent a year ago in a very different spring.  could it be  that last year their food source was still on the tree because there were no flying insects and now even blue tits are flycatching hmmmmmm.
finally a belated early march report of collared dove on the canal at wightwick.

update

Hawthorn wood today had two male blackcap one in full song the other only managing desultory chatter. Also pairs of jays and sparrowhawk and singing chiffchaff at waterbridge.
The stadium had a redpoll and 4 siskin.
The rook estate now has 18 nests.
It was very noticeable how many song thrush were seen some carrying food suggesting mate's incubating.  It will be interesting to see if they are the first to produce young (even in last years cold I found two fully fledged young in a highland glen in mid may!) although one would expect the first visible young to be mallard or even moorhen whose reduction in numbers is probably down to sitting birds.

SUDDENLY SPRING IS SPRUNG AND

MIGRANTS ARE MOVING THROUGH

Long time no post, so a scan of the weeks which marked the end of one of our mildest-ever winters is perhaps in order.  Unlike the freezing winter of 2012/13 there've been no unusual mid-winter visitors to the canals, mixed finch flocks have been few and far between,  gull numbers have been down on playingfields and Dunstall Park, winter thrushes have hardly featured, and garden feeding stations have been unseasonably quiet.  On the quieter, sunnier days, however, there were birds to be found, and as Geoff and Ian have reported, last week's warm winds and sunshine brought the first passage birds back to the valley, at least three weeks earlier than last year when frozen ground and bitter weather stopped migration in its tracks.  Some species are already nesting, bumble bees and butterflies are on the wing, and celandine and coltsfoot are carpeting the canalbanks.  So, just a brief look back on some of the birds seen and heard as winter drew to a close.

Newbridge, Aldersley and Dunstall Park                     

It's the beginning of February, and a Tawny Owl calls from the edge of Newbridge playingfield at around midnight on 6th (one is heard at in the Aldersley stadium/Dunstall Water Bridge area at 10.15 in the morning on March 5th).  At least 20 Siskin chatter communally in trees by the old railway south of Hordern Road throughout the month, alongside a few Redpoll and at least one Bullfinch pair, and the largest Black-headed Gull flock of the winter numbering around 900 birds is on Dunstall Park on February 22nd with 30 Lesser Black-backed Gull.   Two pairs of Raven are seen together over Dunstall Park and Oxley on February 15th, the one pair's aerial display suggesting they may be the valley's nesting birds defending their territory, at least 10 Redwing forage along the canal boundary of the racecourse on February 22nd,  a Treecreeper feeds along a rotting fence by the old railway just north of Tettenhall Road on February 24th  (there is one in Newbridge wood on March 11th), and the month's star bird fishes on the canal just north of Dunstall Water Bridge on February 12th, a handsome male Goosander, very likely the bird seen more than once by Ian at the southern end of the valley in recent weeks.  A Rook pair were building a nest in the oak copse on the edge of the racecourse by the Water Bridge on February 24th, and despite an absence of birds at the site during January's tempestuous weather, by mid-March at least 15 nests have been completed at what is now the valley's only rookery.  At least 20 Jackdaw were seen in the same copse on March 3rd, a Green Woodpecker called from the site on March 15th, and a pair of Grey Wagtail foraged nearby at the Smestow brook culvert entrance by the Water Bridge on March 8th, and Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker have been heard and seen throughout the period in Newbridge wood.  The low chuntering sub-song of a wintering Blackcap came from an ivy-covered tree by the old railway north of Tettenhall Road on March 5th, and a male of the same species which had been a daily visitor to a garden next to Newbridge playingfield since January 6th was last seen on March 9th, a stay of nearly nine weeks.

 

At Dunstall Park lake, duck numbers have fallen, with just a pair of Teal (31 birds were present on January 19th) remaining, and two male and a female Shoveler and a Mallard pair seen on March 18th.  The Gadwall pair present on and off at the lake throughout the late winter were still there on March 16th and a pair of Little Grebe have been heard and occasionally seen in the last few weeks, raising hopes of another nesting attempt (the last successful breeding was 14 years ago).  At least five pairs of Coot are setting up breeding territories, two Moorhen pairs are disputing nesting sites and around six pairs of Canada Geese are in constant and noisy conflict along the shoreline.  Snipe numbers are always difficult to gauge, but at least 20 were counted on the island  on March 16th, around 30 Starling have been bathing at the lake in recent days, a pair of Stock Dove have been drinking there, and a male Reed Bunting was in shoreline bushes on March 18th.  Flocks of c.30 Crow, up to 25 Magpie and a pair of Mistle Thrush have been seen on the central grass area of the racecourse, and a dark-plumaged Buzzard has been seen regularly, either perched or flying low across the Valley Park School end of the site, much to the consternation of the nesting Rooks.

 

Elsewhere, at least one Jay has been seen and heard by the old railway at Aldersley stadium, eleven Greenfinch were in bushes by Newbridge canal wharf on February 10th, and single Goldcrest were by the towpath at Aldersley stadium on February 7th, in Newbridge wood on February 10th and by Newbridge playingfield on March 3rd in a conifer where the species nested two years ago.  Goldfinch sang at Dunstall Park, in Newbridge wood, the hawthorn wood north of Hordern Road, the Water Bridge and by Newbridge playingfield, Coal Tit were heard at Tettenhall Road bridge, by Newbridge playingfield and by the old railway south of Aldersley stadium, and Long-tailed Tit pairs fed in gardens and along the old railway anywhere from Newbridge to Oxley.  Song Thrush, Robin, Chaffinch, Wren and Dunnock were in voice all along the valley, with garden visitors including Wood Pigeon, Blackbird and Collared Dove.  

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

what a difference a year makes

Cannot help but reflect back on this time last year when any migrant foolish enough to arrive would be lucky to survive and we witnessed warblers feeding on the ground.
Today in the north of the valley there were three singing chiffchaff somewhat incongruously accompanied by a singing Redwing in hawthorn wood.
A little further north adjacent to the rifle range another warbler but this time the pale legs more attenuated form and longer supercilium indicated a Willow Warbler which fed extremely actively.
Postscript to yesterday was displaying lapwing and calling skylark at the southern end of the valley beyond castlecroft bridge.
Postscript to today was 3 buzzards soaring over my house in crowther rd.

update

Review of wintering species.
Little Grebe; they now seem to have left the canal, last sighting I had was 3 on 7th March
Fieldfare; none today flock of around 50 on farmland beyond pool hall last Saturday
Redwing small groups of 5/6 along valley up to yesterday
Goosander still in first few days of March possibly commuting between Poolhall and fishery off Wergs Hall lane.
Siskin; still the little group on Smestow behind coach depot.

Other news

Rooks; after a late start (often return to rookeries late January) our Rookery just north of water bridge has 15 nests twice as many as previously perhaps reflecting better survival rates in mild winter.
Finches; Goldfinches seem to be much the most numerous of this family in the valley. It is normal to encounter 50+ whilst Chaffinch seem scarce although did encounter flock of 150 on fields with above mentioned Fieldfare.
Goldcrest; several singing birds along railway line.
Buzzard; many sightings including 5 along tettenhall ridge
Chiffchaff; as per Geoff posting 2 singing either side barleyfield this morning

and finally again this morning a sand martin catching insects over the training pitches

first and last

It is that time of year when birders eagerly seek out spring arrivals and also note the last sighting of winter visitors.  So in response to Geoff's post all I can offer is that I have not yet heard a singing Chiffchaff in the valley (nor in a days birding today in Wyre forest).  But on 27th Feb I did see a Chiffy fly across Lloyd St and dive into the hedge just beyond the Summerhouse Pub. No I hadn't been in.  It was followed by a male Blackcap which then showed well in the adjacent tree.
With Blackcaps it is generally assumed that our wintering birds are different to our summer visitors but I am not sure if the same can be said for chiffchaff.
Otherwise a calling Tawny Owl daytime last week nightime mid Feb,.

First migrants of spring, but are they coming or going

sun 9th march 2014                                 early morning                              mid section         

warm and sunny 1st spring morning

On arrival at the top of the Barleyfield I could hear the chiff - chaff song of a chiffchaff coming from the birch plantation, but is this a very early spring migrant or one of the growing number of British wintering chiffchaffs on its way to Northern Europe. If its the former its 5 to 10 days earlier that usual, another Chiffchaff was singing on the western border of the Barleyfield near the old oak tree, of note there was one at Belvide Reservoir yesterday and it will be interesting to see if Angus or Ian have any today.

 At last the muddy paths seem to be drying out.

Other birds of note included 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, the local pair of Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk, 8+ Redwing, 2 Siskin, a bright male Lesser Redpoll, the Coot is still present just south of Tettenhall Rd, the usual singing birds Wren,Dunnock,Robin,Chaffinch and Blue / Great Tits,                

Water Vole

1st March 2014                midday               mid section

Not the best time for birding,around midday,but i'll give it a go.

             Coot is not considered a winter visitor but its the nearest I can muster today as any sort of seasonal interloper.One was on the canal at Newbridge, possibly the one thats spent most of the last few months further north near the Wildlife Centre at Hordern Rd.

        Plenty of singing birds encountered including Goldfinch,Greenfinch,Chaffinch,Wren,Dunnock,Robin and Blue and Great Tits. A Great Spotted Woodpecker  was drumming on the Barleyfield but strangely no thrushes were vocal.Three  Buzzard soaring over Tettenhall Ridge with a pair very high and another much lower.

   The highlight of the day tho was undoubtedly

 a very obliging

 Water Vole eating the vegetation opposite the moored boats just north of Tettenhall Rd bridge.

Apologies for poor quality only had phone available