Smestow Valley Birding

Two warbler species, chiffchaff  one in bushes near Meccano Br and blackcap 1♀ in Hanging Grds northern end and a male by the Barleyfield crossings in elder bushes. Again numerous sightings of jay around the Barleyfield probably involving 2-3 birds and one calling by the station. Two green woodpecker flying and calling in the Hanging Grds, one flew across field to Wetland Alders. A nuthatch calling from the eastern border of Barleyfield was unusual. A grey wagtail foraging in the brook by the bridge at Prefabs and a little grebe by the Meccano bridge.

Little Grebe	1	1 nr s/p  Meccano Br,
Moorhen	2 imm	1 imm Prefab weir,   1 imm Meccano Br,
Green Woodpecker	2	Barleyfield
Grey Wagtail	1	1 ad wt  Prefabs on smestow,
Wren	2 singing	mid section
Robin	15 singing	mid section
Blackcap	1♂ 1♀	1♀ Hanging Grds,  1♂ Hanging Grds X,
Chiffchaff	1	Meccano Grds
Nuthatch	calls	Barleyfield Eastern Border
Jay	4+	mid section
Chaffinch	2 >> E over	Barleyfield
Bullfinch	5	Barleyfield
Red Admiral	1	Meadow View
Speckled Wood	2	1 Barleyfield,  1 Prefab Weir

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

Station Paddock ( the wooded area behind the old station ) is still loud with bird song at dawn, I could hear chaffinch singing from the canal bridge,was greeted by wren as I walked through the gate,then blackbird followed by blackcap,robin and chiffchaff all with in a few minutes, no less than three song thrush and a dunnock with more of each before I reached the gate at the other end. An area not much larger than a football pitch and full of life.

       I could only find two of the three mallard chicks on the Wetlands and no sign of mum. While on the walkway there a fox arrived, reedmace was between us so it didn't see me, I watched it for a short time and then it twigged, it stopped,looked and looked again, decided yes its one of those bipeds, turned slowly and slopped  off  but not with out a backward glance, as they do.

Canada Goose	1	below Compton Lock,
Mallard	2 broods	2 chks Wetlands,  ♀+2 chks Meccano Bridge,
Moorhen	1 Wetlands,  1+4 chk Prefabs,  1 w/grown juv Prefab weir,
Lesser Black Backed Gull	8 (6 imm)	Compton Field
Wood Pigeon	35	Compton Field
Wren	17 singing	mid section
Dunnock	2 singing	mid section
Robin	5 singing	mid section
Blackbird	3 singing	mid section
Song Thrush	7 singing	mid section
Mistle Thrush	3 >> S over	Barleyfield
Whitethroat	2 singing	Shrike Bushes
Blackcap	9 singing	mid section
Chiffchaff	7 singing	mid section
Long Tailed Tit	4	prefabs
Nuthatch	calls  Meccano Br,   calls Newbridge Tennis Courts
Jackdaw	odds over	mid section
Chaffinch	3 singing	mid section
Fox	1	Wetlands