Monday 6 April 2015

weekend round up

Still very thin on the migrant front but as ever could we be being over optimistic.
The only bird which is here in force (or indeed at all ) is the chiffchaff with 6 singers on both Saturday and Thursday in the northern portion (north of tettenhal road) 6 in the middle on Saturday and 4 in the southern(beyond Compton.
Compensation has been the amount of song from resident birds. Saturday morning in the paddocks was pretty impressive. blackbirds have come to the party in the last few days and they supplemented the thrushs robins dunnock wren etc. Geoff picked out a full singing blackcap but I am wondering if it was just inspired by the chorus as no others seem to be present.
Standing on the metal bridge over the smestow brought kingfisher, goldcrest and mistle thrush as well as another parakeet sighting, this time flying towards the ridge.
Representing winter were a small group of siskin in the birchs at the  new houses by viaduct and 3 fieldfare today at castlecroft.  Also at the latter a single cormorant pair of yellowhammer singing skylark and a lonely lapwing.
Breeding is moving apace as witnessed by a pillaged egg on the railway, much more encouraging was a pair of treecreepers by the school grounds just north of tettenhall rd on Thursday.  Treecreepers seem to be doing well as we saw another 300 yds south of meccano.The rooks now have 17 constuctions (up 2 from thurs) and are surely sitting on eggs.  A pair of  grey wagtail today at wightwick finally featured a breeding male and looked very promising as a breeding pair with the female collecting stuff for a potential nest.
Also seen on Saturday were 4 greylags flying south east and a pair of goldcrest in the paddock to go with the pair by the meccano.
We will get a swallow soon.

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