Newbridge,  20^th January  2016

 

Half-roll Raven and

a grebe that’s greedy

 

Hard overnight frost, bright, cold and calm, a perfect winter morning in which to check the Smestow brook as it winds its way through the rough grass fields south of Windmill Lane at Wightwick, followed by a walk via the canal towpath and old railway back towards Compton and Newbridge.  Over Castlecroft canal bridge (no sign of Gareth’s Corn Bunting), and nothing much is showing, save a hunched Buzzard perched by the brook nearer to Pool Hall, and a few Robins, Wrens and Dunnocks calling from along the hedgerows.  Back along the edge of the brook, and a Kingfisher arrows its way low over the grass by the canal run-off, a Collared Dove joins Magpie and Woodpigeon in bushes by the stream, and a Grey Heron lifts off from the water’s edge just south of Windmill Lane.  A pair of Jackdaw are indulging in mutual grooming high in tree by the road when the largest of their relatives appears over Wightwick ridge in the angular shape of a single Raven, making its way purposefully towards the north east, the low sun giving it a dull sheen as it half-rolls twice over Compton.  No time today, it seems, for the full barrelling display, it’s just letting the bird world knows it’s there.  After that, nothing of real note, save a Stock Dove low over the Compton barleyfield and yet another Coal Tit (they’re everywhere!) busying itself in a bush by the Smestow south of Tettenhall Road.

A walk along the Wightwick section of the Smestow last Saturday (January 16^th) produced a Jay flying towards the Bridgnorth Road with an acorn in its bill, a single Fieldfare on a phone wire, a Kestrel over the rough grass fields, a female Pheasant flushed from the brook margin just south of Windmill Lane, and a male Goosander flying westwards along the canal before changing course northwards towards Tinacre Hill.

Sightings in recent days include a singing Goldfinch by Newbridge allotments on 17^th, a pair of Bullfinch in Newbridge wood on 17^th and three Buzzard circling low over Stockwell End in misty conditions at lunchtime on 18^th.  A female Blackcap on a feeder by Newbridge playingfield on 17^th was very likely the bird seen in the same garden on January 5^th.

 

PS  A Little Grebe seen trying to eat what appeared to be a roach nearly as long as itself by Tunstall Water Bridge on 15^th eventually gave up the struggle and let its victim drift off down the canal.  This wasteful bird could be in breach of EU fishery discard regulations, even though the rules apply to catches that are too small, not too big . . .