- 1st
- Sun
|
- 2°C
-2°C
- Sunny
intervals. Evening snow.
- E4
|
| A Mealy Redpoll was with 10
Lesser Redpolls near Fly Bay (IW) and 25 Siskins were in alders by
the Slurry Pool (PJ). On the Swag there were 7 Goosanders, 15
Pochard and 67 Goldeneye (GE). The large gull roost held an adult Mediterranean
Gull, the 3rd w Caspian Gull, 2 (adult and 3rd w) Yellow-legged
Gulls and late on a possible juv Kumlien's Gull dropped
in but better views are needed to discount the possibility of a
small faded northern Herring Gull (PJ, IW, MY). |
| The berries at Silver Court have nearly
all gone resulting in a flock of 22 Waxwings soon departing
during the early morning with only a single bird briefly seen later
(PW). |
| At Stubbers Green the 3rd w Caspian
Gull and adult Yellow-legged Gull were seen and the juvenile Iceland Gull was seen
there and at the nearby Highfields South tip (PJ, MY). |
- Juvenile Iceland Gull © Phil Parsons
|
- 3rd w Caspian Gull © Phil Parsons
|
|
- 2nd
|
- 2°C
-1°C
- Heavy
snow
showers
- NE4
|
| Around 6cm of snow made for some good
photo opportunities but little of note was seen on the lake from the
dam. Several Redwings were around the old vicarage gardens but heavy
snow during the late afternoon reduced the visibility to make it
impossible to check the gull roost (GE). |
|
- 3rd
|
- 2°C
-2C
- Sunny
- SE3
|
| The drake Smew, a drake Shoveler
and 3 Wigeon were on the lake and 11 Goosanders were on the Swag. 20
Siskins and a Woodcock (EGP) were near the feeding station
where a Coal Tit, Willow Tit and several Bullfinches fed. The large
gull roost held an adult Mediterranean Gull, adult Yellow-legged
Gull and the usual juv Iceland Gull which arrived at
17:20 (PJ, IW, EGP). |
| Large numbers of gulls were over
Cannock Tip during the late afternoon with many gathering on
Kingswood Lake prior to flying to roost at Chasewater. There were
also 98 Canada Geese on the lake (GE). |
| An adult Yellow-legged Gull was
at Stubbers Green (EGP). |
|
- 4th
|
- 2°C
-1°C
- Cloudy
- E2
|
| There was a large gull roost again
tonight with an adult Mediterranean Gull, 3rd w Yellow-legged
Gull, a possible 2nd w Caspian Gull and the usual juv Iceland Gull which was present at
16:30 but not seen later and one arrived at Belvide at 16:45 (PJ, IW, JSB). |
| 24 Waxwings were at Silver
Court, Brownhills at 07:55 (GE). |
|
-
5th
|
- 2°C
-2°C
-
Morning snow clearing
- NE3
|
|
Another 5cm of snow has fallen. A Raven was seen
by the dam (PW) and in the large gull roost there was an adult Mediterranean
Gull, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, the juv Iceland Gull
arrived at 17:00 and the possible 2nd w Caspian Gull was again seen (IW).
|
|
The juv Iceland Gull was at Stubbers Green at
13:00 (RC).
|
|
- 6th
|
- 0°C
-4°C
- Cloudy
becoming sunny
- S1
|
| The drake Smew was on the edge
of Fly Bay where there were also 2 Goosander, 10 Gadwall and a Grey
Wagtail. At the Feeding Station there were several Reed Buntings and
Bullfinches (EO). Over 3500 large gulls
roosted including at least 1940 Lesser Black-backs and over 1200
Herring Gulls. The juv Iceland Gull was present along with 3
(adult, 3rd w and 2nd w) Yellow-legged Gulls and 1, possibly
2, adult Mediterranean Gull (PJ, IW, ESC). |
|
On Cuckoo Bank a croaky Raven
flew over. there were 2 Stonechats, Green
and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Snipe, 2 Redwings and 14 Grey
Partridges (EO).
|
|
-
7th
- Sat
|
- 2°C
-5°C
- Sunny
- NW3
|
| The Smew was in Fly Bay and in
the roost there was an adult Mediterranean Gull and adult Yellow-legged
Gull (PJ, NSm). |
| Two Short-eared Owls were seen
on Cuckoo Bank (NS). |
|
- 8th
- Sun
|
- 2°C
-3C
- Sleet
- SSW2
|
| An adult Mediterranean Gull and
the possible juv Kumliens Gull were again seen in the roost (IW). |
|
- 9th
|
- 4°C
-1C
- Cloudy,
drizzle and sleet.
- W2
|
| The roost was impossible to observe due
to very poor visibility (PJ). |
|
- 10th
-
|
- 4°C
-1C
- Sunny
intervals
- SSE1
|
| The 3rd w Caspian Gull roosted
along with 2 (possibly 3) adult Mediterranean Gulls
which (PJ, IW, N). |
|
- 11th
-
|
- 4°C
-2C
- Rain,
sleet and snow
- NW2
|
| The roost held at least 3350 large
gulls and the juv Iceland Gull was eventually found by the
jetties at 17:45 (PJ, IW). |
|
- 12th
|
- 4°C
- Cloudy
- SW2
|
| A Raven was over the North Shore
(IW). An adult Yellow-legged Gull and
2 adult Mediterranean Gulls were in the roost along with the
juv Iceland Gull which was seen near the Watersports Club at
17:00 (PJ, IW, N). |
| The juv Iceland Gull was also
reported from Stubbers Green. |
|
- 13th
|
- 5°C
- Cloudy
- ENE1
|
|
An adult Mediterranean Gull was in the roost (PJ).
|
|
The juv Iceland Gull was seen at Stubbers Green
(JA).
|
|
- 14th
- Sat
|
- 6°C
- Cloudy
- S2
|
|
On the Swag there were 72 Goldeneye (with 5 more in Fly
Bay), 3 Goosanders, 4 Gadwall and 128 Tufted Ducks. 13 Waxwings
were in a tree along Pool Road at 16:45 (GE), a Water Rail was
near the Slurry Pool and a Mealy Redpoll was near Plant Swag (IW).
The year's first Shelduck was present along with 77 Lapwings
and a Grey Wagtail. The roost held a juv Glaucous Gull, and
adult Mediterranean Gull, the juv Iceland Gull arrived
at 17:40 and very late on a probable hybrid juv Glaucous x Herring
Gull was seen (PJ, IW, JA).
|
|
18 Waxwings were near the Ogley Hay WMC in
Brownhills (IW).
The juv Iceland Gull was at Stubbers Green (PJ).
|
|
- 15th
- Sun
|
- 9°C
5C
- Cloudy
- W2
|
|
At 15:45 an adult Kittiwake flew around the Swag
where there were also 66 Goldeneye, 10 Pochard and a Goosander (GE). A
Raven was being mobbed as it sat in a pylon and an Oystercatcher
was on the raft (PJ). An adult Mediterranean Gull was joined by
the juv Iceland Gull at 17:00 (PJ, JA).
|
|
The juv Iceland Gull was at Stubbers Green and
Highfield South landfill during the morning (JA, PJ) and an adult Caspian
Gull was seen at Stubbers Green at 15:30 (MY).
|
- Adult Caspian Gull (© M Yapp)
|
|
- 16th
|
- 8°C
5C
- Sunny
- WNW2
|
| Around 100 redpolls were in the alders
near Fly Pool (IW) and 5 Goosanders and 12 Pochard were on the Swag
(GE). The roost held the juv Iceland Gull and an adult Mediterranean
Gull (PJ, IW, GE). |
- A carpet of Snowdrops (GE)
|
| The juv Iceland Gull and 6
Goosanders were at Stubbers Green and 4 Long-eared Owls were found
roosting at an undisclosed site (KD).
A male Blackcap was in a Pelsall garden (GE) and
one has been present most days in a Chasetown garden since the
middle of January. It feeds on the fat blocks with insects embedded
in them (GR).
|
|
- 17th
-
|
- 9°C
5C
- Cloudy
- NNW3
|
50 Canada Geese (+ 5 hybrids), 35 Mute Swans and
116 Lapwings. On the Swag there were 72 Goldeneye, 135 Tufted Ducks
and 6 Pochard. On the Slurry Pool there were 23 Tufted Ducks, 1
Pochard, 3 Goosanders and 10 Gadwall (GE). The juv Iceland Gull and
adult Mediterranean Gull were again present in the
impressive roost which included up to 2000 adult Lesser Black-backs
and 750 immature large gulls (PJ, IW, PDH, JH, GE).
|
| 20 Waxwings were reported
between Brownhills and Walsall Wood. |
| An adult Yellow-legged Gull was
at Stubbers Green and the juv Iceland Gull was feeding at the
Vigo Tip along with a possible adult or 4th w Caspian Gull (PJ). |
|
- 18th
-
|
- 9°C
4C
- Cloudy
- NNW1
|
- Today was one of those days when I wonder why I
bother! Despite telling all the right people about the very rare
Round-leaved Wintergreens on the North Shore and being assured
that no harm would come to them when the scrub clearance was
undertaken, the contractors were not told about them and they
decided to burn the willow brashings directly over many of the
wintergreens and trample over many more. This is neither
affective heathland management or enhancing bio-diversity! (GE).
- Most resident species are now in song,
a pair of Green Woodpeckers was around the old vicarage and at the
Feeding Station there were several Bullfinches, 2 Willow Tits, a
Coal Tit and 10 redpolls flew over (GE). 2 juv Iceland Gulls
were in the roost, the usual bird and a paler one. 9000 Black-headed
Gulls were estimated and 765 immature large gulls were counted (PJ, GE).
|
|
- 19th
|
-
- 8°C
2C
- Cloudy
- NW2
|
|
The wind turbine was erected at the Outdoor Education
Centre today. Two Shelducks were briefly present and the 2 Iceland
Gulls roosted again, along with a new adult Mediterranean Gull,
the white Black-headed Gull and the pale-winged 1st w Herring Gull
(PJ, IW).
|
|
- 20th
|
- 8°C
2C
- Sunny
intervals
- SE2
|
- The regular juv Iceland Gull and adult Mediterranean
Gull were in the roost which also held the white Black-headed
Gull and the pale-winged 'thayer's' type Herring Gull (PJ, IW, GE).
The gull roost continues to be large for the time of year but it was
quite disturbed tonight with mass panics taking place as gulls flew
away from the newly spinning wind-turbine at the OEC before settling
tightly in the centre of the lake. No birds settled on the sailing
shore either, although the passing of two quad bikes may have caused
this but not the mass panics.
- Two surveyors in a canoe were measuring the depth
of the Swag causing most of the wildfowl to move to the Slurry Pool
where 77 Tufted Ducks were counted. The Swag was surprisingly deep
with the middle being over two metres and I was told that the
deepest part measured so far was 3.4m deep (GE).
|
- First day of operation for the Wind Turbine (GE).
|
|
- 21st
- Sat
|
- 12°C
5C
- Sunny
intervals
- W3
|
| Several redpolls, Siskins and Goldfinches
were in the alders on the North Shore (GE, NS). A smaller roost
tonight with sailing boats causing chaos. There were 2, possibly 3,
adult Mediterranean Gulls including the new bird of the 19th (PJ,
IW, N, CM, AC). |
| The usual juv Iceland Gull was at
Stubbers Green (PJ). |
| Around 100 Waxwings were reported
from near Bloxwich (BG). |
|
- 22nd
- Sun
|
- 9°C
5C
- Cloudy
- NW4
|
| Totals of 3 Goosanders, 67 Goldeneye, 14
Pochard, 3 Little Grebes, 11 Snipe, 3 Jack Snipe and a Buzzard were
counted but the full WeBS count will be posted later (PJ, GE). The
best roost of the winter included a classic 1st w Caspian Gull,
2 juv Iceland Gulls (including a new bird), 2 adult Mediterranean
Gulls (including a new bird with full black head) and the 'thayers'
type 1st w Herring Gull (PJ, IW, JA). |
| On Cuckoo Bank there were 14 Gadwall, a
Woodcock and a Jack Snipe (NS). |
|
- 23rd
-
|
- 10°C
6C
- Cloudy
- NW3
|
| The two juv Iceland Gulls from
last night were in the roost along with 2 adult Mediterranean
Gulls, one of which was a new bird and the white Black-headed
Gull (PJ, GE, IW). |
|
- 24th
-
|
- 10°C
5C
- Some
bright spells in an otherwise mild, still and cloudy day
- NW1
|
|
Eight Goosanders were on the Swag and 2 Common
Gulls on the Slurry Pool. A Little Grebe, 2 Snipe, 3 Skylarks and
a Green Woodpecker were also noted. Reed Buntings were the main
users of the Feeding Station (EO). In the
roost there were the same 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls and
one juv Iceland Gull from last night but also joined by a new
adult Iceland Gull. There were an estimated 3500 large
gulls with probably 1500 of these being immature birds including 2
pale winged 'thayers' type Herring Gulls. The white Black-headed
Gull was also present (PJ, IW, GE).
|
|
At 08:15 on Cuckoo Bank there were 2 Green
Woodpeckers, 6 Stonechats, 13 Gadwall, 5 Tufted Ducks, 2 Teal, 2
Herons, a Snipe, 25 Skylarks and about 10 Meadow Pipits.
Frogspawn with a lot of frog activity was seen in the pool south
of Eight's Wood.
Most of the activity was on the top fields where
there were 9 Grey Partridges, 120 Starlings, 95 Lapwings, 20
Skylarks, 45 Linnets, 15 Fieldfares, 40 Carrion Crows, a male
Kestrel and a Buzzard (EO).
|
|
- 25th
-
|
-
- 10°C
6C
- Cloudy
- W3
|
| The adult and juv Iceland Gull
were present in the roost along with one adult Mediterranean Gull,
the white Black-headed Gull and a 'thayers' type 1st w Herring Gull
(PJ, IW, GE). |
|
|
26th
|
- 9°C
- Sunny
intervals
- W4
|
|
The adult and juv Iceland Gulls roosted along
with 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls. A Kingfisher flew along the
west shore (PJ, IW, EGP, GE).
|
|
- 27th
|
- 10°C
- Cloudy
- WSW3
|
|
The Short-eared Owl was on the north shore heath
during the afternoon and 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, the juv Iceland
Gull, white Black-headed Gull and two pale winged 1st w Herring
Gulls were in the roost which is now distinctly smaller than a week
ago (PJ, IW, PDH, GE).
|
|
- 28th
- Sat
|
- 9°C
- Cloudy
- SSW3
|
|
A Curlew flew around calling during the morning
and probably settled on the north shore for a while. 5 Goldeneye were
in Fly Bay (GE, NS). 3 Jack Snipe, 4 Snipe and a Green Woodpecker were
on the East Heath. A male Stonechat and Short-eared Owl were on
the north shore heath. The Slurry Pool held 11 Gadwall and 4
Goosanders and on the Swag there were 65 Goldeneye and 2 Goosanders (PJ).
In the roost there were 2 juv Iceland Gulls (same as on 22nd
and 23rd), the 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 2 (adult and 3rd w)
Yellow-legged Gulls and the white Black-headed Gull (PJ,
IW, JA, N, GE).
|
|
The usual juv Iceland Gull was seen at Stubbers
Green (PJ).
|
|
