Kevin: A fine adult Yellow-legged Gull, c300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, c450 Black-headed Gulls and c20 Herring Gulls gathered late afternoon before departing towards Bartley Reservoir, but no Glaucous or Iceland Gulls amongst them! Now three summer-plumaged Great Crested Grebes present, but no sign of yesterday's Tufted Ducks.
Gareth: Back to college, so no birding.
Kevin: 58 species. Gareth: 67 species.
Kevin: A cold, bright day brings some changes at last – an adult Common Gull was the first of the year, five Tufted Duck were the first since one at the start of the year and the pair of Great Crested Grebe have started displaying.
Gareth: A first-winter Mediterranean Gull was on the largely frozen lake this morning before flying off down the valley. A Common Gull was also present.
Kevin: 58 species. Gareth: 67 species.
Gareth: Two year ticks – Brambling at Compton Park and Treecreeper near Aldersley Junction. A first-winter Yellow-legged Gull and adult Scandinavian Lesser Black-backed Gull were at Dunstall Park. Totals of seven Goldcrests and three Dabchick between Compton and Aldersley JUnction.
Kevin: Quiet at Netherton Reservoir this lunchtime, though the two Great Crested Grebes and a few Dabchick were still present.
Gareth: 67 species. Kevin: 57 species
Gareth: An early morning visit to Dunstall Park was unproductive. Geoff Russon found a Brambling at Compton Park, which I will look for tomorrow – I was not able to today due to playing Sunday League football again after the Christmas and New Year break – we won 4-2 and I helped set up one of our goals.
Kevin: Leading a Wolverhampton RSPB Local Group coach trip to Cantley/Strumpshaw prevented any patch birding, though I did see 8 species of geese: 84+ Taiga Bean (image of distant birds below), 42+ White-fronted and 67 Pink-footed at Cantley Marshes, one Red-breasted, 53+ Barnacle and some Canadas and Greylags at Buckenham Marshes and one Egyptian at Strumpshaw Fen. Also, 2+ Marsh Harriers and 1+ Marsh Tit at Strumpshaw Fen.
Gareth: 65 species. Kevin: 57 species.
At Dunstall Park this morning, the best birds were 4 Coot (rare here in winter) and 2 Common Gulls.
For the rest of the day we joined forces.
At Wightwick, the drake Mandarin (image below) was still on the Staffs. & Worcs. Canal. A male Peregrine flew over some distance towards Pool Hall, outside our area and which Gareth has, very honourably, not counted for his local patch year list.
At Netherton Reservoir, the 2 summer-plumaged Great Crested Grebes were still present, but the gulls were disturbed by boat activity.
We joined Julian Allen, Paul Jeynes, Steve Haynes and several other birders at Bartley Reservoir for the gull roost to look for the Iceland Gull – third time lucky for us, hopefully. As soon as we arrived, the juvenile Glaucous Gull was picked out, but all the other birders left well before dark to leave just the five of us to search for the Iceland Gull. Steve soon picked out the juvenile bird and quickly put us onto it. Although both birds remained too distant for photography, the five of us enjoyed watching the juvenile Iceland and Glaucous Gulls in the same 'scope view! Third time lucky indeed!
Kevin: 57 species. Gareth: 65 species.
Early this morning we went to the salubrious Wombourne sewage works, where Gareth soon picked out the handsome Firecrest, which showed well, if it was somewhat mobile. Also in the area we counted at least seven Goldcrests.
Gareth: I walked back along the railway walk to Smestow Valley, the highlight being another two Goldcrests.
Kevin: A site visit to Cotwall End Valley LNR saw a good selection of woodland birds, including two Willow Tits, at least three Goldcrests (they must be benefitting from the mild weather!), Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Bullfinch, Nuthatch and Treecreeper, and a most unexpected Red Admiral butterfly!
Early afternoon at Netherton Reservoir produced seven Little Grebes (the year's highest total), two Great Crested Grebe, an adult Great Black-backed Gull, the year's first two Canada Geese there and another Buzzard, but no Goldcrests!
Kevin: 57 species. Gareth: 65 species.
Kevin: Fewer gulls at Netherton Reservoir this lunchtime compared to yesterday, but 2 summer plumage Great Crested Grebe (one of yesteday's birds was winter plumaged) and 6 Dabchick.
Gareth: Another day at College.
Kevin: 57 species; Gareth 65 species.
Kevin: At Netherton Reservoir this lunchtime were 1 adult Great Black-backed, 6 Herring, 133 Lesser Black-backed and 400 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Great Crested Grebe, at least 5 Dabchick and 53 Coot.
Gareth: Returned to College, so no birding today.
Kevin: 57 species. Gareth: 65 species.
Gareth: I found a Kittiwake (second-winter ? on account of black spots on tertials, extensive grey on nape and dark base to bill) at Dunstall Park this morning, which Dad twitched from home on his way to work. The fourth site record, it was quite mobile, moving between the car parks, lake, central grassland and house roofs (image below). Also present today were an adult Common Gull and two Coot (rare here in winter).
Kevin: Gareth's Kittiwake was a Smestow Valley patch tick for me, but the only birds of note at Netherton Reservoir this afternoon were two Great Crested Grebes (one a new bird) and at least five Dabchicks.
Gareth: 65 species. Kevin: 57 species.
Gareth: One Raven flew over Dunstall Park in the morning.
Otherwise, visits to our own patches this morning were unproductive. Let's hope things improve soon.
Kevin: 57 species. Gareth: 64 species.