Monday 30th March 2015

0915 Icy Westerlies, 6c : Oystercatcher 2, Goosander 6, Cormorant, Mute Swan 2, GC Grebe 2, LBB Gull immature, BH Gull 35, Chiffchaff, Pied Wagtail 2, Song Thrush, Coot 15, Moorhen 3. Very poor!

Photo : another look at the (dark-bellied) Brents from last week. (GWR)

Sunday 29th March 2015

1030, rain, strong westerlies 9c : Oystercatcher 2, Goosander 11, LBB Gull 2, Mute Swan 2, Pied Wagtail 2, Skylark, Blackbird. At 1530 a Cormorant, GC Grebe 2 & Teal 2 were present but nothing of interest had blown in....

Saturday 28th March 2015

0830 - 0930 cloudy strong SW 9c, not too much about - Oystercatcher 2, Heron 2, Mute Swan 2, Goosander 7 flew off, Teal 3, Song Thrush, LT Tit 2, Linnet, Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Wren, LBB Gull 3 GC Grebe 3, Blackbird 3, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Buzzard.

Friday 27th March 2015

0850 - 1020 becoming sunny 5 - 7c : Linnet pair, Reed Bunting 3, Meadow Pipit 4, Skylark, Pied Wagtail 2, Kingfisher, Chiffchaff 3, Mistle Thrush 2, Blackbird 5, Robin 2, Wren 2, Dunnock, Starling 4, Long Tailed Tit 2, Great Tit 4, Blue Tit 3, Chaffinch 2, Greenfinch, Collared Dove, Feral Pigeon 4, Wood Pigeon 15, Lapwing, Oystercatcher 2, Cormorant 2, Mute Swan 2, Great Crested Grebe 4, Goosander 7, Teal 4, Tufted 20, Mallard 20, Coot 15, Moorhen 5, Black-headed Gull 74, LBB Gull 3, Jackdaw 5, Carrion Crow 6, Magpie 15, Buzzard 3. Also a few bumblebees about.

Photo's - Chiffchaffs foraging. (GWR)

Thursday 26th March 2015

1010 - 1045 rainy, 7c : Brent Goose 2, probably a pair (photo's), Canada Goose 30+, Goosander 12, Teal 2, Tufted 20, Mallard 20, Great Crested Grebe 2, Coot 10, Moorhen 3, Cormorant 2, Mute Swan 2, Pied Wagtail 2, Lesser Black-backed Gull 3, Black-headed Gull 50, Oystercatcher 2.

(GWR)

Wednesday 25th March 2015

0915 - 1015 : Oystercatcher 2, later at Ryders Mere, Teal 13, Tufted 20, Goosander 7, Mallard 20, GC Grebe 2, Mute Swan 2, pen on nest, Cormorant 2, Moorhen 3, Coot 10, BH Gull 50, LBB Gull, Pied Wagtail 2, Grey Wagtail 2, Skylark, Mistle Thrush 2, Blackbird 3, Dunnock, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch 4, Starling 4, Long Tailed Tit 2, Wood Pigeon 12, Magpie 8, C Crow 3, Buzzard 3 over Daw End. (PPN/GWR)

Photo's show Fieldfare and 2 Mistle Thrush on 23rd March.

Tuesday 24th March 2015

1000 - 1030, breezy 6c : Chiffchaff*, Skylark*, Pied Wagtail 2, Mistle Thrush* 2, Blackbird 3, Dunnock* 2 (photo), Wren, Starling 11, Long Tailed Tit 2, Goldfinch 3, Buzzard 3, Sparrowhawk, Mute Swan 2, GC Grebe 2, Tufted 29, Teal 2, Oystercatcher 2, Lapwing 2, + usuals.

*males in song.

Monday 23rd March 2015

A brief visit at 1200 - Lapwing 2, Oystercatcher, Teal 4, GC Grebe 2, Moorhen 5, Coot 20, Pied Wagtail 2, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare 2, Blackbird, Robin. During the afternoon 4 Goosander, 2 LBB Gull & a Heron dropped in. At 0730 7 Greylags were on fields near Winterley Lane (4 shown).

Saturday 21st March 2015

0930 - 1000 : Oystercatcher 3 (photo's), Goosander 7, Teal 2, GC Grebe 2, Cormorant, Heron, Mute Swan 2, LBB Gull 3, Common Gull 2, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit 2 over, Skylark, Goldfinch 4, Long Tailed Tit 4, Mistle Thrush 2, Blackbird 3, Dunnock, Buzzard 2 at 1200.

Friday 20th March 2015

0920 - 1000 Sunny, the eclipse wasn't up to much and neither were the birds, the best being Oystercatcher 2, Goosander 13, Teal 2 (pictured), Cormorant, Heron, Stock Dove 2, Mistle Thrush, Goldfinch 2, Greenfinch, Chaffinch.

Along the Rushall canal near Riddian Bridge the first Wheatear of the year was seen in the horsefields. (PPN/GWR)

Wednesday 18th March 2015

1210 - 1300, light sun, hazy 9c : Lapwing 3, Oystercatcher 2, Goosander 13, Teal 4, Heron, Common Gull 2, LBB Gull 3, BH Gull 120, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Buzzard 3, Sparrowhawk, + regulars.

Photo's - Kingfisher, Red Fox, Coltsfoot & frogspawn at the Lagoon & Marsh yesterday. (GWR)

Tuesday 17th March 2015

0910 - 1015, overcast, misty, 4c : Kingfisher, GC Grebe 2, Cormorant 3, Mute Swan 2, Goosander 15, Teal 4, Tufted 20, Coot 27, Moorhen 6, Common Gull 3, Herring Gull, LBB Gull 3, BH Gull 166, Pied Wagtail 2, Skylark, Blackbird 3, Dunnock 2, Wren 2, Blue Tit 3, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit 2 nestbuilding.

1300 - 1430 (weak sun, 8c) added - Buzzard, Oystercatcher 2, Shoveler drake, Heron, Kingfisher (fishing the lagoon at the back of Swan Pool), Song Thrush, Chaffinch 2, Goldfinch, Bullfinch 2, Green Woodpecker, Robin 2, Fox, and frogspawn found at the marsh. (GWR)

Monday 16th March 2015

1245 - 1415 cloudy, showers, 6c : Oystercatcher 2, Common Gull 3, LBB Gull 2, BH Gull 150+, Cormorant 2, GC Grebe 2, Heron, Mute Swan, Shoveler, Teal 2, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Pied Wagtail, Long Tailed Tit 2, Song Thrush, Redwing 22, Blackbird 3, Goldfinch 12, Greenfinch 2, Chaffinch 2, Starling 18, plus usuals.

(GWR)

Sunday 15th March 2015

0915 - 1035 overcast, 6c : Goosander 9, Teal 6, Tufted 24, Mallard 25, Heron 3, Cormorant 2, Mute Swan 2, Canada's 38, GC Grebe 3, BH Gull 120+, Common Gull, LBB Gull 2, Herring Gull juv, Moorhen 6, Coot 30, Lapwing, Pied Wagtail 2, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Great Spotted Woodpecker pair (photo's), Green Woodpecker, Dunnock 2, Wren, Blackbird 4, Starling 8, Greenfinch, Chaffinch in song, Bullfinch 2, Great Tit 2, Long Tailed Tit 4, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon 20, Magpie 11, C Crow 5, Buzzard 2. At 1600 Oystercatcher 2 and Robin were present.(37 species)

Saturday 14th March 2015

0930 - 1100 mainly overcast, cold ENE winds, 5c : Goosander 12, Tufted 30, Mallard 26, GC Grebe 4, Moorhen 3, Coot 33, Heron 2, Cormorant 2, Mute Swan 2, Canada's 30, BH Gull 200, Common Gull 2, Herring Gull 3, LBB Gull 2, Lapwing 2, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Skylark in song, Green Woodpecker, Long Tailed Tit 4, Great Tit, Wren 2, Robin, Dunnock, Starling 8, Redwing, Fieldfare 4, Blackbird 5, Greenfinch 3, Goldfinch 2, Magpie 21, Carrion Crow 5, Jackdaw 7, Wood Pigeon, Buzzard 3. (35 species).

Friday 13th March 2015

0950 - 1020, rain, 4c : no sign of Black-necked Grebe, Great Crested Grebe 4, Goosander 14, Cormorant 2, Mute Swan 3, LBB Gull 2, Herring Gull 2 juvs, BH Gull 64, Lapwing, Goldfinch 2, Song Thrush in song, Blackbird.

Photo's - a couple more shots of yesterday's star performer.

Thursday 12th March 2015

1030 - 1120, light cloud 9c : Black-necked Grebe on Swag near sailing club side at 1100 (record shots enclosed), Cormorant, Mute Swan 3, Heron 2, BH Gull 202, Common Gull 2, LBB Gull 2, Lapwing 2, Great Crested Grebe 3, Goosander 6, Buzzard, Pied Wagtail, Skylark in song, Long Tailed Tit 2, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Starling 6, Magpie 2 pairs nestbuilding, Jackdaw 5, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, plus usuals.

(GWR)

Tuesday 10th March 2015

1330 & 1430 sunny and fine 10c : Goosander 8, Teal 4, Pochard 3, Lapwing 22, Mute Swan 2, Great Crested Grebe 3, Buzzard, Redwing 7, Greenfinch 2, Chaffinch, Long Tailed Tit 2. Kingfisher seen along the Rushall Canal at Stonehouse, 1600.

Photo's - Small Tortoiseshell seen at Rushall today (Peacock also seen).

Monday 9th March 2015

0920 - 1040 overcast, cold, breezy, 5c : Cormorant, Mute Swan 3, Goosander 14, Teal 2, Pochard 3, Shoveler, Tufted 26, Mallard 20, Canada's 25, Great Crested Grebe 3, Moorhen 6, Coot 30, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull 3, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull 100, Pied Wagtail, Green Woodpecker, Jackdaw 5, Magpie 13, Carrion Crow 3, Wood Pigeon 15, Stock Dove, Redwing 11, Blackbird 5, Robin, Dunnock 2, Starling 8, Wren, Long Tailed Tit 4, Blue Tit 3, Great Tit 3, Chaffinch 5, Goldfinch 6, Greenfinch.

Friday 6th March 2015

1520, 10c but breezy - little of interest beyond Teal 6, Shoveler 2, Jay, Pied Wagtail, Long Tailed Tit 2 & Greenfinch.

Tuesday 3rd March 2015

1500 - 1545 sunny but still a bitter wind, 7c : Lapwing 15, Oystercatcher 2, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Teal 8, GC Grebe, Green Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Bullfinch 2, Long Tailed Tit 4, Feral Pigeon 5, + regulars.

Photo - pair of Goosander on 22nd February 2015.(GWR)

Monday 2nd March 2015

1000 - 1030 : Oystercatcher 2, Lapwing 15, GC Grebe 2, BH Gull 51, LBB Gull 3, Herring Gull 2, Teal 4, Shoveler, Heron 2, Cormorant, Mute Swan 3, Coot 25, Moorhen 8, Pied Wagtail.

Photo - Peregrine at Walsall 1st February 2015.

Sunday 1st March 2015

0900 - 1020 cold south-westerly, 5c : Goosander 14, Shoveler 2, Teal 9, Pochard 5, Tufted 18, Mallard 30, Heron, Cormorant 2, Mute Swan 3, Oystercatcher 2, Lapwing 37, G C Grebe 2, Coot 31, Moorhen 8, BH Gull 100, LBB Gull 3, Herring Gull 5, Common Gull, Canada's 30, Pied Wagtail 2, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird 3, Robin 2, Dunnock, Wren 2, Reed Bunting 2, Skylark 2, Meadow Pipit, Lesser Redpoll 8, Goldfinch, Long Tailed Tit 4, Great Tit 5, Blue Tit 2, Magpie 12, Jackdaw 3, Carrion Crow 3, Wood Pigeon 10, Buzzard, Starling. (40 species).

Photo's - Reed Bunting & Buzzard today.