Kings Norton Nature Reserve 16/01/16

I took my weekly trip to my local patch, Kings Norton Nature Reserve, last Saturday afternoon. This time I saw or heard 40 species, smashing my previous record of 39 on my last visit! Nothing I hadn't already seen here before; here are the highlights:

• Very frustratingly, I heard what I'm 98% certain was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming several times, and calling once - but I couldn't see it! It was coming from the vicinity of a large Willow next to Merecroft Pool, at the edge of the paddocks. I'm not awfully familiar with the drum and call of LSW having heard it so infrequently, but the drumming was certainly much less deep and resonant than I would expect to hear from a Great Spotted Woodpecker. It matches well with recordings I've listened to subsequently. Plus if it had been a GSW I think I would probably have been able to see it, given that they are so much bigger!
• The male Shoveler was still present on Merecroft Pool.
• Stock Doves were also once again more in evidence than on most previous visits.
• After losing its mate and being AWOL last week, one of the Mute Swans had returned.
• No Goosanders on Merecroft Pool, but I did see three fly over.
• A Little Grebe was still present on Merecroft Pool.
• I caught a very brief glimpse of a Lesser Redpoll, where I have seen them before - eating seeds from the Phragmites seedheads around Wychall Reservoir.
• Four Teal on Wychall Reservoir. 
• I heard a green Woodpecker from Popes Lane.
• Lovely singing Treecreepers in the West Extension.
• Roosting Redwings settling down for the night in the West Extension.
• Another mammal encounter, also in the West Extension - a smashing Fox who regarded me for some time before setting off on a patrol of the reserve perimeter, all the while keeping one eye on me!

Merecroft Pool just visible through the trees (HDR).

Probable location of the drumming Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - the tallest Willow on the right (HDR).

The Shoveler.

This Coot seemed happy to pose for photos.

I nearly missed out the West Extension again as the light was failing and I was getting a bit cold, but I'm very glad I didn't neglect it this time. The Treecreeper sightings were the best I'd had so far here, I think there were two birds and it was lovely to hear them singing. The Fox was great too, he was just sitting there out in the open, watching as I emerged from the trees. He was quite distant and the light was too bad for photos, so I attempted a couple of (slightly shaky) videos instead!

FULL BIRD LIST

Blackbird	Green Woodpecker	Moorhen
Black-headed Gull	Greenfinch	Mute Swan
Blue Tit	Grey Heron	Nuthatch
Bullfinch	Herring Gull	Redwing
Canada Goose	Jackdaw	Robin
Carrion Crow	Jay	Shoveler
Coal Tit	Lesser Black-backed Gull	Siskin
Coot	Lesser Redpoll	Stock Dove
Dunnock	Lesser Spotted Woodpecker	Teal
Goldcrest	Little Grebe	Treecreeper
Goldfinch	Long-tailed Tit	Tufted Duck
Goosander	Magpie	Woodpigeon
Great Spotted Woodpecker	Mallard	Wren
Great Tit