Pype Hayes Park.

A mixture of both good and bad news today from Pype Hayes Park and at home.

Today's trip out was going to be to Sheldon Country Park to observe the birds, planes and trains at the Park, Birmingham International Airport and Marston Green Train Station respectively but it was foggy, misty and the air was damp when I left so I opted for Pype Hayes Park where ironically enough it was bright sunshine by about 9:30, that's the problem with going out early I suppose, still Pype Hayes was a good walk either way.

On the pool the Muscovy Duck is still present which is good news, there was also seven Duckling and six Moorhen recent arrivals which was nice to see as well as one of the Great Crested Grebe young has matured into a fine looking bird. Unfortunately there are no currently only five of the six Cygnets still present on the pool because one had to be rescued by the RSPCA because it's mouth was all entwined with fishing line 'donated' by one of the local anglers, I shan't rant on about it because I've made my feelings clear in the past, needless to say these people don't care about the local wildlife and the surroundings. It was taken by the RSPCA a week ago so hopefully it will return if it recovers, if not let's hope the 'Fisherman' is proud of themselves. 

Birds seen were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Wren, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Muscovy Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose as well as the following juveniles, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Cygnet (5), Moorhen (6), Duckling (7) and Great Crested Grebe (1).

There was also yesterday's drama, as I was watching the House Sparrow's, Blue Tits and Great Tits in the garden from my bedroom window in the morning I noticed a juvenile Male House Sparrow in next doors garden appearing to have a dirt bath with some other Sparrow's but after observing it for a while it was clear that for whatever reason it couldn't fly properly even though after a while he did manage to fly into the laurel bush so I thought I hope he's okay and wished for the best. Then about three hours later when I was topping up the feeders I saw him struggling on the floor again but he unfortunately disappeared into the pyracanthas and there was no way I would be able to retrieve it from there, so again I just hoped for the best and and wished that a parent bird or his fellow Sparrow's would help him out. Then a couple of hours after that when I was topping up the bird baths I noticed him again, struggling to fly and hiding behind the plants pots, after ten to fifteen minutes and plenty of fun and games I managed to retrieve him get him in a box and provided him with cat food, mealworms, seed and water and covered over the box rang a local vet in Solihull who cares for injured wildlife who agreed to take him in and hopefully look after him but sadly as I went to get him ready for transport he didn't look well and was clearly in pain and losing his grip on life when he gave out one last stretch and sadly passed away. At least I tried by best for the little fella and he didn't unduly suffer and he now has a special burial plot in my back garden, R.I.P. little one.

At least the Badger's are safe, oh wait a minute.........

Sutton Park.

Early morning trip to Sutton Park partly to try and avoid the predicted downpour where ironically enough the day just got warmer and warmer and the clouds gradually disappeared.

Highlights today was seeing three Buzzard and two Kestrel all in the air at the same time above the heathland, that was until one of the Kestrels startled a Green Woodpecker or vice versa which prompted the Green Woodpecker to make one hell of a noise which in turn startled all nearby birds. The Green Woodpecker was also nice to see because along with another highlight, a pair of Treecreeper, they are birds you just see enough these days.

Birds seen today were, Kestrel Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Treecreeper, Wren, Robin, Swallow, Grey Wagtail, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.

Another highlight was finding an area of roughly sixty square foot under some Silver Birch trees which held hundreds of Funghi, I was in my element snapping them all away with my camera, of which I'll post more on my Flickr, it made up for the lack of butterflies, all I saw today was the Gatekeeper (in the photo) and a lone Small White, very poor indeed.

Kingsbury Water Park.

Up nice and early yet again, this time to sample the delights that Kingsbury Water Park in North Warwickshire had to offer.

Highlights of the day were seeing c.50 Starling tucking into a bumper crop of elderberries and rowan berries, fifty was a conservative estimate being as they were spread across many bushes and there were also plenty in amongst the bushes, there could easily been at least a hundred filling up on this exceptional crop of berries. There was also a nice flock of c.30 Long Tailed Tit which held many juveniles. It was also nice to see a Mistle Thrush and some Bullfinch for a change.

Birds seen today were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Starling, Mistle Thrush, Jay, House Martin, Swallow, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose as well as the following juveniles Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit and Great Crested Grebe (4).

Not too many butterflies around toady apart from a few Peacock, Small White and Speckled Wood but too make up for that it was great to see hundreds of wasps feasting on some windfall pears, they were going absolutely crazy, it was a great sight to see.

Babbs Mill Nature Reserve, Solihull.

Early morning trip to Babbs Mill Nature Reserve in Solihull.

Highlight of the day had to be seeing fifty or sixty House Sparrow having a mud bath along the path which is adjacent to the River Cole by a very old apple tree which was positively bursting with fruit which will hopefully see the Blackbirds and various Thrushes through the winter months.

Unfortunately other than that it was pretty quiet with the only birds spotted being, Kestrel, Blue Tit, Great Tit, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Canada Goose, Domestic Goose as well as the following juveniles, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Great Crested Grebe (2), Moorhen (2), Coot (4) and Domestic Goose (1).

Shustoke Reservoir.

First trip to Shustoke Reservoir in nearly three months but even though it was very quite bird wise it was worth it for what turned out to be a real highlight of the day namely that of seeing a Tawny Owl fly past me at about eight foot high and a couple of feet in front of me, it was as brief as it was brilliant.

Like I said it was pretty quite bird wise other than that there was plenty of butterflies out including Green Veined White (pictured), Small White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Gatekeeper, Small Heath and Speckled Wood. There was also a few Moths about, which I was disturbing while walking along the edges of the farmers fields including the one in the photograph, I don't know anything about Moths so I don't know which type it is. Talking of the farmers fields there was also some baby Toads observed making their way across the fields to the river, I picked one up and tried to photograph it but it didn't reciprocate to my actions. Because we've had a few wet days lately there seems to be plenty Funghi around to see of which I'll post some photos of on my Flickr which is where I've also posted a short video showing some of the many House Sparrow I have visiting the garden all year round.

Back to the birds, birds seen today were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Wren, Robin, Swift, House Martin, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Coot, Mallard as well as the following juveniles, Pied Wagtail (in the last photo), Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit and Duckling (5).

Newhall Valley Country Park, Sutton.

Nice trip out to Newhall Valley Country Park in Sutton even though there wasn't a great deal of birds around maybe because of the presence of at least two Buzzard and a Kestrel but it was still nice to see some birds and get back to nature.

Birds seen were Buzzard, Kestrel, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Nuthatch, Wren, Robin, House Martin, (a very noisy) Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woopdecker, Jay, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Carrion, Crow, Magpie, Moorhen, Mallard as well as the following juveniles, Robin, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Moorhen (at least 6) and Duckling (3).

I also noticed a a fair few Acorn Trees who had their fruit blighted by Knopper Galls which are caused by a tiny Gall Wasp called Andricus quercuscalicis, hopefully they won't affect the trees long term heath.

I only saw two butterflies today, one being a Speckled Wood and the one in the photograph above which I'm pretty sure is a Small Heath.

Ward End Park.

Quick trip to Ward End Park whilst through the area on business.

Nice to see many juvenile birds about today especially double numbers of Song Thrush and a plenty of juvenile Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tit in amongst a mixed Tit flock. It was good to see a Coot still on the nest as well.

Birds seen were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Robin, House Sparrow, Robin, Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Carrion Corw, Magpie, Grey Heron, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Canada Goose as well as the following juveniles, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Starling and Woodpigeon.

Gumbleberry's Pool, Stechford.

A walk around Gumbleberry's Pool in Stechford and along a stretch of the River Cole in the Kingfisher Country Park was the order of the day today.

Highlight of the day was a tie between seeing Blackcap and Willow Warbler fledglings especially as both sets of birds were observed being fed by adult birds.

Birds seen were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Blackcap (male and female), Willow Warbler, Wren, Robin, House Sparrow, Starling, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Swift, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Grey Heron, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Canada Goose as well as the following juveniles, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Woodpigeon and Coot.

There  wasn't as many butterflies about as of late, the most common spotted today were Gatekeeper, Speckled Brown, Small White, Peacock and Ringlet.

Also nice to see was a Meadow Cranesbill wildflower even if it was a lone plant.

In the back garden I've had regular visits from juvenile Robin and Blue Tits over the last couple of days, which is nice.