Babbs Mill Nature Reserve, Solihull.

An early morning trip to Babbs Mill Nature Reserve in Solihull yesterday, in fact I had to wait in the car before the sun even came up.

Spot of the day was on the River Cole where there are always plenty of Carrion Crow situated, as i approached this area going towards the lake when all of sudden fifty odd Carrion Crow flew to the air, the reason ? A Sparrowhawk flying across the river into a wooded area approximately four feet above the ground, the speed of the Sparrowhawk was enough to make me jump let alone the Crows. A more enjoyable spot was a seeing a flock of c.40 Siskin feasting on Alder berries, Siskin are always a pleasure to see, such a wonderful little bird. There were also up to 300 Redwing in the areas that I walked including c.100 on the school playing fields foraging on the grass which is always full of worm casts and c.100 in amongst a swathe of Rowan, Fieldfare are another bird that's always a pleasure to see, it's a pity you only see them for about six months a year but then again that makes you seeing them more pleasurable when you do. Talking of birds I love to see, there was a nice mixture of waterfowl present including the always impressive Shoveler, it's always makes me smile when I see them.

Birds seen today were Sparrowhawk, Siskin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, Jay, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Shoveler, Gadwall, Wigeon, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Domestic Goose and Canada Goose.