Ward End Park.

Nice trip out to Ward End Park today were as per usual it was full of Canada Geese, Corvids and Feral Pigeons as well as the usual mixture of Thrushes and songbirds.

Birds seen today were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Wren, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose and a lone Silver Appleyard Duck, who I couldn't get a photo of because it was in the middle of an island obscured by tree branches.

I'll have to revisit this site again when Spring is underway because there are always plenty of waterfowl nests and then their babies to observe and it also has the added bonus of the great flowers that adorn the grounds.

Sutton Park.

Yet another nice sunny and warm Winter's day with wonderful blue skies. Today it was off to Sutton Park for a walk around the heathland, the woods and Blackroot, Keepers Dam and Longmoor Pools.

It was nice to be out and about and enjoy the great outdoors but to be honest birding wise it was a bit of a letdown, a fact which was backed up by a couple of other birders I spoke to as I was heading home just as they were starting their day, even the pools were very low on waterfowl both in number of species and the amount of birds. 

Still like I said it was nice to be out all the same and the birds I enjoyed seeing were Buzzard, Kestrel, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Robin, Great Spotted Wodpecker, Song Thrush, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Mute Swan, Coot, Tufted Duck, Domestic Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.

Numbers wise the top birds were Buzzard which were seen all over the park with five spotted circling high up at once, Corvids who numbered in the hundreds and the humble Blackbird and Robin.

Babbs Mill Nature Reserve, Solihull.

What's this ? Yet another sunny day with blue skies that felt more like early Spring than the middle of Winter, only one thing for it then, time for a birding trip to Babbs Mill Nature Reserve in Solihull.

Highlight of the day was all the bird song again, great to hear the birds in full song again especially to hear Song Thrushes marking out the territories, also nice to hear so many Dunnock singing, a bird which has a lovely little song. It was nice to see a pair of Bullfinch today, not a bird I see too much especially at this location.

Birds seen were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Starling, Robin, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Song Thrush, Jay, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Domestic Goose and Canada Goose.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Edgbaston.

Being as the weather was much better than of late it was time to visit Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Edgbaston again which obviously took in some birding.

Birds seen were Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Robin, Song Thrush, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie Blackbird, Pintail, Moorhen, Tufted Duck as well as the captive birds.

Unfortunately the last remaining Peacock has been killed by a Fox of which the feathers were left strewn across the grass by the grandstand, which meant the two Peahens have had to go in of the large cages for a short while. Talking to the staff they informed me that the Peacocks and Peahens are never normally locked up and are left to roam free so they usually roost in some of the many trees at this site of a night time but sadly for the Peacock it's been unlucky and fell prey to a Fox.

Which is probably the same fate one that has happened to one of (my) Feral Pigeons, as I was topping up the birds feeders before setting off for the gardens, one of said Feral Pigeons had just flew down and rested on my chimney, because unlike a lot of people I don't mind feeding Pigeons, when it flew off at a very high speed with a Sparrowhawk in hot pursuit with the last sighting being the Feral Pigeon doubling back on itself with the Sparrowhawk inches behind so I'd say it was unlucky the Pigeon got away but I'm not sure for definite.

Pype Hayes Park.

Being as it was mainly clear blue skies, balmy weather and no threat of rain for a change it was off to Pype Hayes Park for a good walk around the park and also take on a stretch of the adjacent Plants Brook.

The most numerous bird seen today was Redwing by a country mile, they easily numbered in the hundreds with two flocks of fifty plus birds seen whilst they were also spread all across the park which is impressive being as this park is over 100 acres. It was also nice to see and hear many Song Thrush present with many being in full song again, other birds heard singing today were Robin (of course), Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Dunnock and House Sparrow, well the House Sparrow were chirping rather than singing. Also seen today was a small flock of Stock Dove which is not unusual for this site but it was the first time I've seen them for a while.

Birds seen were Kestrel, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, Song Thrush, Jay, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Mute swan, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Muscovy Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.

The tree stump with the hole in, in the bottom picture appeared to be a Blue Tit nest with four Tits flying in and out as I was observing it.

Witton Lakes and Brookvale Park.

Witton Lakes. 

A trip out to Witton Lakes and Brookvale Park in Witton and Erdington respectively today. Firstly it was off to Witton Lakes where it was great to greeted by a very friendly Muscovy Duck which at this location may unfortunately be it's downfall, but all the same it was still lovely to see as were plenty of Mute Swan and large numbers of waterfowl including Shoveler who along with Coots, Moorhens and Mallard were sadly feeding along the litter strewn waters edge. Not too many songbirds about apart from plenty of House Sparrow, which can't be bad thing.

Birds seen were House Sparrow, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Wren, Robin, Starling, Redwing, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Shoveler, Pochard, Gadwall, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Muscovy Duck and Canada Goose.

Brookvale Park. 

Then it was off to the adjacent Brookvale Park, where there are usually between fifty and eighty Mute Swan but today they numbered around twenty five which after talking to a local was partly due to Eastern Europeans breaking down a steel fence and rounding up scores of poor birds, pity somebody doesn't round them up and break their necks instead.

Better news comes in the form of seeing plenty of House Sparrow, I always say that when I come here but they could easily number in three figures which is definitely encouraging for one of our fasting declining birds. Unusually also present were at least five Domestic Duck and a lone White Crested Duck and at least four Greylag/Domestic Geese. There was also a sizeable number of Cormorant who were drying off the wings on the island as they always do. 

Birds seen were House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Pochard, Gadwall, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Domestic Duck, White Crested Duck, Greylag/Domestic Hybrid Goose and Canada Goose.

Plantsbrook Nature Reserve.

 

Being as it was a nice day for a change with lovely blue skies, a trip to Plantsbrook Nature Reserve in Pype Hayes was the order of the day.

Highlights were seeing Shoveler on the first pool, I've always thought Shoveler were great little birds and you don't see them at this location very often, also particularly nice to see were Reed Bunting, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Redwing and Jay.

Birds seen were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, Jay, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.

As you can see I also found an Urban Fox skull which is now residing in my 'bone collection'.