Sheldon Country Park.

Trip out top Sheldon Country Park today which was one of them funny days where in parts there very low clouds while at the same time their were sunny blues skies it was certainly had to see any planes because that's were the worst weather was.

Highlight of  the day had to be seeing a singing Meadow Pipit on the edges of the grassland in a remote part of the runway of Birmingham International Airport, while it was singing I could also hear another Meadow Pipit singing behind me in the trees. In this same area there were plenty of song birds with Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Robin, Wren all seen in in the small stretch of trees and bushes.

On the open grassland I also saw a Green Woodpecker, a Jay and eleven Woodpigeon juveniles foraging on the grass with four adults, also seen flying over here were Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail and a lone Mallard.

On the river near the Marston Green Railway Station I spotted a Grey Heron swooping down to presumably the waters edge where it could 'fish' in peace because large parts of the river are not visible thanks ot the huge amounts of Himalayan Balsam.

Birds seen were Meadow Pipit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Wren, Robin, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Grey Heron and Mallard.

Cannon Hill Park, Edgabston.

Today was time for another trip to Cannon Hill Park in Edgbaston, Birmingham where as just before I walked into the park a cat ran in front of me and it just didn't look like a 'normal' cat, so the camera was out as quick as I could to get a shot and to me it really does look like a Scottish Wildcat which is not as absurd as it might initially seem because literally yards from the park is Birmingham Nature Centre who have a Scottish Wildcat enclosure, I did check with the Rangers on site and they said that there had been no reports of an escapee but they did agree that it looked like a Scottish Wildcat especially with the ringed tail, any comments from anyone will be gratefully received.

Other than the possible sighting of the Scottish Wildcat the highlight was seeing some Goldcrest foraging in amongst the many pine trees that adorn this beautiful park.

Birds seen today were Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Wren, Robin, Mistle Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird, Jackdaw, carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard and Canada Goose.

Edgbaston Reservoir.

First trip to Edgbaston Resevoir today in over ten months where it rained on my journey there and after but thankully was dry but overcast during my visit. 

There wasn't a huge variety of birds around but it was great to see five Great Crested Grebe juveniles from three sepearte families and five juvenile Woodpigeon which obviously came from the same family as they were always with a pair of adults.

It was also excellent to see around twenty Coot eating food left on the waters edge of which many very friendly House Sparrow couldn't help but come down and sample.

Birds seem today were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, House Sparrow, Robin, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard.

Meriden Park, Solihull.

Trip over to Solihull for a visit to Meriden Park and Colebank Nature Reserve where it started off very foggy then transformed into a bright sunny morning.

Highlight of the day was a toss up between seeing a Kingfisher and the sighting of not one but two Little Egret. The Kingfisher was spotted on Meriden Park darting over the waters surface from the top end, right to the bottom end where the Little Egrets were spotted on the River Cole which runs through Colebank Nature Reserve, I first spotted a single bird but when it was unfortunately disturbed by my presence, two flew up and flew further down the river.

Birds seen today were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, House Sparrow, Chiffchaff, Robin, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Kingfisher, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Domsetic/Greylag hybrid Goose as well as the following juveniles, Grey Wagtail, Woodpigeon and Magpie.

Shustoke Reservoir.

Had another trip to Warwickshire today to visit Shustoke Reservoir which was bathed in early morning sunshine.

As you enter the Reservoir from the left hand side some work has been done to the path at the bottom of the hill which is alongside the hedgerows, I don't know whether it was a coincidence or not but I've never seen so many birds along this fifty foot or so stretch with many different birds spotted including a flock c.20 Siskin, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock, Robin, Lesser Redpoll, Treecreeper, Blackcap, Song Thrush and Balckbird, it's been a long time since I've seen such a variety of birds in a such a small distance, just a pity it's a rarity and not the norm. 

It was also great to see plenty of House Sparrow along the waters edge, in the bushes by the houses adjacent to the Reservoir and also the car park, as you know by now I always love to see and hear the ever affable House Sparrow.

On the water there were plenty of Little Grebe about with over thirty counted on the Reservoir and Fly Fishers Pool.

Birds seen today were Kestrel (being mobbed by two Carrion Crow), Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Robin, Siskin, Treecreeper, Blackcap (male), Lesser Redpoll, Starling, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.

Babbs Mill Nature Reserve, Solihull.

Early morning trip out to Solihull today to visit Babbs Mill Nature Reserve in fact I was so early the gates weren't even open.

Spots of the day was seeing a Kingfisher on no less than three occasions, I think it was the same bird but great to see a Kingfisher on three occasions either way, I spotted it whilst trying to free an adult Mute Swan who appeared to be stuck in some long reeds, I dd eventually free it where I expected to join up with another Mute Swan who was lingering by the reeds who I thought was it's mate but unfortunately it was chased straight back into the reeds by the other Mute Swan, so I presume it was some kind of territorial dispute and left leaving the Swan hiding in the reeds, hopefully everything turned out okay in the end. Also seen in the same area was a Little Egret seen foraging for food on the nearby flats, you don't see Egrets very often at this location. On the lake and in the nearby trees where they nest there were Grey Heron numbered in double figures including some of this years juveniles, which can't be a bad thing.

Birds seen were Kingfisher, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Robin, House Sparrow, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Mallard, Greylag Goose, Domestic Goose and Canada Goose.

Sutton Park.

Trip out to the wonderful Sutton Park today where in all honesty there wasn't many birds around today, either in the trees on the moorland or even in the water. Some days even though you don't see a lot it's nice to get out and about all the same.

Birds seen today were Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, House Martin, Grey Heron, Coot, Mallard as well as the juvenile Carrion Crow and Magpie.

It's good to see Fungi and Slime being more evident even though I'm now having to look on the floor whilst also trying to look at the skies at the same time.

Plantsbrook Nature Reserve.

First trip to Plantsbrook since early July and it was rather nice to see five healthy Cygnets but more worryingly there was only one adult Mute Swan and five Cygnets and not the six there were in early July, the adults always take the Cygnets over to the adjacent Pype Hayes Park but they never go over alone and they always go when the Cygnets are about six weeks old not over three months, I dare say I'll find out soon what has happened.

It was also nice to see juvenile Coots still around including a single Coot which was a couple of days old at the very most.

Birds seen were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Robin, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose as well as the following juveniles, Cygent (5), Coot (5) and Magpie.

There was probably a lot more about but it wasn't a long visit because I didn't feel too well but i wasn't going to let that stop me going out.