I hadn't even left the house this morning when I got my first birding action which was a Sparrowhawk swooping down in the garden and presumably taking a House Sparrow because these was upwards of thirty in the back garden, it's always strange after a Sparrowhawk attack how quiet the garden goes, the poor things must be scared stiff !
Then it was off to Shustoke where the highlights were seeing my first Redwing of the year, seeing Shoveler on the water, observing how happy the Canadian Goose with severe 'angel wing' was to be with plenty of other geese (there was at least 50) and it was also great to see Autumn now getting into full swing and more and more Fungi appearing.
Birds seen today were Sparrowhawk (in the garden), Kestrel, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Starling, Redwing, Song Thrush, Jay, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Cormorant, Lapwing, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Coot, Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.
Today I had a walk along a stretch of the Kingfisher Project, River Cole in Hodge Hill for a change.
I was hoping to see some Autumn/Winter visitors such as Fieldfare but no luck maybe next week when I'll be out birding again. Highlights were seeing a very noisy Kestrel being mobbed by some plucky Carrion Crows, as well as seeing many flocks of Tits and obviously the seeing the fantastic Autumnal colours.
Birds seen today were Kestrel, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Starling, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Grey Heron and Mallard.
Nice walk around Shard End Lake and a stretch of the River Cole, It was a nice morning, that was apart from nearly getting attacked by a dog who's owner refused to put it on a lead because he was 'training it', he was doing a great job by the look of it what with the dog barking, baring it's teeth and actually going to bite me, I don't blame the dog by the way, it was the arrogant owners fault, then there was the copious amounts of litter including many discarded bread bags, why think you're doing the right thing by feeding the ducks etc, (feeding bread to waterfowl is not a good idea, especially white bread) and then just dumping the bag on the floor which can obviously harm the birds if they get trapped and they obviously blight the landscape, I don't get it !
It was great to see and hear House Sparrows in all their normal locations unlike my last visit where I didn't see or hear any. With the weather going slightly colder there were more mixed flocks of Tits and Blackbirds evident. It was also great to see Collared Doves numbered in double figures even though they were all congregating around a garden that obviously leaves bird seed.
Birds seen today were, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Wren, Starling, Collared Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Greylag Goose and Canada Goose.
Today it was over too Newhall Valley Country Park which is located in Sutton in North Birmingham, thankfully there wasn't a 'traveler' in sight like my visit which is just as well after I was told they left mounds of rubbish everywhere including human excrement !
Going by the photos I've posted you'd think today was a Fungi fest but in all honesty I didn't see any other photographic opportunities, on the birding front it was a pleasure to see Goldcrest in two separate locations, there was also many flocks of mixed Tits and a few sightings of Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, and the resident Pheasants were seen but not heard.
Birds seen today were Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Wren, Robin, Starling, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Moorhen and Mallard.
Nice visit to a sunny autumnal Shustoke Reservoir in North Warwickshire this morning.
It was great to see so many Mute Swan and Canada Geese on the water especially as there is a resident Canada Goose with a severe case of angel wing in both feathers leaving it unable to fly, so it's a real shame when they others fly off leaving it all alone but on the upside it gets really excited when any Canada Goose return when it then goes over straight to them and honks very loudly and genuinely looks excited. It was also great to see many of this years juvenile waterfowl including Great Crested Grebe and Mute Swan.
I also don't often see Purple Jellydisc fungus, in fact I nearly missed it being it was in among all those lovely jack-o'lantern mushrooms.
Birds seen today were Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Woopdigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Green Woodpecker, Jay, Pied Wagtail, Cormorant, Lapwing, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Coot, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.
Nice trip over to Solihull to visit Babbs Mill Nature Reserve which is already looking very autumnal.
Highlights of the day were seeing a Kingfisher dart over the waters edge, spotting two Little Egret on the lake, which is a bird vary rarely observed at this location, seeing a Sparrowhawk swoop down at break neck speed from a tree into a reed bird where Blue Tits were located, I don't think it was a successful attack though hard to be precise though, strangely enough I didn't see or hear one single House Sparrow in the four normal locations I see them, hopefully they were all just busy elsewhere.
I was also looking forward to seeing some great Funghi which was ironic because I didn't spot any at all but it was nice to see plenty of trees laden with apples especially as they produced next to no fruit last year, so these will hopefully help to see the Thrushes through the lean winter months.
Birds seen today were, Sparrowhawk, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Wren, Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, Little Egret, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Domestic Goose and Canada Goose.
