A trip out today to Whitacre Heath Nature Reserve in North Warwickshire which was not a birding trip but a tree i.d. Winter walk but I did obviously record all the birds I saw.
The tree i.d. was very informative being as I don't know a lot about different trees where I can now identity Silver Birch, Alder, Elder, Willow, Crack Willow, Ash, Black Hawthorn, Black Poplar, Hawthorn, Cherry and Rowan.
Highlight of the day bird wise was seeing a very impressive flock of c.50 Redwing fly into a cluster of Alder trees, other than that it was interesting watching Kestrels hunting and struggling with the high winds and rain.
Birds seen today were, Kestrel, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Robin, Redwing, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Moorhen and various Cormorant flying over.
Another trip out to North Warwickshire thanks to the horrendous road works in Birmingham, this time it was to Cole End Park Local Nature Reserve which even though it was very quiet it was still worth the trip on a lovely cold and crisp morning.
Highlight of the day was seeing a very bare row of bushes which looked like they were lit up by small yellow torches which were of a course a wonderful flock of Siskin, you forget what a great looking bird they are when you haven't seen them for a while.
I've also never seen so many Wren in one morning as I did today, what another wonderful little bird, I actually had one grace my garden yesterday, I watched for a good five minutes foraging among the undergrowth.
Flying overhead I saw a pair of Little Egret, Grey Heron and Cormorants.
I also saw a Sparrowhawk twice today, one swooping down into a wooded area and the other swooped in front of the car and the way home, it was a bit close for comfort but it did manage to make it to the other side of the road.
Birds seen today were, Sparrowhawk, Siskin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock. Wren, Starling, Redwing, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Moorhen and Mallard.
Thought I'd have a trip to Ward End Park for a change, the surrounding areas are not very salubrious but on the whole the park is quite nice apart form the ever present menace of litter.
I've never been to see this park and not seen Song Thrush in double numbers but today I didn't see a single Thrush apart from a very exciting spot of c.50 Redwing who were foraging on the grass until they flew up into the trees and of course there were plenty of Blackbirds foraging amongst the leaf litter.
On the water there were double numbers of Shoveler who were mainly males, a couple of Goosander plus one Mute Swan and hundreds of Canada Geese.
Birds seen today were, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Wren, Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Shoveler, Goosander, Tufted Duck, Domestic Duck, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.
Another nice trip to North Warwickshire to visit Kingsbury Water Park where it was great to see the resident Little Egrets and Greylag Geese as well as the visiutng waterfowl such as Shoveler (one of my favourites) Gadwall and Pochard.
Strangely enough I didn't see or hear a single Song Thrush today unlike on my last visit, on the upside though I saw Blackbirds that could have numbered in three figures, they were everywhere I went either foraging on the floor, where there were worms aplenty, as well as hopping form tree to tree. Obviously there were also plenty of House Sparrow, Robin and mixed Tit and Finch flocks present, with the ground a bit sparse of vegetation it was great to see so many Dunnock and Wren foraging about in the undergrowth, I think the Dunnock is a severely underrated bird,they are great if you take the time out to observe them.
Birds seen today were, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Shoveler, Gadawll, Pochard, Mallard, Greylag Goose and Canada Goose.
Nice trip out today to a very dark, dank and muddy Shustoke Reservoir in North Warwickshire where the highlight of the day was seeing a flock of .c10 Meadow Pipit foraging among the vegetation and bushes along the waters edge. Other highlights were hearing many solitary Song Thrush singing no matter where I went, observing many Blackbird and Robin, seeing and hearing the many mixed Tit and finch flocks including Long Tailed Tits with their very loud trill, on the water there were male and female Goosnader, 20 Mute Swan and hundreds of Coot and a couple of Grey Heron which made a nice change.
Birds seen today were Meadow Pipit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Pheasant, Cormorant, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Goosander, Gadwall. Pochard, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.
