Yet another trip over to Warwickshire, this time to visit a very crisp and frosty Cole End Nature Reserve in Coleshill.
Highlights were seeing a male Reed Bunting happily singing away, a flock of c.50 Redwing, observing many cheeky House Sparrows in amongst the hedgerows and seeing the Grey Heron pictured fly majestically overhead.
Birds seen today were Buzzard, Reed Bunting, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Redwing, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Grey heron, Mallard and Pied Wagtail.
As you can see, there's only one place to start today and that's the disgraceful state of Longmoor Pool, which has now been left like this now for well over a month leaving scores of Carp dead and many waterfowl including the poor Mute Swans stranded, it's a real shame to see them struggling to waddle through the mud, they must be struggling to survive because a diet of just bread is not good at all. Don't get me wrong, I know accidents happen but surely it doesn't take this long to fix, wild animals always seem to bottom of any considerations, recent proof of this is the recent destruction of hedgerows in Albany Park in Enfield, London which were home to a population of House Sparrow which have now almost certainly been wiped out. I hope Birmingham city council and the Environment Agency sort out the problem at Longmoor Pool very soon, especially with the breeding season nearly here.
Back to the birding, highlights of the day was seeing a rather awesome sight of c.50 Redwing flying overhead, seeing my first Fieldfare of the year, just a pity it was a solitary bird feeding on windfall apples, seeing plenty of Song Thursh who were again feasting on windfall apples, it was nice to see a Nuthatch for a change, a Grey Heron flying majestically overhead, last but not least was the sighting of a pair of Goldcrest to the left and a flock of Long Tailed Tit to the right.
Birds seen today were, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Wren, Robin, c.50 Redwing, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Jay, Blackbird, Green Woodpecker, Woodpigeon, Carrion crow, Magpie, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Coot, Mallard and Canada Goose.
Nice trip to a very crisp Shustoke Reservoir in North Warwickshire where there wasn't a single cloud in the sky and it was very quiet especially on the reservoir and the fly fishers pool.
It was great to hear so many birds singing, especially Song Thrush, Robin and Tits, also there were many a Great Spotted Woodpecker pecking away at various trees.
Birds seen today were, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.
Trip out to North Warwickshire today to visit a nice and sunny Kingsbury Water Park.
First of all shame on whoever is in charge of the forestry because hundreds of trees have been chopped down along the paths of the lakes and even worse more and more were being hacked down as I was there, where there were once loads of old trees aligning the paths now there is practically nothing, to me it's just plain and utter vandalism ! It won't stop me going back but the place just didn't have the same feel, I dread to think how many birds have needlessly been turfed out of their homes, I thought we were supposed to have more trees, not less, I've never seen the water flowing under one of the bridges like it was today presumably because all the trees around said location have now gone.
Back to the birding, it was great to see three Little Egret along the river just before parking up. Other highlights were seeing a very impressive flock of .c50 Goldfinch, hearing Song Thrush singing and seeing and hearing plenty of House Sparrow.
Birds seen today were Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Little Egret, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Shoveler, Goosander, Pochard, Mallard, Domestic Duck, Greylag Goose and Canada Goose.
Nice afternoon birding trip yesterday to Lea Marston Lakes in North Warwickshire for World Wetlands Day which included a guided tour of the site by representatives of the Environment Agency, Tame Valley Wetlands and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, as well as the birding it was great to see how the land and the River Tame is managed even though I do have to say when the walk got to Kingsbury Water Park and I asked about the decision to rip up all the Sedge Warbler breeding sites all along the river it just fell on deaf ears, this is the first year I didn't see or hear any Sedge Warbler along that stretch of river and I clearly didn't see any juvenile Sedge Warbler.
Highlight of the day was seeing a Sparrowhawk dash into the trees on one of the islands at Kingsbury Water Park, I have no idea if it was a successful attack or not because the sun was dropping and I couldn't see the island very well in the low light, ironically I was the only person to witness it. Obviously the lakes and river didn't hold a great variety of birds due to the very warm winter we've had it was great all the same to see plenty of Gadwall and a smattering of Shoveler and Goosander. Also seen today were flocks of c.30 Goldfinch, c.100 Starling and c.50 Jackdaw.
Birds seen were, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Wren, Robin, c.100 Starling, c.50 Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Goosander, Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Mallard.
