Nice to have a walk around Southfields Farm in Coleshill this morning, unfortunately I didn't see a huge variety of birds but the birds I did see were large in number, no more so than the sighting of c.200 Linnet who were in a field behind a huge border which has been planted with seed bearing crops for the birds in the winter, watching the Linnet feeding on the ground and occasionally flying up was amazing, not even a Buzzard flying directly above them could deter them from feeding.
Another highlight was seeing a pair of Mute Swan with seven fit and healthy looking cygnets, other juvenile birds seen were House Sparrow and Dunnock.
It was still nice to see House Martin and Swallow flying majestically through the air above the fields.
Birds seen today were, Buzzard, Kestrel, Linnet, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, House Martin, Swallow, Mute Swan and Cormorant.
Nice to have a walk around Pype Hayes Park for the first time in about three months even though it was very quiet from both the birds and people.
Highlight was seeing not one but two Green Woodpeckers at the top of a tree on the far side of the Plants Brook which was also where the low light was, namely that of the Himalayan Balsam which has completely taken over the river as is evident in the last photo, there has been an attempt to clear a section but it's probably made it worse because they've only been chopped from about a foot off the ground and even if you cleared the river there's still swathes off the stuff on the land between the river and the golf club.
Birds seen today were, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Robin, Dunnock, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Greylag Goose and Canada Goose.
On the pool it was great to see very young juvenile Coot, it's just a pity that the locals are still continually feeding the birds white bread which is obviously no good for them and is also killing the fish, the surface of the pool looked awful with the greasy residue left behind from the bread. Here is a link to the problems with dead fish at Pype Hayes Park. http://tyburnmail.com/2016/07/05/oxygen-rescue-bid-pype-hayes-park-fish/
Busy morning today which included a walk around Meriden Park and Colebank Local Nature Reserve in Solihull, a trip into Chelmsley Wood and a visit to Coleshill to see my friends at the Police and Fire Stations.
Birding wise highlight of the day was seeing many Tree Sparrows in a tree by the bridge that separates Meriden Park and Colebank LNR, the sighting of Tree Sparrows in itself was exciting but making it extra special was that there was plenty of juveniles in among there number, they were great to observe especially as they were singing away, if that wasn't exciting enough on the other side of bridge there were c.20 Chiffchaff in the trees and they just like the Tree Sparrows included many juveniles in their numbers, what a great sight to see great numbers of Chiffchaff juveniles.
Birds seen today were, Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Robin, Wren, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Grey Heron, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Canada Goose and Domestic/Greylag Goose hybrid.
Other juvenile birds seen today were, Grey Heron, Long Tailed Tit, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Moorhen and Coot.
Plenty of butterflies present at Colebank, strangely though they were all Meadow Browns, funny being as there is a wide range of wildflowers at this site.
In the back garden I'm still getting the odd House Sparrow juvenile as well as Robin and Blackbird babies.
