Southfields Farm, Coleshill.

On the last day of 2016 I thought it would be an ideal time for another visit to Southfields Farm in Coleshill, a bit more gloomy and overcast on my previous birding trips out of late but that's never stopped me before.

Highlight of the day is the farm and the fields themselves, if anybody ever wants to see how a farmer can earn a living and still look after the wildlife and nature that inhabit the area then John's farm is a prime example, wildflowers left to flourish, hedgerows cut to a minimum and at the right times, planting bird friendly plants all year around and supplying supplementary food for the birds in winter, this location really is a pleasure to visit at any time of the year.

Birding wise the highlights were seeing hundreds of House Sparrow in and around the outhouses and nearby hedgerows, a lone but magnificent looking Yellowhammer (what a bird !), a female Blackcap, hundreds of Linnet again but this time in a different field and two large flocks of birds, one being .c50 Redwing and c.40 Goldfinch, also seen were, three Buzzard hunting in the same field, just unfortunate it was same field that held most of the Linnet.

Birds seen today were, Buzzard, Kestrel, Yellowhammer, Blackcap (female), c.200 Linnet, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, c.40 Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Robin, Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, .c50 Redwing, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Pied Wagtail and Mallard (flying overhead).

Also over the last week I've had a Grey Wagtail visiting the garden on a daily basis which appears to be feeding on the scarps of fat dropping from one of the suet blocks which the Starlings are destroying and for the last two days I've seen a female Blackcap feeding on the apples left out for the birds during winter, I've also still got the Sparrowhawk visiting but it's kills seem to be less than they have been earlier in the yeat.

I hope everybody who takes the time out to read this blog had a Merry Christmas and I'd like to wish you A Happy New Year, here's to another years birding and observing all the wonderful delights that nature has to offer in 2017 !