Southfields Farm, Coleshill.

Nice to get out birding again after having a virus to start 2019, much better now though, I'd originally planned to pay a visit to Ward End Park being as the pool is open to the public again but being as it was rather frosty this morning I thought Southfields Farm would be a better proposition, hopefully I'll get to Ward End Park next week instead.

Like I said the farm and the fields looked great in the frosty/snowy conditions and as per usual you could see and hear all the House Sparrows before you even got out of the car, they definitely number in three figures at this location which is great in this day and age, thanks to John's great work the following birds are also among those thriving, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Linnet and Starling thanks to the seed he puts down and the plants he grows to help the birds through the winter months.

This time of the year it's always great to see Fieldfare and Redwing ad they are both stunning looking thrushes as was the Mistle Thrush I saw who looked absolutely stunning with the sunlight showing off all it's great colours.

Birds seen today were, Buzzard, House Sparrow, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock, Wren, Starling, Pied Wagtail, Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Moorhen.

If you want to see the amazing amount of birds John attracts to the farm then check out the short video on my Twitter feed, you won't be disappointed.

After disappearing from the garden for a while after being 'picked off' on a daily basis, my House Sparrows have returned in great numbers in the last few weeks which unfortunately could mean only one thing, the return of their nemesis.....the Sparrowhawk, it can be seen above after already having 'despatched' of one of my babies (footage can be seen on my Twitter page), only to return within the hour to terrorize them again, thankfully it didn't make a kill on this occasion but a Coal, Blue and Great Tit had a very lucky escape when it swooped in when they were atop of the apple tree in my garden and it can be seen here watching them as they were hiding in among the bushes, the Sparrowhawk is a stunning looking bird, just a pity it has to kill the smaller birds to survive.