Ward End Park.

Early morning trip to a slightly overcast Ward End Park where even though rain was in the air thankfully it stayed dry. Birds spotted were, Blue Tit, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Starling, Swift, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Moorhen, Coot, Canada Goose, Mallard plus Moorhen, Robin and Blackbird juveniles. There was also what appeared to be a hybrid Mallard and Muscovy Duck, that's what it's colours and size suggested anyway, unfortunately it was asleep on of the islands, so I couldn't get a photo of it. There was also (what appeared to be a resident) flock of at least twenty Collared Dove on the edge of the park backing onto some houses with large established trees in the gardens, not far from there is the railway line where there are at least a hundred Carrion Crow, that's probably an underestimate though, talking to one of the locals there is a pair of nesting Peregrine Falcons at the other end of the park of whom the Carrion Crow's give a torrid time every time they're hunting, especially the Hen. The only problem with Ward End Park, apart from it's far from ideal location is the litter, lager monsters and druggies, for some reason the people who actually feed the waterfowl just drop the carrier bag or bread bag straight on the floor, Ward End Park is the only place where nearly everyone does this, it's a shame because it's a nice park which unfortunately looks a dump. The community centre in the park known as TS Dolphin was painted and all the litter cleaned up for Lord David Cameron's visit back in 2010, but soon as he'd been it was left to go back to it's grotty former state, anyway rant over apart from me saying you'll probably notice I'm not one political party or the other because basically they are full of shit and have all got their noses in the trough and none of them have got our best interests at heart.

Plantsbrook Nature Reserve.

I've been a bit spoiled this week with two trips out replete with blue, sunny skies, the blue damselflies were certainly taking advantage of the weather, with mating pairs all around the water edges. It was a bit quiet on the songbird front though, I hardly heard any let alone saw any, birds spotted were, Blue Tit, Swift, Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose, as well as the following chicks, Coot (6) and Moorhen (1) and three nesting Coots. With the lack of bird activity, it was just as well there was plenty of wildflowers, insects, Funghi and Slime Mould to observe, including a great specimen of Yellow Slime Mould, 'Fuliga Septica' also known as 'Dog Vomit' for the obvious reason, the pictures don't do it justice though, it was a very vibrant bright yellow.

Meriden Park, Solihull.

Quick sixty minute walk around Meriden Park and Meriden Park woodland trail whilst passing on through to Solihull on business. Highlight of the morning was seeing a lone Greenfinch treating me to some wonderful singing at the top of a Silver Birch tree. Birds spotted today were, Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, House Sparrow, Wren, Starling, Jay, Pied Wagtail, Swift, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot, Canada Goose and the following juveniles, Cygnet (4), Coot and Carrion Crow. I also heard but didn't see plenty of other birds, basically the usual suspects like Song Thrush, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin etc, but like I said before this was a quick walk through visit. It's not very often you see a Silver Birch growing at 45 degrees, how I've never noticed this tree before, god only knows. In the back garden I'm having a second wave of House Sparrow and Starling Juvenile chicks, the House Sparrow juveniles are stripping the bird seed feeders of seed at an incredible rate while the Starling juveniles demolish the fat balls and fat cakes in a couple of visits ! The juvenile Blackbirds are still coming back to the garden daily, there is definitely one male and one female because I had two in the garden when I came back today, but I've not had the three out there at once since they were fledglings.     

Pype Hayes Park.

Early morning trip to Pype Hayes Park this morning for about 90 minutes being as I'm busy for the rest of the day but still wanted to get some birding done and check on the newly relocated Cygnets and all five of them are looking great. Highlight of the day was the absence of rain, it was nice to go out and not get wet for a change. Birds spotted were, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Blackcap (male), Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock, Starling, Swift, Grey Wagtail, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Canada Goose and the following chicks/juveniles, Cygnet (5), Moorhen (5), Coot (2), Starling and Great Tit. The river that flows into Plantsbrook is definitely more up to it's normal water level, it was flowing with some gusto today. After my last visit to Pype Hayes I commented on how they'd left large areas for the wildflowers to grow, well they've obviously now changed their minds and decided to mow 95% of it down leaving just two very small areas of wildflowers, it now just looks a mess with bits of grass and dead flowers everywhere, it was great walking up the path beside all the wonderful colours the wildflowers bring, useless council wallahs ! It was also a pleasure to greeted by a very tame rabbit down by the river, at first I though it was hurt but no need to worry it was fine, I ushered into the undergrowth anyway what with more and more dog walkers appearing.

Plantsbrook Nature Reserve.

Another strange trip out today, when I first got to Plantsbrook it decided to rain but I set off anyway then half way around the walk it stopped raining then in the blink of an eye it was all blue skies and very warm and muggy weather, the Great British Summer ! Birds spotted were, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Robin, Starling, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Grey Heron, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose and the following chicks/juveniles, Duckling (22), Coot (13), Blue Tit and Great Tit. The Mute Swan and Cygnets have now relocated to the nearby Pype Hayes Fishing Pool, apparently they went to Pype Hayes, came back to Plantsbrook and the went back to Pype Hayes again, where there was one of last years Cygnets still resident of which the male adult Mute Swan has tried to drown but thankfully members of the public intervened, phoned the RSPCA, who then came and rescued it and took it off to pastures new, ironically exactly the same thing is happening at Babbs Mill, where last years Cygnet is hiding away on the far side of the pool where the locals are trying to keep an eye on it and keep it well fed. Weather permitting I'll check on the Mute Swan and Cygnets at Pype Hayes Park on Saturday, I had planned to go to Edgbaston Reservoir but with torrential rain forecast I'm not going to risk it. The only noteworthy thing this week was unfortunately seeing a Sparrowhawk take a juvenile House Sparrow from the lawn on Tuesday, I'm fattening up the Sparrows just for the Sparrowhawk to come down and kill, I do like raptors, I just wish they didn't kill and eat our songbirds.

Babbs Mill Nature Reserve, Kingshurst.

Today's visit to Babbs Mill was far less dramatic than last Thursday's events, that said there was still intermittent rain all morning, a sunny day with blue skies in Birmingham is rarer than a Yellowhammer these days. Spot of the day had to be seeing a Black Mink scurrying along the waters edge on the River Cole, it's not the first time I've seen one along the River Cole, every time you spot one, they're off like a shot, it was a genuine blink or you miss it experience as was the Vole running on the path in front of me, ironically minutes before I saw the Black Mink. Birds spotted today were, Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Robin, Starling, House Martin, Swift, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Common Tern, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Domestic Goose, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard and the following chicks/juveniles, Robin (2), Cygnet (7), Duckling (at least 25), Moorhen (5), Great Crested Grebe (1), Coot (2), Gosling (1) and Domestic Gosling (2). There could have been more Domestic Goslings, but most of them were on the small island which has got plenty of tree and leaf cover, hopefully there are more because they've had a terrible last couple of years.