Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal.

More Birmingham's canal shenanigans was the order of the day today, namely that being a walk a walk along the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal starting from Saltley Viaduct heading off towards Bordesley Junction and joining the Grand Union Canal and walking along until we reached The Ackers Adventure Park on Golden Hillock Road where it was then time for some scran. Today was one of the days where I didn't see many birds, but that sometimes how it goes, our feathered friends don't just appear because you want them too but that what makes it all the more special when you do spot them.

Birds spotted today were, Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Mallard and Canada Goose. It was great to see a colony of at approximately thirty House Sparrow flitting along some trees along the canal side as it was seeing yet another family of Willow Warbler. There was also plenty of young Feral Pigeon to be heard on the walk today, mainly under bridges (which resemble their natural rock cliffs) and in the old abandoned factories of which there are many in Birmingham, our great Industrial past goes more into decline day by day. Strangely enough there wasn't to much litter about, even though any is too much, the most I really saw was what factories had dumped over walls down the embankment, chop there bloody hands off I would. People in Brum don't seem to appreciate all the great canals we have, but I'm glad most people stay away and leave it nature, birds and the other wildlife. 

Lady Bradford's, Castle Bromwich.

Morning trip over to Castle Bromwich to have a little look around. There wasn't many birds around today, the most exciting things being seeing some Willow Warblers hopping through the trees looking for insects and seeing seven Song Thrush foraging on the open grassland.

Birds spotted were, Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Robin, House Sparrow, Starling, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon.

I did hear a few Great Spotted Woodpecker but didn't actually see any, but I'm surprised they even stay in this location in the first place because the dead trees they like to inhabit are habitually set fire by the local chavs (the first picture is a good example) there is now only one decent tree left for them now but for how long I wouldn't like to guess. I also noticed today that the Horse Chestnut are already being blighted by Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner and the Oak Tree are also being struck by Oak Leaf Blister, unfortunately it's the young saplings and smaller trees being especially hit. On the upside there are thousands upon thousands are fresh Teasel around for the finches to tuck into, there is also an abundance of Holly around for Blackbirds and Thrushes.

Plantsbrook Nature Reserve.

A trip to Plantsbrook today where it was a bit cooler than it has been lately but it was still pleasant enough. On arrival to the car park you could see there was plenty of activity in the rowan trees, sure enough on closer inspection the Blackbird population, including some juveniles, were having a field day scoffing down the rowan berries as was a juvenile Robin.

Birds seen today were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Robin, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose as well as the following juveniles, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Blackbird, Grey Heron, Moorhen (1), Duckling (2) and Coot (5). There was at least five Grey Heron present on the various pools today including three fine looking juveniles.

The warning about the algal blooms was a complete waste of time as a 'fisherman' walked straight passed it and went to look for a spot to fish, stupid pratt !

In the back garden I still haven't seen the last of the House Sparrow juveniles, there was at least two very young fledglings being fed this morning when I woke up this morning, they've definitely had a very successful breeding season this year, hopefully the local Sparrowhawks haven't picked off too many.

River Cole, Hodge Hill.

Short visit to Hodge Hill for a walk along the River Cole which forms part of the Kingfisher Country Park , unfortunately I didn't see much of the river due to more Himalayan Balsam takeover as well as weeds and wild flowers which have flourished this year down to all the rain we've had, it was unfortunate for me because I couldn't get near the river but the birds we're loving the overgrown landscape in great numbers plus the other advantage being that it keeps the pesky humans with all their rubbish away from the waters edge. The only time I got near the water was crossing the small footbridge by the Bailey Bridge not far from the Poachers Pocket public house.

Birds seen today were, Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron, Blackcap (male), Willow Warbler, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Jay, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon as well as the following juveniles, Willow Warbler, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Starling and Blackbird.

The Sparrowhawk seen was actually frightened off by me approaching the tree it was in, no doubt eyeing up some very noisy House Sparrows in the gardens close to the river, but I don't doubt it returned soon after to have it's House Sparrow happy meal. Talking of the ever affable House Sparrow there were literally hundreds seen and heard today, it's great to see them doing really well in what is almost a natural habitat being as the surroundings are left completely to nature with plenty of hawthorn, rowan, elder, juniper etc, most of which are fruit bearing already, there is also plenty of luscious scrub and of course they've got the nearby river. I've said this before, the House Sparrow is one of my favourite birds, they are a very underestimated bird who have lots of character if only people took more time to watch this very lovable bird, my garden would certainly be a duller place without them. As ever it was great to see a couple of very fine looking juvenile Blackbirds, I love that speckled reddish brown colour. Equally as pleasing was seeing a flock of fifty plus Starling and forty plus Goldfinch at the same time gliding through the air, it was worth the trip out for that alone, it's just a pity you don't see more flocks of birds these days. At least this is an unknown little hideaway for the birds and wildlife.

Pype Hayes Park.

An early morning visit to Pype Hayes Park was the order of the day today where even though it was always threatening to rain I only had to put up with a few light showers.

Highlight of the day was seeing not only my first ever Green Woodpecker at Pype Hayes but seeing two, both of which I actually heard before I actually spotted them. It was also great to see fourteen Song Thrush foraging on the grass on the large open spaces, there must be plenty of Song Thrush here because as well as seeing the ones on the grass, at the same time you could see plenty of them flying from tree to tree. There was also three Great Spotted Woodpecker in the same tree at the same time, that was until one took exception to the presence of another and decided to chase it off and then itself return to the same tree.

Birds spotted today were, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Starling, Grey Wagtail, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Canda Goose as well as the following juveniles, Grey Heron, Cygnet (5), Goldfinch, Blue Tit and Woodpigeon.

As you can see by the last picture the Himalayan Balsam has completely taken over the riverbank as well as the path to the left of the picture, in places it's easily eight high or more and there must be tens of thousands of plants, it's even growing through the newly laid tarmac path, any plants unfortunate enough to be under these invasive species are struggling to get any light at all, the only one upside of their presence is they provide some much needed pollen for the very few bees and butterflies are about at the moment even though their numbers may increase if the predicted heatwave arrives. 

In the back garden, the feeding frenzy among the local House Sparrow population has failed to recede, I estimate there are at least a hundred in my road at the moment, judging by my estimates they have at least seven colonies, but they're just the ones I know about because there are over a hundred houses in my road. If you go up or down my road you can always see and hear Sparrows which is definitely not a bad thing.

Edgbaston Reservoir.

Finally got to Edgbaston Reservoir today where for a change I got onto the canal just off Broad Street by the Birmingham National Indoor Arena and the Malt Shovel public house, had a walk along the canal until I got to Rotton Park Street, then made the short journey up to Edgbaston Reservoir where I obviously had a walk around the reservoir, then I did the reverse journey back along the canal into Birmingham City Centre. I actually managed to go the whole day without seeing hardly any songbirds, all I managed to see was a solitary male Blackbird, I heard a few Robins and Wrens etc. but for some reason today the small birds remained largely elusive thankfully there was plenty of waterfowl to see. Birds seen were, Pied Wagtail, Blackbird, House Martin, Swallow, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Mute Swan, Herring Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Canada Goose as well as the following juveniles, Great Crested Grebe (3), Ducking (21), Coot (27). Moorhen (1), Herring Gull (100+). One lucky female Mallard had a brood of ten very small ducklings, that's some of them in the last picture, unfortunately the adult Mallard had a poorly left leg which she was struggling to stand on, hopefully it will only be temporary, also today I see a Moorhen with a very bad foot which it could barely stand on and a Moorhen with a foot missing which ironically was managing better than the one with just a bad foot. On another bad note at the reservoir today, the tree which on my last visit was housing a very noisy Great Spotted Woodpecker chick and adult has now been unceremoniously chopped down by the council, which is a real shame because it's housed Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Nuthatches for many a long year, it was also home to some spectacular Funghi, still we wouldn't want little Johnny getting hurt by the nasty tree would we. On a more positive note it was nice to see well over one hundred Herring Gull juveniles, hopefully they don't eat all the ducklings. Along the canal all I managed to see was Canada Geese and Mallards, not that that's a bad thing in itself because it's nice to see some wildlife near to the concrete jungle which is Birmingham City Centre.