A trip over to a cloudy, misty, foggy and wet castle Bromwich today where all the birding was practically done in the last half an hour due to the miserable conditions, thankfully there was plenty of Funghi to keep me occupied, over 100 photos again, as well as I had some bread, cake, apple and of course bird seed to leave the wildlife.
Birds seen were Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Starling, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Woodpigeon. I also heard but didn't see House Sparrow and Robin. It was nice to see both a Nuthatch and Coal Tit today being as I don't always see them on my travels. In a group of trees there must have been forty of fifty Blackbird flying around, due to the volume I thought they were maybe Redwing or Fieldfare but alas they were our humble Blackbird, which were just as nice to see in such a great number.
As I said there was Funghi galore again today, the ones in the last picture are Psilocybe Cubensis which is a genus of mushroom with psychedelic properties, hence their more common name of 'Magic Mushrooms', these ones found were a tripheads dream because there were hundreds and hundreds of them, ranging from ones coming through the ground to fully grown ones in huge clumps, you literally had to step over them all the time.
First trip to Pype Hayes Park for a while, which is in it's full Autumn glory. Highlight of the day is easy today, a flock of Siskin by the river which is unfortunately also adjacent to the Golf Club, I say unfortunate becuase it was a couple of Golfers shouting which scared the Siskin off almost as soon as I spotted them so it was impossible to ascertain how many were there, all I can say is there appeared to be more females than males. A close second was seeing a Fox cub jump out of some bushes into some foraging Woodpigeons and very nearly got one by jumping into the air after it, I'd only been told this morning by a local resident and friend Mr. Raymond Wilkes that there were Foxes and cubs around and lo and behold I saw one myself. Also spotted was a Kestrel being aggressively mobbed by four Magpies every time it was trying to hover but I think it got it's own back because the other end of the park a Kestrel flew past the trees and flushed all the Woodpigeons and Corvids out into the open. I thought I might see my first Redwing or Fieldfares of the season today because this a favourite haunt of theirs but alas none have arrived yet. There were plenty of juvenile Woodpigeon about today which is just as well with Foxes and Raptors about.
Birds seen today were Kestrel, Grey Wagtail, Siskin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Robin, Starling, Jay, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Canada Goose and five Cygnets who'll probably be off to pastures soon no doubt.
Rolf Harris Exhibition, Whitewall Galleries, Birmingham.
Here's a post with a difference being as it's got little to do with birds or nature. Being as I haven't been able to do much birding lately for one reason and another, I decided to visit a few things in Birmingham City Centre. First it was off to the Whitewall Galleries to see a collection of 'broad brush' landscapes by the one and only Rolf Harris and a very impressive collection it was as well. I wasn't supposed to take any photos but I've never been one for rules so I managed to get these three photos. When I saw it was an exhibition by the man that did 'two little boys' I thought it was something to do with Jimmy Saville but thankfully it was a set of works by Rolf. The exhibition is free but it only runs until Sunday 27th October 2012.
Birmingham, It's People, It's History. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Then it was to see the brand new and permanent exhibition 'Birmingham, It's People, It's History' at the Museum and Art Gallery, which is a very impressive collection of items all Birmingham related, spanning from the beginnings of 'Brum', the Industrial Revolution, it's role in both World Wars, famous global companies, the world famous 'Bull Ring' as well as sport and music. For me personally, I was disappointed there was no mention of 'Black Sabbath' even though I am biased, the fact remains that they were the creators of a whole new musical genre, namely 'Heavy Metal' and lets face it who has never heard of 'Ozzy Osbourne' and 'Black Sabbath'. I also thought it was strange that even though 'Aston Villa' were represented they never got a mention for winning the 'European Cup' in 1982, I know that they are my team but again it's still a fact that the 'Villa' are one of only five English clubs to win the greatest honour in club football. But all in all it's still a great exhibition which again is free. I did like to see the programme for the now long gone 'Birmingham Super Prix', I went to this a child and loved it.
Here's the links for the above, Rolf Harris Exhibiton and Birmingham, It's People, It's History Exhibition.
I suppose I'd better mention some birding after all. In the garden I've seen a Sparrowhawk appear on the fence but thankfully the Sparrows had already scarpered into the pyracanthas then the following day a Sparrowhawk was being mobbed by a lone plucky Carrion Crow above the house. As well as many Blue Tits and Great Tits visiting the apple tree in the garden for the goodies, I've also got a pair of Coal Tits if not more coming to the tree on a daily basis for the peanuts, they are definitely a welcome addition to the garden, I love the way they look and their song which is just as well being as this pair are very vocal.
Early morning trip to Castle Bromwich this morning in what turned out to be more be more of a Funghi trip than a bird spotting one. There was a distinct lack of song birds apart from in a clump of trees that borders the church were there was flock of probably a hundred or more Long Tailed, Blue and Great Tits, as well as three Song Thrush including one juvenile, also there were Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Magpie present as well. Other sights to be seen were a flock of fifty plus Starling, forty plus Woodpigeon as well as many busy Jays and Grey Squirrels stocking up on there cache of nuts for the winter.
Birds seen were, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Wren, House Sparrow, Starling, Jay, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Feral Pigeon.
There was also plenty of Funghi to be had, with over 120 photos taken it really was a bumper day, it's safe to say I was in my element.
Wee trip to a chilly Babbs Mill on this very Autumnal morning with many trees already shedding their leaves and giving the place a bit of character.
Birds seen today were Kingfisher, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Wren, Robin, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Shoveler, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Domestic Goose, Canada Goose and the following juveniles Cygnet (7) and Moorhen (3).
It was nice to see the Shoveler make a reappearance back here, there were just under thirty of them and most of them being female. I also saw a Kingfisher darting across the water at both ends of the lake, so maybe there were two present.
In the back garden I have a many Dunnocks who are daily visitors, unfortunately there is one that's got a growth on it's right foot which is about the size of a garden pea, it actually manages to hop about the lawn looking for the seed I leave down for it, so at least it won't go without food, sadly for the little fella he's one of this years juveniles, which is a shame. While I was doing the gardening on Saturday I had a treat when fifty plus Long Tailed Tits flew in and out of the apple tree, I probably wouldn't have noticed them if it wasn't for their constant chirping. I have also noticed an upturn in Jay activity, with lots of flying back and forth with acorns. Since the bamboo canes went up I haven't seen a Sparrowhawk in the garden, whether that's a coincidence or not I don't know, but it's not getting an easy meal here no more.
Being as I didn't do any birding last Saturday and this Saturday coming it's gardening time I thought I'd go and sample the delights Kingsbury has to offer, in what ended up being a good 5 mile walk.
Birds spotted were Buzzard, Blue tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit,Chaffinch, Wren, Robin, House Sparrow, Starling, House Martin, Jay, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Cormorant, Grey Wagtail, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Lapwing (50+), Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Pekin Duck, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose as well as the following juveniles, Cygnet (10) and Great Crested Grebe (2).
It was nice to see that the one footed Mallard Drake that I first saw back on the 25th of February this year is still with us and coping okay. He is always by one of the picnic areas with the resident Greylag and Canada Geese, a couple of Pekin Duck as well as plenty of Mallard and Coot, so he know doubt never goes without bread plus there is loads of grass to graze on. It was nice of the Red Admiral (Vanessa Atlanta) to stick around long enough for me to get a quick snap of it, I tried to get more but I got too close and spooked it. The slug in the second picture is a Great Grey Slug or Leopard Slug (Limax Maximus) and is one of the largest land slugs in the world, this one was about five inches long, it was on the tarmac path so I picked it up and put it into the relative safety in the grass away from the path. The Sulphur Polypore (Laetiporus Sulphureus) Funghi in the seventh and eight pictures was a bit of a monster, it was about 15x12 inches, my eyes popped out of my head when I saw it. It was actually a good day for Funghi with over seventy photos taken and with Autumn only just begun there will plenty more to find.
