Gumbleberry's Pool, Stechford.

Had a trip to Gumbleberry's Pool in Stechford and also walked along a stretch of the River Cole along Kingfisher Country Park. It's another one of those great little places but it's unfortunately in the wrong location, so large parts of it are litter strewn, we did the best to pick up what we could but as per usual your probably wasting your time, at least it as was clean when we left it. Anyway, back to the reason for being there, hopefully to see some of this years new born birds and the sight of thirty two Gosling didn't disappoint, even more so the fact they were three different sizes, some almost looking like adults, nice to know this persecuted bird is doing well in this location, that is until the gippo's camp there again and their numbers will no doubt decline. It actually ending up being a good day for spotting some of this years young birds of which are mentioned in the following list. Birds spotted were, Great Tit, House Sparrow, Robin, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Kingfisher, Pied Wagtail, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Canada Goose as well as the following chicks/juveniles, Gosling (32), Duckling (8), Moorhen (2), Coot (8), Pied Wagtail (1), Great Tit (2), Blackbird (2), Carrion Crow (1), Magpie (1) and Starling (numerous). Talking of juvenile birds, my back garden has had a few young visitors lately, Dunnock (2), Robin (2), Great Tit (1), as well as plenty House Sparrow and Starling, also I've seen the adult Great Tit showing the juvenile how to get bird seed from the feeders and I've also had a rare visitor to the feeders and tree, namely a Coal Tit, which is definitely a welcome visitor.  

Plantsbrook Nature Reserve.

A short visit to Plantsbrook this morning to check on the five Cygnets and they are all doing fine. Birds spotted today were Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Robin, Starling, Song Thrush, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Canada Geese as well as the following chicks, Duckling (19), Coot (15), and the following waterfowl still on the nest, Great Crested Grebe (1) and Coot (9). The only things seen of note today were plenty of Grey Squirrels and a nice Funghi find. I seem to be finding a fair bit of Funghi lately, must be the damp weather we've had of late.

Winterbourne House and Garden, Edgbaston.

While some lucky people were rocking to the likes of the mighty Black Sabbath at Download Festival 2012, yesterday I was pursuing more serene botanical activities at Winterbourne House and Garden in leafy Edgbaston. Today was obviously more about plants and flowers but I'm always on the lookout for our feathered friends wherever I go so needless to say I went armed with my binoculars and camera. It's always to see flowers in full bloom and there are over 6,000 plants species here but there is also a cacti collection, a rock garden, a woodland walk, bee hives, a boggy area, a few wild flower areas, the adjoining Edgbaston Pool and of course an Edwardian House built for John and Margaret Nettlefold, of Guest, Keen & Nettlefold who's traditions go back to the birth of the Industrial Revolution in Birmingham in the 1750's and are better known today simply as GKN, the global automotive and aerospace engineering group. So there was plenty to see and do as well as the aforementioned all important birding, of which the undoubted highlight of the day was seeing a (resident?) flock of sixteen adult Barnacle Geese and two Barnacle Geese Goslings, I think they are possibly resident birds because they've normally migrated by the end of March and they certainly don't normally breed in Britain, I could find only eight pairs that bred in Britain in 2003, so it was a real treat to see them especially with young it's also the first time I've seen them since March 2011, the only downer was seeing one of them with a foot missing, probably down to the chavs with sticks leaving fishing line in the water and one also had a deformed head but it did seem happy and hungry enough though. Birds seen were Chiffchaff, Wren, Blue Tit, Wren, Blackbird, Jay, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Barnacle Goose, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard as well as the following chicks/juveniles, Blackbird (4), Jackdaw (2), Barnacle Goose (2), Great Crested Grebe (1), Moorhen (1) Coot (4) and the following nesting birds, Great Crested Grebe (1), Coot (3) and Mute Swan (1). In the woodland area there were centuries old trees that were home to plenty of Jackdaw, they were everywhere even in the garden grounds. It was also nice to see a few juvenile Rabbits in the same area. I would probably have seen more birds but I was obviously preoccupied with looking at the many plants and flowers on offer but I was still happy with the bird life spotted especially the Barnacle Geese and the many Jackdaw.

Winterbourne House and Garden.

Plants, Flowers and wild Funghi.

Edgbaston Pool.

Barnacle Goose. 

Barnacle Goose Goslings.