Plantsbrook Nature Reserve.

Had a trip to Plantsbrook today being has I hadn't been there for a while. On the whole it was very quiet bird wise both on and off the water.

Birds seen were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Wren, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Grey Heron, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard as well as the following juveniles, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Moorhen (5) and Coot (2).

Luckily today I was able to police the bird feeders because I was leaving some seed on one of the feeders there was a huge pile of dry roasted nuts probably left by somebody with the the best intentions but they would have done untold damage what with the being whole peanuts and being high in salt content.

It was good to see that the huge apple tree in a hidden part of Plantsbrook which didn't have a single apple last year was bursting with fruit, with hundreds on the floor and many more hundreds still attached to the branches. It's especially good news because if we have a bad winter this year, I know from personal experience that the local Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and the hundreds of passing Fieldfare and Redwing rely on this sizeable food source, if you visit this little spot especially if there's snow on the floor you will easily see a hundred birds or more feasting on the apples.

The National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.

Birding was not the primary reason for yesterday's trip out being as it was to The National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas which is a national site of remembrance which is emerging as a world-renowned centre for remembrance, but being is it is set in 150 acres of great habitat that has been landscaped with wildlife in mind with over 50,000 trees with more being added all the time including thousands of fruit bearing trees, wildflower meadows, log piles etc and is also at the western end of the National Forest and borders the River Tame basically the binoculars were a must.

Highlight of the day was seeing a Tree Sparrow constantly visiting the (poorly stocked) feeders, needless to say the feeders were a bit better stocked by the time I left. Other birds attracted in my bird seed were a friendly Chaffinch who was unfortunately suffering from Fringilla papillomavirus, which was a shame, Dunnock, Robin, Great Tit and Blackbird.

On the large expanse of grass between the Falkland War and Northern Ireland conflict memorials there were many Pied Wagtail, possibly in the hundreds including many fine looking juveniles.

Birds seen were Buzzard, Kingfisher (on the River Tame), Tree Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Robin, Dunnock, Starling, Blackbird, Woodpiegon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, House Martin, Swallow, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Mallard as well as the following juveniles, Pied Wagtail, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Long Tailed Tit.

Also worth noting is the fact that I only saw one Kestrel hovering by the side of the road on the journey there and back which seemed a bit sad, you normally see many more than that.

If your interested I shall post some of the memorials on my Flickr as well as a video of the Chaffinch pictured above.

Pype Hayes Park.

A mixture of both good and bad news today from Pype Hayes Park and at home.

Today's trip out was going to be to Sheldon Country Park to observe the birds, planes and trains at the Park, Birmingham International Airport and Marston Green Train Station respectively but it was foggy, misty and the air was damp when I left so I opted for Pype Hayes Park where ironically enough it was bright sunshine by about 9:30, that's the problem with going out early I suppose, still Pype Hayes was a good walk either way.

On the pool the Muscovy Duck is still present which is good news, there was also seven Duckling and six Moorhen recent arrivals which was nice to see as well as one of the Great Crested Grebe young has matured into a fine looking bird. Unfortunately there are no currently only five of the six Cygnets still present on the pool because one had to be rescued by the RSPCA because it's mouth was all entwined with fishing line 'donated' by one of the local anglers, I shan't rant on about it because I've made my feelings clear in the past, needless to say these people don't care about the local wildlife and the surroundings. It was taken by the RSPCA a week ago so hopefully it will return if it recovers, if not let's hope the 'Fisherman' is proud of themselves. 

Birds seen were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Wren, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Muscovy Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose as well as the following juveniles, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Cygnet (5), Moorhen (6), Duckling (7) and Great Crested Grebe (1).

There was also yesterday's drama, as I was watching the House Sparrow's, Blue Tits and Great Tits in the garden from my bedroom window in the morning I noticed a juvenile Male House Sparrow in next doors garden appearing to have a dirt bath with some other Sparrow's but after observing it for a while it was clear that for whatever reason it couldn't fly properly even though after a while he did manage to fly into the laurel bush so I thought I hope he's okay and wished for the best. Then about three hours later when I was topping up the feeders I saw him struggling on the floor again but he unfortunately disappeared into the pyracanthas and there was no way I would be able to retrieve it from there, so again I just hoped for the best and and wished that a parent bird or his fellow Sparrow's would help him out. Then a couple of hours after that when I was topping up the bird baths I noticed him again, struggling to fly and hiding behind the plants pots, after ten to fifteen minutes and plenty of fun and games I managed to retrieve him get him in a box and provided him with cat food, mealworms, seed and water and covered over the box rang a local vet in Solihull who cares for injured wildlife who agreed to take him in and hopefully look after him but sadly as I went to get him ready for transport he didn't look well and was clearly in pain and losing his grip on life when he gave out one last stretch and sadly passed away. At least I tried by best for the little fella and he didn't unduly suffer and he now has a special burial plot in my back garden, R.I.P. little one.

At least the Badger's are safe, oh wait a minute.........

Sutton Park.

Early morning trip to Sutton Park partly to try and avoid the predicted downpour where ironically enough the day just got warmer and warmer and the clouds gradually disappeared.

Highlights today was seeing three Buzzard and two Kestrel all in the air at the same time above the heathland, that was until one of the Kestrels startled a Green Woodpecker or vice versa which prompted the Green Woodpecker to make one hell of a noise which in turn startled all nearby birds. The Green Woodpecker was also nice to see because along with another highlight, a pair of Treecreeper, they are birds you just see enough these days.

Birds seen today were, Kestrel Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Treecreeper, Wren, Robin, Swallow, Grey Wagtail, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.

Another highlight was finding an area of roughly sixty square foot under some Silver Birch trees which held hundreds of Funghi, I was in my element snapping them all away with my camera, of which I'll post more on my Flickr, it made up for the lack of butterflies, all I saw today was the Gatekeeper (in the photo) and a lone Small White, very poor indeed.

Kingsbury Water Park.

Up nice and early yet again, this time to sample the delights that Kingsbury Water Park in North Warwickshire had to offer.

Highlights of the day were seeing c.50 Starling tucking into a bumper crop of elderberries and rowan berries, fifty was a conservative estimate being as they were spread across many bushes and there were also plenty in amongst the bushes, there could easily been at least a hundred filling up on this exceptional crop of berries. There was also a nice flock of c.30 Long Tailed Tit which held many juveniles. It was also nice to see a Mistle Thrush and some Bullfinch for a change.

Birds seen today were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Starling, Mistle Thrush, Jay, House Martin, Swallow, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose as well as the following juveniles Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit and Great Crested Grebe (4).

Not too many butterflies around toady apart from a few Peacock, Small White and Speckled Wood but too make up for that it was great to see hundreds of wasps feasting on some windfall pears, they were going absolutely crazy, it was a great sight to see.

Babbs Mill Nature Reserve, Solihull.

Early morning trip to Babbs Mill Nature Reserve in Solihull.

Highlight of the day had to be seeing fifty or sixty House Sparrow having a mud bath along the path which is adjacent to the River Cole by a very old apple tree which was positively bursting with fruit which will hopefully see the Blackbirds and various Thrushes through the winter months.

Unfortunately other than that it was pretty quiet with the only birds spotted being, Kestrel, Blue Tit, Great Tit, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Canada Goose, Domestic Goose as well as the following juveniles, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Great Crested Grebe (2), Moorhen (2), Coot (4) and Domestic Goose (1).

Shustoke Reservoir.

First trip to Shustoke Reservoir in nearly three months but even though it was very quite bird wise it was worth it for what turned out to be a real highlight of the day namely that of seeing a Tawny Owl fly past me at about eight foot high and a couple of feet in front of me, it was as brief as it was brilliant.

Like I said it was pretty quite bird wise other than that there was plenty of butterflies out including Green Veined White (pictured), Small White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Gatekeeper, Small Heath and Speckled Wood. There was also a few Moths about, which I was disturbing while walking along the edges of the farmers fields including the one in the photograph, I don't know anything about Moths so I don't know which type it is. Talking of the farmers fields there was also some baby Toads observed making their way across the fields to the river, I picked one up and tried to photograph it but it didn't reciprocate to my actions. Because we've had a few wet days lately there seems to be plenty Funghi around to see of which I'll post some photos of on my Flickr which is where I've also posted a short video showing some of the many House Sparrow I have visiting the garden all year round.

Back to the birds, birds seen today were Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Wren, Robin, Swift, House Martin, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Coot, Mallard as well as the following juveniles, Pied Wagtail (in the last photo), Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit and Duckling (5).