Sedgley (September 30)

The feeding station in my back garden is still quieter than I would like. One definite visitor has been a single blue tit (pictured) and I'm hoping that it brings some of its friends along on a regular basis.

The cherry tree which overshadows the area has had wood pigeon and collared dove in it. Not sure of exact numbers but at least 2 of each.

A small group of black headed gull are now resident in the area, which happens at this time of the year, and a single lesser-black backed gull was perched on a building behind the garden.

Sedgley Beacon (September 29)

The meadow pipit are around in numbers today with numerous sightings of birds rising from the long grass on and around the plateau. The most seen at one time - 11.

Two birds of prey seen - a kestrel in flight and a male sparrowhawk perched in a hawthorn bush.

Other birds included: jay, mistle thrush, goldfinch, greenfinch. Heard a green woodpecker but didn't see it.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (September 28)

Late afternoon walk, several robin singing (pictured). The top field on the right had a moorhen feeding right next to the main road. On the return leg of the walk the bird had moved to the top pool. There were 2 moorhen visible on the lane pond.

The top field also had 2 pied wagtail feeding on it and a grey wagtail was on the shallow stone strewn section of Penn Brook at the bottom of the lane.

Single stock dove in tree alongside Penn Brook.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (September 27)

Three sightings of common buzzard and a kestrel perched right at the top of the tallest mast in the lane (pictured).

One of the fields beyond Penn Brook had 4 jackdaw on them. Two grey heron in flight, high in the sky.

River Severn, Worcestershire (September 26)

Finished early morning so limited birding. Did hear little owl and tawny owl in the early hours but no sightings.

The far bank tree had the resident great spotted woodpecker on it and a common buzzard was being mobbed by carrion crow (pictured). A small group of pied wagtail passed through.

River Severn, Worcestershire (September 25)

A two-night session so still on the river. A great crested grebe was still on the river, very active (pictured). Also on the river itself were moorhen (single bird), mallard (male, female) and a sandpiper that flew past but with such a brief view that I wasn't able to id it.

Other birds included: great spotted woodpecker (dead tree on far bank a regular haunt), lesser black-backed gull (c.15 in flight), cormorant (4 in flight), swallow (numerous birds over fields), house martin, tawny owl (heard bird in common alder tree next to where I was fishing, it then flew right in front of me), great black-backed gull (9 in flight).

River Severn, Worcestershire (September 24)

A fishing session below Upton, and due to the type of angling that I do I also get chance to do plenty of birding. Highlight was watching 5 raven soaring and calling over a wood behind where I was fishing. The only downside to birding when fishing is that I don't have my usual gear with me but a cheap pair of Bushnell binoculars. But they're better than nothing and I daren't risk taking any quality gear along because I need to look after it better than I can when fishing.

At dusk large flocks of canada goose passed through the area (pictured above).

Three sightings of single kingfisher, a flock of 21 long tailed tit and a single cormorant in flight.

Sedgley (September 23)

A flock of c.40 starling in the vicinity of my home. Autumn is well and truly here!

Sedgley (September 22)

A little more action on my feeding station. A single blue tit on a peanut feeder and a robin and a male blackbird also present. A black headed gull was on the school roof beyond the garden.

Sedgley (September 21)

An update on my feeding station at home. It's still very quiet but did have c.6 house sparrows feeding today.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (September 20)

Several sightings of kestrel, likely to be the same pair of birds (most seen at one time - two birds). One was carrying a mouse in flight for one sighting.

A grey heron was on the last field on the right above Penn Brook and the trees along side the brook contained some very noisy jackdaw.

A flock of c.12 migrating house martin. The swallows from the two farms appear to have gone.

Whites Wood / Baggeridge Country Park (September 19)

A noisy and very active nuthatch in Whites Wood and a great spotted woodpecker showing well. A green woodpecker feeding on the grass on the pit mounds.

Several migrating swallow and a single house martin high in the sky. Single lesser black-backed gull and black headed gull, both in flight.

One kestrel, several common buzzard sightings of birds soaring / calling.

Single mistle thrush and jay, both in flight.

River Dove, Derbyshire (September 18)

Several single sightings of common sandpiper in flight low over the river - could possibly be the same bird. Other birds on the river included a female mallard and several moorhen. Two goosander resting / preening along the water's edge.

Group of 7 mistle thrush in flight, single cormorant, single grey heron and 2 noisy birds in flight well into dusk.

Six separate sightings of kingfisher, 5 of a single bird, the other of a pair.

Several common buzzard soaring / calling and a kestrel perched on a pylon.

Sedgley Beacon (September 17)

A couple of meadow pipits in the rough grass on the plateau. As always, there could well be more, the only time you get to see them is when they fly.

Male bullfinch in bushes near the tower, other finches seen were goldfinch (7 juveniles near tower), greenfinch, chaffinch.

Birds of prey seen were a female kestrel in flight carrying a mouse and what I thought at first was a goshawk but which turned out to be a very large female sparrowhawk.

Other birds included: black headed gull (single bird in flight), starling (numerous birds on the masts), lesser black-backed gull (single bird in flight)

Sedgley Beacon (September 16)

It's been ages since I went for a walk over the Beacon and with the possibility of wheatears at this time of the year, it's always worth a visit.

No wheatears though but 4 Meadow pipits and a single skylark. There could have been more pipits, but they were difficult to keep a track of in the long grass on the plateau.

In the rough grassland beyond the plateau, a flock of c.30 goldfinches were feeding on thistles, in trees and in flight. Two noisy green woodpeckers set up from the grassland.

Other birds included: lesser black-backed gull (single bird in flight), kestrel (in flight/hovering), sparrowhawk (female in flight).

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (September 15)

The SWALLOWS seem to have all but gone, I saw just 1 bird around Red Lane Farm. Two other sightings of 2 and c.6 birds respectively were of migrating birds. There were several HOUSE MARTINS high over fields beyond Penn Brook.

The MAGPIES are starting to group together and 13 birds were in one small hawthorn tree.

Unusual sightings for the lane of JACKDAW (6 birds) and ROOK (several in with CARRION CROW) on bottom field on the right.

A juvenile and adult MOORHEN on the lane pond and other birds included: GREEN WOODPECKER (feeding on ground inside water works area), HOUSE SPARROW (female), BLACK HEADED GULL (single bird in flight).

Staffs/Worcs Canal, Dimmingsdale (September 14)

A late afternoon walk along the canal. Birds seen included: STOCK DOVE (single bird in tree), GREY HERON (2 in flight), GREEN WOODPECKER (in flight), JAY, BLACK HEADED GULL (In flight).

Sedgley (September 13)

More backyard birds and a GREAT TIT put in an appearance. I haven't seen many of these at all before in my garden, so hopefully this will be the first of many. A juvenile COLLARED DOVE was in the cherry tree and birds in and around the feeding station included BLUE TIT, HOUSE SPARROW and ROBIN.

Sedgley (September 12)

After a blank yesterday, things are starting to happen in the garden! I've never really had much to get excited about before in the back yard, but then again I've never spent quality time watching. So now that I have a window on the world outside, who knows what will turn up!

Today's birds were all pretty ordinary though. A couple of COLLARED DOVES in the cherry tree and a BLUE TIT on a peanut feeder.

There were 3 BLACKBIRDS (1 male, 2 juveniles), a single ROBIN, a juvenile STARLING and several HOUSE SPARROWS (males and females).

Sedgley (September 11)

Two migrating swallows passed over the street where I live.

I work from home and am presently in the process of moving things around so that my office has a garden view. Always looking to take advantage of situations, I have also set up an area visible from the window to attract birds. Although nothing today, a bird table, seed feeder, fat balls and peanut feeders should start to pull some birds in soon, so watch this space!

Stourton (September 10)

Autumn is here and today watched a group of c.100 starlings feeding in fields and also in flight in their distinctive tight knit pattern.

Merry Hill Centre (September 9)

It doesn't matter where I am, I am always on the lookout for birds, and today having coffee with a fellow church minister at Wetherspoons right in the middle of the shopping complex, I was also watching two pied wagtails feeding on the busy pavement outside.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (September 8)

There are still mallards on the flooded field 'pond' (3 females, 1 male) and they have now been joined by an adult moorhen. Also 2 young juvenile moorhens on the lane pond.

Single lesser black-backed gull in flight, female great spotted woodpecker on a tree. Other birds included: goldfinch, chiffchaff, geenfinch, common buzzard.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (September 7)

The second time in a month that I have seen a hobby along the lane. This bird was in flight over Red Lane Farm before disappearing over the ridge beyond.

The mallards are still on the flooded field 'pond' - this time the number is up to 11 birds. Also a pied wagtail on the field.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (September 6)

Heavy rain flooded the fields and it hasn't taken long for a group of 10 mallards to colonise one 'pond'. They look like they have been there for ever!

Two sightings of single common buzzards, adult and juvenile wood pigeons everywhere. Single lesser black-backed gull in flight, pied wagtail on a field and a female kestrel perched on one of the masts.

The highlight though was a weasel that ran across the lane. This is the closest I have seen one to home and has come with the explosion of rabbits in the area over the last year or so.

Near Yoxall (September 5)

Driving at 5.30am saw a little owl perched on a gate post by the side of the road.

River Dove, Derbyshire (September 4)

Mute swans on the river - 2 adults and 3 juveniles. A kingfisher landed on the tree right next to where I was fishing and gave a great view.

Single great black-backed gull and lesser black-backed gull in flight. Numerous black headed gulls in flight.

Once darkness drew in a tawny owl flew over the field beyond the far bank of the river.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (September 3)

I thought that I'd seen my last swift but today a single migrating bird high in the sky extended the last date sighting. Numerous house martins and swallows around.

The lane pond had a very young juvenile moorhen and 2 adults visible and another juvenile was feeding in the field alongside the small pond mentioned in the last Red Lane blog entry.

Other birds included: collared dove (7 in a tree), stock dove (2 flew from tree), black headed gull (3 birds on bottom field on right), common buzzard.

River Dove, Derbyshire (September 2)

A pair of kingfishers were in the area for some time - chasing each other, perched on branches over river and fishing. Two sightings of single cormorants in flight.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (September 1)

Single common buzzard soaring / flight, also 2 kestrels in flight. A single stock dove in tree alongside bottom field on the right which is a regular haunt for the birds.
The lane pond had 2 adults and 1 juvenile moorhens visible.

Sedgley (August 31)

A juvenile and 2 adult collared doves in the cherry tree in my back garden, which is a favourite haunt of theirs. It's nice to see that a successful breeding has taken place and hopefully I will see another juvenile bird as well.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (August 30)

Although devoid of birds for quite a while, a juvenile moorhen was in the field around one of the ponds that just about qualifies for the title. I guess it is one of the birds that has wandered from the lane pond. Hopefully though it may lead to a re-colonisation but the problem in the past has been eggs going missing as soon as the birds lay. The lane pond had one adult bird visible.

Other birds: greenfinch, swallow, house martin, lesser black-backed gull (2 in flight and 1 on field below Westgate Farm), stock dove (perched in tree alongside Penn Brook), common buzzard (in flight).