Sedgley (December 31)

Final entry of 2008 and I checked out the birds in the back yard. I topped up the seed feeder, put fresh water out and hung some new fat balls. This is the time (very severe cold at present) that they need our help and assistance.

There were a pair of collared dove in a tree, a female blackbird feeding on the ground and the usual gang of male and female house sparrow around.

Have a great New Year's Eve and I'll see you in 2009!

Near Kinver (December 30)

Back after the raven but just one brief sighting of a single bird in flight. But I'm now pretty confident that they are hanging around the wider area so I will be back again in the New Year to have a look.

A flock of c.12 siskin feeding on common alder trees in the area. Also saw pheasant (male x2, female), green woodpecker, kestrel, grey heron.

Near Kinver (December 29)

Back in the same area as before and the raven were still around. Several sightings of the birds, which were never that far from each other. One is very easy to recognise at the moment by a gap in his wing as a few feathers are missing.

Also saw kingfisher, jackdaw, jay.

Baggeridge Country Park (December 28)

A brief afternoon visit to Baggeridge. The very cold spell continues. Highlight was a peregrine perched about 4/5 of the way up the chimney stack at the brickworks. I managed to get some footage of the bird and although I was some distance away it's still interesting enough. You can view it here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dqZrdLgcCxs&feature=channel_page

A raven in flight, heading from the Red Lane area to the Straits, although high in the sky and showing no sign of dropping down.

Other birds included: bullfinch (3 males near visitor's centre, male and female near brickworks), goldfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch.

Turls Hill (December 27)

This is my local patch as in the closest to home and I have spent considerable time over there, but it's been a long time since I last paid a visit so I decided to have a walk over there on a very cold afternoon.

Single common buzzard flew from Turls Wood, then mobbed by a single carrion crow as it flew over the Tipton Road fields. A male kestrel perched in a tree.

A goldcrest in brambles alngside the brook, and finches seen were greenfinch (7 in tree), goldfinch (5 in flight), chaffinch (2 males) and bullfinch (separate sightings of male and female).

Hundreds of wood pigeon and in amongst c.70 on a field was a single stock dove. It pays to look at everything. A flock of c.20 house sparrow (male and female) on the edge of the site by housing.

In flight a grey heron and a lesser black-backed gull.

Near Kinver (December 26)

Out on Boxing Day, very cold as the easterlies kicked in after a mild Christmas. Highlight was a pair of raven, who could well be pairing up for the breeding season as they are early starters. I will keep an eye on the area anyway and if they do breed that would be brilliant. Several sightings and sometimes just the birds calling.

Others birds included: jackdaw (several noisy birds), common buzzard, grey heron, green woodpecker, goldfinch (c.8)

Sedgley (December 25)

Topped up the feeding station in my back garden, a blue tit immediately came in to feed. A couple of collared dove and two wood pigeon in trees and a carrion crow in flight.

Near Kinver (December 24)

Alongside the Staffs / Worcs Canal in South Staffordshire. Three great spotted woodpecker flew into trees. Also two sightings of single green woodpecker.

Several jackdaw, very noisy birds. Single sighting of common buzzard and kingfisher.

Tipton (December 23)

Not much free time at all today so kept my eyes peeled in and around Asda, Tipton where we did our Christmas food shopping.

A single lesser black-backed gull circling low over the store and several black headed gull in the area. A single long tailed tit in bushes.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (December 22)

Mild and dry day today, it seems as if the weather is improving and long may that continue. The field next to Red Lane Farm again had a grey wagtail feeding on it. A couple of pied wagtail further down the lane.

The lane pond still has the 4 moorhen, 2 adult and 2 non-adult plumage. A couple of stock dove flew from tree in lane alongside the last field on the right. It's unusual not to see the birds in that area.

Other birds included: black headed gull (several in flight), starling, carrion crow.

Sedgley (December 21)

Very busy day today as we had church in the morning and the carol service in the evening. Consequently was limited to a brief moment or two in the back yard. A couple of carrion crow were active in the area and wood pigeon and collared dove were in the garden itself.

River Dove, Derbyshire (December 20)

Highlight today was a merlin. I was fishing on a bend underneath my umbrella as the bird came towards me flying low. It literally just scraped over the umbrella so was in effect a metre away from me. Brilliant.

Four sightings of little grebe, twice of a pair and twice a single bird. Other birds included: cormorant (single bird in flight), chaffinch (male singing), great tit (calling).

Baggeridge Country Park (December 19)

I did a video of today's birding session and you can view that here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sZVZJQij5oQ&feature=channel_page

The tawny owl in Whites Wood was in its usual spot and giving good views. That bird is such a celebrity I wouldn't be surprised if it appeared on the local news one night.

Several sightings of a single kestrel, hovering and in flight. Just one common buzzard, a distant soaring bird.

Several black headed gull in flight and also on the Island Pool. Single herring gull in flight.

Other birds included: nuthatch, greenfinch, bullfinch, goldfinch, coal tit. Heard a raven calling when I was by the Spring Pool but didn't get to see it.

M42 Worcestershire (December 18)

Took someone to Birmingham airport and whilst it vwas dark on the way there I used the journey back to see if I could maybe spot a red kite as they aren't that far south from the area. Obviously I kept my eyes on the road but traffic density was low so there was no safety compromise.

No red kite but a couple of common buzzard, several magpie, carrion crow and jackdaw.

River Dove, Derbyshire (December 17)

Single goosander high overhead in flight at dusk. Also 2 mallard in flight and 5 single sightings of cormorant.

Flock of c.15 pied wagtail in flight and 3 birds on ground. Single grey wagtail.

Three common buzzard soaring and a single bird seen previously. Other birds included: mistle thrush (2 in flight), stock dove (4 in tree), bullfinch (male), fieldfare (single bird).

Penn Common (December 16)

Parked on the top car park by the pond and covered the area that side of the main road. A single mistle thrush on fields by the farm and a single fieldfare in a tree on the common.

A hedgerow by the top farm had 4 bullfinch (1 male, 3 female) in it and other birds included jackdaw, house sparrow, pied wagtail, goldfinch (c.12 in flight), coal tit.

Baggeridge Country Park (December 15)

Cold but dry day and so had a coiuple of hours in the morning over Baggeridge. Covered Whites Wood to the visitor's centre and back again. The tawny owl is still in his roosting spot in the wood, very regular bird but always a pleasure to see.

Several nuthatch, both in Whites Wood and by the visitor's centre. Several goldfinch by the centre as well as a single siskin.

The field alongside the miners path had 4 mistle thrush and 4 redwing feeding on it. Other birds included 3 bullfinch (1male, 2 female) by Lydiates crossing, kestrel (2 female birds squabbling in a tree, probably over food and a single bird by visitor's centre), house sparrow (male and female by visitor's centre), coal tit, jay.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (December 14)

Late afternoon walk down a quiet Red Lane, just one person on horseback. The recent rain has pushed the lane pond just into the surrounding fields. The moorhen were active, a single adult bird seen and 2 birds still yet to attain full plumage.

Two sightings of single common buzzard in flight and a female kestrel perched on a tree on the lane.

The bottom field on the right had c.20 black headed gull on it. Other birds seen included: green woodpecker (calling in flight), song thrush, goldfinch (c.8), redwing (single bird), pied wagtail.

Sedgley (December 13)

Working today so some back garden birding to entertain me. The school behind had a carrion crow perched on the roof but that's as far as they venture to the garden.

The usual crowd of male and female house sparrow on the seed feeder and the fat balls. The ground below had 3 dunnock and 3 collared dove feeding as well as a male and female blackbird.

A brief visit from a blue tit and a robin sang through the rain.

River Dove, Derbyshire (December 12)

A few hours fishing on the River Dove. Very grey and overcast and not much bird action.

Not much on the river itself, just a single little grebe diving in quite fast water on the far bank. Saw 3 sightings of a single cormorant in flight.

Several black headed gull in flight in the area and just a single fieldfare, last visit there were hundreds of them. Other birds included: goldfinch, jackdaw, long tailed tit.

Fens Pool, Pensnett (December 11)

First birding sesssion in over a week due to having the flu - and the proper thing as well, not just the man-version. The loss of 11lb proves that.

My wife and youngest daughter were at Russell's Hall Hospital so I took advantage of being close to the Fens Pool and so paid a visit there. Walked around the top pool, which was a good two-thirds frozen over.

The open water had a male goldeneye and a male shoveler, the former diving often. Lots of gulls on the ice, mostly black headed gull, several lesser black-backed gull and the odd herring gull.

Other birds included: mistle thrush, jay, tufted duck (numerous), little grebe (2), grey wagtail and a willow tit / marsh tit that I didn't get chance to id.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (December 2)

Did a short video of the session which you can view here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EgVWZphCWxo&feature=channel_page

There were 4 moorhen feeding on the field alongside the lane pond, 2 adult plumage and 2 in juvenile plumage. Also around the pond were a male and female bullfinch, presumably the same birds from last visit.

The last field on the right had 6 meadow pipit on it and 2 song thrush. Other birds seen included: pied wagtail, great spotted woodpecker, stock dove (4 in flight beyond Penn Brook), common buzzard.

Sedgley (December 1)

Backyard birding for me today, watching limited activity through my office window. Several black headed gull in the area and also several starling, many coming into the garden and paying the occasional visit to the birdtable.

The house sparrow are regular and again several male and female. A single wood pigeon and 2 collared dove.

Red Lane, Gospel End Village (November 30)

A late afternoon walk, very cold. Saw a pair of bullfinch in trees by the lane pond, which had me thinking as to the last time I saw bullfinches at Red Lane. Without scouring through my daily notes I can't remember - if ever - although I'm sure I have at some point. There are reliable spots the other side of Penn Brook, but this side they are scarce.

Female kestrel in flight and later 2 birds hovering by the ridge within yards of each other. Two sightings of single common buzzard, a soaring/calling bird over the ridge and a perched bird in tree alongside Penn Brook.

A field alongside Red Lane farm had a feeding grey wagtail on it. The field alongside the lane pond had 2 adult and 2 juvenile moorhen feeding.

Other birds included: black headed gull (several in area), chaffinch, starling.

Whites Wood, Baggeridge Country Park (November 29)

There is a video of today's birding session that can be seen here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7vmTcp0SVYM&feature=PlayList&p=597AA5DC5989B14F&index=0

Good view of a roosting tawny owl. Although the bird has been a regular there for some time, and become a local celebrity in the process, it's still great to see it. I scanned other spots where I have seen roosting birds before but none produced the goods.

Several sightings of nuthatch, no doubt some the same bird. Other birds included: bullfinch (4 male and female birds), jackdaw, goldfinch, greenfinch, goldcrest, house sparrow (several male and female), great spotted woodpecker (male).