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I'm now posting my nature sightings on my new facebook page, combining them with all the other stuff I'm involve with. Just a practical way of bringing everything together.

Hopefully you will join me on there. To reach it, click the words 'Facebook page' in the title of this post. That's the link!

River Severn (Near Bridgnorth) - October 20 2010

Two sightings of a pair of raven in flight.

Sedgley (Backyard) - October 19 2010

Flock of black headed gull around the school. They were low so impossible to count exact numbers but most saw at one time was 5.

Whittington - October 18 2010

A couple of raven sightings (birds calling in flight) in the area by the River Stour.

Tipton - October 17 2010

Going into church this morning and a calling herring gull in flight flew directly overhead.

Wolverhampton - October 16 2010

At Molineux watching Wolves, and not that the game was not interesting or anything like that, but saw a flock of c.40 black headed gulls around the car park beyond the North Bank.

Whittington - October 15 2010

I heard it before I saw it - a raven in flight calling. Later a bird callling regularly from the ridge of trees beyond the River Stour.

River Severn (Hampton Loade) - October 14 2010

Watched a kingfisher on the stretch diving from a number of perches after small fish.

Sedgley (Backyard) - October 12 2010

In decline these days and so I always remind myself that our colony of house sparrow is a great thing to witness as they are a regular feature in the garden. Today counted 16 birds.

Sedgley (Backyard) - October 11 2010

Caught a brief glimpse of a coal tit today on the seed feeder. It's a regular feature and I say 'it' because I haven't seen more than one.

Sedgley (Backyard) - October 10 2010

Today there were three common frog in the pond. They're still going strong, look very contented and I hope we will have spawn for the first time next spring for about 15 years!

Sedgley (Backyard) - October 9 2010

Two common frog sitting in the garden pond.

Near Shrewsbury - October 8 2010

Five common buzzard calling and soaring overhead.

Sedgley (Backyard) - October 7 2010

Two common frog in the garden pond. Blue tit on the seed feeder. At least 12 house sparrow around the feeding station.

Sedgley (Backyard) - October 6 2010

The black headed gull which are a regular feature in the colder months now seem to be back for the winter. Counted c5 of them today, difficult to get accurate reading as they were low and obscured by buildings.

Wombourne sewage works - October 5 2010

Took my wife and mother-in-law to Sainsbury's at Wombourne and went birding while they shopped. Seems good to me.

A kingfisher in flight across the sewage works as well as a single pied wagtail and grey wagtail on site. Saw a pair of pied wagtail on a factory building as well.

Female reed bunting in trees beyond the sewage works and a red admiral out and about enjoying the autumn sunshine.

Sedgley (Backyard) - October 4 2010

The coal tit has been regular in recent days and this morning was no exception. They are so dainty compared to house sparrow - and several of those today as usual pushing it out of the seed feeder.

Whittington - October 3 2010

Single common pipistrelle bat over the River Stour at dusk.

Sedgley (Backyard) - October 2 2010

Working today so plenty of opportunity to spot birds out of my office window. Single coal tit regularly on the seed feeder along with occasional visits from a blue tit and a great tit.

An unusual sighting of a female chaffinch, we don't see many of those. The resident robin took exception though and continually chased her away, ignoring all the numerous house sparrow!

Dudmaston Big pool, Shropshire (October 1 2010)

Regular sightings of a single kingfisher across the pool, sometimes calling. A bird that featured in the recent river watch organised by environmentalists due to its decline, certainly after the very harsh winter we had last toime round.

Sedgley (Backyard) - September 30 2010

All three tit species around the feeding station that we are getting regularly. All single birds, coal tit, great tit, blue tit.

Just the one common frog around the pool.

Whittington - September 29 2010

Several common pipistrelle bats at dusk over River Stour and several tawny owl calling in the area.

Sedgley (Backyard) - September 28 2010

I'm particularly interested of late in the common frog activity around our garden pond and I'm really hoping that we will now see a breeding colony established again, as from next spring. Today there were two in residence.

Sedgley - September 27 2010

Late in the day my wife called me into the kitchen. The bags of shopping that had been on the floor for some time had a baby common frog sitting on top of them. How it got there is a mystery! (Click on the image for a magnification)

Sedgley (Backyard) - September 26 2010

Flock of starling in the area c50 birds. Autumn is well and truly here, we get regular visits from starlings during the colder months.

Sedgley (Backyard) - September 25 2010

Another visit to the garden from a grey squirrel and another opportunity for Twinkle my Bedlington Terrier to claim her territory.

Dudmaston Big pool, Shropshire (September 24 2010)

Two swallow feeding over the pool and adjoining meadow.
Three sightings of goosander in flight over the pool as follows: 5 female / 1 male / 1 female.

Sedgley (Backyard) - September 23 2010

A flock of c.20 black headed gull around the area and one briefly landed on the roof, the first time we've had one, or at least I've seen it.

Also a grey squirrel on the bird feeding station. That gave my Bedlington Terrier Twinkle some excitement as she saw it off.

Dudmaston Big pool, Shropshire (September 22 2010)

Watched a kingfisher in flight with a small fish in its beak, off to find a perch to eat it on. Nothing of note on the pool, but in a month or so then the winter ducks will be arriving. Saw a female smew last winter.

Sedgley (Backyard) - September 21 2010

Lots of tit activity around the feeding station this morning as a coal tit, blue tit and 2 great tit all put in regular appearances. And there were 2 common frog around the garden pond.

Sedgley (Backyard) - September 20 2010

Still the 1 common frog sitting in the pond.

Sedgley (Backyard) - September 19 2010

The temperature is dropping - we've put our bathroom heater on for the first time, that's a good indicator it's getting colder. Still 1 common frog sitting in the pond.

Sedgley (Backyard) - September 18 2010

Although we have had them before never at the same time, so it was good to see 2 great tit, 1 blue tit and 1 coal tit around the feeding station. Haven't seen the latter for some time but we do tend to get them during the colder months anyway.

Sedgley (Backyard) - September 17 2010

Just the one common frog in the pond today. The weather is turning very autumnal now and tonight the temperature is down sharply. There are even frost in some parts of England tonight. But I've created some amphibian overwintering places in the garden so I've done my bit to help them in the struggle for survival.

Dudley (Russells Hall Hospital) - September 16 2010

I found myself at the hospital in the early hours and there was a robin singing from a tree on the car park. Several birds sing at night, not just nightingales!

Dudley (Russells Hall) - September 15 2010

On grass alongside Russells Hall Road c.20 black headed gull, all in winter plumage. Been a while now since I saw anything remotely like summer dress!

Sedgley (backyard) - September 14 2010

I'm really focused on the common frog activity in and around the garden pond. Today just the two, one in the water and the other on a rock enjoying the rain!

Sedgley - backyard (September 13 2010)

Really encouraged to find 5 common frog all in the pond. I hope it's not too optimistic to say that the frogs are back!

And as I type this there is a family group of 5 blackbird feeding right outside my office window.

Sedgley - backyard (September 12 2010)

Nice to see the common frog have been in and around the pond for some time now, 3 in total today.

Near Shrewsbury, Shropshire (September 11 2010)

A leopard slug, and who said slugs were nasty? A beautiful creature if you ask me!

Near Shrewsbury, Shropshire (September 10 2010)

A juvenile common tern late afternoon in feeding patrol mode around a lake. Really enjoyed watching it hunt.

Sedgley (September 9 2010)

Early hours (12.35am) and a badger crossing The Northway near to the junction with Gospel End Road.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (September 8 2010)

In the same place as a few days back and again two badger around the sett at dusk. Also a single common pipistrelle flew past, seen once. Bit like Groundhog day!

Sedgley - backyard (September 7 2010)

Just the one common frog seen today in the garden pond. Just a small number of house sparrow at the feeding station, 3 female and 1 male. The briefest of visits though from a blue tit, but nothing to take his fancy really, must get the fat balls out as I've run out.

Sedgley - backyard (September 6 2010)

The weed that I put in the garden pond has taken well and is now providing good breeding conditions for the smooth newt colony we have. They are always in view but the return of the common frog has been really encouraging. Two of them today, but the most seen this year has been four.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (September 5 2010)

Found a new badger's sett and watched at least two individual badger at dusk setting off on a hunting expedition. Other sightings but unable to say if more than two animals.

A single common pipistrelle bat in flight along the canal.

Sedgley - backyard (September 4 2010)

Flock of c.20 gulls in flight. Mostly black headed gull, a few lesser black-backed gull and at least one great black-backed gull. Not a clear view to be accurate on numbers.

Sedgley - backyard birding (September 3 2010)

Four common buzzard high overhead in flight, calling.

Near Shrewsbury, Shropshire (September 2 2010)

Still out on the same fishing trip, a single curlew flew across the lake. It was calling which of course alerted me to it in the first place. The closest bird to home so far this year, the others have all been in Wales.

Near Shrewsbury, Shropshire (September 1 2010)

It's that time of the year when certain birds start to flock together and so it wasn't that much of a surprise to see c.50 goldfinch while out on a fishing trip. Don't normally see so many bthough, usually smaller groups.

Sedgley - backyard birding (July 13 2010)

Two black headed gull on a neighbouring roof. We get lots in the winter but unusual to see them in the warmer months.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (July 12 2010)

A photograph of a common carder bee on the flowerhead of a spear thistle.

Dudmaston, Shropshire (July 8 2010)

Several ringlet butterflies around the area.

Himley (July 8 2010)

I was in my car at the time waiting at the lights by the church, but even with limited views due to trees and the church building itself, there were at least 100 swift in the immediate area.

Sedgley - backyard (July 6 2010)

A musk mallow growing in the garden. To some people it's a weed, to me it's a beautiful British wild flower.

Stourton, Staffordshire (July 1 2010)

A badger seen at 1.08am alongside the road. Was startled by the car headlights and ran alongside me for a while instead of disappearing into the hedge. You can see why so many get run over.

Upper Ludstone, Shropshire (June 27 2010)

Driving and a stoat passed over one of the side roads. Without losing my concentration I am always switched on to what's going on around whether that be driving, walking or whatever. Stay alert and you never know what may be seen. My first stoat of the year.

Dudmaston, Shropshire (June 27 2010)

Early morning and a brown hare in full flight near the Big Pool. Had my camcorder and tried to capture it on film but typical hare, by the time I was set up it had disappeared.

River Stour, Worcestershire (June 23 2010)

Well into dusk I had the great pleasure of having a barn owl fly directly over me. And only three feet away as well. I was tucked into dense undergrowth at the time.

Sedgley - backyard (June 22 2010)

Really pleased to find common frog in the garden pool. Not just one either, but three. We used to have regular frogs but they disappeared for a few years. I hope they're making a comeback. Our garden pond is specially constructed as a haven for amphibians - no fish.

Dudmaston, Shropshire (June 19)

I don't feature many trees in my blog, so when I came across a cluster of five magnificent common beech trees on the estate I had to take a photograph. It came out quite good with the sun breaking through the foliage.

Tasley, Shropshire (May 27 2010)

Saw my first cuckoo of the year. Have heard several so far but this is the first one I have actually been able to sight. Take me to 83 for the year and apart from a north Wales cuckoo, all have been local.

Worcestershire River Stour (May 22 2010)

Watching barbel spawning today on the river and captured them on film, as part of my Angling Journal website. Even if you are not an angler though, a fascinating sight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhIYQo1Ataw

Staffs/Worcs Canal (May 21 2010)

Saw (and heard) another common tern near the canal. Probably the same bird as saw yesterday.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (May 20 2010)

Walking back to the car after the overnight fishing session, saw my first common tern of the year. I saw one bird at first in flight and then a pair, likely to be the same bird on its own and then with another. Takes me to 82 for the year, and apart from a curlew I saw in Wales all have been local and without much effort. Shows what's out there doesn't it.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (May 19 2010)

An overnight fishing trip and arriving late I saw a reed bunting singing in canal-side bushes and heard a cuckoo calling in the distance. (They always seem to be in the distance).

Highlight though, the badger's sett nearby. Managed to film adult and young badger, here they are on film.

http://www.youtube.com/user/StewartBloor#p/u/0/5BYY_eTgVpc

Sedgley - backyard birding (May 18 2009)

Two greenfinch briefly in the back garden. They were in the cherry tree and didn't quite make it to the feeding station, but as we don't get many finches full stop in the garden, even that was an encouragement.

Sedgley - backyard birding (May 17 2009)

A single herring gull passed through quite low this morning. Don't get many of those in the area, mostly black headed gulls in the winter and lesser black-backed gulls in the summer.

Tipton (May 16 2010)

Two great black-backed gull high in soaring flight, in the Tipton Green area.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (May 15 2010)

Along the local canal tonight and saw three species of butterfly: green-veined white, peacock and orange tip. Also heard a cuckoo call once at dusk.

Sedgley - backyard birding (May 13 2010)

Seven lesser black-backed gull perched on the school roof behind our home. Calling as well, always reminds me of the seaside when I hear that!

Sedgley - backyard birding (May 12 2010)

Haven't seen any swift in the area since they first appeared a week or so ago, so well pleased to watch four dusk birds in typical noisy chasing style. I know that a building where they previously nested opposite to my house has been renovated and I fear that particular site has gone forever now.

Sedgley - backyard birding (May 11 2009)

We have a pair of dunnock nesting in a conifer and was concerned to see a magpie take some interest. But it's deep in a tight tree so they're safe.

Found a garlic mustard plant growing, which is a new one for the garden. Weeds? No such thing. They're all flowers.

Sedgley - backyard birding (May 10 2010)

A first for the garden for me as I saw a sparrowhawk in late dusk hunting-mode flight. It was just beyond the backyard and flew into a tree. Hope it didn't get any of the finches that are around, they are few in number as it is.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (May 5 2010)

A first for me as I saw an otter on the canal. I get regular sightings on rivers but a new one on the canal. Saw it at 00.49am and it came right through where I was fishing, only diving once it became aware of my presence.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (May 4 2010)

On the canal at dusk and again watched the badger around their sett. There are definitely two animals at least and they both have different characters. They way they react when they know I'm there is a point of case. One sniffs and then goes off on its way but the other sits there peeping at me through the grass, as you can see on the videos I recently put on.

Dudley (May 4 2010)

Stuck in traffic by the Black Country Museum at 4.38pm when I saw a female goshawk over the Castlegate area. It was high in the sky and heading lazily in the direction of Netherton. It made me think how many people were cursing the slow movement on the roads, yet it was that which had opened the door for me to look around while I waited. Every cloud has a silver lining and all that stuff. Takes me to 81 birds for the year, apart from 1 all seen within a short radius of home.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (May 3 2010)

Two sightings of a single kingfisher low in flight over the canal and a group of c.8 swift passing through - my largest numerical sighting of the species this year so far.

But the highlight and my reason for being there as far as nature was concerned, was for the badger. I saw a couple of creatures and got them on film which speaks more than words ever will.

Badger video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZSsOcdQvv4

Sedgley (May 3 2010)

The first swift of the year in our area, noticed two birds first thing this morning. Great to see them back although the weather is anything but summer-like today.

Sedgley - Tipton (May 2 2010)

A late afternoon car journey between the two destinations and spotted regular small groups of lesser black-backed gull in flight. A total of c.30 birds.

Staffs / Worcs Canal (May 1 2010)

A fishing trip on the canal and was again privileged to watch badger at dusk. There are at least two separate animals and it's an excuse to go back fishing to the same spot again. This time round had good views of both creatures.

A skylark singing high in the sky over neigbouring fields. As is often the case I heard it before I saw it.

Noticed several new flowers coming through along the towpath including green alkanet, garlic mustard and lesser spearwort.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (April 29 2010)

Out on a fishing trip and I thought I had seen badger the night before during darkness. But this time they were confirmed as I managed to capture them on film before it got too dark.

Once it was dark properly though I had an amazing sight as I watched two badgers feeding on the far bank skyline and a tawny owl fly over them, just a few feet above.

Too dark - and happened too quickly - to get on camera but one that will live in the mental memory card for a long time.

Here's the video of the badgers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKVUUH2clsA

Fens Pool Nature Reserve, Pensnet (April 28 2010)

A quick visit while I was doing a hospital run to nearby Russells Hall. High in the sky were a swift and a house martin.

The Fens Pool on arrival had 9 lesser black-backed gull and 2 herring gull on it. Three lapwing were circling around and landed on grass alongside the pool.

A male sparrowhawk was hunting low over the ground in a hawthorn bush section and a little higher just over the tops of the bushes a kestrel was also in hunting mode.

Sedgley (April 28 2010)

Saw my first swift of the year this afternoon, two birds high in the sky just to the east of Sedgley centre. Takes me to 80 species for 2010.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (April 27 2010)

A female mallard on the canal with 10 young that looked like they have not been out of the nest very long. My first fledglings of the year.

A colony of bluebell flowers on the far bank of the canal in full bloom.

Sedgley - backyard birding (April 26 2010)

A group of c.6 lesser black-backed gull in the area today. They were very noisy, that's what alerted me to them in the first place. Living by a school where the kids throw food on the floor, we get lots of gulls who get fed well. The birds were in lazy, low flight and often went down to collect something.

Video of brown rat (April 25 2010)

Not my favourite creature I must confess. This video was taken on a recent fishing trip. It was at this venue a few years back I woke in the night to find a brown rat on the pillow next to me. Not nice!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv4H3Lgr1gw

Video of great crested grebe (April 25 2010)

Added a video to YouTube of a pair of great crested grebe in summer plumage. These were filmed on a recent fishing trip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hY64nPIHd4

Highgate Common (April 24 2010)

A quick walk with Twinkle my Bedlington Terrier, so a sort of killing-two-birds-with-one-stone exercise. Although not literally of course, I wouldn't want to even tread on an oil beetle. The signs are up in the area that they have been sighted, so that's great news.

Saw my first whitethroat of the year (up to 79), well several actually, many of them singing. Other singing birds included willow warbler and yellowhammer.

A pair of common buzzard soaring high overhead and a kestrel spotted hovering several times.

Did catch a brief glimpse of what looked like a small tortoiseshell but the only other butterfly I saw and identified was a small white.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (April 23 2010)

A fishing trip on the local canal, so just a few hours at first light and not mobile. Saw a female mallard fly to her nest, which isn't unusual of course. Except that this one is 12 feet up a tree. Will be interesting when the young hatch.

Saw my first mistle thrush of the year, can't believe it has taken me so long. It takes me to 78 for 2010 anyway, crawling along as I always do.

The lesser celandine are really showing well once the sun gets up. Everything is at least a month behind though, I'm usually enjoying these in early March not the end of April.

Staffs/Worcs Canal (April 21 2010)

Birthday boy am I today and an early morning fishing trip on the canal was my present to myself. Singing birds included blackcap and willow warbler, both showing well in bankside vegetation. On the far bank a pair of jackdaw were busy around a nesting site in a hole in a tree. This is a regular spot where birds nest. Also saw a treecreeper and a stock dove.

Lots of lesser celandine are coming through now, albeit late because of the harsh winter we have had. A healthy colony of butterbur on the grass verge next to the canal itself.

Sedgley Beacon (April 20 2010)

A very quick visit to Sedgley Beacon at lunchtime, with the specific hope of seeing if any wheatear were around. I see migrating birds every year on the site but unfortunately not today.

There were no whitethroat either, they haven't set up residence yet. There are usually a good number of birds to be seen and heard.

The birds I did see were the usual suspects such as greenfinch, great tit, blue tit and so on. A good number of house sparrow - male and female - around the entrance at the top of Beacon Lane.

Quite a few carline thistle still showing from last year on the west slope, along with coltsfoot in certain places. Lots of dandelion everywhere, in full bloom.

Back on track (April 20 2010)

Can't believe that I haven't updated the blog for 12 months. Anyway it's time for me to get back on track I think. I wish there was an app that I could use from my Blackberry, but then again as I tweet on a very regular basis, including all my nature sightings, that would be an unnecessary duplication anyway.

So the idea of a write-up appeals to me, it's something different. Might not be every day though as it's from my laptop, but I'm sure there won't be too many free days to be honest. Plus I have put my twitter link on the blog, so in the event that I do see something worthwhile and people are in the area then the information is there immediately.

Another positive is that I have put a stats counter on the blog. At the end of the day, even if you enjoy writing, there's no point in doing so just for yourself. So hopefully a few visitors will make it worthwhile.

Thanks for stopping by. Here's to some wonderful postings of the natural world in and around South Staffordshire. I live just in the 'West Midlands' but that's not a county! It's an adminstrative 'thing'. I'm a Staffordshire lad and that's historically where I live not some created political boundary!