I did my annual trip with the Captain to Birmingham City Centre, not shopping but looking for Black Redstart, apparently they haven’t been doing to well. We searched a couple of the traditional sites that I used to check out 20 years ago for the WMBC and the Black Redstart Survey. We were lucky we had two birds, one at each site. There was quite a few species on offer we had a pair of Mistle Thrush feeding young at St Paul’s Square and unusually a Stock Dove!
On the way back I checked out the Reservoir and there were the usual dozen or so Common Tern but not much else.
3 comments:
Hi
I live in the Jewellery Quarter and saw a male redstart at St Paul's this spring. Great tits nest in the church, greenfinches and goldfinches in the trees and ivy at the top. Wren, blackbird, woodpigeon and robin have all fledged young this year there too! Considering its completely surrounded by concrete for streets and streets and very busy its amazing!
I'd love to hear/see Black Redstarts locally if there are any organised visits by any local bird groups.
Hi PJ
I don’t think there are any organised visits to the City Centre. But there will be birders on and off looking for Black Redstart in your area. Around the old Fire Station/Legg Lane is a good place. The best birding site in your immediate area is Edgbaston Reservoir, when I worked in the area I used to cover it a lot and saw Black-throated Diver, Shag, Common Scoter, Warblers, and a surprising number of waders. Thanks for your comment and if you see Black Redstart again I would appreciate you letting me know.
Regards
Pete F
Hi
Edgbaston reservoir is my patch. I go a couple of days a week. I started there in march and have had 60 species so far. Best being black tern, arctic and common terns, common sandpiper, a large spring passage if chiffchaff and willow warblers, reed bunting, nesting nuthatch x2 stock doves and gsw nest, pochard, and grey wagtail daily. Irrelevant mainly locally but every new species however common is a treat and as exciting as a rarity!
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