31st October 2010

Didn’t get time to go over Shustoke today but I did take the dog over to Coleshill Quarry. Yesterdays Jack Snipe was still there with 5 Common Snipe and a Green Sandpiper, not a bad haul for a half hour walk. There were also 50 Fieldfare and 30 Redwing feeding on the bushes adjacent to the railway line.

Saturday 30th October

After a busy week at work and decorating at home, I managed to get over this morning and it really was very quiet. There were still around 50 Pochard but no other winter wildfowl. The highlight was a single Common Gull. There were very few passerines around and the reservoir was very busy.

I had to walk the dog this evening so I gave Coleshill Quarry a kick and had a Jack Snipe in the same area as I had a few weeks ago, there was also a couple of Common Snipe.

Friday 29th October

Finally managed to get over on a blustery autumn afternoon, it was late and it was more for a stop of fresh air than serious birding. Not surprisingly passerines were thin on the ground although a group of 60-80 Fieldfare flew into the Paddocks area. There was a lack of duck species on the reservoir but a count of Pochard resulted in over c.120 being recorded and there were probable more!

Hopefully I will get over tomorrow and have a good look around but the weather isn’t looking too promising. But with large numbers of Waxwings in the country it won’t be to long before they arrive in the Midlands. As that bloke you used to do the ITV Crime programme back in the 80’s would say, “Keep them Peeled”.

Sunday 24th October

Took a walk around this afternoon, it was a gorgeous day so I took the dog with me and stayed on the perimeter. Looking down on the reservoir nothing much had changed bird wise apart from a Goldeneye and two Common Gull. I didn’t connect with any flock of birds at all, then the heavens opened, as I had walked to the reservoir the dog looked like a drowned rat by the time I got home.

I might struggle to get over much this week as we are short handed at work with holidays and the wife is in Tenerife for 10 days. But I can’t complain as I am of to Israel with Captain Daylate six days after that. If I do get over I will have enough time for the Gull roost and that will be about it.

Friday 22nd October

Didn’t get over until late today combined my duty of walking the dog with a spot of birding. Unfortunately it was getting quite dark by the time I’d walked around to the gull roost. There were c500 Lesser Black Backed Gull, c.1500 Black-headed, c.30 Herring Gull, c.6 Common Gull. In the last few weeks whenever I have been over late there is a Buzzard that likes to drift over the reservoir causing panic.

He/she appears to have no interest in catching a gull, I like to think it just wants to keep them on there toes, or maybe it wants one of those toys that you used to get that you’d shake and a snow storm would appear (what where they called?). Anyway that’s what the gulls look like when they all take off!

There are still c.50 Pochard and 21 Shoveler.

Thursday 21st October

Walked around this morning seeing very little, got a little irate with irresponsible dog owners so decided to cross the river and give the path behind the railway a grilling, unfortunately the cover was too thick (another couple of weeks me thinks). All in all everything is settling down with winter visitors becoming more evident every day.

120 Fieldfare, 40 Redwing, 20 Meadow Pipit, Green Woodpecker, 5 Shoveler, c.50 Pochard.

I had an interesting happening at my bird feeders this morning. There was a Dunnock standing under the feeders, and it didn’t look to well. I thought nothing of it until a Robin flew in and dispatched the Dunnock with a couple of sharp blows, then proceeded to drag it off into the undergrowth.

Wednesday 20th October

In bright sunshine there was no sign of the Scaup today but there were 23 Shoveler most of which didn’t land there were still c.50 Pochard. I counted 90 Cormorant on the Reservoir and around 30-40 on the jetty. There was no sign anywhere of any summer migrants but winter birds are starting to show up. I had c.80 Fieldfare, 20 Redwing and the same number of Siskin. The Raven again flew over the reservoir and there were a dozen plus Meadow Pipit.