Sandwell Valley RSPB Reserve

As I get older I have started to take more of an interest in the things around me. I think this blog proves it. Birds,  butterflies and countryside feature quite heavily.  Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy gigs, football and so on and I can happily spend an evening down the pub with friends but if I'm not doing that I am quite happily traipsing around fields.

Saturday morning I found myself at Sandwell Valley RSPB Reserve.  I hadn't expected much if I'm honest as Sandwell is surrounded by industry (albeit in decline) but when I got there I was really surprised.  25 acres of greenery and water!

Stopping off at the temporary visitor centre (the original one was burnt down in March), staff gave us a map and told us what we could expect to see.  Everyone was really friendly!

We stopped at the hide over looking the lake.  From here I could see Coots, Mallards, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall and Grey Heron as well as 3 types of Gull. There were probably more but  I am a novice when it comes to identifying birds and so probably missed loads!!

After the hide we walked around the lake to try and find the Golden Eye (unsuccessfully). As the day wore on it seemed to get a lot colder and the mist that we had hoped would burn off seemed to linger.  We completed the walk around the lake and stopped at the feeders.  Here we saw Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blue Tits, Great Tits and Pheasant.

We headed back to the visitor centre where the staff made us a coffee!  After a chat and a bit of a warm up we headed home.  Stopping off on the way to get ingredients for a stew to warm us up later.

I was really surprised by the size of the reserve and the variety of birds (we only saw a small proportion) and  am looking forward to heading back there soon.  I was also really impressed by the staff who were friendly and helpful. They made a good trip that little bit more rewarding.

Having had such a good day bird watching (I hate to use the term) on Saturday we decided to head back over to Solihull Nature Reserve.  I was planning a pretty early start but on the way out I noticed a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the tree outside the living room window.  The garden was a hive of activity, the busiest I'd seen it.  In the space of about an hour visitors included 2 x Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 x Jays, half a dozen Greenfinches, 2 x Redwing, 4 x Blackbird, 2 x Blue Tits, 2 x Great Tits, 1 x Magpie, 1 x Coal Tit, 3 x Wood Pigeon, 1 x Nuthatch and a Song Thrush.

The Trip to the Nature Reserve meant I can add to the list Jackdaw, Starlings, Long tailed Tits and (best of all) a Gold Crest.  Yesterday was not as cold as Saturday but stopped at the small tea room all the same for a coffee and to use their bird books.

I don't think bird watching will ever become a full time hobby but I can see it's appeal.  The Woodpeckers were back again this morning and to see them close up does give you a bit of a buzz.