Sunday Sunday

An early start on Sunday for a trip to Solihull Nature Reserve.  Arriving at sun up we managed to see the best part of 40 species of bird in just under 2 hours.  Not bad for what is in fact a park with a couple of fields attached. 

Redwing, Fieldfare, Brambling, and a couple of Green Woodpeckers were amongst the highlights but my favourite was the return of the Mute/Whooper hybrid swans on the lake.  I last saw them on January 10th!

Having arrived home the rest of the day was spent listening to music and watching Blues take on Leicester City (live on BBC 1).  A dismal first half and an action packed second.  A penalty to Blues (Marlon King putting it in the bottom corner giving Blues a 1-0 advantage), Not long after Leicester, were reduced to 10 men but still managed to put up a fight until a great move by Blues on the counter attack saw Chris Wood fire home Blues' second.

Pottering Around

Today has been a lovely autumn day.  A crisp start and clear skies and sunshine that is still quite warm as the day goes on. 

This morning brought the first of the Redwings. Five of them in the Yew tree in the garden.  Clare and I went over to Knowle to have a wander around the shops.  We walked the quarter mile down to the locks to see what was around.  A pair of Buzzards, a flock of Long Tailed Tits, a pair of Wrens as well as the usual Black Headed Gulls, Pigeons, Magpies and Crows.  Clare saw a Kingfisher which I missed.  I heard it but was too slow. 

Despite our leisurely day it has flown by!

Honey - Free Download

It is still unseasonably warm although it has become somewhat cloudy.  The cloud rolled in towards the end of yesterday afternoon and even brought some rain with it last night.  The temperature however has remained in the 20s. 

Determined to make the most of the good weather I spent most of the afternoon over Solihull Nature Reserve.  Bird wise it was quiet but it was nice just to be out in the sunshine. 

The temperature is due to plummet this week but I'm determined to eek out every last ounce of summer.

One of my favourite songs of the last few months is a song called Summertone by a Scottish band called Honey.   The EP from which it is taken is available to download for free.  Follow the link below.

http://lifetastesbetter.bandcamp.com/album/taste-it-and-see

Doxey Marshes

Today I've been to Doxey Marshes in Staffordshire.  I've been meaning to go for some time and finally managed to get here today.

A short walk along the river from the train station will get you there.  At first it didn't look that big but there are plenty of paths to walk and quite a few areas of water with a hide overlooking the main lake.  The highlight of the day was a Marsh Harrier!  I watched it for ages as it slowly flew over the reed beds.  Another highlight was a Kestrel that took off from a tree and flew directly past me.  It could have only been a few feet away.

Other birds included, Lapwing Greylag Goose, Shoveller, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Buzzard and flocks of Goldfinch. There were a lot of Coots and too many Canada Geese and I was surprised at the lack of wading birds but on the whole not a bad place to go to watch birds.

After leaving the marshes I had a walk around Stafford Town Centre and had a lovely meal of Mushroom and Spinach pie and chips (from Sainsbury's of all places!).

All in all, not a bad day.  The weather forecast hadn't bode well but with the exception of the odd shower it was fine. With some prolonged sunny spells. I will definitely head back there at some point. 

Another Week Passes By

Here we are again, over a week since my last post.  So what have I been up to since then?  Let's start with last Thursday.

Thursday night and St Andrew's played host to European football for the first time in 50 years (not including the Anglo Italian Cup in the early 90s) and I was there along with nearly 28,000 other supporters to witness Blues cruise into the group stages of the Europa League.

A nervy start saw Nacional have the better of the play but after about 15 minutes the game settled down. This was due largely to a cracking goal by Nathan Redmond, 17 years old and already a crowd favourite. 

The second goal came a few minutes later via Murphy's head.  Blues were making it look easy!  It was great to see us going forward and players actually queueing in the box to have a go.  A massive contrast to last year!

The third and final goal came in the second half. Chris Wood wrapped it up for Blues in the 86th minute.  I great evenings entertainment and all for a tenner.  Can't be bad. 

Friday and I missed the draw for the next round as I was at a family occasion over in Derbyshire.  It was good to see cousins again after 20 years. Hopefully we'll stay in touch now.

Saturday was a quiet day and on Sunday Clare and I headed to Sutton Park.  I'd not been there for years!  The weather was grey and a little on the chilly side when the wind got up but it was nice to wander around.   When we first arrived I noticed a rabbit in a field.  He was wild and kept disappearing into his warren.  The odd thing was he was jet black!

We wandered around the lakes and through the woods for a good couple of hours and eventually found the Blackroot Bistro. Stopping here, we had a bite to eat.  Clare ended up taking her bowl of chips back as there must have been half an inch of oil at the bottom and they were under cooked.  It's a shame as it was nice sitting under a brolly with a hot drink and food as the rain came down.

We intended to do some bird spotting whilst there ad came away with a pretty average list although we did see a bird of prey which we were unable to identify.  My gut instinct was Hen Harrier but I couldn't say for certain.

My gut instinct was ruled out on Monday when we went to Sandwell Valley. They had been reports of Snipe but it turned out one had been seen flying over. 

We arrived and as we approached the marsh we heard the distinctive call of Water Rail.  Things were looking good.  As it was we didn't see anything new but it was good to see hundreds of House Martins (and the odd Sand Martin) feeding over the river and lake.

Whilst looking at the lake we bumped into one of the volunteers who we'd seen a couple of times before.  We got chatting and he was giving us handy hints and telling us the best places to see this or that. I asked him whether it was a Hen Harrier we had seen but he didn't think it was.  He offered up no alternatives. We ended up walking over to Forge Mill Farm and sat around with a hot chocolate each, chatting. 

Eventually we went our own ways.  Clare and I decided we would explore more of the valley.  We walked around Swan Pool and up tracks and through woods eventually coming out on one of the two golf courses. Despite the map stating it was a public footpath it was at this point we turned around and headed back to The Reserve.

So there you go, brief but at least we are all up to date again.

Out And About

Over a week since my last post! So, what have I been up to?  Not much going on in the week although last Thursday saw the return of Big Brother!

Having ended on Channel 4 last year, Channel 5 not only bought the format but also the set and voice over man by the looks of things.  Last Thursday saw it's launch with Celebrity Big Brother. I was surprised by the lack of celebrities.  Bored from the outset I've not bothered with it and from what I can gather I'm not the only one.

Thursday also saw Birmingham City play their first match in a bona fide European competition for about 50 years.  Away to CD Nacional in Portugal in the Europa League they were unlucky not to come away with a win, having hit the woodwork 3 times.  It ended up 0-0 with the return leg at St Andrew's on Thursday.

I would have loved to have been there but instead had to make do with the live text on the BBC.

Friday and Clare and I headed for The Electric Cinema to see The Guard.  Having been given the 4 seater sofa (for the price of two) I settled back with my G&T and a bowl of olives to watch the film.  It's a great way to start the weekend and the film did not disappoint.

Starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle it tells the story of  a policeman in a small Irish town who, with the help of an FBI agent, smash a drug smuggling ring. 

I really enjoyed it and thought Gleeson was fantastic.  From the outset you are laughing aloud although I think it is pitched just right with the more poignant moments bringing you down to earth. I thoroughly recommend seeing this if you can.

On Saturday we headed off to Slimbridge Wildlife & Wetland Trust.  Although they have a large collection of birds it is also a fantastic place to see wild birds.  I didn't see as many new ones as I'd hoped but can now add Bar Tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Redshank and Rook to my list.

When we first arrived we had a spot of rain but it brightened up as the day went on.  It was a good day out and met a lovely bloke in one of the hides who was happy to let us use his scope. We chatted for so long that it meant we didn't have time to get over to the River Severn and the last hide.  That will have to wait for another time.  We also met a few odd people including a strange fellow on the way to New Street Station (he must have mentioned he worked part time at a local college at least 3 times in 5 minutes) and a taxi driver who was heavily in debt but had a love of flying machines (gyrocoptors, microlites etc.).

The only downside to the day were the trains on our journey home.  First we were delayed by 30 minutes at Gloucester and by over an hour at  Birmingham Moor Street. This meant it took us over 4.5 hours to get home!

Sunday was spent shopping in Birmingham and later that day my parents popped over for a couple of hours.

As usual the weekend flew by and before I knew it the working week was upon me once again.

The Last Five Days

The plan for this weekend had been a trip to Oxford but as it was postponed we needed a back up and so this is what we came up with.

Yesterday was a lazy-ish morning not leaving the house until gone 10am which is unusual for us.  We headed for Solihull Nature Reserve to see what birds were around.  Still all quiet.  We had hoped there might be the odd returning bird on the lake but it was mainly Black Headed Gulls and Mallard with the odd Moorhen and Coot.

After spending a couple of hours wandering around we headed for The Robin Hood for a carvery.  We arrived after the main rush and within a few minutes of entering we were tucking into our dinner.  Obviously I didn't have meat and Clare decided to go without also.  At the end we were pleasantly surprised to find that we had been charged £8 less as we had the vegetarian option.  In all the time I have had a carvery I didn't realise that I got it cheaper by not having meat!  I just assumed I paid the same as it was my choice to abstain.

We got back from the pub in time to watch West Brom versus Man Utd.  A game West Brom were unlucky not to take a point.  Rooney's early goal was cancelled out by Long in the 38th minute.  In the second half Ashley Young's cross was deflected into the back of his own net by Reid.  The final score 2-1 to Man Utd.

All in all not a bad Sunday
Saturday, and having been to the Post Office to collect a package (photos) it was off to Morrison's for breakfast. Again another lazy morning! Afterwards and it was off to the bookies for our weekly bet.

Early afternoon and we set off for St Andrew's for Birmingham's first home match against Coventry. Having had a quick drink at the bar we took our seats. I was surprised at firstly how few Coventry had brought and secondly at the lack of our own support.  The gate was just over 19,000.  Coventry, however, despite their lack of numbers completely out sung the Blues fans who seemed to be suffering from the same lethargy as the team.

The first half wasn't much to write home about. Blues opting to play Chris Wood up front on his own.  Not many chances at either end.  A change in the second half saw Wood replaced by Adam Rooney, who headed against the post before teeing-up the rebound for Keith Fahey to hit home in the 73rd-minute. The game ended 1-0 to Blues giving us our first 3 points of the season, having lost to Derby last week. 

Friday afternoon was spent in The Field House catching up with a friend.  It was great to catch up but the location could have been better.  I'm not keen on this pub.  The staff are friendly enough but if you are not a regular then all eyes are on you when you walk through the door. 

Thursday was a fantastic day!  Weather wise it didn't bode well. Waking up to grey skies I was worried about what was in store. 

England versus India in the 3rd Test at Edgbaston.  With England 2-0 in the series a win at Edgbaston would see them ranked as the number Test side in the world.  Clare and I had tickets for Day 2. England had taken to the crease having bowled India out for 224 and at the end of play on Day One they were 84-0.

Heading into Moseley, Clare and I had breakfast at Maison Mayci.  Whilst we tucked into scrambled egg on toast (with extra toast) the rain outside seemed to be getting worse.  By the time we paid the bill it had eased off and when we arrived at Edgbaston it had stopped all together.

I was disappointed to find that there were no spirits available and instead ended up drinking pear cider.  It wasn't too bad but didn't go down quite as easy as my usual gin & tonic.

Play had been delayed by 30 minutes due to the weather but when the players took the field it was dry and warm although there was still a lot of grey cloud around.  The cloud remained throughout the day with the sun breaking through.  When it did it was actually quite hot and both Clare and I ended up with a bit of a tan!

The play itself saw Cook pile on the runs ending the day 182 not out (he went on to score 294).  Strauss managed 87 before being bowled out to, what was later found to be, a no ball.  Pieterson managed 63. Bell managed 34 before being bowled out.  I was still applauding Cook's century which he had reached from the previous ball.

The day ended with England 456-3 with Cook and Morgan at the crease. They went on to win the match by an innings and 242 runs.

Making our way home we walked the last leg of our journey with a bag of chips.  A fantastic, although tiring, day out.

Not What I Expected

It's been an odd day today.  We decided, this morning, we would head to Wolverhampton and go and visit Bantock House, believing it to be similar to Winterbourne Gardens.

Arriving in the city centre we decided the best way to get there was to get a cab.  At first the cab driver wouldn't take us but when he realised we were from out of town he changed his mind. Strange that!  He was very chatty and a little camp but the 5 minute journey (£5 fare) was pleasant enough.

The brochure for Bantock House led us to believe that we could spend ages wandering around the house and gardens and so we were surprised to find a very small garden attached to a park. 

The house itself is lovely and the staff were friendly.  There just wasn't enough of it! 

Having stopped at the cafe we decided to walk around the park.  Although pleasant enough there isn't much there.  Just a green space surrounded on all sides by main roads.  So much for getting lost exploring!

We left feeling a little disappointed and decided to walk back into the city centre.  It took about 15 minutes.  We had a couple of hours going around the shops before heading back to the station.

Getting home around 4.30ish meant I we had time to watch the end of the cricket.  England seem to be in control of the Second Test against India with leading by 374 runs at the end of Day 3.

A bizarre incident occurred when Bell was run out on the final ball before tea.  Believing the final ball had been hit for four he left his crease and headed off the field.  The ball however had not made the boundary and India knocked the bails off his wicket.  During tea behind the scenes a decision was reached that, even though India were correct and Bell had been fairly dismissed, he would be able to take to the wicket again after the break.  I admire India's sense of fair play but if I'm honest I wouldn't have changed my mind!

The weather has been lovely over the last couple of days and yesterday we headed to RSPB Sandwell for our monthly walk.  Bird wise it was very quiet but we did see quite a lot of butterflies including Peacock, Small Tortoise Shell, Green Veined White, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and a Small Copper.

Having spent the best part of the day wandering around we got back just in time to see Broad get his first test hat-trick.  A maiden over, 0-0-W-W-W-0.  A great display!

With the sunshine and the cricket, the last couple of days has felt like the first proper summer weekend of the year and I'm hoping it continues for a while longer!

The weekend started with a quiet Friday in front of London Boulevard.  With a cast that includes Ray Winstone, Colin Farrel, Keira Knightly it tells the story of a man who is released from prison but finds himself being dragged back into the underworld by gangsters.  Refusing to be drawn in he decides to go head to head with the top man. 

I really enjoyed the film.  It wouldn't make it onto my best of lists but for a couple of hours entertainment it was perfect.  For me Jordan (an out of work classically trained actor who spent his time getting stoned)  played by David Thewlis stole the show although all the parts were well thought out and well acted.

Last Weekend

Monday again!  I can't believe another week has passed!

Weather wise, the last couple of days have been quite nice and what I'd expect for July but on the whole I've given up on the glorious summer I'd hoped for.  Warm and grey with the chance of showers seems to be the theme for this year.

Friday was pretty much like that but as Clare and I would be spending the evening at the cinema I wasn't too bothered.  We were off to see Mammuth, starring Gerard Depardieu at the Royal Spa Centre in Leamington.

We arrived in Leamington and headed for Pizza Express just as the heavens opened up, though it didn't last long.  Having eaten (the place was quiet customer wise but very loud when it came to background noise) we headed over to the Royal Spa Centre.  We were a little early so stopped at the Newbold opposite for a drink. 

Eventually we headed over to the Spa Centre, and before taking our seats, stopped at the confectionary stand.  The woman behind the counter warned us off the popcorn by whispering "it's really expensive".  We ended up chatting about sweets now and past, the theatre and places in around Coventry and Birmingham.  She was really pleasant and it was nice to stand and talk.  She was quite funny and  reminded me of a skinnier version of Miranda Hart.

The film itself is an odd one.  Very funny in parts and quite dark in others.  The audience (which numbered about 15) really seemed to enjoy it.  If you've not heard of it then here is a brief description from IMDb

Serge Pilardosse has just turned 60 and is about to retire from his job in a slaughterhouse. He has always worked from the age of sixteen, never been on sick leave. So, how will this man fill his days? His wife Catherine, who still works in a supermarket, notices that her husband will not get full retirement benefits since some of his former employers failed to do the requisite paperwork. So off goes Serge, riding his old Munch "Mammut" bike, in search of the missing documents.

I enjoyed it and thought the soundtrack was great.  I'm not sure it is for everyone though.

It was really pleasant night and a great way to start the weekend.

Saturday was meant to be a trip to see Macbeth in Stratford.  Throughout the summer various theatre groups are performing some of Shakespeare's plays outdoors, free of charge (if you are interested have a look at the RSC website, there is a link below). 

As we were about to head out Clare took a call from a friend who lives over that way who wanted to meet up for a drink.  We headed over to Stratford (having had breakfast at Morrison's and popped into the bookies). We met our friend outside The Golden Bee before heading in and grabbing a gin. We sat in the window chatting and watching the tourists go by.  The sound of a low flying plane caught my attention.  My friend told me that there was a Spitfire fly over and so I found myself standing n the road outside watching the Spitfire as it circled and flew low over the town a few times before disappearing over the rooftops.  Clare, unfortunately missed this as she was at the bar.

The drinks kept coming and we missed the start of the play.  As there are plenty more throughout the summer we figured we could always catch another one.  Instead, upon saying goodbye to our friend, we opted for a game of mini golf.  Despite my gin soaked haze I still managed to win (Clare beat me at crazy golf a couple of years ago in Great Yarmouth so it was nice to even up the score).

Time was getting on but we decided we would visit the RSC and head to the top of the tower for the views of Stratford.  We purchased our tickets and as we had time to kill before our timeslot went and got some chips.  We sat on a bench and listened to a couple of saxophonists murder well known songs.  If they struggled they would simply stop halfway through, move onto the next tune and murder that instead.  As buskers go they weren't the best but it still didn't stop people throwing their loose to change to them! 

The woman who controlled the lift to the top of the tower at the RSC was at great pains to stress that she was on her own and therefore it was not her fault we had to wait.  Obviously not everyone could go up together and she had to be in the lift to take people up and down.  We waited and eventually we were allowed into the lift. At the top we were greeted by another member of staff.  It made me wonder why we had to be escorted in the lift as there are no floors inbetween and so can only go to the top! Surely the person at the bottom counts them up and down and the person at the top does likewise.  5 come down means another 5 can go up.  I have used a lift before so don't know why we had to be chaparoned.

The views from the top are OK. It's a view of Stratford I'd not seen before. The guide gives you a map that shows places of interest on the horizon but to be honest it isn't very good and I found it to be more confusing than anything.  We looked, took some pictures and left. 

Whilst up the tower the rain came down and once back at ground level I was suprised at how quickly the streets had emptied.  Having looked at the swans on the river we headed home.

Sunday.  The forecast was for a sunny start, clouding over in the afternoon with rain and the possibility of a thunder storm.  Clare and I headed over to Solihull Nature Reserve to make the most of the sunshine before the rain set in.  We followed the path along the river and then over the motorway bridge and across a field before coming to a lane.  Not wanting to venture too far in case of rain we turned around and headed back.  We stopped at the cafe in Brueton Park before heading back over the Nature Reserve.  We spent a good few hours wandering around in the sunshine and it wasn't until we were heading home when the cloud finally rolled in. The rain, however, never came!  On the way home I heard a rustling in the bushes and as I looked a baby hedgehog appeared briefly before disappearing back into the undergrowth.  A nice way to round off the day.

We didn't see much in the way of birds on our travels.  Buzzard, Kestral and Goldfinch seem to have been the main ones but there were a few more butterflies, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Painted Lady, Red Admiral and quite a few whites were present.

All in all a lovely weekend.

Oh there is one more thing.  Yesterday was the last ever edition of the News Of The World!  I didn't buy the paper myself but over the years my Dad has and I've spent many a Sunday afternoon trawling through it. 

It's demise is due to a phone hacking scandal that happened a few years ago and is now coming to light.  The original claims were glossed over and the police didn't find much in the way of evidence.  It has since emerged that this was much bigger than first thought and a new police investigation is under way.  Members of David Cameron's circle have been arrested and there are sure to be more.  Advertisers such as Ford pulled the plug and others followed. As a result of this Rupert Murdoch decided that the paper could not go on and yesterday saw the final edition.

Last Weekend

The problem with a good weekend is that it is harder to get up on a Monday morning and that's what happened to me this morning.  It's not easy to motivate yourself on a grey, albeit warm, Monday morning at 6am. The weekend was lovely but as is usually the case over far too quickly!

Friday afternoon was spent watching the Wimbledon semi final between Murray and Nadal. I'm not a big tennis fan but enjoyed the match (which Murray lost 5-7 6-2 6-2 6-4).  The rest of the evening was spent listening to music which is something I don't do often enough these days.

Saturday and it was our monthly trip to Sandwell RSPB reserve.  The day was glorious travelling over, with blue skies and plenty of sunshine, but as we arrived at the reserve it started to cloud over.

This time of year is the quiet period for birds and although it certainly seemed that way going round when we arrived back at the centre we had a tally of 40 plus birds seen. These included Lapwing, Pochard, and Sparrowhawk.

After the guided tour Clare and I headed off in search of some Parakeet and bumped into two women, who were lovely but kept us talking for at least half an hour about all the birds and animals that had seen on their trips to Scotland.  Having spent so long chatting we decided to abandon the search for the parakeets and instead headed back across the reserve to the dairy farm on the other side.

Forge Mill Farm is a working farm.  They have Jersey cows and you can watch them being milked at times throughout the day.  We did this and we also fed the goats and chickens.  There isn't much else there to be honest and I was surprised at the lack of food on offer.  A packet of crisps and some orange juice had to suffice.  The shop was reasonably priced which made a change.

The evening was spent watching Black Swan.  It wasn't at all what I expected and I have to say I really enjoyed it, although it did leave me a little confused. I imagine most people know it is set in the world of ballet but I won't spoil the plot for those that are still to see it.

I noticed that the music was credited to Clint Mansell.  I wondered if it was the same Clint Mansell of Pop Will Eat Itself fame.  It turns out that not only is it the same person but he also wo an Oscar for it!

Sunday and with weather similar to Saturday (bright and war whilst travelling and clouding over when we arrive) we headed to Winterbourne House and Gardens.  Part of Birmingham University, it opened it's doors to the public last year. 

The Edwardian House and Gardens was built in 1903 and belonged to the Nettlefold family. The gardens were created in the Arts & Craft style.  It's about six acres and boasts various landscapes including a woodland walk that leads you to the lake on Edgbaston golf course.  It's a lovely place and was fairly quiet.  Having explored the gardens we had something to eat at the terrace cafe. Sitting outside overlooking the gardens was lovely.  A woman close to us had a sparrow land in her hair which was quite amusing.

A stable has been converted to a second hand book stall and we browsed before we heading into the house itself.  Entrance to the house is free as only the downstairs rooms are open but it was still nice to get an insight into the original owner's world.

Having been around the house we did a quick circuit of the gardens again before heading home.  All in all a relaxing day and a great way to spend a summer Sunday

This Week

Firstly, the lunar eclipse on Wednesday night was a let down due to cloud cover. It seems I never have any luck when it comes to star gazing.  This was a long eclipse and the moon turned blood red although we didn't get to see it.  Last night and Tuesday had fantastic views of the moon (through the clouds) but Wednesday's show wasn't to be.

Secondly, Alex McLeish's move across the city.  Having resigned from Blues last Sunday it has been announced this morning that he has now been installed as the new Villa manager.  This despite fan protests at Villa Park and Blues insisting on compensation (Villa have agreed to pay 2 million).

To be honest, I don't blame him going.  I think Blues have some real problems behind the scenes but I am surprised he has crossed the city!  I think Blues fans are unhappy about it but not as much as Villa fans. Some sections are talking about giving their season tickets back.  A few wins under his belt though and it will soon be forgotten.  In the meantime Blues have to find a new manager and start planning their bid for promotion and their campaign in Europe.  Interesting times ahead!

Finally, the fixtures for the coming season have been announced today. Blues kick off against Derby for the first game and end the season at home to Reading.  The last away game is Brighton!  Hopefully a trip to the seaside to celebrate our return to the Premier League!

Sunday

Today, as forecast, it has been raining.  It started early this morning and hasn't stopped since.  This has meant an afternoon of listening to music which I've thoroughly enjoyed. 

Despite the rain I've still got out into the countryside side today albeit just on the edge of the city.  Originally we were off to Worcester but the friends we were going with decided it would be better to stay local and so we found a four mile walk close to Kings Norton.

Bizarrely enough the last time we were over that way was on the 7th June last year and the weather was exactly the same. Then, we sat in the car and had a picnic.  This time, with different friends, we did exactly the same but eventually decided we should get out of the car.

Walking the lanes rather than the footpath we did a circle and an hour after we set out we were back at the car. Soaking wet and quite chilly we finished the picnic and headed home to get warm and cosy.

Earlswood Lakes (The Back Up Plan)

Yesterday's plan was to have a day out at Doxey Marshes in Staffordshire but the weather forecast suggested heavy rain and so we decided to stay local.
After ruling out trips to Stratford & Leamington we decided upon Earlswood again.  It's local and still had bits we hadn't explored. 

After breakfast we headed off and arrived about 10.30.  The sun was shining and the sky was blue but in the shade of trees, at the waterside it felt quite chilly.

We walked around the lakes before heading off towards Clowes Wood. On the third lake (Terry's Pool) were 3 Greylag Geese that we hadn't seen before. 

We headed into the wood and followed the path of the railway line and down the other side.  As we headed back into the dense trees I saw a flash of orange and then blue.  A Kingfisher.  The odd thing was that there didn't seem to be any water other than a stagnant stream. We hung around but it never returned. 

Once we had reached the far end of the wood the dark clouds in the distance were upon us and so we headed back.  Luckily the rain held off and we managed to get out of the woods and all the way back to Manor Farm Craft Centre where we had a sandwich and a bowl of chips at the Manor House Cafe.

Afterwards we had a look around the units and Clare bought some earrings.  It was at this point we had the first large shower.  We sheltered in a doorway until it passed and then headed off, taking in the lakes once more before going home.

I Don't Like Mondays

The start of the working week comes around all too quickly.  I find Monday mornings particularly hard after a weekend spent in green surroundings.  Having spent Saturday at Sandwell we headed to Solihull Nature Reserve yesterday.  We headed over quite early (got there at just gone 7am) and had seen over twenty different species of bird within the first hour.  It was grey and chilly and so we went back into Solihull to get a coffee and warm up before heading back to the Reserve. 

The sun eventually came out and we spent ages sitting on an old tree trunk watching Whitethroats flit amongst the undergrowth. It was great to watch them rising from the ground, hover and then dive bomb back into the long grass.  We also saw a Lesser Whitethroat. 

We headed home about lunchtime having seen over 35 species. Highlights for me included the Buzzard being harassed by 7 crows (they only left it alone when they went after a Kestrel instead), 3 Goldcrest flitting around a tree and the Lesser Whitethroat.

Barn Owls Or Lack Of

Last night Clare and I headed over to Solihull Nature Reserve to see if we could spot a an owl.  Last year we were told that barn owls had nested in one of the boxes and, if you were lucky, you might see one.We decide to gamble on them being there again his year and so after dinner we strolled over to the reserve. 

We arrived about 7.30pm and stayed until nearly 10pm, waiting for dusk to arrive.  We didn't see a barn owl but in the couple of hours we were there we managed to see Reed Bunting, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Swallow and Swift as well as many others.  There were also a couple of others that were too quick to identify but I have a sneaky suspicion one of them was a Sedge Warbler.  We heard Chiffchaff and there was a very loud Song Thrush sitting atop a tree. 

As the light faded we could hear an irate blackbird.  It seemed to be coming our way.  All of a sudden, swooping low over the reeds, a bird came into view and disappeared into the trees.  What  looked like a bird of prey was being chased by the blackbird. The poor light and speed meant we never saw it clearly enough to identify it.  I'd love to know what it was.

As it stands I may never know and not long after we headed back through the park in the semi darkness and home. 

Bank Holiday Weekend

It's a grey and wet Bank Holiday Monday and so I'm not venturing out today,  Instead I'm going to stay at home and spend the afternoon listening to music. I'm going to do an End Of The Road playlist as this year I have decided not to go to Moseley Folk Festival and head off to Dorset instead.  With the likes of The Fall, Mogwai, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Allo Darlin' and Beirut it is too good to miss.

Despite the weather it hasn't been a bad day so far.  Earlier Clare checked her bank and it looks like we've been allocated tickets for the Olympics although we have no idea which event we will be going to (don't get me started on the whole ticket process thing. The way it has been handled is terrible but out of the 3 or 4 events we applied for we have managed to get tickets for one at least).

Although the rest of the weekend has been dry it has been grey, windy and a little on the chilly side and so we haven't ventured far. 

Friday, I met Clare and my parents at All Fired Arts before heading to the Kitchen Garden Cafe for afternoon tea.  It's not the cheapest but the sandwich was lovely. You also get a scone and a slice of cake, washed down with a large cup of coffee.
Saturday, Clare and I went into Knowle, bought bread from the The Bread Collection bakery and had a look around the shops.  On the evening we settled down to watch the Champions League Final between Manchester Utd and FC Barcelona.  A good game, held at Wembley, which Barcelona won 3-1 (which I was chuffed about). Rodriguez put Barcelona ahead after 27 minutes. Rooney levelled the score 7 minutes later.  In the second half  goals from Messi (54) and Villa (69) put the game beyond Man Utd.

Sunday, Clare and I went to Solihull Nature Reserve. We stopped at the cafe in the park before following a footpath alongside the River Blythe. It takes you through the woods and out into an open field alongside the M42.  We followed the path for a bit and then took the bridge over the motorway and onto the fields beyond.  We decided to turn around and head back, saving the footpath for another day.

Whilst following the path we came across a Greater Spotted Woodpecker nest.  A hole in a dead branch of a tree we could hear the chick calling from some way away.  As we stared up at the tree a small red head popped out of the hole! We watched for a while before moving on.

We saw about 30 species of bird including Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Chaffinch and Bullfinch.

After the walk we headed back to the cafe where we met my parents for a bite to eat. They said they would like to see the Woodpecker and so we headed back along the path.  When we reached the field we found the gate was blocked by cows who had no intention of letting us into the field.

Having been over the reserve for over six hours we decided to head home, my parents joining us for coffee.  Not long after they had left my brother arrived. He stayed for most of the evening and when his girlfriend picked him up she also popped in for a bit.  It was a lovely day spent with my family.

Drawn A Blank

Been to Earlswood Lakes again this morning.  Just like last week we walked there and then got a taxi back.  It was raining when we set out about 8.30 this morning but by 9 it had stopped and the sun had come out.  There was a fairly strong wind which helped dry us out.

The reason we chose to do it again was because last week, although we didn't now it at the time, a Night Heron had been spotted.  A rare migrant bird that was still present up until last night. 

The lakes seemed quiet compared to last week. No boats on the water and less anglers.  There were more birders though.  We saw two groups of men in camouflage whilst out walking. I asked the second group if they had seen the Heron but they were not of the friendly type and all I got was a no. 

We hadn't been at there that long when we did spot a Heron flying over the smallest of the lakes.  It didn't look like a Grey Heron but I couldn't say that it was definitely the Night Heron.  If it was then it was our only sighting.  We did see a juvenile Cormorant and other birds including Arctic Tern, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Black Headed Gull, Nuthatch, Chaffinch and Blue Tit.

A quick drink at The Reservoir and then a taxi back home in readiness for the football.  The last game of the season and as I write all eyes are on the bottom of the League.  With West Ham already relegated there are two relegation spots left and 5 clubs trying not to be in that position.  Wolves, Wigan, Blackpool, Blackburn and Birmingham could possibly go down today. Obviously I'm hoping Birmingham can survive but it's a tall order as they are away at Tottenham who are currently in fifth spot and playing to keep Liverpool from taking it.

They walk around the lakes is in stark contrast to yesterday's trip to Birmingham.  It was very busy in town but we managed to find a bit of peace and quiet at Ikon. 

We wandered around the exhibitions.  First up was Tadasu Takamine's Too Far To See.  A collection of videos that we were warned contained sexual imagery.  I have to say I never really got it but the 2 that stood out were Inertia (1998) involves the uneasy combination of a young woman and a bullet train. She is shown close-up and feet first on top of a carriage while the rest of the world flashes past. A powerful electric hum dramatises her fruitless attempts to push her dress down over her legs against the force of the wind.  I'm not sure of the title of the other film but it involves a naked girl swimming.  The images projected through a fish tank onto the front of the glass. 

The next exhibition was by John Salt.  His paintings are basically of dumped American cars or run down trailer homes.  Despite it being very American I like his work.  1986's Trailer House being my favourite. It really drew me in.

Finally we saw Kristoffer Myskja's Machine That Uses A Thousand Years To Shut Down. It is a machine that runs for no reason except that, after one thousand years, it will turn itself off. Powered by light, a sequence of geared wheels rotate increasingly slowly, so that the movement of the last one is imperceptible.  It's an odd little thing but I was fascinated by it.

Afterwards we spent some time shopping and I popped to Swordfish and bought a couple of CDs (Sergeant Buzfuz, Barth & Flamingoes) before catching the train home.

A quick update with the football.  Half time and Blues are still 0-0 with Spurs. Elsewhere Wolves are losing at Blackburn and Wigan are drawing with Stoke meaning that both Wigan and Wolves are in the dropzone but as we are all on 40 points, along with Blackpool, it is only goal difference that seperates us. One goal changes everything. Fingers crossed no one scores in the second half!  We will know in just under an hours time.

Last Weekend

I'm still being a bit lax when it comes to writing this but I will try and improve things this week.

Saturday morning and it was off to Cherry Red's for breakfast.  I had the hearty veggie breakfast which was huge!  Consisting of veggie sausage, beans, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, potato rosti, grilled haloumi, fried egg and toast.  With extra toast and coffee it was the perfect way to start the day!

Afterwards we did some shopping (I ended up buying a couple of CDs from Poundland. A live Ramones compilation and Kaiser Chiefs' Employment!).

We headed home and I settled down for the FA Cup Final (Man City versus Stoke). Not the greatest of matches. I had hoped for a Stoke win but it wasn't to be.  Man City finally breaking them down, winning 1-0.

After the football it was time to head to St Mary's Church in Acock's Green for Skittles Night!  Their annual fund raiser is usually a relaxed night.  Fish and chips (or soup if you prefer) are included in the ticket price. Take your own drink and await your turn.  If you win you become the proud owner of a shield which you keep for a year before returning to defend your title.

Sunday and we decided to walk to Earlswood Lakes.  It's about 4 miles and took about an hour.  Having refuelled at the local shop we headed for the lakes.  There was plenty of birds to be seen with Swallow, Swift, Great Crested Grebe and Arctic Tern. 

We walked around the lakes and then around the woods.  We could hear a number of cuckoos but unfortunately never got see one.  After a couple of hours we headed back, stopping at the Reservoir pub for a quick drink and a packet of crisps before getting a taxi home.  A lovely day but it did get a bit chilly around the water's edge.