Archive for January, 2011

It was a clear and crisp day, most of the ditches and pond were frozen over.

Birds of note included a Sparrowhawk gliding along the tree line following the Sling. A Coal Tit was seen in the conifers near the sewage works. Numerous finches including Chaffinches, Greenfinches and Goldfinches were seen and heard across the meadows. Up to 20 Redwing have been seen on the meadows in recent weeks but none were seen today.

It may only be January but many people who grow plants and produce are starting to think about 2011.

If you would like to get your children interested then have a look at http://www.secretseedsociety.com/

They sell a whole range of stories based around growing things in the garden!

A wet, dull and muddy day on Chapter Meadows but fortunately no snow although the water troughs were still frozen. A few cormorants flew over and one perched along Bromwich Parade. Gulls mobbed a Heron which flew from Kings School playing fields across to privately owned parts of Bromwich Meadows. On the meadows themselves were numerous finches, including Chaffinches, Greenfinches and Goldfinches. The highlight of my visit was a flock of 19 Redwing feeding along the field edges which eventually joined 44 Woodpigeon on Kings School land. A few Starlings were also perched up on the large Ash. Numerous Tits were working their way along the various hedgerows including 7 Long-tailed Tits. Very little else to report other than the remains of an unfortunate Swan on the river bank.   

The Pump House Environment Centre in the Snow before Christmas (December 2010)