A boiling hot day.

Hi readers, today me and Dad decided to spend the very hot day we have had today birding round Sandwell Valley as we would usually on a Sunday. In the hide there was a lovely cool breeze around which made the birding a much more present experience. In terms of what was about there was very little and from the statistics from a guided walk yesterday there was only about 30 species n the reserve which is very low. 

There was a few little gems around throughout the morning including a Grey Wagtail which was flying around throughout the entire morning. To my surprise I heard the Cettis Warbler had not been heard for two days, so has the bird finally realised there is not mate for it on the reserve or is it just being a little quiet in the hot weather we have been having. 

A Stock Dove was around early afternoon which was a nice addition to the birding round the reserve, two Cormorants were on the booms, A single Swallow flew through along with three Swift due to the hot weather the Hirundines were likely to be high up in the air today catching the flies. 

Two Buzzards also flee through mid way through the Morning, and to my surprise a female Shoveler was on the main lake. 4 Common Terns were about, a single LRP, and a Herring Gull were also around but other than that things were very quiet. Here's our main sightings from the morning, 

RSPB Sandwell Valley- Stock Dove x1, Black headed Gull 20+ (5 or 6 Juvs), Canada Goose 20+, Reed Bunting x1, Grey Wagtail x1, Coot 10+ (x1 chick), Grey Heron x1, Buzzard x2, Common Tern x4,  LRP x1, Shoveler x1, Swallow x1 (juv), Swift x3, Herring Gull x1, Great Crested grebe x2, Reed Warbler multiple heard, Chiffchaff multiple heard. 

Yes things are quiet, but they are everywhere at this time of year, there had to be only 5 or 6 rare bird reports on RBA news map lite one of the days in the last couple of weeks, this time of year birds are very thin on the ground and you have to stick with the birds that are always around every year or in other terms the more common species. 

John and Sharon Holian visited the reserve today as they hadn't seen the valley Parakeets before, I gave them my advice on where to go but as far as I know the birds were not seen. Even the regular birds are thin on the ground it's to quiet for my liking. 

So you now know stuff is quiet round the valley. In the hide we spoke about the Tern raft and how the terns have not been successful is year in terms of breeding, we took our conversation the the Belvide tern raft that has what you may call a roof on top of it, and from what I have heard has been successful  that's in my opinion what we need over the valley, if it helps breeding birds it should be done and to be honest it wouldn't take to much to do it just a few more pieces of wood. 

Anyway lets hope the Cettis Warbler returns in the week but if not things are going to get to quiet round the valley and being young I hate to wish my time away but I have to say at this current moment in time I am really looking forward to birding this autumn and continuing on into the forthcoming Winter lets hope some twitching comes with the new season. I particularly want to see the wildfowl back on the valley I really enjoy watching them. 

Thanks for reading there should be a post next weekend- WMBB