Yet Again....Another Week Birding in Lockdown or "Down the Cut Again"

Well 12 days now since my last post and same old, same old... except with the easing in restrictions we dared the short 5 minute drive to Haden Hill Park! We've only done this once so far, it was a little too busy for us in the actual park area, but the Nature Reserve side was much quieter. Having said that, hats off to 99% of the people out there, social distancing was well in force. The only really annoying thing were all the dogs off leads, coming up to you and sniffing away, it really p*s*e* us off! The advice is to keep you dog on leads in public areas, and Haden Hill Park definitely is.

Sorry... it's good to get things off your chest and share. 😁😈

So not much to add to our previous post. We are now seeing Swifts over the house which is nice, we have fledgling House Sparrows in the garden and the Starlings have fledged from the nest in our neighbours roof.

The canal and Powke Lane public open space though seem much quieter on the birding front. Haden Hill and Corngreaves NR weren't bad, we saw at least 3 different male Blackcap and were surprised as were almost back at the car when two Little Egret flew over heading south.

So here are some photos from the last 12 days:
VE Day, socially distanced Line Dancing!

Out and about.....

Yet Another Week Birding in Lockdown or "Down the Cut Again"

So not much more to add, more photos from the garden and down Powke Lane Public Open Space and the Canal. We haven't added any new species since I last posted although there's always something nice to see, the daises, buttercups and dandelions are looking lovely on the field;

However for how long, we learnt yesterday that this valuable resource that enables people to go for strolls and for children to play safely is going to be turned into a cemetery. Sandwell Council snuck that through with hardly anybody knowing! The existing cemetery on the opposite side of Powke Lane, incidentally where my Mom & Dad are is nearing capacity and while I appreciate that of course space is needed for our loved ones, we also need to retain space for the living too! This space has been a godsend during lock down, not that we didn't visit it before this, I don't know how we would have coped without it.

I appeal to anyone who treasures this place to make their feelings know and contact the council.

So now for a few pictures!

 Starling (one of a pair nesting in our neighbours roof)

 Mallard playing hide and seek,

 Mistle Thrush,

 Greenfinch,

 The Canal adjacent to the field in the first picture,

 Wisteria,

 Lesser Black-backed Gull,

 Coal Tit and

 Squirrel on our feeders.

 Magpie,

 Robin going for it!

 New arrivals.

 Something else that will be lost if the cemetery goes ahead.

 Peacock Butterfly.

 Clematis,

 Robin and House Sparrow.

 More Clematis.

 One of the Starlins returning with food for the nippers!

 Finally the first of our Irises coming out.