There are no shortages of birds around at Sandwell Valley RSPB at the moment and with this recent sun we’ve been having, it really is a great place to spend a few hours.
The feeders have been doing really well recently with as many as 20 Bullfinches there in the morning. There have also been Chaffinches, Great and Blue tits, Reed buntings, Dunnocks and the occasional Willow tit.
As you stand at the old visitor centre, have a look down the meadow towards the marsh. With the recent rain, this area has filled up nicely and is now pulling in some nice birds. Teal, Shoveler, Mallard and Gadwall are dabbling away at the vegetation and Snipe can be seen probing in the muddy edges of the pool. Watch long enough and you may see a Water rail as it dashes across the pool and into the reeds or you may even hear its 'pig squealing' noise as it calls from the reeds.
The main lake is really looking good now. The re-developed island has settled down and the birds are responding to it with more than 50 Lapwing regularly on there and quite often as many as 20 Snipe can be seen probing the mud.
The wildfowl are putting on a great display as they all move into their breeding plumage. Tufted ducks, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Little grebe and Great-crested grebe are all regular features and keep an eye out for Goldeneye and Goosander. These won’t be here for much longer as they will shortly be moving North to their breeding grounds but you will be able to see the male Goldeneye displaying as they bob their heads and flick their feet trying to attract a passing female.
Keep an eye out overhead as we are seeing Buzzards and Sparrowhawks regularly and Ring-necked parakeets, which are generally heard before they are seen, are making a daily appearance!
There are also around 130 Black-headed gulls, now starting to gain their black heads, Common gulls, Jays, Song thrushes, Redwings, Fieldfares and Cormorants all still regularly on site.
If you do come for a visit, why not make the short walk over to Swan Pool where the juvenile Great northern diver continues to put on a great show, occasionally coming within 20 yards of the bank, (unfortunately not while I’ve been there with my camera!)