Cotwall End Valley nature diary: My local patch
October 1: Morning walk in the immediate area: 27 starlings perched on two roofs in Tennyson. 23 wood pigeons feeding on the green. Evening walk: Four ring-necked parakeets in flight across the green, heading towards the village.
October 2: Small tortoiseshell across Keats. Female sparrowhawk soaring over Kipling. Lesser black-backed gull on telephone pole in Longfellow, waiting for the fox food to appear late evening.
October 3: A quiet day, lots of wood pigeons in the wider area. They’re guaranteed.
October 4: A few lesser black-backed gulls in flight, braving Storm Amy. A late walk along the lane and into woodland but nothing seen or heard at all. Very quiet.
October 5: Starlings c.30 on roof in Tennyson. Two mistle thrushes in flight across the green. Common buzzard soaring over the western slope.
October 6: Lesser black-backed gull on telephone pole in Longfellow, waiting for the fox food to appear. Two mistle thrushes in flight across Tennyson. Three carrion crows on the green.
October 7: 17 wood pigeons (including juveniles) on the green. Three common buzzards soaring over the eastern ridge, one mobbed by a carrion crow. Several lesser black-backed gulls in low flight over the valley.
October 8: Lesser black-backed gull on the telephone pole in Longfellow at dusk, waiting patiently for the fox food to appear. Fox visible in the lane, waiting for the lady in the bungalow opposite to put food out.
October 9: Nine house sparrows in shrubbery alongside the green. Grey heron in dusk flight over the western ridge. Two silent ravens heading towards Baggeridge to roost.
October 10: A late dusk walk around the local area. Two ravens heading towards Baggeridge to roost, same birds as yesterday no doubt. Wagtail species in circular flight around the school, looking to roost. Just a silhouette but likely to be a pied.
October 11: Although not seen, lots of vocal house sparrows in shrubs and bushes on the green and Tennyson. Both regular spots. A very low calling raven in circular flight over the green before heading for woodland. Roe deer calling from the western slope golf course after dark.
October 12: Large flocks of wood pigeons appearing in the valley, c.300 seen from the living room.
October 15: Eleven wood pigeons feeding on the green.
October 16: Very high raven in NE flight. A very enjoyable late morning walk in the lower valley, capturing autumn on video (below). Lesser black-backed gull on the telephone pole in Longfellow late evening waiting for the fox food to appear. A group of nine magpies on roofs in Longfellow.
October 17: Dandelions, buttercups and a common ragwort all in flower alongside the green.
October 18: Eight mallards, two moorhens and one grey wagtail on or around the main pool. Female great spotted woodpecker. Several redwings in woodland. Seven ravens in silent flight, south to north over the western slope.
October 20: Thirteen starlings in a tree in Shakespeare. Wood pigeons c.15 feeding on the green. Noisy house sparrows in dense hedge in Tennyson, not seen but definitely heard.
October 21: Morning walk in the immediate area. Lots of carrion crows, both perched and in flight. One starling in flight and two on roof in Tennyson. Single raven high in flight over the valley.
October 22: Walk along the lane to the grassy area. Jay in the woodland. Two calling jackdaws in flight. Two mistle thrushes in flight.
October 23: Walk in the immediate area. Six calling ravens very low, circled over the green before heading towards Himley. Starlings c.25 in the area. Goldfinches c.20 in trees on the green. Wood pigeons c.30 feeding on the green. Ten long-tailed tits in trees on the green.
October 24: Early dusk walk along the lane. Two ravens and a single bird later heading towards Himley to roost. Fox on the grass verge alongside the lane.
October 25: Morning walk in the immediate area. Wood pigeons c.200 in flight from woodland, heading towards meadows beyond the western ridge. Two ravens over woodland, one mobbed by a carrion crow. Black headed gulls, herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls, all in flight. Eight calling ravens seen from the upstairs back room, as they circled low over the woodland.
October 26: Mistle thrush flew over our home at dusk, heading for the woodland alongside the golf course.
October 27: Numerous starlings around the green early dusk, including a mini-murmuration of c.15 birds. The lesser black-backed gull on the telephone cable in Longfellow waiting for the fox food to appear, as another bird circled low in the immediate area.
October 28: Several carrion crows around the green, including the one with the noticeable call, that we’ve followed since it was a fledgling.
October 30: Wood pigeons (c.70) in flight.
October 31: Early evening walk along the lane. Starlings (c.15) flying into the woodland.
Cotwall End Valley nature diary here