Tuesday August 18

My journeys to and from work have been ornithologically lively over the last couple of days.

I'll start with this evening. I was sitting on a bus, stuck in heavy traffic, trying to get home. A text from Mike; Tree Pipit at Morton Bagot. I texted him back; fly-over? I already guessed it wouldn't have been, and sure enough Mike rang me to confirm that the bird had been perched on a willow by the bridlepath, and had then flown into a field. I knew exactly where he meant.

I finally got home and did a quick turn round to be on site by 18.45. After 30 minutes of searching the area in gloomy conditions I was ready to resign myself to failure. But luck was on my side as a pipit got up from the hedge and headed straight for the top of the willow. There was no doubt about it, I had located the Tree Pipit.

Tree Pipit in gathering gloom

To put the record into some context, this is the second I have seen here on the ground, but have also seen a couple of fly-over birds, largely identified on call. This evening's bird was silent.

In my rush to get out of the house I had forgotten my scope, so I didn't spend too long scanning the Flashes. Mike had only seen Green sandpipers and Snipe, and I saw the same.

Now, back to Monday. This is to prove you can see good birds anywhere. I was walking through Kings Heath in Birmingham from my parents' house to the bus stop on the High Street. At the top of Cambridge Road I heard a Parrot calling. I was then just in time to see a Parakeet sp fly from gardens and disappear behind a line of houses. Almost certainly a Rose-ringed Parakeet, but I only saw a silhouette.

A further 100 yards on and I was almost at the High Street, when I spotted a muscular falcon flying towards me across Asda car park. Pigeons scattered in panic and the falcon revealed itself to be a juvenile female Peregrine. It then swooped and dived at the Feral Pigeons for several minutes. The only other occupant of the bus stop, a small lady, eyed me in some alarm as I stood beside her staring upwards, occasionally muttering "oh wow" under my breath as the Peregrine repeatedly reappeared and chased the pigeons.

I did think of trying to explain myself, but I didn't want to make things worse.